Unit1Discoveringyourself1Weallsensedwewerecomingtotheendofourstayhere,thatwewouldnevergetachancelikethisagain,andwebecamedeterminednottowasteit.MostimportantofcoursewerethefinalexamsinAprilandMayinthefollowingyear.Noonewantedthehumiliationoffinishinglastinclass,sothepeergrouppressuretoworkhardwasstrong.Librarieswhichwereonceemptyafterfiveo’clockintheafternoonwerestandingroomonlyuntiltheearlyhoursofthemorning,andguysworethebagsundertheireyesandtheirpale,sleepyfaceswithpride,likemedalsprovingtheirdiligence.(☞andguysworethebagsundertheireyesandtheirpale,sleepyfaceswithpride…这句的动词wear后面带两个宾语,中文找不到能带这两个宾语的动词,故处理成四个中文短句;翻译likemedalsprovingtheirdiligence时,采用“增词法”增加“这些”来概括前面所描写的“眼袋”,“脸色苍白”,“睡眼惺忪”等,使译文含义更加清晰流畅。)我们都觉得在校时间不多了,以后再也不会有这样的学习机会了,所以都下定决心不再虚度光阴。当然,下一年四五月份的期末考试最为重要。我们谁都不想考全班倒数第一,那也太丢人了,因此同学们之间的竞争压力特别大。以前每天下午五点以后,图书馆就空无一人了,现在却要等到天快亮时才会有空座,小伙子们熬夜熬出了眼袋,他们脸色苍白,睡眼惺忪,却很自豪,好像这些都是表彰他们勤奋好学的奖章。2Tomorrow?It’sallalie;thereisn’tatomorrow.There’sonlyapromissorynotethatweareoftennotinapositiontocash.Itdoesn’tevenexist.Whenyouwakeupinthemorningit’llbetodayagainandallthesameruleswillapply.Tomorrowisjustanotherversionofnow,anemptyfieldthatwillremainsounlesswestartplantingsomeseeds.Yourtime,whichistickingawayaswespeak(atabout60secondsaminutechronologically;abitfasterifyoudon’tinvestyourtimewisely),willbegoneandyou’llhavenothingtoshowforitbutregretandarear-viewmirrorfullof“couldhaves”,“shouldhaves”and“wouldhaves”.(☞本段的难点在于对一些词的理解与翻译,如anemptyfieldthatwillremainso,chronologically,investyourtimewisely,havenothingtoshowforitbut等等。“couldhaves”,“shouldhaves”,“wouldhaves”是表达与事实相反的条件句,指自己没有做,但有可能或应该做的事情。)明天行吗?明天只是个谎言;根本就没有什么明天,只有一张我们常常无法兑现的期票。明天甚至压根儿就不存在。你早上醒来时又是另一个今天了,同样的规则又可以全部套用。明天只是现在的另一种说法,是一块空地,除非我们开始在那里播种,否则它永远都是空地。你的时间会流逝(时间就在我们说话的当下嘀嗒嘀塔地走着,每分钟顺时针走60秒,如果你不能很好地利用它,它会走得更快些),而你没有取得任何成就来证明它的存在,唯独留下遗憾,留下一面后视镜,上面写满了“本可以做”、“本应该做”、“本来会做”的事情。3对于是否应该在大学期间详细规划自己的未来,学生们意见不一。有的人认为对未来应该有一个明确的目标和详细的计划,为日后可能遇到的挑战做好充分的准备;有的人则认为不用过多考虑未来,因为未来难以预料。(mapout;braceoneselffor;uncertainty)Studentsdifferaboutwhethertheyshouldhavetheirfuturemappedoutwhentheyarestillatuniversity.Somethinktheyshouldhaveadefinitegoalanddetailedplan,soastobracethemselvesforanychallenges,whereassomeothersthinktheydon’thavetothinkmuchaboutthefuture,becausefutureisfullofuncertainties.4经过仔细检查,这位科学家得知自己患了绝症。虽然知道自己将不久于人世,他并没有抱怨命运的不公,而是准备好好利用剩下的日子,争取加速推进由他和同事们共同发起的那个研究项目,以提前结项。(tickaway;makethebestof;haveashotat)Afteraverycarefulcheck-up,thescientistwastoldhehadgotafataldisease.Althoughheknewthathislifewastickingaway,insteadofcomplainingaboutthefate,thescientistdecidedtomakethebestoftheremainingdays,andspeeduptheresearchprojectheandhiscolleaguesinitiated,andhaveashotatcompletingitaheadofschedule.Unit2Childhoodmemories1MyflyingdreamswerebelievableasalandscapebyDali,sorealthatIwouldawakewithasuddenshock,abreathlesssenseofhavingtumbledlikeIcarusfromtheskyandcaughtmyselfonthesoftbedjustintime.ThesenightlyadventuresinspacebeganwhenSupermanstartedinvadingmydreamsandteachingmehowtofly.Heusedtocomeroaringbyinhisshiningbluesuitwithhiscapewhistlinginthewind,lookingremarkablylikemyUncleFrankwhowaslivingwithmotherandme.InthemagicwhirlingofhiscapeIcouldhearthewingsofahundredseagulls,themotorsofathousandplanes.我的飞行梦像达利的风景画那么真实可信,以致于自己常常会在一阵惊吓中醒来,好像伊卡罗斯那样从空中摔下来,虽然发现自己刚好掉到软软的床上,但也被吓得喘不过气来。当超人开始侵入我的梦乡,并教给我飞行的技巧之后,我每夜的太空冒险便开始了。超人身着耀眼的蓝色衣服,肩披随风飕飕作响的斗篷,经常从我身边呼啸而过。他长得太像我的舅舅弗兰克了,舅舅那会儿正跟妈妈和我住在一起。当超人的斗篷神奇地旋转时,我好像能听见上百只海鸥的振翅声,上千架飞机的马达轰鸣声。2Incontrast,childrenonthePacificislandofTonga,studiedbyHelenMorton,areregularlybeatenbytheirparentsandoldersiblings.Theyareseenasbeingclosertomadpeoplethanadultsbecausetheylackthehighlyprizedqualityofsocialcompetence(orpotoastheTonganscallit).Theyareregularlytoldoffforbeingclumsyandachildwhofallsovermaybelaughedat,shoutedat,orbeaten.Childrenarethoughtofasmischievous;theycryorwanttofeedsimplybecausetheyarenaughty,andbeatingsareattheirmostseverebetweentheagesofthreeandfivewhenchildrenareseenasparticularlywilful.Parentsbelievethatsocialcompetencecanonlybeachievedthroughdisciplineandphysicalpunishment,andtreattheirchildreninwaysthathaveseemedveryharshtooutsiders.(☞这段话里有多处被动用法,有些译成中文时仍保留被动态,有些则应该变成主动,否则译文就不通顺。)相反,根据海伦·莫顿的研究,太平洋岛国汤加的儿童经常挨父母和哥哥姐姐的打。人们认为儿童和成年人相比更像疯子,因为他们缺乏被大家看重的社会能力(汤加人称之为poto)。小孩子经常因为笨手笨脚而挨骂,他们连摔跤都会被嘲笑、呵斥,甚至被打。人们认为儿童很顽皮,都是因为淘气他们才哭闹,或者要东西吃。在大人看来,三至五岁的儿童尤其任性,因此他们打这个年龄段的孩子也打得最狠。父母们相信,只有靠训导和体罚才能使孩子获得社会能力,所以他们用一种在外人看来非常严厉的方式对待孩子。3在火车站上,有一位老人给我讲述了他参加解放战争的经历,那些战斗故事对我有着极大的吸引力。后来他上了车,列车从我身边隆隆地开走了。可那些故事仍然是那么清晰可见,对于英雄们的壮举,我钦佩不已。(fascination;roar;marvelat)Attherailwaystation,anoldmantoldmehisexperienceintheLiberationWar,thefightingstoriesofwhichwereofgreatfascinationtome.Thenhegotuponthetrainanditroaredpastme.ButthestoriesweresorealanddefinitethatIgreatlymarvelledatthecourageousdeedsofthosewarheroes.4行之有效的环保政策不仅能创造良好的生态环境,还能大大降低能源消耗。回顾这个地区近年来的发展情况,我们惊喜地发现地区政府强制实行的环保政策不但没有受到任何批评,还促使居民增强了环保意识,尽其所能节约能源。(consumption;impose;takeexceptionto;prompt)Effectiveenvironmentalpolicymightbringaboutagoodenvironment,aswellasreducingenergyconsumption.Lookingbackontherecentdevelopmentofthisreg