读者文摘:制服幽默

I WAS IN A RESTAURANT having lunch when I noticed four men dressed in camouflage¹ uniforms seated nearby.

我在一家餐馆吃午饭的时候，旁边四名身着迷彩服的男子吸引了我的注意。

I'm proud of the men and women who serve our country,

我为那些服务国家的人骄傲，

so I walked over to the group and said,

于是，我走到他们当中说道，

"I just want to thank you for your service, and it would be an honor to buy your lunch."

“我只是想感谢你们的服务，能请你们吃午饭是我的荣幸。”

One man put down his fork, looked up, and said, "We appreciate that, ma'am; thank you.

其中一名男子放下叉子，抬起头，说：“我们对此深表感激，谢谢你！

But we're not in the military. We're on a hunting trip."

但我们不是军人，我们在狩猎旅行。”

MY FAMILY went to a minor-league baseball game while I was stationed at the Marine² base in Quantico, Virginia.

我在弗吉尼亚州匡蒂科的海军陆战队基地的时候，我的家人去看了一场小型棒球联赛。

My mother decided³ it would be a great idea to mail me a baseball cap signed by the team.

妈妈觉得给我寄一顶球队签名的棒球帽的主意不错。

"It's for my daughter who couldn't come," she explained to the players.

“这是给我女儿的，她不能来，”妈妈向球员们解释说。

"She's in Guantánamo."

“她在关塔纳摩。”

1 camouflage   

n./v.掩饰，伪装

参考例句：

• The white fur of the polar bear is a natural camouflage.北极熊身上的白色的浓密软毛是一种天然的伪装。
• The animal's markings provide effective camouflage.这种动物身上的斑纹是很有效的伪装。

2 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。