双语有声阅读：爱如鲜花盛开

I was nine when my father first sent me flowers.

 

我九岁那年，父亲第一次送花给我。

 

I had been taking tap-dancing lessons for six months, and the school was giving its yearly recital¹.

 

当时，我加入学校踢踏舞班才六个月，正逢学校举办一年一度的演出。

 

As an excited member of the beginners’ chorus line, I was aware of my lowly status.

 

我只能加入新学员合唱队，却依然兴致勃勃，不过我清楚自己只是个不起眼的小角色。

 

So it was a surprise to have my name called out at the end of the show along with the lead dancers and to find my arms full of long-stemmed red roses.

 

令人惊喜的是，演出一结束，我竟被叫到前台，双手捧着一束枝繁叶茂的红玫瑰与主舞的演员站在一起。

 

I can still feel myself standing² on that stage, blushing furiously and gazing over the footlights to see my father’s grin as he applauded loudly.

 

我至今还感到自己像是站在舞台上，双颊绯红，我越过绚丽的脚灯光线向下张望，看见父亲的笑脸。

 

Those roses were the first in a series of large bouquets⁴ that accompanied all the milestones⁵ in my life.

 

他一面使劲地鼓掌，一面快活地笑着。 这束鲜花是第一束，往后，每逢我人生的一个里程碑，父亲都要送我一大束鲜花。

 

They brought a sense of embarrassment⁶.

 

可我的心情总是有些矛盾。

 

I enjoyed them, but was flustered⁷ by the extravagance.

 

既高兴，又有些尴尬。我喜爱鲜花，可又为这种奢侈而不安。

 

Not my father.

 

父亲却从不会觉得不安。

 

He did everything in a big way.

 

他做什么事都特别大方。

 

If you sent him to the bakery for a cake, he came back with three.

 

如果你让他去面包房买一块蛋糕，他一定会买回来三块。

 

Once, when Mother told him I needed a new party dress, he brought home a dozen.

 

一次，母亲对他说我需要一件新的派对礼服，他竟买回来一打。

 

His behavior often left us without funds for other more important things.

 

他的做法总是让我们没有钱再去添置其他更需要的东西。

 

After the dress incident, there was no money for the winter coat I really needed or the new ice skates I wanted.

 

那次礼服事件后，家里就再也没钱去买我真正急需的冬大衣，或者我一直向往的新溜冰鞋。

 

Sometimes I would be angry with him, but not for long.

 

有时我会为这些事跟父亲赌气，但时间都不会长。

 

Inevitably⁸ he would buy me something to make up with me.

 

他照例会买些礼物与我和好。

 

The gift was so apparently⁹ an offering of love he could not verbalize that I would throw my arms around him and kiss him—an act that undoubtedly¹⁰ perpetuated¹¹ his behavior.

 

这些礼物如此真切地传达着他不善用言辞表达的爱，这时，我便会搂住他，亲吻他，这亲昵的行为，无疑会使他再度大方。

 

Then came my 16th birthday.

 

之后迎来了我16岁生日。

 

It was not a happy occasion.

 

可这并不是个快乐的时刻。

 

I was fat and had no boyfriend.

 

我长得很胖，还没有男朋友。

 

And my well-meaning parents furthered my misery¹² by giving me a party.

 

好心的父母为我准备了生日晚会，可这更让我觉得痛苦。

 

As I entered the dining room, there on the table next to my cake was a huge bouquet³ of flowers, bigger than any before.

 

我走进餐厅，看见餐桌上生日蛋糕旁边，摆着很大一束鲜花，比以往的任何一束都要大。

 

I wanted to hide.

 

我真想躲起来。

 

Now everyone would think my father had sent flowers because I had no boyfriend to do it.

 

现在谁都会以为我没有男朋友送花，只好由父亲来送了。

 

Sweet 16, and I felt like crying.

 

16岁该是最美好的，而我却只想哭。

 

I probably would have, but my best friend, Phyllis, whispered, “Boy, you’re lucky to have a father like that.”

 

或许当时我的确哭了，但我最好的朋友，菲利斯，在我耳边小声说：“嘿，孩子，你有这样的父亲可真幸运。”

 

As the years passed, other occasion—birthdays, recitals¹³, awards, graduations were marked with Dad’s flowers.

 

随着光阴的流逝，许多特别的日子——生日、演出、获奖、毕业——都会伴有父亲的鲜花。

 

My emotions continued to seesaw¹⁴ between pleasure and embarrassment.”

 

我的心情也依然在快乐与尴尬之间徘徊不定。

 

When I graduated from college, though, my days of ambivalence¹⁵ were over.

 

可我从大学毕业时，那种矛盾的心情消失了。

 

I was embarking¹⁶ on a new career and was engaged to be married.

 

我开始了新的事业，也订了婚。

 

Dad’s flowers symbolized¹⁷ his pride, and my triumph.

 

父亲的鲜花代表了他的骄傲和我的胜利。

 

They evoked¹⁸ only great pleasure.

 

它们带来的只有极大的喜悦。

 

Now there were bright-orange mums for Thanksgiving and a huge pink poinsettia at Christmas.

 

后来，每逢感恩节，我们都会收到父亲的一捧黄灿灿的菊花；圣诞节会有一大束粉红的一品红。

 

White lilies at Easter, and velvety¹⁹ red roses for birthdays.

 

复活节是洁白的百合花；生日里会有天鹅绒般的红玫瑰。

 

Seasonal²⁰ flowers in mixed bouquets celebrated²¹ the births of my children and the move to our first house.

 

孩子出世或逢乔迁之喜，父亲会送来那个季节里盛开的许多种鲜花混合扎成的花束。

 

As my fortunes grew, my father’s waned²², but his gifts of flowers continued until he died of a heart attack a few months before his 70th birthday.

 

随着我不断功成名就，父亲日渐衰老，但他依然坚持给我送花，直到他70岁生日的前几个月，因心脏病发作而猝然逝去。

 

Without embarrassment, I covered his coffin²³ with the largest, reddest roses I could find.

 

我在他的棺木上铺满了我所能寻得的最大的红玫瑰，而且，没有一丝窘迫。

 

Often in the dozen years since, I felt an urge to go out and buy a big bouquet to fill the living room, but I never did.

 

在以后的十几年里，我常常有一股冲动，想去买一大束鲜花装点起居室，可我始终没去。

 

I knew it would not be the same.

 

我知道，即便买来，花已不是从前的花了。

 

Then one birthday, the doorbell rang.

 

后来我生日的一天，我听见门铃响了。

 

I was feeling blue because I was alone.

 

那天，我本来很沮丧，因为只有我待在家中。

 

My husband was playing golf, and my two daughters were away.

 

丈夫打高尔夫球去了，两个女儿出远门了。

 

My 13-year-old son, Matt, had run out earlier with a “see you later”, never mentioning my birthday.

 

13岁的儿子马特也走得格外早，只道了声“再见”，只字未提我的生日。

 

So I was surprised to see his large frame at the door.

 

所以我开门看见马特胖胖的身体站在门边时，有几分惊讶。

 

“Forgot my key.” he said, shrugging. “Forgot your birthday too. Well, I hope you like flowers, Mum.”

 

“忘带钥匙了，”他耸耸肩，说道，“也忘了今天是你生日。嗯，我希望你喜欢这些鲜花，妈妈。”

 

He pulled a bunch of daisies from behind his back.

 

说着，他从身后抽出一束雏菊。

 

“Oh, Matt,” I cried, hugging him hard, “I love flowers!”

 

“哦，马特，”我大叫一声，紧紧搂住他，“我爱鲜花！”

1 recital   

n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会

参考例句：

• She is going to give a piano recital.她即将举行钢琴独奏会。
• I had their total attention during the thirty-five minutes that my recital took.在我叙述的35分钟内，他们完全被我吸引了。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 bouquet   

n.花束，酒香

参考例句：

• This wine has a rich bouquet.这种葡萄酒有浓郁的香气。
• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。

4 bouquets   

n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香

参考例句：

• The welcoming crowd waved their bouquets. 欢迎的群众摇动着花束。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• As the hero stepped off the platform, he was surrounded by several children with bouquets. 当英雄走下讲台时，已被几名手持花束的儿童围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

6 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

7 flustered   

adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The honking of horns flustered the boy. 汽车喇叭的叫声使男孩感到慌乱。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She was so flustered that she forgot her reply. 她太紧张了，都忘记了该如何作答。 来自辞典例句

8 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

9 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

10 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

11 perpetuated   

vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• This system perpetuated itself for several centuries. 这一制度维持了几个世纪。
• I never before saw smile caught like that, and perpetuated. 我从来没有看见过谁的笑容陷入这样的窘况，而且持续不变。 来自辞典例句

12 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

13 recitals   

n.独唱会( recital的名词复数 )；独奏会；小型音乐会、舞蹈表演会等；一系列事件等的详述

参考例句：

• His recitals have earned him recognition as a talented performer. 他的演奏会使他赢得了天才演奏家的赞誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her teachers love her playing, and encourage her to recitals. 她的老师欣赏她的演奏，并鼓励她举办独奏会。 来自互联网

14 seesaw   

n.跷跷板

参考例句：

• Prices have gone up and down like a seesaw this year.今年的价格像跷跷板一样时涨时跌。
• The children are playing at seesaw.孩子们在玩跷跷板。

15 ambivalence   

n.矛盾心理

参考例句：

• She viewed her daughter's education with ambivalence.她看待女儿的教育问题态度矛盾。
• She felt a certain ambivalence towards him.她对他的态度有些矛盾。

16 embarking   

乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• He's embarking on a new career as a writer. 他即将开始新的职业生涯——当一名作家。
• The campaign on which were embarking was backed up by such intricate and detailed maintenance arrangemets. 我们实施的战争，须要如此复杂及详细的维护准备。

17 symbolized   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• For Tigress, Joy symbolized the best a woman could expect from life. 在她看，小福子就足代表女人所应有的享受。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• A car symbolized distinction and achievement, and he was proud. 汽车象征着荣誉和成功，所以他很自豪。 来自辞典例句

18 evoked   

[医]诱发的

参考例句：

• The music evoked memories of her youth. 这乐曲勾起了她对青年时代的回忆。
• Her face, though sad, still evoked a feeling of serenity. 她的脸色虽然悲伤，但仍使人感觉安详。

19 velvety   

adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的

参考例句：

• a velvety red wine 醇厚的红葡萄酒
• Her skin was admired for its velvety softness. 她的皮肤如天鹅绒般柔软，令人赞叹。

20 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

21 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

22 waned   

v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》
• The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

23 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。