(英汉对照版)
阅读理解
A
My Favourite Books
我最喜爱的书
Jo Usmar is a writer for Cosmopolitan and co-author of the This Book Will series of lifestyle books. Here she picks her top reads.
作家乔•阿诗玛:美国时尚杂志《Cosmopolitan》的撰稿人。生活方式系列书籍《This Book Will》合著作家。这儿有她喜欢的几本好书推荐给大家。
Matilda
Roald Dahl
I once wrote a paper on the influence of fairy tales on Roald Dahl's writing and it gave me a new appreciation for his strange and delightful words. Matilda's battles with her cruel parents and the bossy headmistress, Miss Trunchbull,are equally funny and frightening,but they're also aspirational.
《玛蒂尔达》
罗尔德•达尔
受罗尔德·达尔笔下神话故事的影响我曾经撰写过一篇论文,我在论文中写到:他的写作让我对他奇怪而有趣的文字有了新的认识。文中描写玛蒂尔达与她残忍的父母的斗争,还有跟颐指气使的女校长川敕布尔(Trunchbull)小姐的较量,无不可笑而又可怕,不过有一点,他们各个都是野心勃勃。
After Dark
Haruki Murakami
It's about two sisters--Eri, a model who either won't or can’t stop sleeping, and Mari, a young student. In trying to connect to her sister, Mari starts changing her life and discovers a world of diverse"night people" who are hiding secrets.
《天黑以后》
村上春树
这本书写的是两个姐妹,浅井爱丽,模特,一睡不醒,再就是浅井玛丽,一个年轻的学生。玛丽想方设法要叫醒姐姐,就在几个小时内她的生活也同时发生了变化,她发现了众多形形色色的“夜猫子”,就是这些人知道唤醒姐姐的秘密。
Gone Girl
Gillian Fynn
There was a bit of me that didn't want to love this when everyone else on the planet did but the horror story is brilliant. There's tension and anxiety from the beginning as Nick and Amy battle for your trust. It's a real whodunit and the frustration when you realise what's going on is horribly enjoyable.
《消失的爱人》
吉莉安•弗林
我有点不爱跟风,凡是这个世界上都喜欢的事物我就有点抵触,不过这部恐怖小说写的太精彩了。故事一开始就扣人心弦,你不知道该信尼克,还是艾米。这是一部真正的侦探小说。当一切都水落石出,跟你的设想大相径庭时,那种感觉有一种说不出的享受。
The Stand
Stephen King
This is an excellent fantasy novel from one of the best storytellers around. After a serious flu outbreak wipes out 99.4% of the world's population, a battle unfolds between good and evil among those left. Randall Flagg is one of the scariest characters ever.
《末日逼近》
史蒂芬•金
这是一部优秀的奇幻小说,作者是世界上最好的小说家之一。全球爆发一场严重的流感,致99.4%人因此丧命,幸存下来的虔诚军与势力之间展开的一场恶战便拉开序幕。兰德尔·弗拉格是史上最恐怖的角色之一。
B
“You can use me as a last resort, and if nobody else volunteers,then I will do it.” This was an actual reply from a parent after I put out a request for volunteers for my kids lacrosse club.
“实在没办法再找我去,要是除我之外实在没人去做志愿服务,我才会去的。”这是一位家长的原话,是我为自己的少儿长柄曲棍球俱乐部征集志愿者发布消息后她做出的回复。
I guess that there's probably some demanding work schedule, or social anxiety around stepping up to help for an unknown sport. She may just need a little persuading. So I try again and tug at the heartstrings. I mention the single parent with four kids running the show and I talk about the dad coaching a team that his kids aren't even on … At this point the unwilling parent speaks up,“Alright. Yes, I'll do it.”
我想可能是有些工作安排要求标准太高了吧,要么就是对此有些世俗的顾虑,何必对一种鲜为人知的运动主动请缨。不过得找点儿料能打动她才是。所以我要再努把力,从走心上多下功夫。我提到那位有四个孩子还在主持节目的单亲家长,我还谈到这样一位教练父亲,连自己的孩子都没有在自己指导的团队……这时,这位很不情愿的家长才开的口:“好吧。行,我会去的。”
I'm secretly relieved because I know there's real power in sharing volunteer responsibilities among many. The unwilling parent organizes the meal schedule, sends out emails, and collects money for end-of-season gifts. Somewhere along the way, the same parent ends up becoming an invaluable member of the team. The coach is able to focus on the kids while the other parents are relieved to be off the hook for another season. Handing out sliced oranges to bloodthirsty kids can be as exciting as watching your own kid score a goal.
我暗自松了一口气,我知道许多人身上真真切切地蕴含着分担志愿者责任的动力。那位不情愿的家长在整个过程中负责组织安排用餐、发送电子邮件、还收钱购买季末礼物。后来这位家长最终成为了团队中不可或缺的一员。教练可以把注意力集中在孩子们身上,而其他的家长也都可以轻松准备下一个赛季。无论是把一片片的橙子分发给渴得急不可耐的孩子们,还是看着自己的孩子比赛进球,家长们可能会感觉同样兴奋吧。
Still, most of us volunteers breathe a sigh of relief when the season comes to a close. That relief is coupled with a deep understanding of why the same people keep coming back for more: Connecting to the community as you freely give your time, money, skills, or services provides a real joy. Volunteering just feels so good.
何止我,当赛季结束时,我们大多数志愿者也都松了一口气。除此之外大家深刻地明白了一个道理——到底是何种动力才激励这些人回来继续请命做下去:把自己的时间、金钱、技能或服务无偿奉献给社区才是真正的快乐。做志愿者恰恰就是这种感觉。
In that sense, I'm pretty sure volunteering is more of a selfish act than I'd freely like to admit. However, if others benefit in the process, and I get some reward too, does it really matter where my motivation lies?
从这种意义上讲,我敢肯定地说,绝非随便说说,做志愿服务就是一种自私自利的行为。但是,如果能让他人从中受益,我也顺便捞点好处,那么究竟是什么动机使然还真的那么重要吗?
C
Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach's Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel's “me” time. And like more Americans, she's not alone.
玛丽安·柏克德尔(Marian Bechtel)独自坐在西棕榈滩(West Palm Beach)路易酒吧(Bar Louie)的柜台前,她一边等沙拉,一边静静地阅读着电子书。人家在读什么?你管不着!午餐时间是人家柏克德尔自己的时间。如今越来越多的美国人都是这个样子,她可不是什么另类。
A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half (53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half(46 percent)have lunch by themselves. Only at dinner time are we eating together any more, 74 percent,according to statistics from the report.
一项新的报告显示,46%的美国人是独自用餐的。超过半数(53%)独自吃早餐,近一半(46%)单独吃午餐。根据统计数据报告,只有在晚饭时间,我们聚到一起吃饭才会多一些,占比74%。
“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone,but together,you know?”Bechtel said,looking up from her book. Bechtel,who works in downtown West Palm Beach,has lunch with coworkers sometimes,but like many of us,too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today,I just wanted some time to myself,”she said.
“我比较喜欢出去走走。就一个人,要是搭伴的话,你晓得的,是吧?”柏克德尔一边将视线从书那里移开,扬起脸,一边说道。柏克德尔,就在西棕榈滩的市中心上班,有时和同事一起吃午饭,但是跟我们很多人一样,常常是午餐时间还在工作,只有午饭时间才能逃脱掉领导的视线。这样她回到工作岗位时就会感到精力充沛。“今天,我就想自己待一会,”她说。
Just two seats over,Andrew Mazoleny,a local videographer,is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the bar keeper with whom he's on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction. “I reflect on how my day's gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “It's a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”
酒吧里,端坐在距离我只有两个位子的地方吃饭的是一位当地的摄像师,他叫安茱•莫索琳娜(Andrew Mazoleny)。他就喜欢自己能安安静静坐下来,看看手机。要是想聊两句就搭讪搭讪酒吧的老板,他们彼此都是直呼其名。他说:“我不仅要反思这一天是如何度过的,还要思考这一周剩下的时间。一个人坐在这里是一个自我反省的机会,那样重新回到工作岗位上,不仅精神饱满,而且工作起来也有条不紊。”
That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one,but those days are over. Now,we have our smart phones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn't feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,”said Laurie Demerit, whose company provided the statistics for the report.
越来越多的人喜欢一个人吃饭还另有原因,那就是选择自由。在过去,要一张单人桌吃饭可能自己都觉得尴尬,但那样的日子已经一去不复返了。现在不同了,我们吃饭时还有我们的智能手机在旁边作伴。“现在毕竟不同于没有先进技术的时候了,根本没有形单影只的感觉,”罗理•迪莫瑞特(Laurie Demerit)说。是他的公司为报告提供的数据。
D
Bacteria are an annoying problem for astronauts. The microorganisms from our bodies grow uncontrollably on surfaces of the International Space Station, so astronauts spend hours cleaning them up each week. How is NASA overcoming this very tiny big problem? It's turning to a bunch of high school kids. But not just any kids. It depending on NASA HUNCH high school class, like the one science teachers Gene Gordon and Donna Himmelberg lead at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.
对于宇航员而言,细菌是个令人烦恼的问题。来自我们身体的微生物在国际空间站表面肆意滋长,因此宇航员们每周要花几个小时来清理它们。美国国家航空航天局是在如何应对这个小大难的?它把目光投向了一群高中生,但他们并不是普通的高中生。这是美国国家航空航天局HUNCH项目的一个高中班,位于纽约费尔波特的费尔波特中学,由科学老师吉恩·戈登和唐娜·希梅尔伯格带领。
HUNCH is designed to connect high school classrooms with NASA engineers. For the past two years, Gordon's students have been studying ways to kill bacteria in zero gravity, and they think they’re close to a solution. “We don't give the students any breaks. They have to do it just like NASA engineers,” says Florence Gold, a project manager.
HUNCH项目旨在将高中教室和美国国家航空航天局的工程师对接。过去的两年里,戈登的学生们已经研究了在零重力下杀死细菌的多种方法,他们认为已经离解决方案不远了。“我们没有给学生任何课间休息,他们不得不像美国国家航空航天局的工程师那样做。”项目经理佛罗伦斯高尔德介绍。
“There are no tests,” Gordon says. “There is no graded homework. There almost are no grades, other than‘Are you working towards your goal?’ Basically, it’s ‘I’ve got to produce this product and then, at the end of year, present it to NASA.’ Engineers come and really do an in-person review, and…it's not a very nice thing at time. It’s a hard business review of your product.”
“没有测验”,戈登说:“没有评分作业,几乎没有任何成绩,除了问‘你是否在朝着你的目标而努力?’基本上,答案都是‘我必须得把这产品研发出来,到了年底好把它递交给美国国家航空航天局。’工程师们来亲自审查。呃……那时候可不是什么高兴事了,他们要对你的产品进行严格的商业评估。
Gordon says the HUNCH program has an impact on college admissions and practical life skills. “These kids are so absorbed in their studies that I just sit back. I don't teach.” And that annoying bacteria? Gordon says his students are emailing daily with NASA engineers about the problem, readying a workable solution to test in space.
戈登谈到Hunch项目对大学入学和实际生活技能都有巨大影响。“这些孩子们如此专注于研究,我则作壁上观,并不讲解。”那些令人烦恼的细菌呢?戈登说,他的学生每天都会和美国国家航空航天局的工程师们互通电子邮件讨论这个问题,准备可行的方案在太空中接受测试。
七选五
Imagine a child standing on a diving board four feet high and asking himself the question:“Should I jump?” This is what motivation or the lack of it can do. Motivation and goal setting are the two sides of the same coin. Without motivation you can neither set a goal nor reach it. Like the child on the diving board, you will stay undecided.
大家设想这样一个画面:有个孩子站在四英尺高的跳板上,他突然萌生出这样一个问题:“我到底跳不跳?”笔者认为,画面揭示出这样的道理:一个人能否成功与他的做事动机是否充盈息息相关。当然,要想成功,除了做事动机,还应兼顾目标的设定,二者密切相关,不分伯仲。如果缺乏动机,设定目标就无从谈起,更不要说实现目标。就像站在跳板上犹豫不决的孩子,你永远会停留在举足不前的状态。
So how should you motivate yourself? More than that, how should you stay motivated to achieve the goal? First, you need to evaluate yourself , your values, your strengths, your weaknesses, your achievements, your desires ,etc. Only then should you set your goals.
那么,该如何调动起自己的积极性呢?更重要的是,你又该如何保有实现目标所需要的动机呢?首先,你需要自我考量一下:你持有什么样的价值观,你是否明晰自己的优势和劣势,你曾经做出过的成就在哪个领域,你又对自己的未来有何期盼,诸如此类。然后再谈设立目标的事。
You also need to judge the quality and depth of your motivation. This is quite important, because it is directly related to your commitment. There are times when your heart is not in your work. This can affect your work. So, slow down and think what you really want to do at that moment. Clarity of thoughts can help you move forward.
你还需要考量一下自己动机的纯度与韧性。这一点非常重要,因为它直接关系到你将来能否兑现承诺。要是有时候做事难以保持心无旁骛,那样就会影响工作质量。所以,要稍安勿躁,考虑清楚到底什么事情才是你当下真真正正想做的,至少保持清醒的头脑可以少走弯路。
Another way of setting realistic goals is to analyze your short and long term objectives, keeping in mind your beliefs, values and strengths. Remember that goals are flexible. They can change according to circumstances. They also need to be measurable. You must keep these points in mind while setting your goals.
要想设定切实可行的目标,还有一种办法:只要始终保持信念坚定、价值取向明晰、懂得避重就轻,可以设立短期目标与长期目标。切记,目标是可以灵活掌握的,根据事态发展,目标也是可以调整的。再有,设定目标时一定要具体量化,那样才更具操作性。设定目标时,一定要综合考虑。
Your personal circumstances are equally important. For example, you may want to be a Pilot but can't become one because your eyesight is not good enough. However, this should not discourage you. You should reassess your goals, and motivate yourself to set a fresh goal.
另外,设定目标时,个人情况也不能忽视。我们举这样一个例子吧,假如你想当一名飞行员,可是因为视力问题,做飞行员这条路就是条死路。不过,你不应因此一蹶不振。你应该重新规划自己的目标,激励自己设定新的目标。
You will surely need to overcome some difficulties, some planned, but most unplanned. You cannot overcome them without ample motivation. Make sure that you plan for these difficulties at the time of setting your goals.
当然,前进的路上不可能一帆风顺,有些困难是明摆着的,不过多数还是险滩暗礁。动机不够充盈,何以能摆平艰难险阻。所以,设定目标时,务必要做好预案,才不怕路上有激流险滩。
完形填空
It's about 250 miles from the hills of west-central Iowa to Ehlers’ home in Minnesota. During the long trip home, following a weekend of hunting, Ehlers thought about the small dog he had seen trembling alongside the road. He had tried to coax the dog to him but, frightened, it had run off.
埃勒斯从爱荷华中西部山区出发,跋涉大约250英里,才能抵达他的家——明尼苏达州。沿途一次周末他打猎归来,突然想起在路边见过的那条浑身发抖的小狗来。哎!好可惜!当时他本来出于怜爱,想凑近帮助它,没想到这个小家伙反而受到惊吓跑远了。埃勒斯束手无策,只好作罢。
Back home, Ehlers was troubled by that lost dog. So, four days later, he called his friend Greg, and the two drove back. After a long and careful search, Greg saw, across a field, the dog moving cautiously away. Ehlers eventually succeeded in coaxing the animal to him. Nervousness and fear were replaced with joy. It just started licking Ehlers' face.
等回到家,他心里还一直放不下那条流浪犬。于是四天后,叫上他的朋友格雷格,驾车沿途折返,仔细搜寻了好久,后来被格雷格在田野中发现了,那只犬在小心翼翼躲着他们。最后还是埃勒斯悉心把它诱哄过来。开始有些紧张害怕,后来觉得他们并不没有伤害自己的意思,于是受宠若惊地撒起娇来,直舔埃勒斯的脸,好像有一肚子的委屈要讲给他听。
A local farmer told them the dog sounded like one advertised as lost in the local paper. The ad had a phone number for a town in southern Michigan. Ehlers called the number of Jeff and Lisa to tell them he had found their dog.
他们从当地一家农户那里得知这只狗很像当地报纸广告上描述的那只流浪犬。广告上留有密歇根州南部一个小镇上一户人家的电话。埃勒斯赶紧拨通了电话,他们是杰夫与丽莎。哇塞!他们得知小家伙竟然被人找到了。
Jeff had lived in lowa before Thanksgiving with his dog, Rosie, but the gun shots had scared the dog off. Jeff searched in vain for Rosie in the next four days.
原来杰夫在感恩节前夕跟他的小家伙罗西在爱荷华那边生活,后来从山那边传来了几声响,罗西受到惊吓就跑掉了,再没有回来过。杰夫接连找了四天都没有发现罗西的踪影,没有办法,只得扫兴而归。
Ehlers returned to Minnesotan, and then drove 100 miles to Minneapolis to put Rosie on a flight to Michigan. “It's good to know there’s still someone out there who cares enough to go to that kind of trouble,” says Lisa of Ehlers' rescue effort.
埃勒斯决定得让这个小家伙与它的主人团聚。他先回家到了明尼苏达州,然后驱车100英里到达明尼阿波利斯,从那里又把罗西送上飞往密歇根州的航班,罗西终于回到了属于自己的家。后来谈起埃勒斯的救援行动时,丽莎说:“知道还有人这么有爱心,这么不辞辛苦,简直太棒了。”
“I figured whoever lost the dog was probably just as close to it as I am to my dogs,” says Ehlers. “If it had been my dog, I'd hope that somebody would be willing to go that extra mile.”
“我当时就想,将心比心,无论谁家丢了狗可能都会这样亲昵地对待它的,我对自己的狗就是如此,”这是后来聊起此事时,埃勒斯这样说的,“要是我家的狗丢了,我也希望有人愿意跑那么远的路。”