通过面试后,Hugh终于如愿以偿来到流浪汉收容所开始第一次的志愿者活动。这里,他看到平日不曾看到的情景:心酸的是,有许多需要帮忙的人,他们无家可归、生活艰辛;欣慰的是,也有许多像他一样的志愿者,利用空余的时间来帮助这些流浪汉。
发音：美式发音
语速：160词/分钟
使用方法：精听+角色扮演
Harold: You're a new face around here. ①What brings a young fellow like you here?
哈罗德:你是新来的吧。像你这样的年轻人怎么会到这里来呢?
Hugh: They weren't sure where to put me, so I wound up in the kitchen.
休:他们不知道把我安排到哪去,所以我就到厨房来了。
Harold: Must be your first day.
哈罗德:一定是第一次来吧。
Hugh: How did you guess?
休:你怎么知道的?
Harold: They always put the new ones in the kitchen. Eventually, you might end up on 1)handyman duties: fixing broken beds and sinks.
哈罗德:他们总是让新来的到厨房来。最后,就是做杂务工的工作:修床和水槽。
Hugh: ②I'm not too fussed about where they put me. Everyone has been so friendly so far.
休:我对他们把我安排到哪倒无所谓。目前为止每个人对我都很友好。
Harold: The kitchen is a good place to start. Gives you a chance to meet the locals.
哈罗德:厨房工作是一个很好的开始。让你有机会见到一些当地人。
Hugh: How many home…
休:有多少流浪……
Harold: It's ok, you can call us homeless. ③Call a spade a spade.
哈罗德:没关系,你可以叫我们流浪汉。有啥说啥。
Hugh: Sorry. How many homeless come through here each day?
休:对不起。每天会有多少流浪汉到这里来呢?
Harold: This is one of the busiest shelters in the city. Probably between fifty and seventy a day.
哈罗德:这是市里最繁忙的收容所之一。每天大概有五十到七十人左右。
Hugh: And how long have you been coming?
休:你们来这多长时间了?
Harold: Oh, must be close to ten years now. I'm too old to get a job and I have no family to speak of. But I've been on and off the streets all my life. They are pretty much all I know. Things have come a long way over the years. The government is doing a good job to keep us well fed and clothed.
哈罗德:噢,到现在快十年了吧。我年纪大了,没法找到工作,也没有家人。但是我一生与大街为伴。这一切我都太熟悉了。这些年来发生了很大的变化。政府在这方面做得很好,让我们吃饱穿暖。
Hugh: Yes, I must say I'm surprised at how well-organised they are here. I had no idea how many volunteers gave up their time to help out; ④people from all walks of life.
休:是啊,我得说,这里运作得这么好让我觉得很吃惊。我从不知道有这么多志愿者在这里帮忙;各行各业的人都有。
Harold: It's the same on my side of the table. ⑤People living on the streets come in all shapes and sizes. One day they are teachers, parents, the shopkeeper at the corner store…then the next day, it can all change. Some people lose everything in an instant. Bankruptcy, addiction, a death in the family. ⑥Our lives are hanging by a string. Some manage to turn it all around. Not me. All I have are the clothes on my back…and my dreams. It's too late for me now. All I've got to look forward to is the soup of the day. ⑦Sorry to talk your ear off. I'm holding up the queue. Better keep moving.
哈罗德:我也是这么看的。街上的流浪汉形形色色。曾经,他们是老师、父母、街边小店的店主……第二天,一切都可能改变。一些人在一瞬间失去了所有东西。破产、吸毒、家人去世。我们的生命都岌岌可危。一些人都挺过去。我不能。我只有身上的这些衣服……还有我的梦想。对于我来说都太迟了。我所能期待的就是每天有汤喝。对不起,说起来就没完没了了。我耽误到别人了,最好赶紧走开。
Hugh: No problem. Nice to meet you. And I hear the soup of the day is 2)pumpkin.
休:没关系。很高兴认识你。我听说今天有南瓜汤。
Harold: My favourite.
哈罗德:这是我的最爱。
