英语本科段自学考试英汉翻译教程Unit-5--Cultur.doc

Unit5CulturLsson13(E—C)AValentinetoOneWhoCared—TooMuch(1)ByNancyJ.RiggIt’sraining,again.AsIlieawakeinbed,listeningtothesoundofthoserazor-sharpdropspoundingonthepavement,mymindgoesreelingdowndarkcorridorsteemingwithagonizingflashbacks,andachillfromwithinfillsmewithdread.It’srainning,again.ItdoesthiseveryyearinSouthernCalifornia;atleastthat’swhattheytoldmelastyearwhenImarveledattherelentlessdeterminationoftherain.Thereseemtobetwoseasonshere.Duringtherainyseason,sometimesthestormsdrenchtheareanonstopfordays.Sometimesthestormcomeandgo.Oftenpropertydamageandsiruptedlivsresult.It’shardtopredicttheintensityofthepatternsfromyeartoyear.Thenthereisthefireseason.Thattakescareofthepropertythatmanagedtosurvivethedeluge,againdisruptinglives.Thedaysconnectingthseseasonsaremonotonous,withsomesun,somesmogandsomemoresun.ThisisnothinglikebackhomeinColorado.Wehaverainsther,too.Thunderstormsinspringandsummeroftencomewithintensitygreatenoughtocauseflash-flooding.EverychildraisedintheWestknowsaboutthesedangers.Atleastthat’swhatIusedtothink.I’mnotsosureanymore.Isecondgradetheyshowdusaterrifyingfilmaboutflash-flooding.Amanparkedhis57Chevyonalittlebridgeoverlookingapicturesque,aridgullyandtookouthiscamera.Itwasstratingtorain,buthereallywantedtogetthatpicture.Theimageofasuddenwallofdarkwatercarryingthemanandhiscarawayinaninstantisstillimprintedonmymind.TheyusedthiskindofscaretacticwhenIwasgrowingup.Iwonderwhattheyusetoday.AyaragoIwouldhaveswornthatchildrenherearetaughtnothingaboutthedangerouspowersofnature.Myfiance,Earlhiggins,andIhadrecentlymovedtoLosAngelesfromcolorado.Itwasamovewehadmadebychoice,forcaeerpurposes.AboutaweekandahalfafterwemovedintoanapartmentinAtwater,ablockfromtheLosAngelesRiver,therainsstartedinearnest.OnValentine’sDay,Irememberthinkingwhatdismalweatheritwasforbeinginlove,butafterstudyingEarl’sfaceIknewthattheweatherdidn’tmattermuch.Atleastthat’swhatIthought.Becauseweweretogether,lifewassafeandsecure.Wetalkedofourplanstowedandstartafamily,onceweweresettledinLosAngeles,andwelistenedtotherain.TheSunnynookfootbridgeconnectsAtwaterwithGriffithPark,spanningtheLosAngelesRiverandtheGoldenStateFreeway.Likethefreeway,theriverisfencedtokeeppeopleout.Duringseveralwalkstothepark,EarlandIhadnoticedmanychildrenwhoignordthefencesandfoundholestoallowthemthroughinordertoplayinthedirtintheriverbedandrunupanddowntheslopingconcretebanks.Mostofthetimeparentsprobablyhavenoworryabouttheirkidsplayingintheconcretechannel,becausemostofthetimetheriverisdry.Habitsform,however,and,inachild’smind,mostofthetimebecomesallofthetime,andnobodygivesitmuchthought.Thentherainscome.(tobecontinued).(fromLosAngelesTimes)译文：衷肠曲南希·J.里格又下雨了。我躺在床上，睡不着，听着雨点儿落在路面上啪啪作响。我思绪万千，恍恍惚惚进入了一条条幽暗的甬道，回想起许多痛苦的往事。心里一阵冰凉，不禁感到毛骨悚然。是的，又在下雨了。加利福尼亚南部，年年如此；去年，雨无情地下个不停，我表示惊异，人们就是这样对我说的。这里似乎只有两个季节。在雨季，狂风暴雨有时一连几天不停，有时一会儿就雨过天晴。结果往往是财产遭损失，生活受影响。严重程度如何，年年不同，难以预料。再就是火季。大雨过后勉强剩下的财物就落到它的手里，人们的生活再次受到影响。这两个季节之间的日子是非常单调的，有时见一点阳光，有时烟雾弥漫，过后再见一点儿阳光。这跟家乡科罗拉多的情况迥然不同。科罗拉多也下雨。春夏两季雷雨交加，猛烈异常，往往顷刻之间暴雨成灾。在西部长大的孩子都知道洪水的厉害。至少我过去是这样想的，现在就不敢说了。我上二年级的时候，给我们演过一场暴雨成灾的电影，非常可怕。电影里有一位先生把他那57型车威牌小轿车停在一座小桥上，小桥下面是一条美丽、干涸的狭谷。这位先生拿出相机准备拍照，却下起雨来。可是他实在想把这里的景色拍下来再走。突然混浊的雨水像一面墙一样压了下来，一下了就连人带车都冲走了。这情景直到现在还印在我的脑海里。我小的时候，他们用过这种吓唬人的办法。现在用什么办法，就不得而知了。一年前，我敢说，从来没有人对这里的孩子讲讲大自然的力量有多么危险。那时我和我的未婚夫艾勒·希金斯刚从科罗拉多搬到洛杉矶来。我们是为了事业，自愿搬来的。搬来以后就在阿特瓦德区离洛杉机河一个街区的地方找了一套房子住下。住了大约一个多星期，下起雨来了，而且下个不停。记得在圣瓦伦廷节那一天，我觉得这样的天气对正在相爱的人来说可太糟糕了。可是仔细一看艾勒的脸色，就知道天气不好并没有多大关系。至少当时我是这么想的。因为我们俩在一起，生活是安定的。我们打算一旦在洛杉矶站住脚，就结婚，组织家庭。我们一面议论，一面听着外头的雨声。桑尼努克桥是一座只供人行的小桥，它横跨洛杉矶河和金州高速公路，联结着阿特瓦德区和格力非公园。洛杉矶河和公路一样，为了行人的安全，两旁修了栏杆。我和艾勒好几次散步到公园去，都看见许多孩子不管栏杆不栏杆，见了缺口就钻过去，在河床上的烂尼里玩，在两岸用水泥砌的斜坡上跑上跑下。在大多数情况下，家长大概可以放心地让孩子们在两岸砌着水泥的河道里玩耍，因为大部分时间河里没有水。然而孩子们习以为常，在他们心目中，“大部分时间”就成了“全部时间”，而谁也没有仔细去想这件事。后来就下起雨来了。（待续）Lesson14(E—C)HowtoGrowOldByBertrandRussellInspiteofthetitle,thisarticlewillreallybeonhownottogrowold,which,atmytimeoflife,isanuchmoreimportantsubject.Myfirstadvicewouldbetochooseyourancestorscarefully.Althoughbothmyparentsdiedyoung,Ihavedonewellinthisrespectasregardsmyotherancestors.Mymaternalgrandfather,itistrue,wascutoffintheflowerofhisyouthattheageofsixty-seven,butmyotherthreegrandparentsalllivedtobeovereighty.OfremoterancestorsIcanonlydiscoveronewhodidnotlivetoagreatage,andhediedofadiseasewhichisnowrare,namely,havinghisheadcutoff.Agreat-grandmotherofmine,whowasafriendofGibbon,livedtotheageofninety-two,andtoherlastdayremainedaterrortoallherdescendants.Mymaternalgrandmother,afterhavingninechildrenwhosurvived,onewhodiedininfancy,andmanymiscarriages,assoonasshebecameawidowdevotedherselftowomen’shighereducation.ShewasoneofthefoundersofGirtonCollege,andworkedhardatopeningthemedicalprofessiontowomen.SheusedtorelatehowshemetinItalyanelderlygentlemanwhowaslookingverysad.Sheinquiredthecauseofhismelancholyandhesaidthathehadjustpartedfromhistwograndchildren.“Goodgracious,”sheeclaimed,“Ihaveseventy-twograndchildren,andifIweresadeachtimeIpartedfromoneofthem,Ishouldhaveadismaleistence!”“Madresnaturale,”hereplied.Butspeakingasoneoftheseventy-two,Ipreferherrecipe.Aftertheageofeightyshefoundshehadsom