VOA常速英语2019--监狱里的摇滚

Jailhouse Rock

Art is the most powerful thing that I know of, to combat the negative effects of life in one of these penitentiaries¹.

艺术是最强大的力量，它可以抵消监狱生活的消极影响。 

If I didn’t have a way to have an outlet², I would feel tense and bitter and clogged³ up.

如果我无法发泄自己的情绪，我会感到紧张、痛苦和堵塞。 

Here with this program, I’m at ease. I’m relaxed. I’m of a value to this planet. You know, I’m able to give more than what I’ve been taking.

有了这个摇滚课程，我就安心了。我现在很轻松。我又觉得自己有价值了。现在，我能付出的比我获得的要多。

It opens your mind, opens your heart, and I think this class should be mandatory⁴ for everyone to take.

摇滚可以打开你的心扉，打开你的内心，我认为这门课应该是每个人必修的。 

It changes everything. It changes the way you think. I’ve been a lot happier. This class has changed me. I can say it changed my life.

摇滚改变了一切。它改变了你的思维方式，让我更加开心了。这个课程改变了我。它改变了我的生活。

Not only the tragedies that one had in life, but also the accomplishments⁵.

生活不只有悲剧，还有许多成就。 

For me, they have to be expressed through music.

对我来说，只有音乐才能表达我的成就感。 

In 1970s, I served a prison term and while I was in prison, it became clear to me that music was crucial, in not only surviving, but in learning how to thrive.

上世纪70年代，我进监狱服刑，当我在狱中时，我清楚地意识到音乐不仅对生存至关重要，而且还教会我如何让自己更加充实。

It builds your soul up, big time.

摇滚让我重新振作起来。 

When I’m inside this class and I’m contributing with my fellow inmates⁶, I feel free, to be honest with you, and I find it every, very interesting how we’re able to come together.

上课时，我和我的狱友一起合作，我感到很自由，老实说我们能走到一起真的是一件很有意思的事。

You know, a lot of us don’t know each other, we don’t hang around, but when we come in this class, it just feels like we’re a unit. We’re a team.

之前我们很多人互相都不认识，也不一起娱乐，但是上了这个课之后，我们就团结在一起了，成为了一个团队。

There’s guys that I wouldn’t even talk to on a yard. But I come here and we make incredible music and you build relationships.

以前我甚至不想跟有些人在院子里说话，但是来到摇滚课之后，我们一起制作了很棒的音乐， 增进了关系。

We can talk about anybody and anything, but we cannot use racist⁷ humor or sexist humor. We have to treat each other with dignity and respect.

现在我跟谁都能侃侃而谈，但我们不会用种族主义或性别歧视来制造幽默。我们相互尊重。 

Working with different people, different races and different backgrounds, it’s amazing.

与不同种族、不同背景的人工作简直太棒了。 

It changes you. It changes your thought process.

它可以改变你，改变你的思维过程。 

People would probably think that the diversity would separate, and unfortunately, in the prison system here in California, it does do that.

人们可能认为多元化会让我们疏远彼此，不幸的是加利福尼亚的监狱确实是这样。 

We’re intended to be separate. You have your different cultures and stuff, or different cliques⁹.

一开始我们就会疏远彼此，毕竟我们来自不同文化、不同派系。 

However, we all come in here, the diversity turns into unity¹⁰.

但是我们都上了摇滚课，多元化让我们团结。 

It just works, for some reason, we come in here and argue for about an hour about a song, and then it seems like at the last moment we just put together.

不知道为什么，摇滚就让我们团结在一起，上课的时候，我们会为了一首歌争论一个小时，最后又都走到了一起，

And it comes out pretty good.

结果非常好。 

It’s the camaraderie¹¹.

这就是友情。 

All prison politics stay out on the yard. And in our workshop, it’s a safe space.

那些监狱里的勾心斗角都留在院子里了。我们的摇滚工作坊是一个安全地带。 

And the men appreciate that, have a chance to be human beings, to be just regular guys.

所有人都很感激获得了一次重新做人、做平常人的机会。 

Guys that love doing music together.

我们都喜欢一起做音乐。 

That’s the clique⁸ for me. That’s what I get down with.

这就是我的小圈子和我的感受。 

1 penitentiaries   

n.监狱( penitentiary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Making use of written or common law, the serf-owners set up penitentiaries or private jails. 农奴主运用成文法或习惯法，设立监狱或私牢。 来自互联网

2 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

3 clogged   

（使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞

参考例句：

• The narrow streets were clogged with traffic. 狭窄的街道上交通堵塞。
• The intake of gasoline was stopped by a clogged fuel line. 汽油的注入由于管道阻塞而停止了。

4 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

5 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

8 clique   

n.朋党派系，小集团

参考例句：

• The reactionary ruling clique was torn by internal strife.反动统治集团内部勾心斗角，四分五裂。
• If the renegade clique of that country were in power,it would have meant serious disaster for the people.如果那个国家的叛徒集团一得势，人民就要遭殃。

9 cliques   

n.小集团，小圈子，派系( clique的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All traitorous persons and cliques came to no good end. 所有的叛徒及叛徒集团都没好下场。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They formed cliques and carried arms expansion and war preparations. 他们拉帮结派，扩军备战。 来自互联网

10 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

11 camaraderie   

n.同志之爱，友情

参考例句：

• The camaraderie among fellow employees made the tedious work just bearable.同事之间的情谊使枯燥乏味的工作变得还能忍受。
• Some bosses are formal and have occasional interactions,while others prefer continual camaraderie.有些老板很刻板，偶尔才和下属互动一下；有些则喜欢和下属打成一片。