英语小达人 196 A Smuggler

 　　A Smuggler¹

　　走私犯

　　The suspicious-looking man drove up to the border, where he was greeted by a sentry². When the guard looked in the trunk, he was surprised to find six sacks bulging³ at the scams.

　　一个形迹可疑的人开着车来到边境，哨兵迎了上来。哨兵检查汽车的后备箱时，发现了六个接缝处鼓得紧绷绷的大口袋，不由得大吃一惊。

　　"What's in here?" he asked.

　　“里面装的什么？”他问道。

　　"Dirt," the driver replied.

　　“土。”司机回答。

　　"Take them out," the guard instructed. "I want to check them."

　　“把袋子搬出来。”哨兵命令道，“我检查一下。”

　　Obligingly, the man removed the bags, and sure enough, such one of them contained nothing but dirt. Reluctantly, the guard let him go.

　　那人顺从地把袋子搬了出来。的确，口袋里除了土以外，别无他物。哨兵放他走了，但却心有不甘。

　　A week later the man came back, and once again, the sentry looked in the truck.

　　一个星期之后，那个人又来了，哨兵又一次检查汽车后备箱。

　　"What's in the bags this time?" he asked.

　　“这次袋子里装了些什么？”他问道。

　　"Dirt, more dirt." said the man.

　　“土，还是些土 。”那人回答。

　　Not believing him, the guard checked the sacks and, once again, he found nothing but soil.

　　哨兵不相信，对袋子又进行了检查，结果发现装的还是土。

　　The same thing happened every week for six months, and it finally became so frustrating⁴ to the guard that he quit and became a bartender. Then one night, the suspicious-looking fellow happened to stop by for a drink. Hurrying over to him, the former guard said, "Listen, pal⁵, drinks are on the house tonight if you'll do me a favor: Just tell me what the hell you were smuggling⁶ all that time."

　　同样的事情每星期都发生一次，一共持续了6个月。最后，哨兵被弄得灰心丧气，干脆辞职去当了酒吧服务生。说来也巧，有天夜里，那个形迹可疑的人来酒吧喝酒。那位退役的哨兵急忙迎上前去对他说：“我说，朋友，你要是能帮个忙，今晚的酒就由我来请客。你能不能告诉我，那段时间你到底在走私什么东西？”

　　Grinning broadly, the man leaned close to the bartender's ear and whispered, "Cars."

　　那人俯身凑近服务生的耳朵，咧嘴一笑，低声说：“汽车呗。”

1 smuggler   

n.走私者

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight, awaiting extradition to Britain. 这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• The smuggler was finally obliged to inform against his boss. 那个走私犯最后不得不告发他的首领。

2 sentry   

n.哨兵，警卫

参考例句：

• They often stood sentry on snowy nights.他们常常在雪夜放哨。
• The sentry challenged anyone approaching the tent.哨兵查问任一接近帐篷的人。

3 bulging   

膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱

参考例句：

• Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
• Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

4 frustrating   

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》

5 pal   

n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友

参考例句：

• He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。
• Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着，小子，我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。

6 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。