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新视野大学英语第三版读写教程第三册课文翻译(完整版)

新视野大学英语3第三版课文翻译

Unit 1 The Way to Success

课文A

Never, ever give up!

永不言弃!

As a young boy, Britain's great Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, attended a public school called Harrow. He was not a good student, and had he not been from a famous family, he probably would have been removed from the school for deviating from the rules. Thankfully, he did finish at Harrow and his errors there did not preclude him from going on to the university. He eventually had a premier army career whereby he was later elected prime minister. He achieved fame for his wit, wisdom, civic duty, and abundant courage in his refusal to surrender during the miserable dark days of World War II. His amazing determination helped motivate his entire nation and was an inspiration worldwide.

Toward the end of his period as prime minister, he was invited to address the patriotic young boys at his old school, Harrow. The headmaster said, "Young gentlemen, the greatest speaker of our time, will be here in a few days to address you, and you should obey whatever sound advice he may give you." The great day arrived. Sir Winston stood up, all five feet, five inches and 107 kilos of him, and gave this short, clear-cut speech: "Young men, never give up. Never give up! Never give up! Never, never, never, never!"

英国的伟大首相温斯顿·丘吉尔爵士,小时候在哈罗公学上学。当时他可不是个好学生,要不是出身名门,他可能早就因为违反纪律被开除了。谢天谢地,他总算从哈罗毕业了,在那里犯下的错误并没影响到他上大学。后来,他凭着军旅生涯中的杰出表现当选为英国首相。他的才思、智慧、公民责任感以及在二战痛苦而黑暗的时期拒绝投降的无畏勇气,为他赢得了美名。他非凡的决心,不仅激励了整个民族,还鼓舞了全世界。

在他首相任期即将结束时,他应邀前往母校哈罗公学,为满怀报国之志的同学们作演讲。校长说:“年轻的先生们,当代最伟大的演说家过几天就会来为你们演讲,他提出的任何中肯的建议,你们都要听从。”那个激动人心的日子终于到了。温斯顿爵士站了起来——他只有 5 英尺 5 英寸高,体重却有107 公斤。他作了言简意赅的讲话:“年轻人,要永不放弃。永不放弃!永不放弃!永不,永不,永不,永不!”

Personal history, educational opportunity, individual dilemmas - none of these can inhibit a strong spirit committed to success. No task is too hard. No amount of preparation is too long or too difficult. Take the example of two of the most scholarly scientists of our age, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison. Both faced immense obstacles and extreme criticism. Both were called "slow to learn" and written off as idiots by their teachers. Thomas Edison ran away from school because his teacher whipped him repeatedly for asking too many questions. Einstein didn't speak fluently until he was almost nine years old and was such a poor student that some thought he

was unable to learn. Yet both boys' parents believed in them. They worked intensely each day with their sons, and the boys learned to never bypass the long hours of hard work that they needed to succeed. In the end, both Einstein and Edison overcame their childhood persecution and went on to achieve magnificent discoveries that benefit the entire world today.

Consider also the heroic example of Abraham Lincoln, who faced substantial hardships, failures and repeated misfortunes in his lifetime. His background was certainly not glamorous. He was raised in a very poor family with only one year of formal education. He failed in business twice, suffered a nervous breakdown when his first love died suddenly and lost eight political elections. Later in life, he suffered profound grief over the tragic death of three of his four children. Yet his strong will was the spur that pushed him forward, strengthening his optimism, dedication and determination. It intensified and focused his efforts and enabled him to triumph over the overwhelming failures and profound difficulties in his life. A hundred years later, people from around the world commend Abraham Lincoln as the greatest American president of all time.

个人经历、教育机会、个人困境,这些都不能阻挡一个全力以赴追求成功的、有着坚强意志的人。任务再苦,准备再长,难度再大,都不能让他放弃自己的追求。就以本时代最有学问的两位科学家——阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦和托马斯·爱迪生为例,他们都曾面临巨大的障碍和极端的批评,都曾被说成“不开窍”,被老师当成笨蛋而放弃。托马斯·爱迪生还曾逃学,因为老师嫌他问的问题太多而经常鞭打他。爱因斯坦一直到将近9 岁才能流利地说话,学习成绩太差,有些人认为他都已经学不好了。然而,这两个男孩的父母都相信他们。他们坚持不懈地每天和儿子一起努力,孩子们也了解到,要想成功,就绝不要怕付出长期而艰辛的努力。最终,爱因斯坦和爱迪生都摆脱了童年的困扰,进而作出了造福当今全世界的伟大发现。

再如亚伯拉罕·林肯这个英雄的典范,他一生面临了无数艰辛、失败和接二连三的不幸。他的出身和经历真是一点也算不上光鲜。他在一个非常贫困的家庭长大,只受过一年正规教育。经商两度失败,初恋爱人的突然离世也使他精神崩溃,还在八次政治选举中落马。此后,他的四个孩子有三个不幸去世,令他悲痛欲绝。然而,坚强的意志鞭策着他,推动他前进,使他更加乐观、投入、坚毅。这让他得以全力以赴,一次次战胜生命中的巨大困难和挫折。一百年之后,世界各地的人们都赞颂亚伯拉罕·林肯,认为他是有史以来最伟大的美国总统。

Just like Churchill and Lincoln, only those who "keep their eyes on the prize", those who uphold a committed and focused will and spirit, will find their endeavors successful. Many artists, statesmen, writers and inventors have had the same experience. They achieved prosperity because they possessed a fierce will to keep preparing and working and a passion to succeed. They attained success, not because it was easy, but because they had the will to overcome profound obstacles and to work diligently in the pursuit of their goals.

After growing up on a cattle ranch without running water or electricity, Sandra Day O'Connor fought to achieve the best education possible. Consistently graduating at the top of her class, she worked her way into Stanford Law School, where she graduated with honors. But despite all of her hard work, Sandra Day O'Connor was

still a woman in the 1950s. Even with the prestige of her degree from Stanford, she was rejected from the entire law circuit as firms preferred to hire less qualified men rather than risk hiring a female lawyer, which was unprecedented. Yet Sandra Day O'Connor refused to give up on her dreams. Through sheer persistence she was eventually nominated and then appointed the first woman Supreme Court Justice of the United States of America. There, she acted as a crucial vote on issues like abortion and women's rights.

与丘吉尔和林肯一样,只有那些“执著地追求成功”的人,那些保持始终如一的精神意志的人,才会通过自身的努力,获得成功。许多艺术家、政治家、作家和发明家都有同样的经历。他们之所以能取得这样的成就,是因为他们拥有强烈的意愿,不懈地准备、奋斗,并保持对成功的激情。他们取得了成功,并不是因为成功很容易,而是因为他们拥有克服重重障碍的意志,为了追求目标而勤奋努力。

桑德拉·戴·奥康纳成长于既没自来水也没电的养牛场,她努力学习以使自己接受到最好的教育。她的学习成绩在班上始终名列前茅,一路奋斗终于进入了斯坦福大学法学院,并以优异的成绩从法学院毕业。尽管奥康纳勤奋刻苦,但在20 世纪50 年代,她仍然受到女人身份的制约。即使斯坦福大学的学位有良好的声誉,她仍被整个法律界拒之门外,因为事务所宁愿聘请才干稍逊的男性,也不愿冒险破例雇佣一位女律师。然而,桑德拉·戴·奥康纳并未放弃梦想。她执著地坚持下去,终于得到提名并被任命为美国第一位女性最高法院大法官。她任职期间,对很多问题,例如堕胎和妇女权利,都起到了极为关键的作用。

Many people simply say that they want something, but they do not expend the substantial effort required to achieve it. Many people let the threat of failure stop them from trying with all of their heart. The secret of success is based upon a burning inward desire - a robust, fierce will and focus - that fuels the determination to act, to keep preparing, to keep going even when we are tired and fail. As a wise saying goes: "It's not how many times you fall down that matters. It's how many times you get back up that makes success!"

Focus on becoming more knowledgeable. Focus on gradual, consistent progress. Maintain the strong will to keep going - even when you are tired and want to slack or the odds seem too large. "Keep your eyes on the prize!" "Where there's a will, there's a way!" With hard work, determination, dedication and preparation, you can transcend any handicap, accomplish any feat, and achieve success!

很多人只是嘴上说他们想要什么东西,但并不真正地付出大量努力去实现。很多人因为害怕失败而不敢全心尝试。而成功的秘诀在于内心燃烧的欲望——一种坚定不移的意志和专注力——从而激发行动的决心,即使疲惫,即使失败,也会继续准备,继续前进。正如一句箴言所说:“你摔倒了多少次并不要紧;你能多少次重新站起来对成功才至关重要!”

专注于汲取更多的知识,争取持之以恒地渐进,保持永不言退的坚强意志——即使在你疲惫想要松懈的时候,或者困难重重之时。“执著地追求成功!”“有志者,事竟成!”只要刻苦努力,意志坚决,专心投入,准备充分,你就能跨越一切障碍,完成所有壮举,取得成功!

课文B

Chance favors the prepared

机会偏爱有准备之人

Les Brown and his twin brother were adopted by Mamie Brown, a kitchen worker, shortly after their birth in a poverty-stricken Miami neighborhood.

Because of his overactive behavior and nonstop talking as a child, Les was placed in special education classes for the learning disabled all the way through high school. Upon graduation, he became a garbage collector. The prospective opportunities for his future looked slim to others, but not to Les. He had a passion, a dream - a big dream that he was ready to work hard for. He was destined to be a disc jockey, also known as a "DJ", one of the radio celebrities mixing music broadcasts for the whole city.

莱斯·布朗和其孪生兄弟出生于迈阿密一个异常贫困的街区,出生后不久就一起被厨工玛米·布朗收养。

由于儿时过度好动,还爱不停地说话,莱斯被送到专为学习困难儿童而设的特殊教育班,并一直读到了高中。一毕业,他就成了一名垃圾清运工。大家都觉得他将来不会有什么好前途,但他自己却不这么想。他有激情,有梦想——一个让他为之奋斗的伟大梦想。他觉得自己一定会成为电台音乐唱片节目主持人,通常也叫“DJ”,那可是电台名人,专门为面向全市的广播制作音乐节目。

At night he would take a radio to bed so he could indulge his dream by listening to the local DJs. He created an imaginary radio station in his tiny bedroom. A hairbrush served as his microphone as he energetically practiced speaking his masterpieces to his imaginary listeners.

He aggravated his friends with his constant practicing. They all told him that he didn't have a chance and he would never be a DJ. They scorned him and said to stop dreaming and focus on the real world. Nonetheless, Les didn't let their negativity stop him. He kept his goals close to his heart and remained wrapped up in his own world, completely absorbed in preparing for his future, preparing to live his dream as a renowned DJ.

一到晚上,他就带着收音机上床睡觉,这样他就可以一边听着当地DJ 的节目,一边沉浸在自己的梦想里。他在自己的小卧室里营造了一个假想电台。他把梳子当麦克风,劲头十足地对着想象中的听众练习自己的杰作。

他无休止地练习让朋友们不胜其烦。他们都说他根本没有机会,永远都不可能成为DJ。他们嘲弄他,告诉他别做白日梦,要面对现实。然而,这些负面影响并没有让莱斯停止追求。他心中一直铭记自己的目标,继续沉浸在自己的世界里,全身心投入到对未来的准备中,去实现他成为著名DJ 的梦想。

One day Les decided to take the initiative and begin with this enterprise. He boldly went to the local radio station and told the station manager he understood the layout of the station and was ready to be a disc jockey.

The manager looked dubiously at the untidy young man in overalls and a straw hat and inquired, "Do you have any expertise in broadcasting?"

Les replied, "No sir, I don't."

"Well, son, I'm afraid we don't have a job for you then," he responded bluntly. So, Les' first chance at success had been a complete bust.

一天,莱斯决定主动出击,开始自己的事业。他大胆地来到当地电台,告诉

经理他熟悉电台布局环境,完全可以成为一名DJ。

经理满腹狐疑地看着这个一身工作服还戴着顶草帽的邋遢年轻人,问他:“你了解播音的专业知识吗?”

莱斯回答说:“不,先生,我不了解。”

“哦,孩子,那恐怕我们没法雇用你,”经理直截了当地回应。就这样,莱斯对成功的第一次尝试完全以失败告终。

Les was determined. He adored his adoptive mother, Mamie Brown, and was careful with his money to try and buy her nice things. Despite everyone's discouragement, she believed in him and had taught him to pursue his goals and persist in his dreams no matter what others said.

So, in spite of what the station manager had originally said, Les returned to the station every day for a week. His persistence was very persuasive, and the station manager finally gave in and took Les on to do small tasks - at no pay. Les brought coffee and food. He catered to their every need at work and worked overtime whenever necessary. Eventually, his enthusiasm won their confidence and they would send Les in their Cadillac to pick up celebrities, not knowing that he didn't even have a driver's license!

莱斯十分坚定。他很爱自己的养母玛米·布朗,还精打细算攒钱为她买喜欢的东西。尽管人人都打击他,但她却十分信任他,告诉他不管别人怎么说,都要追求自己的目标,坚持自己的梦想。

因此,不管电台经理之前怎么说,莱斯每天还是会去电台,这样持续了一周。他的坚持很能打动人,电台经理终于让了步,让他做一些小事情——不过没有报酬。莱斯负责给大家提供咖啡和吃的东西。他在工作中尽力满足大家的每一个要求,而且只要有需要,任何时候都可以加班。最后,他的工作热情赢得了大家的信任,他们让莱斯开着凯迪拉克去接送名人,居然不知道他连驾照都没有。

While hanging out with the station's real DJs, Les taught himself their posture and hand movements on the control panel. He stayed around the studio, soaking up whatever knowledge he could. He was disciplined; back in his bedroom at night, he faithfully practiced in anticipation of the opportunity he knew would come.

One afternoon at work, the DJ named Rock started to feel very sick while on the air. Les was the only person around, and he realized that Rock was coughing and losing his voice. Les stayed close in case there was some way he might help alleviate his coworker's distress. He also worried that the illness was sure to doom this broadcast.

与电台真正的DJ 相处时,莱斯自学他们操作调音台的姿势和手势。他徘徊在播音间,力所能及地汲取全部知识。他非常自律,晚上一回到房间,就满怀着期待不懈地练习,他知道机遇终会降临。

一天下午,工作期间,一个名叫洛克的DJ 在直播时突然病得厉害。周围只有莱斯,而他意识到洛克正在咳嗽,都快不能说话了。莱斯凑近他,看看有什么办法能帮助同事减轻痛苦。他也担心这病肯定会让广播无法进行下去。

Finally, when the phone rang, Les grabbed it. It was the station manager, as he knew it would be.

"Les, this is Mr. Klein. I don't think Rock can finish his program,

"Yes," he murmured, "I know."

"Would you call one of the other deejays to come in and take over?"

"Yes, sir, I sure will."

最后,电话铃响了,莱斯抓起电话。正是电台经理,对此他已有预感。

“莱斯,我是克莱因。我觉得洛克没办法做完这期节目了。”

“是的,”他低声说,“我知道。”

“你能打电话叫其他DJ 来接替他吗?”

“好的,先生,我一定去叫。”

But try as he might, none of the regular DJs were available. MC Cormick and DJ Slick were both out of town for the weekend and DJ Neil was also feeling sick. It seemed that the radio station was in big trouble.

Frantic with distress, Les called the general manager. "Mr. Klein, I can't find nobody," Les said.

但他找了个遍,却发现一个正式DJ 都找不到。主持人考密克和DJ 斯雷克都出城度周末去了,尼尔身体也不舒服。似乎电台的麻烦大了。

莱斯无计可施,几欲抓狂,只好给总经理打电话。“克莱因先生,一个人都找不到,”莱斯说。

Mr. Klein then asked, "Young man, do you know how to work the controls in the studio?"

"Yes sir," replied Les, grinning with the sudden opportunity. He didn't even blink before he called his mother and his friends. "You all go out on the front porch and turn up the radio because I'm about to come on the air!" he said.

克莱因先生于是问道:“小伙子,你知道怎么操作播音间里的调音台么?”

“我知道的,先生,”莱斯回答,为突如其来的机会笑了。他一刻都不耽搁,马上给母亲和朋友们打了电话。“你们都到前廊去,打开收音机,我马上要直播了!”他说。

Les rushed into the booth, hoisted Rock onto a nearby couch, and sat down in his place. He was ready. He flipped on the microphone and eloquently rapped, "Look out! This is me, LB, Les Brown! There were none before me and there will be none after me. Therefore, that makes me the one and only. Young and single and love to mingle. Qualified to bring you satisfaction, a whole lot of action. Look out, baby, I'm your lovin' man."

Because of his preparation, Les was ready. He had dazzled the audience and heard applause from his general manager. From that fateful beginning, Les was propelled to become an icon in broadcasting, politics, public speaking and television.

莱斯冲进播音间,把洛克扶到附近的沙发上,然后坐上了他的位置。他已做好准备。打开麦克风,他流利地开始了一段说唱:“注意啦!我是莱布,莱斯·布朗!空前绝后的莱斯·布朗,独一无二的莱斯·布朗。我青春年少,单身无挂,喜爱结交;我会让你心满意足,动能无限。来吧,亲爱的,我就是你喜爱的那个人。”

正因为莱斯勤于准备,他才能一切就绪。听众为之折服,经理为之鼓掌。在那决定命运的一刻后,莱斯不断前进,成为在广播、政治、演讲和电视等领域的一位偶像级人物。

Unit 2 Beat your Fear

课文A

Swimming through fear

游越恐惧

I was on a tour of France with my friends when our car pulled to a stop at the beach and we saw the Mediterranean Sea. Massive waves surged against large rocks that formed a waterproof jetty. People said this beach was known for its notorious rip currents. I shivered with fear. Nothing scared me as much as water.

Just the sight of the sea made me sick to my stomach.

当时我和朋友正在法国旅行,我们把汽车停在海滩,眼前就是地中海。巨浪翻滚击打着构筑起防波堤的偌大岩石。人们说这里的海滩以其可怕的裂流而著称。恐惧让我不寒而栗。没有什么比水让我更害怕了。

只是看到了海就已经让我觉得反胃。

I'd always loved water and been a good swimmer until last summer, when I'd decided to climb up to the highest diving board at the pool. I'd hopped from that height and hit the water with an incredible impact. The air was ousted from my lungs and I blacked out. The next thing I knew, my brother was pulling my feeble body out of the pool. From then on, my fear wouldn't recede; I was absolutely terrified of water.

"Jason, are you coming?" my friend, Matt, called.

我曾经一直都是喜欢水的,并且直到去年夏天我都还是一名游泳好手。那时,我决定爬上游泳池边上最高的跳板来跳水。我从那么高的地方跳下,重重地撞击到水面上。我肺里的空气一下子全被挤出去了,马上不省人事。醒来时发现哥哥正把我虚弱的身体从游泳池里拖出来。从那时起,我对水的恐惧就没有消退过,我怕极了水。

“贾森,你要过来吗?”我的朋友马特朝我喊道。

"Yeah," I said. "Just enjoying the view," from dry land, I added silently, worried they might deem my fear pathetic if they knew.

Suddenly I heard shouting in French. A mob of people were running into the sea, fully clothed. That's odd, I thought.

我说:“好,就是欣赏一下景色”,又在心里默默加了一句——在岸上欣赏。担心如果他们知道我害怕水而可怜我。

突然,我听到有人用法语喊叫。接着看见一群人没脱衣服,就冲到海里。我心想,这真是太奇怪了。

I glimpsed something moving up and down amid the waves, past the end of the jetty. I gasped, realizing the catastrophe with horror. That's a little boy out there! The would-be rescuers fought against the tide, but the situation was bleak. With the water's tow, they'd never get to him in time.

I looked back at the boy. His head popped up, then a wave crashed over him and he disappeared for a moment; I had to intervene.

我瞥见防波堤尽头的海浪中有个东西在上下浮动。我惊恐地意识到大事不妙,倒吸了一口凉气,那居然是个小男孩!前去救落水男童的人们搏击着海浪,但情况却不乐观。由于水的拉拽,他们根本不可能及时游到小男孩身边。

我扭头看看那小男孩。他的头刚露出水面,然后一个浪头打过来,好一阵不见踪影——我不得不做点什么了。

I appraised the situation and realized - the jetty! The boy was close to it; maybe I could help from there. I raced down the beach, out onto the jetty, and it hit me: Water! My palms got sweaty and my stomach felt sick, symptoms of my fear. I stopped short.

The people in the water had underestimated the waves and weren't making any progress. I was the only one who saw that going out on the jetty was the fastest way to reach the drowning boy. Yet in the midst of this tragedy, I was extremely terrified. I tried to remember the lifeguard training I'd had as a teenager.

我估计了当下的情形后注意到了——对,那防波堤!小男孩靠近那个地方,也许我可以从那儿帮忙。我冲下海滩,跑上防波堤,但突然我想起了什么——水!顿时有了恐惧的症状:我手心冒汗,胃里感觉不适。我一下子停下来。

水里的那些人低估了海浪的威力,救援工作没有任何进展。只有我注意到了跑到防波堤上是到达溺水男童的最快的路径。然而在此性命攸关之际,我极度恐慌。我努力去回想十几岁时所接受的救生员训练。

I was paralyzed with fear, but I forced myself to move forward with this impromptu rescue. I don't want this. Surely someone else can save him before I have to.

At the ridge of the jetty, I whirled around, convinced I'd see an athletic swimmer plowing through the rough water toward the boy. To my dismay, no one was there. I turned back out to the sea to see the boy battered by vicious waves about 25 yards away from me. Sucking in a deep breath, I threw myself into the water. As soon as I jumped in, I felt like I was back in that pool, breathless, struggling, terrified. Salt stung my eyes. Focus, I shouted in my head. Where is he?

我因恐惧而全身瘫软,但我强迫自己向前移动,展开这场突发的救援行动。我不想做这些,在我施救之前肯定会有别人救他吧。

我在防波堤的边上迅速转过身来,深信会看见某个游泳健将正向着小男孩劈波斩浪。但是让我沮丧的是,一个人也没有。我回身面向大海,看见25 码开外恶浪击打着小男孩。我深吸一口气,纵身跃入水中。一跳进水里,我感觉仿佛又回到了当年的那个游泳池,我喘不过气,拼命挣扎,惊恐万分。咸水刺痛了我的双眼。“集中注意力,”我在心里喊道。“他在哪里?”

Then, with clarity, I saw a thin arm waving weakly a few yards away. I swam with all my strength, reaching the boy just as he sank below the surface. I grabbed his arm and pulled. He popped back up, eyes wide with terror, pawing and twisting against me. "Repose (Calm down)!" I commanded the boy in French. His struggling would derail any rescue attempt, and we'd both perish. "Repose!" I commanded again. Thankfully, this time he listened, and was still.

When I turned back toward shore a wave pounded over us. The jetty was further away! The rip current It was forcibly dragging us out to the sea. I fought to get us back to land, but made little progress. I knew I'd never be able to escort him back like this.

然后我清楚地看到一只细小的手臂在离我几码处微弱地挥动着。我拼尽全力游过去,在他刚要没水之时赶到了。我抓住他的手臂拉他。他冒出水面,眼睛因恐惧瞪得很大,胡乱抓扯着我。我用法语命令他:“别慌!”他这样挣扎会阻碍救援,那我们俩就都死定了。我再次命令他:“别慌!”谢天谢地,这次他听话了,不动了。

当我转身朝岸边游去的时候,一个浪劈头盖脸打来。我们离防波堤更远了!是裂流!它强行把我们拽往大海深处。我挣扎着想带他游回岸上,但进展甚微。我知道这种游法根本没法护着他返回岸边。

Desperate to survive, I remembered what I'd learned in my life saving class: Never, ever swim against the rip current! Swim sideways to the pull of the current and slowly make your way back toward shore. It was an odd-looking but practicable solution. Swim sideways and float to rest Swim sideways and float to rest. We did that over and over. We slowly made our way to safety. "Jason, you can do it!" I heard Matt say as he stood on the jetty. I hadn't even noticed how close we were, only about seven feet left to go.

强烈求生欲望之下,我想起了在救生课上所学到的知识:永远不要与裂流相对而游!要顺其方向朝侧边游,慢慢地靠向岸边。这个办法尽管看上去很荒谬,但却管用。朝侧边游,浮起休息。朝侧边游,浮起休息。我们重复着这个方法,慢慢地游到了安全区。“贾森,你能行的!”我听到站在防波堤上的马特对我说。我甚至没有注意到我们离防波堤这么的近,只剩下大约7 英尺的距离了。

And, as we made our way to safety I realized something incredible: I was no longer afraid. That absence of fear was a moment of triumph!

Matt jumped into the water. I tossed the boy to him. Just as I let go, a big wave picked him up and carried him all the way to Matt.

On the brink of collapse, I stopped fighting, just letting myself go. My hand hit the jetty. It was like an electric shock that brought me back to my senses. Someone grabbed for me.

后来我们到达安全水域时,我觉得有些不可思议:我不再怕水了。恐惧没了,这一刻我胜利了!

马特跳进水里。我把男孩拋给他。我刚一松手,一个大浪托起他直接把他送到了马特身边。

我全身都快虚脱了,我不再划水,就这样放松自己顺水而漂。我的手碰上了防波堤,仿佛触电一般,我重新恢复了神志。有人抓住了我。

I felt strong arms lift me. I ascended not only from the sea onto the secure rocks of the jetty - but also to my salvation, leaving behind the terrible fear that had gripped me for so long. I turned my head and saw the boy was hugged tightly by his mother. I looked out to the sea. Weary as I was, the water had never looked so beautiful.

我感觉到强壮有力的手臂将我托起。我不仅从海里爬上防波堤的磐石,而且完成了自我拯救,摆脱了困扰已久的恐惧。我扭过头看见小男孩被母亲紧紧拥入怀中。虽已疲惫不堪,但放眼大海,我感觉海水比任何时候看起来都更美。

课文B

When courage triumphed over fear

当勇气战胜恐惧

I know what courage looks like. I saw it on a flight I took six years ago, and only now can I speak of it without tears filling my eyes at the memory.

When our plane left New York that Friday morning, we were a talkative, high-energy group. The early-morning transcontinental flight hosted mainly professional people going to San Francisco for a day or two of business. As I looked

around, I saw lots of designer suites, CEO-level expensive haircuts, designer briefcases and all the trimmings of lofty business travelers. I settled back with my paperback novel for some light reading and the brief flight ahead.

我知道勇气是什么样子。我六年前在乘坐的一架航班上就见识了。只到现在,凭记忆述说这件事的时候,我才不致热泪盈眶。

那是星期五的早上,当我们的飞机从纽约起飞时,我们这帮人还高谈阔论、劲头十足。这趟横贯大陆的清晨航班主要搭载了一些前往旧金山出差一两天的职业人士。我向四周打量一下,看到的多是名贵西装、经理人式的考究发型、名牌公文包以及气宇轩昂的商务旅行者们的各种装束。我身子往后一靠,拿出一本简装小说准备轻松阅读一下,度过时下这短暂的飞行。

Immediately upon take-off, long before we had reached our cruising altitude, it was clear that something was wrong. The aircraft was bumping vertically up and down and tilting left to right. All the experienced travelers, including me, looked around with knowing grins. We had experienced minor problems and turbulence on prior flights. If you fly very much, you see these things and learn to act relaxed about them.

It wasn't long before our relaxed attitudes began to evaporate. Minutes after we were in flight, our plane began dipping wildly and one wing plunged downward. The plane climbed higher but that didn't help our plight. The pilot soon provided some grave news regarding the flight.

飞机刚一起飞,远未达到巡航高度时,我们就明显感到有什么不对劲。飞机直上直下颠簸、忽左忽右倾斜。我们这些有出门经验的人都四下环顾着,会心地笑了笑。在以前的飞行中,我们都经历过一些小问题和气流颠簸。如果你飞机坐多了,这类事情见多了,你也就学会泰然处之了。

没过多久我们放松的心情就开始消失了。飞行才几分钟,飞机就失控下坠,而且一只机翼向下倾斜。尽管飞机爬高了些,但于事无补。飞行员很快通报了这次飞行的严重事态。

"We are having some difficulties," he said. "At this time, it appears we have no nose-wheel steering. Our indicators show that our landing system has failed, which necessitates that we abort the flight and return to New York. Because of the problems with the mechanisms, it's unlikely our landing gear will lock, so the flight attendants will prepare you for a bumpy landing. Also, if you look out the windows, you will see that we are dumping fuel from the airplane. We want to have as little on board as possible in the event of a rough touchdown."

“我们现在遇到了一些麻烦,”他说。“目前看来前轮转向装置无法运转;指示器显示,我们的着陆系统失灵了。我们必须放弃飞行,返回纽约。由于机械装置出现了问题,我们的起落架可能无法锁住,因此乘务人员将帮助大家做好准备,预防着陆时的颠簸。还有,如果大家看一下窗外,就会看见我们正在倾倒飞机上的燃油。我们想尽量减轻飞机的负荷,以应对飞机硬着陆。”

In other words, we were about to crash. No sight has ever been so sobering as that fuel, hundreds of gallons of it, streaming past my window out of the plane's tanks. The flight attendants scrambled to get people into position and comforted those who were instantaneously hysterical.

也就是说,我们要坠机了。从飞机油箱里倒出的成百上千加仑的汽油就从舷

窗外飞流直下,没有什么比这种景象更能让人感到事态的严重。乘务人员急于让大家各归其位,还尽力安抚那些顷刻之间歇斯底里的乘客。

As I looked at the faces of my fellow business travelers, I was stunned by the changes I saw. Many looked visibly frightened now. Even the most sophisticated looked vulnerable and grim. Their faces actually looked panicked. There wasn't a single exception, and I realized that no one faces death without fear; no one is immune to its terror.

也就是说,我们要坠机了。从飞机油箱里倒出的成百上千加仑的汽油就从舷窗外飞流直下,没有什么比这种景象更能让人感到事态的严重。乘务人员急于让大家各归其位,还尽力安抚那些顷刻之间歇斯底里的乘客。

我看了看这些出门公干的旅伴们,惊讶地发现他们已经神色大变。此时许多人显然吓坏了。甚至那些饱经世故的人们也显得神经脆弱、神情严肃。他们其实已经慌神了。无一例外!由此,我意识到面对死神谁都害怕——无人能免俗。

Then, somewhere in my proximity, I overheard a still calm voice underlying the panic. It was a woman's voice, speaking in an absolutely normal conversational tone. Despite the circumstance, there was no angry emotion or tension, and this calm voice evoked a calm in me that quieted some of my initial fears. It became imperative that I find her.

All around the cabin, people cried. Many moaned and screamed. A few of the men maintained their appearance of calm by bracing against their armrests and grinding their teeth, but their fear was written all over them.

就在此时,在我附近某个地方,我听到一个淹没在恐慌之中的依旧从容的声音。这是一位女性的声音,说话语调完全就像普通聊天一样正常。尽管形势危急,这个平静的声音既没有愤怒之情也没有紧张,唤醒了我内心的镇静,抚平了我最初的恐惧。我急需找到她。

整个机舱都是人们的哭喊声。许多人呻吟着、尖叫着。几个男人死死撑住座位扶手,咬紧牙关,竭力保持镇静,但是浑身上下都透出惶恐。

Try as I might, I could not have spoken so calmly, so sweetly at that moment as the fabulous voice I heard. Finally, I saw her.

In the midst of all the chaos, a mother was talking, just talking to her child. The woman, in her mid-30's and unremarkable looking in any other way, was staring full into the face of her daughter, who looked about four years old. The child listened closely, sensing that her mother's words were invaluable. The mother's gaze held the child so fixed and intent that the child seemed untouched by the sounds of grief and fear all around her.

尽管我竭尽全力,但此刻我怎么也不可能像我听到的那个美妙的声音那样,讲话如此镇定、如此动听。终于,我看到了她。

混乱之中,一位母亲正在讲话,她就只对着自己的孩子讲。这名妇女35 岁左右,无论怎么看都相貌平平。她正目不转睛地盯着女儿的脸,女儿看起来大约四岁。孩子仔细聆听,意识到母亲的话语的分量。母亲凝视的目光让孩子听得聚精会神,似乎一点也不为周围人们哀伤和惊恐的声音所动。

I strained to hear what this mother was telling her child. I relished the sound of calm confidence amongst the terror. Finally, I hovered nearby and by some miracle could hear her soft, sure, confident voice say in a calming tone over and over again, "I

love you so much. Do you know for sure that I love you more than anything?

“Yes, Mommy,” the little girl said.

"And remember, no matter what happens, that I love you always; and that you are a good girl. Sometimes things happen that are not your fault. You are my beloved, good girl and my love will always be with you."

我竭力想听清这位母亲在跟孩子讲些什么。我喜欢这恐惧中的淡定之声。最后,我凑得近了些。幸运的是,我听清了这温柔、沉着而自信的声音。她用平静的语调一遍遍地说:“我十分爱你。你相信我爱你胜过一切么?”

“是的,妈咪,”小姑娘答道。

“不管发生什么事情,都要记住我永远爱你,你是个好孩子。有些事情的发生并不是你的错。你是我的乖女儿,我的爱将永远伴随着你。”

As her first concern was for her daughter's well-being, the mother then put her body over her daughter’s, strapping the seat belt over both of them to save her daughter from a possible wreckage.

Then, for no earthly reason, our landing gear held and we glided to a gentle stop. It was all over in seconds. Our touchdown was smooth and easy; the tragedy we had feared was not our destiny.

The voice I heard that day never hesitated, never acknowledged dread, and maintained an evenness that seemed emotionally and physically impossible. During that descent, not one of the hardened business people could have spoken without a hint of fear in their voice. Only the greatest courage, with a foundation of even greater love, had brought that mother up and lifted her above the chaos around her.

母亲首先心系女儿的安危,她俯身挡在女儿身上,用安全带系住她们俩人,以免女儿被可能的失事残片所伤。

而后,天知道什么原因,我们的起落架居然锁住了,飞机滑行,平稳停下。几秒钟后一切都过去了。我们着地顺利、轻松;我们所恐惧的悲剧并没有成为我们的宿运。

那天我听到的那个声音没有丝毫的动摇,没有流露出半点惧怕,保持了一份平和。那份平和无论从感情上还是从生理上来讲都令人难以置信。在飞机下坠的过程中,见惯世事的商人们当时说话声中无不流露出恐惧。只有最伟大的勇气,以更伟大的爱为根基,才支撑起这位母亲,使她超然于周围的混乱之上。

That mom showed me the amazing power of love. And for those few minutes, I heard the voice of true courage.

那位母亲给我展现了爱的惊人力量。在那短短几分钟里,我听到了真正勇气的声音。

Unit 3 Life Stories

课文A

Audrey Hepburn- A true angel in this world

奥黛丽·赫本——人间天使

Audrey Hepburn thrilled audiences with starring roles in noteworthy films like Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sabrina, Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, War and Peace, and

Always.

Despite her success in the film domain, the roles she most preferred portraying were not in movies. She was an exemplary mother to her two sons and a UNICEF (the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) Ambassador of Goodwill serving victims in war-torn countries.

奥黛丽·赫本在《蒂凡尼的早餐》、《龙凤配》、《罗马假日》、《窈窕淑女》、《战争与和平》和《直到永远》等出色电影中主演的许多角色让观众为之陶醉。

尽管在电影界获得成功,但她最愿意塑造的角色却并不在影片中,而是做两个儿子的模范母亲和联合国儿童基金会亲善大使,为饱受战争蹂躏的人们服务。

As a young girl during the Nazi occupation of her native Holland, Audrey Hepburn was aware of the brutality, death, and destruction of war. She was hungry and malnourished, as her family was bankrupted as a result of the invasion. Audrey's father abandoned the family, and two of her uncles were taken captive and killed. Audrey was grabbed off the street by Nazis and placed in line to be sent to a work camp. When the guards glanced away she darted off, barely escaping, and huddled in a cold, foul basement full of rats.

The little girl who would become the world's most magical actress began as an anonymous refugee confronting life's horrors and fragility firsthand. But she refused to allow her spirit to be afflicted by the desperate reality of her young life. Instead, she transcended those challenges but never forgot what it felt like to suffer, to be hungry, alone and helpless.

作为一名在纳粹占领下的祖国荷兰生活的小女孩,奥黛丽·赫本清楚战争所带来的野蛮、死亡和破坏。由于受到侵略,家庭破产,奥黛丽经常食不果腹,营养不良。她的父亲拋弃了家庭,两个舅舅也被俘,并且惨遭杀害。奥黛丽被纳粹分子从大街上抓走,与准备被押往劳役营的人放在一起。趁卫兵不注意,她飞快地跑开,惊险逃脱了,蜷缩着躲在一个满是耗子、又冷又脏的地下室里。

这个日后将成为世界上最具魅力女星的小女孩刚开始只是一个无名难民,直面生命中的恐惧和脆弱。不过她并没有让自己的精神受到幼年生活中残酷现实的影响。相反,她克服了种种挑战,而又从没忘记那种受苦挨饿、孤立无助的感觉。

After the war, Audrey and her mother left Holland, arriving in London as poor immigrants. Her dream of becoming a prime dancer drove her into a rigorous schedule at a famous ballet school. Later, she was spotted by a producer and eventually landed a role in the film Roman Holiday starring Gregory Peck, one of Hollywood's top leading men.

Soon, Audrey was transformed from a malnourished immigrant to an internationally famous movie star. Director Billy Wilder complimented her, saying, "Audrey walked beautifully, she spoke beautifully. Although she won many Academy Awards and other honors for acting, Audrey felt that her most significant work was humanitarian work with those in need, and as the mother to her two sons. She suffered through two divorces and from her memories of the war. Yet, Audrey never let her sadness overcome her or jeopardize her hope for a brighter future. Audrey finally met her soul mate, Robert Wolders, and spent the last 12 years of her life with him.

战后,奥黛丽和母亲离开荷兰,到达伦敦,成了贫穷的移民。奥黛丽梦想成

为一名一流的舞蹈家,这驱使她去了一所著名的芭蕾舞学校,接受严苛的训练安排。后来,她被一位制片人发现,并最终得到机会,在好莱坞顶级男演员格列高利·派克主演的电影《罗马假日》中饰演一角。

很快,奥黛丽就从营养不良的移民变成了国际知名的影星。导演比利·怀尔德称赞她说:“奥黛丽行姿优美,言谈优雅。”尽管她数度获得奥斯卡金像奖和其他演艺荣誉,奥黛丽觉得自己最重要的工作还是为那些需要帮助的人开展人道主义服务,以及当好两个儿子的母亲。她经历了两次离婚,并忍受着战争记忆带给她的悲伤,然而,奥黛丽从不让这些悲伤支配自己,或者影响自己对美好未来的向往。最后,奥黛丽遇到了她的灵魂伴侣,罗伯特·沃尔德斯,并和他一起度过了人生的最后12 年。

Becoming famous never changed Audrey's generous and compassionate character. She felt a deep sense of responsibility to alleviate suffering of those in need, especially children. Friends said Audrey had a complete lack of ego and accepted and appreciated others as they were.

Though she became very wealthy, she owned only one home in Switzerland. For Audrey it was a paradise where she could hide from the world with her beloved family, work in her garden and take long walks in nature.

成名从没改变奥黛丽慷慨大方、慈悲为怀的性格。她怀有一种强烈的责任感,要减轻生活困难的人——特别是儿童——的痛苦。朋友们说,奥黛丽一点都不自我,并且接受和欣赏别人的一切。

尽管她十分富有,但奥黛丽只有一套住房,在瑞士。对奥黛丽而言,它是一个天堂。在那里她可以和心爱的家人一起避开尘世,在花园劳作,在大自然里悠然散步。

In 1988, Audrey was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF designed to provide emergency food and healthcare to children suffering the destruction of war or other catastrophes. In that role, her lifelong passion for helping those in need, found its greatest calling.

She turned down three million dollars to pen her autobiography and instead accepted one dollar a year in the more conscientious role as diplomat for UNICEF. For seven months out of each of her last five years, she and Robby left the peace and beauty in their cozy home to embark on outreach trips into some of the most difficult places on earth. From Bangladesh, Sudan, India, Vietnam, Kenya, Ethiopia, Central and South America, to Somalia, Audrey Hepburn traveled representing UNICEF, making over 50 emotionally draining and physically dangerous missions into bleak destinations to raise world awareness of wars and droughts. Having been a victim of war, she understood the blessing of being the beneficiary of food, clothing, and, most of all, hope.

1988 年,奥黛丽被任命为联合国儿童基金会亲善大使,这个基金会专门为受到战争或其他大灾难伤害的儿童提供紧急食品援助和卫生保健。亲善大使这个角色让她毕生帮助有困难的人的热情化为了神圣的使命。

别人出三百万美金请她写自传,她拒绝了。但她却接受了每年一美元的联合国儿童基金会大使这个更需责任心的角色。在生命的最后五年里,每年她和罗比都有七个月离开他们温馨居所的静谧和美丽,启程外出到地球上最困难的一些地方去。从孟加拉国、苏丹、印度、越南、肯尼亚、埃塞俄比亚、中南美洲到索马

里,奥黛丽·赫本代表联合国儿童基金会四处奔走,承担了五十多项劳心劳力、危及生命安全的任务,深入到荒凉之地,唤起世界人民对战争和旱灾的关注。因为自己曾经也是战争受害者,她理解得到食品和衣物的援助,尤其是获得希望,是多大的幸福。

Audrey felt it was wicked that billions of children were deprived of simple joys and drowned in overwhelming misery. She believed deeply in the ideology that all people share in the duty to care for those in need. Audrey Hepburn was always ready to lead by example. She said: "When you deny childhood, you deny life. She saw UNICEF's work as an integral, sacred force in people's lives and said of UNICEF's results, "Anyone who doesn't believe in miracles is not a realist."

奥黛丽觉得,太多的儿童被剥夺了简单的快乐而陷入无边的痛苦之中,这是一种罪恶。她坚信一个理念:所有人都有责任去关心那些需要帮助的人。奥黛丽·赫本始终都身为表率。她说:“当你放弃童年,你就放弃了生命。”她将联合国儿童基金会的工作看作人们生活中不可分割、神圣的力量,谈到其成果时她说:“任何不相信奇迹的人都不是一个现实主义者。”

In 1992, Audrey was stricken by cancer. She, Robby and her two sons returned to their home in Switzerland for their last Christmas together.

Audrey's long-time friend and world-famous French fashion designer, Hubert de Givenchy, spoke to his cherished friend for the last time, just before she died. He said she was serene at the end because she knew she had achieved everything with perfection".

Audrey Hepburn's passion for service was enduring. Even as her life ended at 63 years of age, she remained a gracious woman who perpetually signified simplicity, charity, charm and kindness.

1992 年,奥黛丽患了癌症。她和罗比、两个儿子回到他们在瑞士的家,一起度过了最后一个圣诞节。

奥黛丽的老朋友、世界著名的法国时装设计师于贝尔·德·纪梵希在她去世前,最后一次和他的挚友说话。他说她“……最后是安详的,因为她知道她已经完美地实现了一切”。

奥黛丽·赫本对服务的热情是持久的。即使在她63 岁生命终止的时候,她仍然充满着关爱,永远象征着纯朴、仁爱、魅力和善良。

The majesty of Audrey Hepburn's spirit of social responsibility and dedication lives on in her words: "Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of your arm. As you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others." And "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

奥黛丽的社会责任感和奉献的伟大精神在她的话语中得以传扬:“记住,如果你在任何时候需要一只手来帮助你,你可以在自己手臂的末端找到它。随着你的成长,记住你还有一只手,一只用来帮助自己,另一只用来帮助别人。”“要想有美丽双眸,就要善于发现他人优点;要想双唇动人,只说和善之辞;要想镇定自信,谨记自己始终与大家同行。”

课文B

A life in film

斯皮尔伯格的电影人生

Steven had to face rejections and obstacles in his film-creating efforts, but his persistence and dedication transformed the obstacles into an alternative route to success.

At 12 years old, Steven Spielberg was already visiting film shootings at Universal Studios in his office suit, a packed lunch tucked into his briefcase. The young boy tried to immerse himself in film in any way possible. He had been given an administrative job at Universal Studios from a friend of his father's, and every day, even though he didn't have a legitimate security pass, he would try to manipulate his way past the guards and into his personal paradise. Such persistence is hardly surprising from a boy whose lifelong conviction was to "Make sure you are right and go on!" (adopted from a 1954 Disney film).

史蒂文在拍摄电影的努力过程中不得不面对无数拒绝和障碍,但他的坚持和付出将困难转变成了一条成功之道。

年仅12 岁,史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格就已身着办公制服,公文包里带着午餐,光顾环球影视公司的电影拍摄了。这个男孩尽力通过各种方法让自己融入电影。他父亲的一位朋友曾给他一份在环球影视公司的行政工作。每天,即使他没有合法安检通行证,他依然设法绕过看守,进入自己的天堂。对于一位终身信念是“确定你是对的,然后勇往直前!”(出自一部1954 年迪斯尼影片)的小男孩而言,这种坚持并不让人意外。

When Steven was eight years old, his father gave him a Brownie 8 mm film camera as his birthday present. Steven immediately began collecting footage of family events, and he simulated action scenes with his miniature toy spacecraft, populating his films with his neighborhood friends as actors. People quickly began to recognize his terrific talent, and he won a prize for cinematography for his early western The Last Gunfight; years later, he won a national contest for his film Escape to Nowhere. His film Firelight was twice analyzed by a national newspaper and was presented in the city theater as if it were a Hollywood premiere. By the time he was 17 years old, Steven had established himself as a director with the artistic intuition of a man twice his age.

史蒂文8 岁时,父亲送给他一部布朗尼8 毫米电影摄像机作为生日礼物。史蒂文马上着手收集家庭事件的镜头,用自己的微型玩具飞船模拟动作场景,并让街坊朋友在他的影片中做演员。人们很快开始发现他惊人的才能:凭借早期西部片《最后的枪战》,他赢得一项摄影奖;几年后又凭电影《无处容身》在全国比赛中获胜。他的电影《火光》得到一家全国性报纸的两次评析,并在当地电影院像首映的好莱坞大片一样放映。到17 岁时,史蒂文已经确立了自己导演的地位,并具有年龄大自己一倍的人才有的艺术直觉。

His achievements are certainly related to the personal obstacles and setbacks he faced from an early age. Steven's family moved often, so that he was constantly trying to find his place in a turbulent environment with new people. Despite his natural intelligence, Steven had a carefree attitude and put little effort into school. He consistently earned only a C average, or lower. Socially, he wasn't athletic or popular, and since his conspicuous interest in film made him seem eccentric, classmates

shunned and mocked him.

His home life was not ideal either, as his father's rigid engineering temperament could not understand his or his mother's artistic personalities. Steven would miss his father when he was gone for long work trips, and then reverted to furiously arguing with him as soon as he returned. Finally, when he was in high school, his parents ended their unhappy marriage with a divorce. The theme of the lack of a father figure consistently infected Steven's films.

他的成就和他早年经历的那些障碍和挫折息息相关。史蒂文的家庭经常搬迁,于是他总要在动荡的环境、陌生的人群中寻找自己的位置。尽管天生聪明,史蒂文却态度散漫,对学业并不上心,平均成绩一直只能得 C 或更低。在社交方面,他体育上不擅长,也不受人欢迎。由于他的兴趣明显都在电影上,他看上去古里古怪,同学们不是躲着他就是取笑他。

由于工科出身的父亲性格呆板,不理解他和母亲的艺术个性,他的家庭生活也不理想。在父亲外出工作的漫长期间,史蒂文也会想念他,但一回家两人就又狂暴地争吵。最后,在他上高中时,父母离婚,结束了他们不幸福的婚姻。缺少父亲形象的主题一直影响着史蒂文的影片。

Unfriendly surroundings at home and school made Steven strive even harder to achieve in the film world. He applied to two of the best film schools in the country: the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. But even with a formidable 10 years of experiences in filmmaking and his friends at Universal Studios endorsing him, his grades were too poor, and he was flatly turned down at both institutions.

Unwilling to give up, Steven entered the California State University, where he hoped the program in TV and radio might open his way to Hollywood. Unfortunately, the university was not suited to his experience, and one academician recalled, "Steven knew more about cameras, mounts, and lenses than anyone else in the department. He could teach there." Despite his manifest talent, his low grades sabotaged transfer attempts, forcing real film schools to withhold acceptance.

家庭和学校的冷漠环境让史蒂文更加努力,以期在电影界有所成就。他申请了两家国内最好的电影院校,南加州大学和加州大学洛杉矶分校。尽管有十年丰富的电影制作经验和环球影视公司朋友的支持,但是由于成绩太差,他仍被两个大学断然拒绝。

史蒂文不愿意就此放弃,去了加州州立大学。他希望在那里广播电视的专业学习能打开他通往好莱坞的道路。不幸的是,这所大学并不适合他这种经历的人。一位学者回忆道:“史蒂文比系里的任何人都更懂摄像机、底座、镜头等相关知识,他完全可以在那里任教。”尽管他才华出众,但学业成绩太低使他转学受挫,真正的电影学校都不接纳他。

Steven contrived to rectify the situation on his own by diverting his attention away from academics. He cleaned his old suit and briefcase and returned to visiting Universal Studios where he had worked as a boy. He discreetly sneaked into any department he could, such as shooting rooms, editing and sound-mixing studios, and he quietly watched until he was discovered and ordered to leave. Introducing himself under the pretext of being either an actor, director, or producer, he would invite people to dinner to make connections and learn as much as he could. Even though he was

caught and expelled at least once a day, he always returned to smuggle himself back in again.

Steven repeatedly tried to prove himself to the Universal executives, while working in a cafeteria to save up money for equipment. He would discretely create scenes and then shoot and re-shoot his movies. He kept upgrading from 8 to 16 and finally 35 mm film before he was allowed a screening. Finally, his film Amblin was given a chance in front of the executives. It was a short, silent film and the plot differed greatly from the sci-fi and combat films that would later predominate Steven's career. Still, the short film was awesome enough to win Steven, only 21 years old, a seven-year contract with Universal Studios.

史蒂文设法自己改变处境,将注意力从学业转移开来。他清理好旧制服和公文包,重新回到儿时曾工作过的环球影视公司。他悄悄地溜进任何他能进入的部门,像拍摄间、剪辑间、音效间等,静静地观看,直到被人发现并被赶走。他假装介绍自己是演员、导演或制片人,邀请别人一起吃饭来积攒人脉,并尽可能地学习。即使他每天至少有一次会被逮到并被赶走,但他总是回来再偷偷混进去。

史蒂文一边再三向环球公司管理层证明自己,一边在餐厅打工攒钱买设备。他将各场景单独进行创作,一次又一次地拍摄。在得到放映机会前,他不断升级胶片,从8 毫米到16 毫米,再到35 毫米。最后,他的影片《漫步前行》终于有机会出现在管理层面前。这是一部无声短片,情节和史蒂文日后职业生涯中的主流科幻片和战争片大相径庭。不过那个短片依然足够精彩,为年仅21 岁的史蒂文赢得了环球的七年合约。

After directing smaller TV dramas and low-budget projects, Steven earned the chance to direct his big Hollywood debut: a thriller film starring a shark! Jaws was a box office hit and it made Steven famous. He continued his relationship with Universal Studios to produce the notable movies E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List

As his first producer said, "It is not by any coincidence that Steven is in his present position." Instead, it is Steven's committed spirit that has strengthened him in standing fast against all rejections, prejudice and skepticism and driven him to keep moving onward.

在执导了多部小型电视剧和低成本项目后,史蒂文得到机会导演他的第一部好莱坞大片,一部关于鲨鱼的惊悚片!《大白鲨》成为了票房冠军,让史蒂文一举成名。他和环球继续合作,又拍摄了《外星人》、《侏罗纪公园》和《辛德勒的名单》等著名影片。

正如他的第一个制片人所言:“史蒂文能达到目前的地位绝非偶然。”相反,是史蒂文执著的精神让他能够脚踏实地,直面所有拒绝、偏见和怀疑,并推动他持续向前。

Unit 4 Let’s Go

课文A

The surprising purpose of travel

令人惊奇的旅行目的

It's 4:15 in the morning, and my alarm clock has just stolen away a lovely dream.

I almost return back to sleep before my eye catches my packed suitcase and I groan, remembering that I'm going to the airport. The taxi is late and then lost, and I'm getting increasingly nervous that I'll miss my flight. I run in when we arrive, stagger through security and finally get to my gate. After all the trouble of this morning, my flight is canceled and I'm stuck in this terminal for the next 218 minutes, and my only consolation is a cup of complimentary airport coffee. This is traveling, a burdensome series of running and waiting, and after countless hours, finally getting there.

早晨四点一刻,闹钟把我从美梦中惊醒,要不是突然看见早已收拾好的行李箱,我几乎又要睡着。想起来还要去机场,我叹了口气。出租车来晚了,并且在途中迷了路,我越来越担心会赶不上飞机。出租车一到机场我就冲进去,跌跌撞撞通过安检处,终于,我来到了登机口。经历这一早所有的麻烦事,我乘坐的航班却被取消了。在接下来的218 分钟里,我被困在了机场,唯一觉得安慰的是机场提供的一杯免费咖啡。这就是旅行,让人心烦的跑跑停停。最终,在不知经过多少小时之后,终于到达要去的地方。

Why do we travel? I don't mind the actual flying, the wonder of being airborne in a dense metal bird. The rest of the journey, however, can feel like a tedious lesson in the ills of modernity, from the predawn x-ray screening to the sad airport malls selling clusters of keepsakes. It's the result of a globalized world, and it sucks.

我们为什么要旅行?其实,我并不介意飞行本身,在这样一个密实的金属大鸟中飞行,让我感到很奇妙。然而,旅程其余的部分,从一大早X 光检查到出售大堆纪念品的糟糕的机场商场,感觉就像是关于现代社会弊病的乏味课程。这是全球化的结果,它糟糕透了。

Sometimes, of course, we travel because we need to. Because in this digital age, there is still something important about the handshake at a business luncheon. Or eating mom's special food on Thanksgiving. Or seeing your girlfriend on your 2-year anniversary.

当然,有时候我们旅行是因为我们需要去旅行。因为即使在这个数字化时代,我们仍然有一些很重要的事情要去做,比如在商务午餐中与生意伙伴握手,或是在感恩节这天吃上妈妈特别准备的食物,或是在你和你女朋友的两周年纪念日这天去看她。

But most travel is decidedly optional. Only corporate travel, about 30% of trips over 50 miles, is truly compulsory. Instead, we travel because we want to, because the annoyances of the airport are offset by the thrill of being someplace new. Because work is stressful and our blood pressure is too high and we need a vacation somewhere tropical. Because home is boring. Because the flights are on sale. Because Paris is Paris.

但是大多数旅行是可去可不去的,在超过50 英里的旅行中,只有30%属于真正必需的商务旅行。我们旅行是因为我们想要去旅行,因为到一个新地方的兴奋和激动可以抵消在机场的各种烦心事;因为工作压力太大,我们的血压太高,我们要去热带地区度假;因为在家实在太无聊;因为航班都在打折;因为巴黎毕竟是巴黎。

Thanks to modern aviation, we can now move through space at an inhuman speed. For the first time in human history, we can outrun the sun and move from one hemisphere to another in a single day. Of course, it's not enough to simply get on a

plane. If we want to realize the creative benefits of travel, then we have to re-think its overall purpose. Most people, after all, escape to Paris so they don't have to think about those troubles they left behind. But here's the irony: Our mind is most likely to solve our most stubborn problems while we are sitting in luxury in a Left Bank cafe. So, instead of contemplating that buttery dessert, we should be conscious of those domestic issues we just can't solve.

多亏了现代航空技术,我们现在可以以非凡的速度在空中穿梭。在人类历史中,这是我们第一次超过太阳——在短短一天中从一个半球到达另一个半球。当然,仅仅往飞机上一坐是不够的。我们要想认识到旅行在提高创新力方面的价值,还得再全面考虑其目的。毕竟,大多数人逃到巴黎,是因为这样他们就可以不必考虑家里的那些烦心事。但是,具有讽刺意味的是,当我们坐在豪华的左岸咖啡馆时,我们的脑子极有可能能解决那些最棘手的问题。因此,我们应该考虑那些在家里解决不了的问题,而不是琢磨那些奶油甜点。

The larger lesson, though, is that our thoughts are saturated with the familiar. The brain is a space of near infinite possibility, which means that it spends a lot of time and energy choosing what not to notice. As a result, creativity is traded away for efficiency; we think in finite, literal prose, not symbolic verse. A bit of distance, however, helps loosen the cognitive chains that imprison us, making it easier to mingle the new with the old; the mundane is grasped from a slightly more abstract perspective. According to research, the experience of an exotic culture endows us with a valuable open-mindedness, making it easier to realize that even a trivial thing can have multiple meanings. Consider the act of leaving food on the plate: In China, this is often seen as a compliment, a signal that the host has provided enough to eat. But in America the same act is a subtle insult, an indication that the food wasn't good enough to finish.

但更应该知道的是我们的思想被熟悉的东西所充满。大脑是一个几乎具有无限可能性的空间,这就意味着它花了大量的时间和精力选择不去注意什么。因此,我们牺牲创造力来换取效率。我们以字义明确的散文方式思考,而非以具有象征意义的诗歌方式思考。然而,一点的距离就可以帮助我们放松禁锢我们认知的链条,使新旧思想的结合更容易,对平淡无奇的事情可从更抽象的角度加以认知。有研究指出,体验异国文化可以赋予我们宝贵的开放性思维,使我们更容易明白即使是微不足道的事物也可以有多种意义。想一想把食物剩在盘子里这个行为:在中国,这通常被看成是一种赞美,说明主人提供了足够的食物。但是在美国,同样的行为却暗含侮辱,表明食物不够好,人们不愿意吃完。

Such multicultural contrasts mean that seasoned travelers are open to ambiguity, willing to realize that there are decidedly different (and equally valid) ways of interpreting the world. This, in turn, allows them to expand the circumference of their “cognitive inputs" as they refuse to set tle for their first answers and initial guesses.

这种多元文化对比说明,经验丰富的旅行者会接受对事物的多样性解读,他们欣然认识到对这个世界可以有截然不同(但却同样有效)的方式进行解释。这也从而让他们扩大了“认知输入”的范围,因为他们拒绝仅仅满足于他们的最初答案和先前的猜测。

Of course, this mental flexibility doesn't come from mere distance, a simple change in latitude and longitude. Instead, this renaissance of creativity appears to be a

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