美国小学英语教材5:第188课 罗伯特.E.李:从男孩到男人(2)

So young Robert Lee lived among inspiring surroundings¹. Stratford House had done much to keep alive the glory of the Lee family. Important men had lived beneath its roof. There were Robert’s cousins, the two li brothers, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Henry Lee, who had signed the Declaration² of Independence. And there was Robert’s own father. General Henry Lee, the famous Light Horse Harry³, as he was called, who had fought in the Revolutionary War by the side of General Washington when we won our freedom from England.

所以年轻的罗伯特·李生活在令人鼓舞的环境中。斯特拉特福德庄园为维护李家族的荣誉做了很多工作。重要人物曾住在这里。有签署了独立宣言的罗伯特的堂兄弟、李氏两兄弟、以及弗朗西斯·莱特福特·李和理查德·亨利·李。还有罗伯特自己的父亲。亨利·李将军，被称为著名的轻骑兵哈里，当我们从英国赢得自由的时候，他曾在独立战争中与华盛顿将军并肩作战。

The boy was told that three generations of Lees had lived at Stratford, and that the gates had always been open wide to their friends. Everyone was always welcome at Stratford, and the finest people of the land were proud to visit the distinguished⁴ family who lived there. The house stood for the best in all things. Its library was filled with fine books. Robert’s father was a scholar as well as a soldier, and the boy always remembered him sitting in a big chair or at his desk writing an account of the battles he had fought with his beloved⁵ George Washington. The boy saw the brave spirit of the Lees still alive in his father, who was fighting constantly against ill-health. Robert himself had that same brave spirit, and he was to do even greater things than the others of his family had done.

有人告诉小男孩，李家三代人都住在斯特拉福镇，大门总是向他们的朋友敞开。在斯特拉福镇，人人都受到欢迎，当地最优秀的人都很自豪地拜访住在那里的显赫家庭。这所房子代表了一切最好的东西。书房里满是好书。罗伯特的父亲是一位学者，也是一名士兵，小男孩总是记得他坐在一张大椅子上或书桌前，写着他与挚爱的乔治·华盛顿之间的战斗。男孩看到李家的勇敢精神还在他父亲身上，他的父亲一直在与病魔作斗争。罗伯特自己也有这种勇敢的精神，他要做的事情甚至比他的家人所做的还要伟大。

1 surroundings   

n.周围的事物(或情况)，环境

参考例句：

• She is not very well tuned into her surroundings. 她不太适应周围的环境。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

2 declaration   

n.宣布，宣告，宣言，声明（书），申报

参考例句：

• We read the declaration posted on the bulletin board.我们读了贴在布告板上的声明。
• At the recent convention a declaration was adopted.在最近举行的大会上通过了一项宣言。

3 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

4 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

5 beloved   

adj./n.受爱戴的，敬爱的；爱人，被心爱的人

参考例句：

• She longs for the early return of her beloved.她盼着心上人早日归来。
• She is Tom's beloved wife.她是汤姆的爱妻。