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双语有声阅读:14级台阶 Fourteen Steps

时间:2016-07-29 02:50来源:互联网 提供网友:yajing   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)
我现在不仅每天爬14级台阶, 还尽量给人一些小小的帮助。或许有一天, 我会给一个坐在车里像我一样在心灵上有盲点的人换轮胎。
 
Fourteen Steps
 
They say a cat has nine lives, and I am inclined1) to think that possible since I am now living my third life and I’m not even a cat. My first life began on a clear, cold day in November 1904, when I arrived as the sixth of eight children of a farming family. My father died when I was15, and we had a hard struggle to make a living. As the children grew up, they married, leaving only one sister and myself to support and care for Mother, who became paralyzed2) in her last years and died while still in her 60s. My sister married soon after, and I followed her example within the year.
 
This was when I began to enjoy my first life. I was very happy, in excellent health, and quite a good athlete. My wife and I became the parents of two lovely girls. I had a good job in San Jose and a beautiful home up the peninsula3) in San Carlos. Life was a pleasant dream. Then the dream ended. I became afflicted1 with a slowly progressive disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my right arm and leg, and then my other side. Thus began my second life. . .
 
In spite of my disease I still drove to and from work each day, with the aid of special equipment installed in my car. And I managed to keep my health and optimism, to a degree, because of 14 steps.
 
Crazy?Not at all. Our home was a split-level affair with 14steps leading up from the garage4) to the kitchen door. Those steps were a gauge5) of life. They were my yardstick2, my challenge to continue living. I felt that if the day arrived when I was unable to lift one foot up one step and then drag the other painfully after it――repeating the process 14times until, utterly3 spent, I would be through――I could then admit defeat and lie down and die. So I kept on working, kept on climbing those steps. And time passed. The girls went to college and were happily married, and my wife and I were alone in our beautiful home with the 14 steps.
 
You might think that here walked a man of courage and strength. Not so. Here hobbled a bitterly disillusioned4 cripple, a man who held on to his sanity5 and his wife and his home and his job because of 14miserable steps leading up to the back door from his garage. As I became older, I became more disillusioned6) and frustrated6.
 
Then on a dark night in August, 1971, I began my third life. It was raining when I started home that night;gusty winds and slashing7 rain beat down on the car as I drove slowly down one of the less-traveled roads. Suddenly the steering8 wheel jerked in my hands and the car swerved9 violently to the right. In the same instant I heard the dreaded10 bang of a blowout. I fought the car to stop on the rain-slick shoulder of the road and sat there as the enormity of the situation swept over me. It was impossible for me to change that tire.Utterly impossible.A thought that a passing motorist might stop was dismissed at once. Why should anyone?I knew I wouldn’t. Then I remembered that a short distance up a little side road was a house. I started the engine and thumped11 slowly along, keeping well over on the shoulder until I came to the dirt road, where I turned in--thankfully. Lighted windows welcomed me to the house and I pulled into the driveway and honked7) the horn.
 
The door opened and a little girl stood there, peering at me. I rolled down the window and called out that I had a flat and needed someone to change it for me because I had a crutch12 and couldn’t do it myself. She went into the house and a moment later came out bundled in raincoat and hat, followed by a man who called a cheerful greeting. I sat there comfortable and dry, and felt a bit sorry for the man and the little girl working so hard in the storm. Well, I would pay them for it. The rain seemed to be slackening a bit now, and I rolled down the window all the way to watch. It seemed to me that they were awfully13 slow and I was beginning to become impatient. I heard the clank of metal from the back of the car and the little girl’s voice came clearly to me. “Here’s the jack14-handle, Grandpa. ”She was answered by the murmur15 of the man’s lower voice and the slow tilting16 of the car as it was jacked up. There followed a long interval17 of noises, jolts18 and low conversation from t he back of the car, but finally it was done. I felt the car bump as the jack was removed, and I heard the slam of the truck lid, and then they were standing19 at my car window.
 
He was an old man, stooped and frail-looking under his slicker. The little girl was about eight or ten, I judged, with a merry face and a wide smile as she looked up at me. He said, “This a bad night for car trouble, but you’re all set now. ”“Thanks, ”I said. “How much do I owe you?”He shook his head. “Nothing. Cynthia told me you were a cripple--on crutches8). Glad to be of help. I know you’d do the same for me. There’s no charge, friend. ”I held out a five-dollar bill. “No.I like to pay my way. ”He made no effort to take it and the little girl stepped closer to the window and said quietly, “Grandpa can’t see it. ”
 
In the next few frozen seconds the shame and horror of that moment penetrated20 and I was sick with an intensity21 I had never felt before. A blind man and a child.Fumbling22, feeling with cold, wet fingers for bolts and tools in the dark--a darkness that for him would probably never end until death. I don’t remember how long I sat there after they said good night and left me, but it was long enough for me to search deep with in myself and find some disturbing traits9). I realized t hat I was filled to over-flowing with self-pity, selfishness, indifference23 to the needs of others and thoughtlessness. I sat there and said a prayer.
 
“Therefore all things whatsoever24 ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:for this is the law and the prophets. ”To me now, months later, this scriptural10) admonition is more than just a passage in the Bible. It is a way of life, one that I am trying to follow. It isn’t always easy. Sometimes it is frustrating25, sometimes expensive in both time and money, but the value is there. I am trying now not only to climb 14steps each day, but in my small way to help others. Someday, perhaps, I will change a tire for a blind man in a car――someone as blind as I had been.
 
by Hal Manwaring
 
14级台阶
 
人们说猫有9条命, 我倾向于认为这是可能的, 因为我现在活的是第三次生命, 而我不是猫。1904年11月的一个晴朗、寒冷的日子, 我开始了我的第一次生命。我成了一个务农家庭8个孩子中的第6个。我15岁时父亲去世, 我们全家都得为生计艰辛奔忙。孩子们长大后, 一个个结婚出嫁, 只剩下我和一个姐姐抚养和照顾妈妈。她晚年时瘫痪, 60多岁就去世了。我姐姐不久就嫁了人, 我也在当年结了婚。
 
这时我开始享受我的第一次生命。我非常幸福, 非常健康, 而且是一名相当出色的运动员。我们有两个可爱的女儿。我在圣何塞有份满意的工作, 在半岛北部的圣卡洛斯有幢漂亮的房子。生活是称心如意的梦想。好景不长, 美梦中断了。我得了缓慢发展的运动神经病, 先是我的右臂和右腿活动受阻, 而后是左侧。我的第二次生命就此开始……
 
尽管我有病, 但是借着安装在车里的特殊设备, 我仍然每天开车上下班。我设法保持健康和乐观, 从某种程度来说, 是缘于14级台阶。
 
在说疯话吧?完全不是。我们的房子是个错层式建筑, 从车库到厨房门有14级台阶。这些台阶是生活的标尺, 是衡量我的标准, 也是我继续生存的挑战。我认为哪一天要是我不能提起一只脚登上一级台阶, 再费劲地拖上另一只脚--如此重复14次直到精疲力竭, 那我就完了--那时我只能承认我失败了, 可以躺下来等死了。因此, 我坚持工作, 坚持爬那14级台阶。时光荏苒, 两个女儿上了大学, 相继幸福地结婚成家, 只剩下我们夫妻俩相濡以沫, 守居在有14级台阶的漂亮家中。
 
你们或许会想, 在这里行走的是个有勇气和力量的人, 事实并非如此。这里行走的是一个痛苦地失去理想的一瘸一拐的残疾人, 一个因为那从车库通向后门折磨人的14级台阶才保持精神正常、没有失去他的妻子、房子和工作的人。随着年龄增长, 我变得更失望和沮丧。
 
后来, 1971年8月的一个黑夜, 我开始了我的第三次生命。那天晚上我起程回家时在下雨;我缓慢地沿着一条不经常走的路开着车, 天刮起阵阵劲风, 急剧的雨点直落在车上。突然间, 手中的方向盘跳动起来, 车子猛烈地朝右侧转去。同时, 我听到可怕的轮胎爆裂的砰声。我费劲地把车停在因雨水而滑溜的路肩上, 在这突如其来的严峻情况下, 我呆坐在车里。我不可能更换轮胎!根本不可能!可能有个过路的车会停下来, 这个念头一闪即逝。人家为什么就该停车呢?我知道我也不会。我想起离开支路不太远有幢房子。我起动了发动机, 车子慢慢摇晃着顺着路肩朝前蠕动到土路上, 谢天谢地, 在那儿我拐了上去。透着灯光的窗户把我迎向房子, 我开上车道, 按了喇叭。
 
门开了, 一个小女孩站在那儿, 费力地看着我。我摇下车窗, 大声说我的轮胎爆了, 需要有人帮我换掉它, 因为我是个用拐杖的残疾人, 没法自己动手。女孩进了屋, 一会儿又出来, 裹着雨衣, 戴着帽子, 后面跟着一个男人, 他高兴地向我问候。我舒舒服服地坐在车里, 一点没淋湿, 而那男人和小女孩在风雨交加的夜晚这么辛苦地干, 我感到有点儿歉意。反正, 我会给他们钱的。雨像是小点儿了, 我把车窗一直摇下看着车外。我觉得他们干得特别慢, 我开始不耐烦起来。车后传来金属碰撞声和小女孩清晰的说话声。“爷爷, 这是千斤顶把手。”那男人低沉的喃喃声回答了她。千斤顶顶起车子时, 车身慢慢倾斜。随后是好一会儿声响、晃动和从车后传来的低声话语, 但是轮胎终于换完了。移开千斤顶时, 我感觉到车子落地时的颠动;我听到关行李箱盖的声音;而后他们俩站在车窗旁。
 
那男人年迈, 弯腰曲背, 身穿油布雨衣, 显得身体虚弱。我猜那小女孩大约8岁或10岁, 有一张喜气的脸, 看我时笑容满面。他说, “这种糟糕的晚上车子有麻烦真够呛, 不过现在你没事了。”“谢谢, ”我说。“我该付你多少钱?”他摇摇头。“不要钱。辛西娅告诉我说你是个残疾人--用拐杖的。能帮上忙我很高兴。我知道你也会为我这么做。不要钱, 朋友。”我伸手递出一张5美元的钞票。“不要!我不喜欢欠人家的。”他没有收下钱的意思, 小女孩走近车窗, 轻声说道:“我爷爷看不见。”
 
在随后的几秒钟里, 我呆若木鸡, 那一片刻的羞耻和恐惧深深刺痛着我, 我有生以来第一次对自己感到那么强烈的厌恶。一个盲人和一个孩子!他们在黑夜里用湿冷的手指在黑暗中摸找和触摸螺栓和工具---对那老人来说, 这种黑暗可能将延续到他的生命结束。我不记得他们说了晚安离去后我在车里呆了多久, 但是足够我深刻反省, 挖找一些令我不安的品性。我意识到我极端自怜、自私、漠视他人的需要和不为别人着想。我呆在车上, 做了个祷告。
 
“所以无论何事, 你们要别人怎样待你们, 你们就得怎样待别人:这是摩西法律和先知教训的真义。”数个月过后, 如今对我来说, 这来自《圣经》的告诫不仅仅是《圣经》中的一段话, 而且是一种生活方式, 一种我现在要努力遵循的生活方式。这不总是容易的。有时令人沮丧, 有时在时间和金钱上要付出昂贵的代价, 但是有它的价值。我现在不仅每天爬14级台阶, 还尽量给人一些小小的帮助。或许有一天, 我会给一个坐在车里像我一样在心灵上有盲点的人换轮胎。

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 afflicted aaf4adfe86f9ab55b4275dae2a2e305a     
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
  • A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。
2 yardstick oMEzM     
n.计算标准,尺度;评价标准
参考例句:
  • This is a yardstick for measuring whether a person is really progressive.这是衡量一个人是否真正进步的标准。
  • She was a yardstick against which I could measure my achievements.她是一个我可以用来衡量我的成就的准绳。
3 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
4 disillusioned Qufz7J     
a.不再抱幻想的,大失所望的,幻想破灭的
参考例句:
  • I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
  • Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。
5 sanity sCwzH     
n.心智健全,神智正常,判断正确
参考例句:
  • I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
6 frustrated ksWz5t     
adj.挫败的,失意的,泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧
参考例句:
  • It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
  • The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 slashing dfc956bca8fba6bcb04372bf8fc09010     
adj.尖锐的;苛刻的;鲜明的;乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 );鞭打;割破;削减
参考例句:
  • Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
  • He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手,不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句
8 steering 3hRzbi     
n.操舵装置
参考例句:
  • He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
  • Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵,口吻也马上变得温和了。
9 swerved 9abd504bfde466e8c735698b5b8e73b4     
v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯,以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
  • The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅,司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 dreaded XuNzI3     
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
  • He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》
11 thumped 0a7f1b69ec9ae1663cb5ed15c0a62795     
v.重击, (指心脏)急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Dave thumped the table in frustration . 戴夫懊恼得捶打桌子。
  • He thumped the table angrily. 他愤怒地用拳捶击桌子。
12 crutch Lnvzt     
n.T字形拐杖;支持,依靠,精神支柱
参考例句:
  • Her religion was a crutch to her when John died.约翰死后,她在精神上依靠宗教信仰支撑住自己。
  • He uses his wife as a kind of crutch because of his lack of confidence.他缺乏自信心,总把妻子当作主心骨。
13 awfully MPkym     
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地
参考例句:
  • Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
  • I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
14 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
15 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言
参考例句:
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
16 tilting f68c899ac9ba435686dcb0f12e2bbb17     
倾斜,倾卸
参考例句:
  • For some reason he thinks everyone is out to get him, but he's really just tilting at windmills. 不知为什么他觉得每个人都想害他,但其实他不过是在庸人自扰。
  • So let us stop bickering within our ranks.Stop tilting at windmills. 所以,让我们结束内部间的争吵吧!再也不要去做同风车作战的蠢事了。
17 interval 85kxY     
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息
参考例句:
  • The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
  • There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。
18 jolts 6b399bc85f7ace4b27412ec2740f286e     
(使)摇动, (使)震惊( jolt的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He found that out when he got a few terrific jolts, but he wouldn't give up. 被狠狠地撞回来几次后,他发觉了这一点,但他决不因此罢休。
  • Some power bars are loaded with carbohydrates or caffeine for quick jolts. 有些能量条中包含大量的碳水化合物和咖啡因,以达到快速提神的效果。
19 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
20 penetrated 61c8e5905df30b8828694a7dc4c3a3e0     
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句:
  • The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
  • They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。
21 intensity 45Ixd     
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度
参考例句:
  • I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
  • The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
22 fumbling fumbling     
n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理
参考例句:
  • If he actually managed to the ball instead of fumbling it with an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动,经常这样结束。
  • If he actually managed to secure the ball instead of fumbling it awkwardly an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-50提议有时。他从off-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动,经常这样结束。
23 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
24 whatsoever Beqz8i     
adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么
参考例句:
  • There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
  • All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样,你就怎样对人。
25 frustrating is9z54     
adj.产生挫折的,使人沮丧的,令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧
参考例句:
  • It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间,真令人懊恼。
  • It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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TAG标签:   英语听力  听力教程  英语学习
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