英语小达人 263 My Mother

 　　My Mother

　　我妈妈

　　I was walking through the supermarket to pick up a few things when I noticed an old lady following me around. Thinking nothing of it, I ignored her and continued on.

　　我在超市里转悠着想要买些东西，可我注意到一个老太太总是跟着我。不过我觉得这没什么，就不理她，继续转。

　　Finally I went to the checkout¹ line, but she got in front of me.

　　最后，我到付款台排队时，她赶到了我前面。

　　"Pardon me," she said, "I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you look just like my son, who just died recently."

　　“打扰一下，”她说，“我很抱歉，我盯着你看，看得你很不舒服。我这样做只是因为你长得太像我儿子了，他刚刚去世了。”

　　"I'm very sorry," I said to her, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

　　“我很难过，”我说，“我能为你做什么吗？”

　　"Yes," she said, "As I'm leaving, can you say 'Goodbye, Mother?' It would make me feel so much better."

　　“是的，”她说，“我走的时候，你能对我说一声‘妈妈，再见’吗？这会使我心里好过些的。”

　　"Sure," I said. An odd² request, but no harm would come of it.

　　“当然，”我说。这虽然是个奇怪的要求，可对我来说也没什么损失。

　　As the old woman was leaving, I called out, "Goodbye, Mother!"

　　老太太要走的时候，我大声说：“妈妈，再见！”

　　As I stepped up to the checkout counter³, I saw that my total was $257.50.

　　等我到付款台前，我发现我的账单是257.5美元。

　　"How can that be?" I asked, "I only purchased a few things!"

　　“这怎么可能？”我问道，“我没买多少东西呀！”

　　"Your mother said that you would pay for her," said the clerk.

　　“你妈妈说你会为她付账的，”收银员说。

       　　重点讲解：

　　1. think nothing of it

　　对…不在意；不觉得…奇怪（或重要）；

　　eg. When she went off to see her parents for the weekend I thought nothing of it.

　　她周末去看她的父母，我当时没觉得有什么特别的。

　　eg. One of Tony's friends, David, kept coming to my house but I didn't think anything of it.

　　托尼的朋友戴维经常来我家，不过我当时并没多想。

　　2. continue on

　　继续；

　　eg. A green light a traffic signal⁴ means⁵ your car can continue on.

　　交通信号中绿灯意味着你的汽车可以继续前进。

　　eg. Olympics ended. I believe that this culture will continue on, like the Olympic torch⁶, relayed in everyone's heart.

　　奥运会结束了，我相信这种文明会像奥运火炬一样，在每个人的心中传递。

　　3. pardon me

　　对不起，不好意思打断一下（用于引起他人注意或者打断他人）；

　　eg. Pardon me, are you finished, madam?

　　对不起，您用完餐了吗，夫人？

　　eg. Pardon me, but I have lose my way. Can you help me?

　　打扰了，我迷路了。请帮忙指个路?

　　4. stare at

　　凝视；盯着看；

　　eg. Tamara stared at him in disbelief, shaking her head.

　　塔玛拉一边狐疑地盯着他看，一边摇着头。

　　eg. The little girl stared at the little cats tumbling⁷ over each other in their basket.

　　小女孩凝视着在篮子里互相翻来滚去的小猫。

　　5. come of

　　出身于；来自；带来；

　　eg. She comes of a very good family.

　　她的家庭出身非常好。

　　eg. No good can come of your marrying above your status!

　　攀高枝对你绝无好处！

1 checkout   

n.（超市等）收银台，付款处

参考例句：

• Could you pay at the checkout.你能在结帐处付款吗。
• A man was wheeling his shopping trolley to the checkout.一个男人正推着购物车向付款台走去。

2 odd   

adj.奇特的；临时的；奇数的；n.[pl.]机会

参考例句：

• She looks a bit odd.I wonder what has happened to her.她的神色有些异样，不知出了什么事。
• He's an odd character and no mistake!他的确是个怪人！

3 counter   

n.柜台；计数器；adj.相反的；adv.与…相反地；vt.反对，反击；vi.反对，反击

参考例句：

• This counter is closed now.这个柜台现在已停止营业。
• Set the counter to zero and you'll know where the recording starts.把计数器拨到零，你就会知道录音从哪儿开始。

4 signal   

n.信号，暗号

参考例句：

• This is a signal failure.这是明显的失败。
• A train must not pass a signal that is at danger.火车切不可越过危险信号。

5 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

6 torch   

n.火炬

参考例句：

• They are looking for volunteers to carry the torch.他们正在寻找火炬传递的志愿者。
• A famous athlete held a torch and ran to the stadium.一个著名的运动员举着火炬跑到运动场。

7 tumbling   

n.摔跤，翻跟头，翻筋斗adj.歪斜状的v.倒塌( tumble的现在分词 )；翻滚；突然摔倒；恍然大悟

参考例句：

• His eyes were fastened on the boiling, tumbling waves. 他的眼睛凝视着汹涌的波涛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The earthquake sent buildings tumbling into one another like failing dominoes. 地震使大楼哗啦啦倒塌，就像正在倾倒的骨牌一般。 来自《简明英汉词典》