英语PK台 第529期:《公园里遇见奇人》一张不可思议的支票

 　　Once there was a businessman who was really deep in debt¹. He was not able to think of any way to get out of debt. So one day, he sat down in the park, to think about how he could save his company from bankruptcy². While he was sitting there, an old man appeared, sat down next to him and said: "I can see that something is troubling you."

　　曾经有一位负债累累的商人。他想不出任何让自己摆脱债务危机的办法。一天，他坐在公园里，思考着如何挽救自己濒临破产的公司。此时，一位老人在他身旁坐下，并说道：“我看得出来，有什么事情正在困扰着你。”

　　The businessman was sad and depressed³, so he told the old man everything about his problem while the old man listened to him patiently. After hearing the sad story of the businessman, the old man smiled and replied: "I believe I can help you."

　　于是，这位悲伤沮丧的商人，将自己的麻烦完完整整地讲述给了这位老人，老人则耐心地倾听着他的故事。听完商人的伤心故事后，老人微笑着回应道：“我相信我可以帮到你。”

　　The old man put his hand into his pocket, took out a cheque book and asked the businessman his name. Then, he gave a cheque to the businessman and said: "Take this money. Meet me here, exactly after one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time."

　　老人把手放进口袋，取出一本支票簿，并询问了商人的姓名。然后，他递给商人一张支票，并说：“拿着这笔钱。一年后的今天，我们还在这里见面，到时候你再把钱还给我。”

　　After giving that cheque, the old man got up and walked away. The businessman had mixed feelings. He looked at the cheque and saw that it was a cheque of $500,000.. signed by Warren Buffet⁴ (one of the richest men in the world).

　　把支票交给商人后，老人便起身离开了。商人百感交集，看了看支票，发现这是一张面值五十万美元，署名沃伦·巴菲特（一位世界上最富有的人）的支票。

　　The businessman realized that with half a million he could easily get out of debt, but instead of using the cheque to pay his debt, he decided⁵ to put that cheque in his safe and to use it only in case of emergency.

　　商人意识到，拥有这五十万美元，他便可以轻松地摆脱目前的债务危机，而不必用这张支票来偿还债务，于是他决定把这张支票放在自己的保险箱里，只有在紧急情况下才去用它。

　　With the cheque in his safe, the businessman felt more confident. With a changed mind-set, the businessman went back to his business and he was able to think better, he negotiated⁶ better with others and made better deals.

　　保险箱里有了这张支票，令商人感到信心倍增。与此同时，随着心态的改变，商人重新拾起了自己的生意，但这次他变得更善于思考，更精于谈判技巧，生意也越做越火红。

　　He started reconstructing his business and worked really hard with full zeal⁷ and enthusiasm⁸. Over time, he even made several big deals. And, after only a few months, the businessman got out of debt and started making profit again!

　　他开始重新构筑自己的商业版图，满怀热情与热诚地为自己的事业打拼。经过一段时间，他甚至还完成了好几笔大买卖。而且，短短几个月的时间，这位商人就已经成功摆脱债务危机，重新开始盈利！

　　Exactly one year passed since the day the businessman met the old man, and as promised he returned to the park, with the same cheque the old man gave him. As agreed, the old man also appeared. The businessman was very happy to see the old man and told him his success story.

　　从商人遇到老人的那天起整整一年过去了，商人按照承诺回到了那座公园，身上带着老人给他的那张支票。老人也按照约定出现了。商人见到老人时非常高兴，并向老人讲述了自己的成功故事。

　　When the businessman was about to return the cheque to the old man however, a nurse ran over to them and grabbed⁹ the old man by his hand, while saying to the businessman: "I am so glad I caught him... I hope he hasn't been bothering you much. He always escapes from the psychiatric hospital and tells people that he is Warren Buffet." Then, the nurse said goodbye and left, together with the old man.

　　当商人要把支票交还给老人的时候，一名护士跑到他们身边，用手抓住老人，对商人说：“能抓住他，我太高兴了......我希望他没有过分打扰到您。他总是从精神病医院逃脱，然后告诉人们他是沃伦·巴菲特。”随后，护士向商人道别，带着老人一起离开了。

　　The businessman was stunned¹⁰. All year long he was dealing¹¹ with all his problems, thinking that he had half a million dollars in his safe.

　　商人目瞪口呆。一年来，他一直在积极解决自己在生意中遇到的各种各样的问题，认为自己的保险箱里放着五十万美元。

1 debt   

n.债务，义务，负债状态，罪，过失

参考例句：

• The man was pressed to pay off his debt.那人被逼还债。
• The firm had to charge off the debt as hopeless.公司只得把那笔没希望要回的债务注销。

2 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

3 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

4 buffet   

n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台

参考例句：

• Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐？
• Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗？

5 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。

6 negotiated   

谈判，协商，议定( negotiate的过去式和过去分词 )； 兑现（支票等）； 通过，越过（险要路段）

参考例句：

• The government negotiated with the opposition party over the new law. 政府就新法与反对党进行了协商。
• By careful strategy she negotiated a substantial pay rise. 她精心策划后，谈妥了大幅增加工资的事。

7 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

8 enthusiasm   

n.热情，激情；巨大兴趣；热衷的事物

参考例句：

• We set about our task at once with great enthusiasm.我们立刻兴致勃勃地干起来。
• A team which is full of enthusiasm is more likely to win.情绪高涨的球队更可能获胜。

9 grabbed   

v.抢先，抢占( grab的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指匆忙地）取；攫取；（尤指自私、贪婪地）捞取

参考例句：

• He was grabbed by two men and frogmarched out of the hall. 他被两个男人紧抓双臂押出大厅。
• She grabbed the child's hand and ran. 她抓住孩子的手就跑。

10 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。