《现代大学英语1》春随人意

2、Unit1 Half a day

　　1. I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red tarboosh. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.
　　我走在爸爸的身旁，紧紧抓住他的右手。我的衣着全是新的：黑色的鞋子，绿色的校服和红色的塔布什帽，可我一点儿都不高兴，今天，我就要第一次给扔进学校里去了。

　　2. My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens and fields planted with crops, prickly pears, and date palms.
　　妈妈站在窗口注视着我们爷俩的步伐，我时不时回头看她，希望她能出来干预。可我们还是沿着马路继续往前走，马路的两旁是果园和庄稼地，地里种着各种作物，还有刺梨和椰枣树。

　　3. “Why school?” I asked my father. “What have I done?”
　　“为什么我得去上学？”我问爸爸，“我做错什么事了？”

　　4. “I’m not punishing you,” he said, laughing. “School’s not a punishment. It’s a place that makes useful men out of boys. Don’t you want to be useful like your brothers?”
　　“我可不是在惩罚你，”他笑着说，“上学不是一种处罚，学校是把孩子培养成有用人才的地方。难道你不愿意像你的几个哥哥那样，成为有用的人吗？”

　　5. I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into this building that stood at the end of the road like a huge, high-walled fortress, exceedingly stern and grim.
　　他的话没有让我信服，我真看不出愣把我从家里拉出来，扔进路尽头那个筑着高墙的、无比阴森冷峻的大堡垒里有什么好处。

　　6. “When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. “Go in by yourself,” said my father, “and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others.”
　　来到了校门口，我们看到宽大的庭院里全是孩子，男孩和女孩都有。“你自己进去吧，”爸爸说，“跟他们呆在一起，笑一个，给他们做个榜样。”

　　7. I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. “Be a man,” he said. “Today you truly begin life. You’ll find me waiting for you when it’s time to leave.”
　　我迟疑不决，紧紧抓住爸爸的手，可他轻轻地把我推开，“拿出男子汉的样子来，”他说，“你的人生从今天真正开始，放学时，我会在这里等你。”

　　8. I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, “Who brought you?”
　　我往前迈了几步，那些孩子的面庞映入了我的眼帘。可我谁也不认识，他们也不认识我，我感到自己是个迷了路的陌生人。后来几个男孩开始好奇地瞥了我一眼，其中一个走了过来，问道：“谁带你来的？”

　　9. “My father,” I whispered.
　　“我爸爸，”我小声回答。

　　10. “My father’s dead,” he said simply.
　　“我爸爸死了，”他简短地说。

　　11. I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came along, followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood.
　　我不知道该说什么才好。这会儿，大门已经关上了，好多孩子一下子哭了起来。接着，铃响了，一位女士走了过来，身后跟着一群男士。他们开始把我们分成若干排，在四周高楼耸立的院子里，我们排成了复杂的队列。高楼的每一层都有带木顶的、狭长的阳台，从每个阳台上，都可以清楚地看到我们的队形。

　　12. “This is your new home,” said the woman. “There are mothers and fathers here too. Everything that is enjoyable and beneficial is here. So dry your tears and face life joyfully.”
　　“这是你们的新家，”那位女士说，“这里也有爸爸和妈妈，有能使你们快乐、对你们有益的一切。擦干眼泪，高高兴兴在这里生活吧！”

　　13. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis. From the first moments I made many friends and fell in love with many girls. I had never imagined school would have this rich variety of experiences.
　　看来，我原先的疑虑是毫无根据的了。一开始，我就交了好多朋友，并且喜欢上了好多女孩子。我没想到学校生活会如此丰富多彩。

　　14. We played all sorts of games. In the music room we sang our first songs. We also had our first introduction to language. We saw a globe of the Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries. We started learning numbers, and we were told the story of the Creator of the universe. We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning.
　　我们玩各种各样的游戏，在音乐教室里我们第一次唱歌，老师给我们上了第一节语文课。我们见到了地球仪，它能转动，显示出各个大洲和各个国家；我们又开始学数字，听老师讲造物主的故事。午饭吃的是美味的食物，饭后小睡片刻，醒来后又接着交朋友、“谈恋爱”、玩耍、学习。

　　15. Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. We had to be observant and patient. It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold. Even more frequently, she would resort to physical punishment.
　　我不过，学校生活并不都是这么甜蜜、充满阳光的。我们得处处留心，要有耐心。上学不全是玩耍和胡闹，同学之间的竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起打斗。那位女士虽然有时面带微笑，但也常常对我们大喊大叫和厉声斥责，更多时候她会对我们进行体罚。

　　16. In addition, the time for changing one’s mind was over and gone, and there was no question of ever returning to the paradise of home. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.
　　除此之外，此时改变主意为时已晚，我们再也不能回到天堂般的家里去了，摆在我们面前的只有努力、奋斗和坚持。那些能干的同学抓住机遇，获得成功，得到幸福。

　　17. The bell rang, announcing the passing of the day and the end of work. The children rushed towards the gate, which was opened again. I said goodbye to friends and sweethearts and passed through the gate. I looked around but found no trace of my father, who had promised to be there. I stepped aside to wait. When I had waited for a long time in vain, I decided to return home on my own. I walked a few steps, then came to a startled halt. Good Lord! Where was the street lined with gardens? Where had it disappeared to? When did all these cars invade it? And when did all these people come to rest on the surface? How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover the sides? And where were the fields that bordered it? High buildings had taken over, the street was full of children, and disturbing noises shook the air. Here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks or making snakes appear and disappear from baskets. Then there was a band announcing the opening of a circus, with clowns and weight lifters walking in front.
　　铃响了，宣告了学校一天的结束，学习暂告一段落。孩子们奔向再次打开的大门，我与我的那些朋友和知心女孩告别，迈出了校门。我环顾四周，但没发现爸爸的影子，他答应过要在门外等我的。我走到路边等他，等了很长时间，他还是没有来，这时我决定自己回家，还没走几步，我就惊讶地停了下来，天哪！那条两边有果园的马路怎么没了？它跑到哪里去了？这些汽车是什么时候闯到街上来的？这些人又是在什么时候跑到马路上来休息的？堆积如山的垃圾怎么忽然占满了路的两侧？路边的庄稼地又到哪里去了呢？取而代之的是高楼大厦，马路上到处都是孩子，喧嚣声使空气都嗡嗡起来。到处都是杂耍艺人在卖艺，他们或变戏法或是耍弄筐里爬进爬出的蛇。接着，乐队奏响了马戏的序曲，小丑和举重大力士走在了最前面。

　　18. Good Lord! I was in a daze. My head spun. I almost went crazy. How could all this have happened in half a day, between morning and sunset? I would find the answer at home with my father. But where was my home? I hurried towards the crossroads, because I remembered that I had to cross the street to reach our house, but the stream of cars would not let up. Extremely irritated, I wondered when I would be able to cross.
　　天啊！我感到迷糊，感到周围的一切都在转动，我真急了。这一切变化怎么可能发生在从早上到日落的半天中呢？我到家后会从爸爸那儿找到答案的，可是，我的家在哪儿呢？我急匆匆地赶到十字路口，因为我记得要穿过马路才能到家，但车流不息。我十分恼火，不知道什么时候才能过去。

　　19. I stood there a long time, until the young boy employed at the ironing shop on the corner came up to me.
　　我在原地站了半天，直到在街角熨衣店工作的那个小伙子向我走来。

　　20. He stretched out his arm and said, “Grandpa, let me take you across.”
　　他伸出胳臂，对我说：“老爷爷，我搀您过去吧。”