人生的众多不幸中,最让人沮丧的莫过于身体的伤害了。受了伤,当然痛苦不堪,但看看那些疼爱你的人,他们一定不会好受。虽然倒霉,但你一定会庆幸,因为从中你会看到谁最爱你,谁最关心你。有了爱的力量,糟糕的日子总会挺过去的!
Chuck: Mum, what happened? We got here as quick as we could. Sam is parking the car.
查克:妈妈,发生什么事啦?我们已经尽快赶到这儿了。萨姆在停车。
Mother: I’m OK. The doctors said I’m going to be fine. It’s the mailman you should be worried about. ①I gave him a piece of my mind. I think I left him pretty upset.
母亲:我没事。医生说我会好起来的。你还是担心一下那个邮递员好了。我刚才训了他一顿。我想他心里不大痛快。
Father: The mailman? What does he have to do with anything?
父亲:邮递员?这跟他有什么关系吗?
Mother: Well, I was stepping out of the post office and crossing the street when ②he came tearing down the street on his bike and mowed me down. I was wearing those new shoes I bought—the super high ones…
母亲:嗯,我当时走出邮局,正在过马路,他骑着自行车顺着马路飞奔过来,把我给撞倒了。那时我穿着那双新买的鞋——超高的那双……
Father: I told you they were too high.
父亲:早跟你说过那双鞋太高了。
Mother: So, of course, I tripped on the shoes and fell forward and he rode right over my legs. Letters went flying into the air, I was screaming and abusing him. ③In his defense, he was 1)awfully 2)apologetic.
母亲:所以,很自然地,我被鞋子绊了,然后向前倒去,而他就骑车从我双腿上碾过。信件满天飞。我尖叫着,不停地骂他。为了给自己开罪,他就不停地道歉。
Chuck: Were you hurt?
查克:你受伤了吗?
Mother: Yes. Both my legs are broken.
母亲:是啊。我的两条腿都断了。
Father: Oh, no! I can’t believe it. Oh, this has got to be the worst day ever.
父亲:噢,不!真不敢相信!噢,今天真是倒霉透顶了。
Mother: Oh, come on, it’s not that bad. Look, we still have each other and our health. I’ll have to be off work and off my feet for six weeks, but we’ll make it through.
母亲:噢,别这样,没那么坏。听着,我们还有家人和健康呢。我不得不停下工作休息6周来养好脚伤,不过我们会挺过去。
Father: No, there is something else I need to tell you both. I lost my job today.
父亲:不,有些事情我必须让你俩知道。我今天失业了。
Mother: What?
母亲:什么?
Chuck: What happened?
查克:发生什么事了?
Father: They had to make changes and that meant I was no longer needed. But it’s OK, ④I’ve already lined up a new job. Sam helped me out.
父亲:他们得作出调整,那意味着他们不再需要我了。但没关系,已经有一份新工作等着我了。萨姆帮我找的。
Chuck: I have something to tell you guys, too. I got a letter from college today. I didn’t get in.
查克:我也有事要告诉你们。今天我收到大学的来信了。我没被录取。
Mother: That’s OK, honey. You can try again next year. Get some work experience, then try again.
母亲:没关系的,亲爱的。下一年你可以再试。拿点工作经验,然后再申请。
Chuck: Yeah, that’s what I plan on doing. I know a guy who has offered me some work in sales.
查克:对,我正准备这样做。我认识一个人,他给我提供了销售方面的工作。
Mother: See, ⑤you are already falling on your feet. You know what? I might look into getting some part time work that I can do from home, seeing as ⑥I’ll be out of action for a few weeks. Maybe Sam can help me out?
母亲:看啊,你已经开始走运啦。知道吗?由于我有好几周行动都不方便,我可能会找些能在家里干的兼职工作。也许萨姆能帮帮我?
Sam: (Entering) What did I miss?
萨姆:(进门)我错过什么了吗?
Mother: Sam, do you think you could call your friend Harris to see if he can get me some work?
母亲:萨姆,你能打电话给你朋友哈里斯,看看他能不能帮我找份
工作吗?
Sam: Not another one!
萨姆:可别再来啦!
Smart Sentences
① I gave him a piece of my mind. 我刚才训了他一顿。
give sb. a piece of one’s mind: give sb. frank and severe criticism(严厉责备,直言)。例如:
How inconsiderate! I’ll certainly give him a piece of my mind.
考虑得太不周详了,我得去好好说说他。
② He came tearing down the street on his bike and mowed me down. 他骑着自行车顺着马路飞奔过来,把我给撞倒了。
mow sb. down:hit sb.(把某人撞倒)。例如:
The boys were running so fast that they almost mowed the kitten down on their way out.
那帮孩子跑得很快,在出去的时候差点把小猫撞翻了。
③ In his defense, … 为了给自己开罪,……
in sb.’s defense/in defense of sb.: to speak for sb. (为某人说话,为某人辩护)。例如:
I have to say something in her defense.
我得为她说几句话。
④ I’ve already lined up a new job. 已经有一份新工作等着我了。
line up: arrange sth. to be ready(准备好某事)。例如:
We have lined up two bands for Mr. Kennedy’s birthday party.
我们已经为肯尼迪先生的生日聚会准备好了两支乐队。
⑤ You are already falling on your feet. 你已经开始走运啦。
fall on sb.’s feet: always successful or lucky(运气好)。例如:
He has good looks and charm, and always falls on his feet.
他长得帅,又潇洒,运气总是不错。
⑥ I’ll be out of action for a few weeks. 我有好几周行动都不方便。
out of action: cannot work or be used or function(失去作用,不能活动)。例如:
Yao Ming will be out of action for weeks because of his knee injury.
姚明因为膝盖受伤,有好几个星期都不能上场了。 