VOA慢速英语2021 老人的独居生活一去不返

A man's days living alone in the forest in the state of New Hampshire appear to be over.

一个男人独自生活在新罕布什尔州的森林里的日子似乎一去不复返了。

David Lidstone said he does not think he can return to his old way of living.

大卫·利德斯通说，他不认为自己还能回到过去的生活方式。

The decision came after the cabin¹ he lived in burned down not long ago.

不久之前，他居住的小屋被烧毁，他便作出了此决定。

Lidstone is also known as "River Dave."

利德斯通也被叫做“河边的戴夫”。

He had been living for 27 years in the area, but was ordered to leave in a recent court case.

他已经在该地区生活了27年，但在最近的一次法庭案件中被勒令离开。

In a discussion² with The Associated Press (AP), Lidstone used the term hermit³ - a person who lives in a simple way apart from others – to describe how he used to live.

在与美联社(AP)的一次讨论中，利德斯通用“隐士”这个词来描述他过去的生活方式。“隐士”指的是与他人分开过简单生活的人。

"I don't see how I can go back to being a hermit because society is not going to allow it," Lidstone, age 81, said.

81岁的利德斯通说:“我不知道怎么才能回到隐士的生活，因为社会不允许我这么做。”

Lidstone cut his firewood and grew his food in the woods along the Merrimack River in the town of Canterbury.

利德斯通在坎特伯雷镇梅里马克河边的树林里砍柴、种菜。

He built the cabin with his wife, from whom he is now separated, although he said they are still married.

他和妻子一起建造了这个小屋，虽然他和妻子现在已经分居，但他说他们仍然是夫妻。

He said he is not too sad about the loss of his life in isolation⁴.

他说，他对自己失去独居生活并不太难过。

"Maybe the things I've been trying to avoid are the things that I really need in life," said Lidstone, who is not close with his family.

利德斯通与家人关系并不亲密，他说:“也许我一直在努力回避的东西才是我生命中真正需要的东西。”

Lidstone did not want to say anything more about his family.

利德斯通不想再提他的家庭了。

Two of his three sons had told the AP that they had not been in touch with their father recently.

他有三个儿子，其中两个告诉美联社，他们最近没有和父亲联系。

His daughter did not respond to a message asking for a comment.

他的女儿没有回复置评请求。

On July 15, Lidstone was jailed⁶ and told he would be released⁷ if he agreed to leave the cabin.

7月15日，利德斯通被监禁，并被告知如果他同意离开河边的小屋就可以被释放。

The action followed a land dispute⁸ that goes back to 2016.

这一举动全因为2016年的一场土地争端。

The landowner, 86-year-old Leonard Giles, of South Burlington, Vermont, wanted Lidstone off his land.

佛蒙特州南伯灵顿86岁的地主伦纳德·贾尔斯(Leonard Giles)想让利德斯通离开他的土地。

The land is undeveloped and mostly used for wood cutting.

这片土地尚未开发，主要用于伐木。

It has been owned by the same family since 1963.

自1963年以来，它一直属于同一个家族。

Lidstone had said an earlier owner in the family gave his word years ago that he could live there.

利德斯通曾说，这家人的一位早期主人多年前曾向他保证，他可以住在那里。

But Lidstone had no written agreement.

但利德斯通没有书面协议。

He later disputed⁹ that he was even on the land owned by the family.

后来，他甚至反驳说，他并没有住在该家族所有的土地范围内。

In a recent court case, both sides agreed to allow Lidstone to collect his cats and chickens and remaining possessions.

在最近的一次法庭案件中，双方同意让利德斯通集齐他的猫、鸡和其他财产。

Some items had been given to police to keep safe.

一些物品已交给警方保管。

Lidstone, who still believes he was not on Giles' land,

利德斯通仍然认为他没有住在贾尔斯的土地上，

also was given permission to hire a surveyor to give him "peace of mind," Judge Andrew Schulman said.

法官安德鲁·舒尔曼(Andrew Schulman)说，他还获准聘请一名测量员，让他“安心”。

A fire destroyed the cabin on August 4.

8月4日，一场大火烧毁了这个小屋。

The fire happened hours after Lidstone defended himself during a court hearing.

火灾发生时，正值德斯通在法庭听证会上为自己辩护几小时后。

He was released from jail⁵ the next day after the judge ruled that he would have less reason to return to "this particular place in the woods."

第二天，在法官裁定他没有理由再回到“森林里这个特别的地方”后，他被释放了。

Canterbury Fire Chief Michael Gamache said that while the investigation¹⁰ is not over, the fire was likely caused by accident.

坎特伯雷消防局局长迈克尔·加马什表示，虽然调查还没有结束，但火灾很可能是由事故引起的。

"Right now, there's nothing left to go on at the site," Gamache said.

“现在，现场已经没有什么可做的了，”加马什说。

Meanwhile, many people across the United States and in other countries have offered to help Lidstone.

与此同时，美国各地和其他国家的许多人都表示愿意帮助利德斯通。

They have offered to help raise money or offered him a place to live.

他们主动提出帮他筹集资金，或者为他提供住处。

Lidstone said he is thankful for all the support.

利德斯通说，他对所有的支持表示感谢。

He is still trying to decide where he will go next.

他还在考虑下一步要去哪里。

He would not mind staying in New Hampshire, where he has developed some strong connections.

他不介意留在新罕布什尔州，在那里他已经建立了一些牢固的关系。

1 cabin   

n.(结构简单的)小木屋；船舱，机舱

参考例句：

• They threw up a new cabin in a couple of hours.在几小时之内他们就建起了一座新的小屋。
• It's very hot in the cabin;let's go on deck.舱室内很热，我们到甲板上去吧。

2 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。

3 hermit   

n.隐士，修道者；隐居

参考例句：

• He became a hermit after he was dismissed from office.他被解职后成了隐士。
• Chinese ancient landscape poetry was in natural connections with hermit culture.中国古代山水诗与隐士文化有着天然联系。

4 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

5 jail   

n.监狱，看守所；vt.监禁，拘留

参考例句：

• The castle had been used as a jail.这城堡曾用作监狱。
• If she carries on shoplifting,she'll end up in jail.她如果还在店铺里偷东西，最终会被抓进监狱的。

6 jailed   

监禁，拘留( jail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was jailed for life for murder. 他因杀人罪被终生监禁。
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。

7 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

8 dispute   

n.争端，分歧；v.争论，争吵，辩论，辩驳

参考例句：

• They are trying to find a way of settling the dispute.他们正设法寻找解决争端的办法。
• The parties to the dispute should be more polite to each other.争执双方应相互礼貌些。

9 disputed   

v.辩论，争论( dispute的过去式和过去分词 )；争夺；阻止；就…进行辩论adj.有争议的

参考例句：

• They disputed over how to get the best results. 他们争论着如何能得到最好的结果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers disputed every inch of ground when the enemy attacked. 敌人进犯，战士们寸土必争。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。