大学英语精读第一册 Unit Eight : Yoe Go Your Way，I'

 

TEXT

A young boy faces the impossible task of trying to soften¹ the blow of tragic² mews.

You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine

The messenger got off his bicycle in front of the house of Mrs. Rosa Sandoval. He went to the door and knocked gently. He knew almost immediately that someone was inside the house. He could not hear anything, but he was sure the knock was bringing someone to the door and he was most eager to see who this person would be -- his woman named Rosa Sandoval who was now to heat of murder in the world and to feel it in herself. The door was not a long time opening, but there was no hurry in the way it moved on its hinges. The movement of the door was as if, whoever she was, she had nothing in the world to fear. Then the door was open, and there she was.
To Homer the Mexican woman was beautiful. He could see that she had been patient all her life, so that now, after years of it, her lips were set in a gentle and saintly smile. But like all people who never receive telegrams the appearance of a messenger at the front door is full of terrible implication. Homer knew that Mrs. Rosa Sandoval was shocked to see him. Her first word was the first word of all surprise. She said "Oh," as if instead of a messenger she had thought of opening the door to someone she had know a long time and would be pleased to sit down with. Before she spoke⁴ again she studied Homer's eyes and Homer Knew that she knew the message was not a welcome one.
"You have a telegram?" she said.
It wasn't Homer's fault. His work was to deliver telegrams. Even so, it seemed to him that he was part of the whole mistake. He felt awkward and almost as if he alone were responsible for what had happened. At the same time he wanted to come right out and say, "I'm only a messenger, Mrs. Sandoval, I'm very sorry I must bring you a telegram like this, but it is only because it is my work to do so."
"Who is it for?" the Mexican woman said.
"Mrs. Rosa Sandoval, 1129 G Street." Homer said. He extended the telegram to the Mexican woman, but she would not touch it.
"Are you Mrs. Sandoval?" Homer said.
"Please," the woman said. "Please come in. I cannot read English. I am Mexican. I read only La Prensa which comes from Mexico City." She paused a moment and looked at the boy standing⁵ awkwardly as near the door as he could be and still be inside the house.
"Please," she said, "what does the telegram say?"
"Mrs. Sandoval," the messenger said, "the telegram says --"
But now the woman interrupted him. "But you must open the telegram and read it to me," she said. "You have not opened it."
"Yes, ma'am," Homer said as if he were speaking to a school teacher who had just corrected him.
He opened the telegram with nervous fingers. The Mexican woman stooped to pick up the torn envelope, and tried to smooth it out. As she did so she said, "Who sent the telegram -- my son Juan Domingo?"
"No, ma'am." Homer said. "The telegram is from the War Department."
"War Department?" the Mexican woman said.
"Mrs. Sandoval," Homer said swiftly, "your son is dead. Maybe it's a mistake, Everybody makes a mistake, Mrs. Sandoval. Maybe it wasn't your son. Maybe it was somebody else. The telegram says it was Juan Domingo. But maybe the telegram is wrong,"
The Mexican woman pretended not to hear.
"Oh, do not be afraid," she said. "Come inside. Come inside. I will bring you candy." She took the boy's arm and brought him to the table at the center of the room and there she made him sit.
"All boys like candy," she said. "I will bring you candy." She went into another room and soon returned with an old chocolate candy box. She opened the box at the table and in it Homer saw a strange kind of candy.
"Here," she said. "Eat this candy. All boys like candy."
Homer took a piece of the candy from the box, put it into his mouth, and tried to chew.
"You would not bring me a bad telegram," she said. "You are a good boy -- like my little Juanito when he was a little boy. Eat another piece." And she made the messenger take another piece of the candy.
Homer sat chewing the dry candy while the Mexican woman talked. "It is our own candy," she said, "from cactus⁶. I made it for my Juanito when he come home, but you eat it. You are my boy, too."
Now suddenly she began to sob⁷, holding herself in as if weeping were a disgrace. Homer wanted to get up and run, but he knew he would stay. He even thought he might stay the rest of his life. He just didn't know what else to do to try to make the woman less unhappy, and if she had asked him to take the place of her son, he would not have been able to refuse, because he would not have known how. He got to his feet, as if by standing he meant to begin correcting what could not be corrected and then he knew the foolishness of this intention and became more awkward than ever. In his heart he was saying over and over again, "What can I do? What the hell can I do? I'm only the messenger."

NEW WORDS

soften
v. (cause to) become soft(er) or gentle （使）软化；（使）温和
tragic
a. very sad, unfortunate; of or related to tragedy 悲惨的；悲剧的
messenger
n. a person employed to deliver telegrams, letters or parcels 送信人，电报投递员
gently
ad. softly 轻轻地
immediately
a. at once
immediate³
a.
eager
a. marked by strong interest or impatient desire 热切的，渴望的
hinge
n. 铰链
whoever
pron. no matter who 无论谁，不管谁
saintly
a. like a saint; very holy 像圣徒一样的；圣洁的
implication
n. 含义
imply
vt.
shock
vt. cause unpleasant or angry surprise to (sb.) 使（某人）震惊
deliver
vt. take (sth.) to the place where it esp. sth. bad 交付，递送
awkward
a. uncomfortable 尴尬的
responsible
a. having done or been the cause of esp. sth. bad（应）负责的
Mexican
n & a. 墨西哥人；墨西哥（人）的
extend
vt. hold out 伸出
pause
vi. stop for a short time　暂停，中止
interrupt
vt. stop (sb. speaking) by breaking in 打断（某人讲话）
nervous　　　　　　
a. 神经质的；紧张的
ma'am
madam (used in direct address)　夫人，太太，小姐
smooth
vt. make smooth or smoother　把...弄平
department
n. 部门；系
swiftly
ad. rapidly, quickly　快速地；敏捷地
swift
a.
chocolate 　　　　
n. 巧克力（糖）
chew
vt. crush (food) with the teeth 咀嚼
cactus
n. 仙人掌
sob
vi. cry with short, quick breaths 啜泣；呜咽
disgrace
n. shame 耻辱；丢脸的人（或事）
unhappy
a. not happy
hell
n. 地狱

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

hear of
have knowledge of or receive information about 听到，听说
be responsible for
be the cause of 应对...负责的
come out (with)
speak out 大声地说，清楚地说
smooth out
make smooth(er)
hold oneself in
control one's feelings
take the place of
act or be used instead of, replace 代替，取代
get to one's feel
stand up
over and over again
very often, repeatedly 反复地，再三地

PROPER NAMES

Rosa Sandoval
罗莎.桑多瓦尔
Homer
霍默
Mexico City
墨西哥城（墨西哥首都）
Juan Domingo
胡安 多明哥
the War Department
（美国）陆军部（旧称）
Juanito　　　　　
胡安尼特（Juan的昵称）

1 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 cactus   

n.仙人掌

参考例句：

• It was the first year that the cactus had produced flowers.这是这棵仙人掌第一年开花。
• The giant cactus is the vegetable skycraper.高大的仙人掌是植物界巨人。

7 sob   

n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣

参考例句：

• The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
• The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。