Naguib Mahfous
1. I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform,
and the red cap. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time. 2. My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help.
We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms. 3. \"Why school ?\" I asked my father. \"What have I done ?\"
4. \"I'm not punishing you, \" he said, laughing. \"School's not a punishment. It's a place that makes useful men out of boys.
Don' t you want to be useful like your brothers?\"
5. I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing
me into the huge, high-walled building.
6. When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. \"Go in by yourself, \" said my
father, \"and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. \"
7. I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. \"Be a man, \" he said. \"Today you truly begin life.
You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave. \"
8. I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of
them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, \"Who brought you?\" 9. \"My father, \" I whispered. 10. \"My father's dead, \" he said simply.
11. I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came
along, followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood. 12. \"This is your new home, \"said the woman. \"There are mothers and fathers here, too. Everything that is enjoyable and
beneficial is here. So dry your tears and face life joyfully. \"
13. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis. From the first moments I made many friends and fell in love with
many girls. I had never imagined school would have this rich variety of experiences.
14. We played all sorts of games. In the music room we sang our first songs. We also had our first introduction to language.
We saw a globe of the Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries. We started learning numbers, and we were told the story of the Creator of the universe. We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning.
15. Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. We had to be observant and patient. It was not all a matter of
playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold. Even more frequently she would resort to physical punishment.
16. In addition, the time for changing one' s mind was over and gone and there was no question of ever returning to the
paradise of home. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.
17. The bell rang, announcing the passing of the day and the end of work. The children rushed toward the gate, which was
opened again. I said goodbye to friends and sweethearts and passed through the gate. I looked around but found no trace of my father, who had promised to be there. I stepped aside to wait. When I had waited for a long time in vain, I decided to return home on my own. I walked a few steps, then came to a startled halt. Good Lord! Where was the street lined with gardens? Where had it disappeared to? When did all these cars invade it? And when did all these people come to rest on its surface? How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides? And where were the fields that bordered it? High buildings had taken over, the street was full of children, and disturbing noises shook the air. Here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from baskets. Then there was a band announcing the opening of a circus, with clowns and weight lifters walking in front.
18. Good God! I was in a daze. My head spun. I almost went crazy. How could all this have happened in half a day, between
early morning and sunset? I would find the answer at home with my father. But where was my home? I hurried towards the crossroads, because I remembered that I had to cross the street to reach our house, but the stream of cars would not let up. Extremely irritated, I wondered when I would be able to cross.
19. I stood there a long time, until the young boy employed at the ironing shop on the corner came up to me. 20. He stretched out his arm and said, \"Grandpa, let me take you across.\"
第一课 半日
1 我走在父亲的一侧，牢牢地抓着他的右手。我身上穿的，戴的全是新的：黑鞋子，绿校服，红帽子。然儿我一点儿也高兴不起来，因为今天我将第一次被扔到学校里去。
2 母亲站在窗前望着我们缓缓前行，我也不时的回头看她，希望她会救我。我们沿着街道走着，街道两旁是花园和田野，田野里栽满了梨树和椰枣树。
3 “我为什么要去上学？”我问父亲，“是我做错了什么了吗？”
4 “我不是在惩罚你，”父亲笑着说道，“上学不是一种惩罚。学校是把孩子培养成才的地方。难道你不想象你哥哥们那样，成为一个有用的人吗？”
5 我不相信他的话。我才不相信把我从家里拽出来，扔进那个大大的，高墙围绕的建筑里对我有什么真正的好处呢。
6 到了学校门口，我们看到了宽阔的庭院，站满了孩子。“自己进去吧，”我父亲说，“加入他们。笑一笑，给其他的孩子做个好榜样。”
7 我紧抓着父亲的手，犹豫不决。但是父亲却把我轻轻地推开了。“拿出点男子气概来，”他说，“从今天起你就要真正开始自己的生活了。放学时我会在这等你的。”
8 我走了几步，便看见了一些孩子的面孔。他们中我一个也不认识。他们也没有一个认识我的。我感觉自己像是一个迷了路的陌生人。然而这时有些男孩开始好奇的打量我，其中一个走过来问到，“谁带你来的？” 9 “我爸爸”我小声说道。 10 “我爸爸死了，”他简短地说。
11 我不知道该说些什么。这时学校的门已经关上了，有些孩子哭了起来。接着，铃响了，一位女士走了过来，后面跟着一群男人。那些人把我们排成几行。使我们形成一个错综复杂的队行，站在那四周高楼耸立的院子里。每层楼都有长长的阳台，阳台上带有木制顶棚，从阳台上可以俯视到我们。
12 “这是你们的新家，”那位女士说道，“这儿有你们的父母。一切能带给你们快乐，对你们有益的事物，这儿都有。因此擦干你们的眼泪，快快乐乐地面对生活。”
13 这样看来我之前的顾虑都是毫无根据的了。从一开始我就结交了许多朋友，并且爱上了许多女孩。我从未想过学校的生活是如此丰富多彩。
14 我们玩着各种各样的游戏，在音乐室里我们唱着第一次学会的歌。我们第一次接触到了语言的学习。我们看见了一个地球仪，旋转它，便能看见世界上的各个大洲和国家的名称。我们还开始学习数字，听老师将造物主的故事。吃过美味的食物，小睡之后，我们醒来又继续在友谊和爱之中嬉戏，学习。
15 然而，校园生活并不是完全甜蜜和阳光普照的。我们还必须遵守纪律，耐心听讲。学校生活也不光是嬉戏和无所事事。同学间的竞争还可能引起痛苦，仇恨，甚至打斗。虽然那位女士有时面带微笑，但也经常会对我们大声吼叫并责骂我们，甚至，更常见的是体罚我们。
16 另外，我们再也不能改变主意，再也不能回到天堂般的家里了。摆在我们面前的只有努力奋斗和坚持不懈。一旦机会来了那些有能力的人就会抓住它们去获取成功和幸福。
17 铃响了，宣告一天学校生活的结束。孩子们匆匆奔向大门，这时大门被打开了。我向我的朋友和“女友们”告完别，走出了校门。我四处张望却没发现父亲的踪影。他答应我会在校门外等我的。于是我走到一边去等他。当我等了好久，他也没来的时候，我决定自己回家。我走了几步，却惊奇地站住了。我的天哪!那条两边是花园的街道怎么不见了？消失到哪里去了？是什么时候这些车辆闯到马路上的？又是什么时候这些人来到街道上歇憩的？这一座座垃圾堆又是怎样堆到街道两旁的？街道旁的田野又到哪里去了？取而代之的是林立的高楼。街道上挤满了孩子。嘈杂声震荡着空气。街头巷尾站着杂耍艺人，他们或玩着戏法，或是让蛇从篮子里出现。接着，一个乐队奏起了音乐，宣布马戏表演的开始，小丑和举重大力士走在前面。
18 我的天!我感觉一片茫然，头晕目眩，几乎快要疯了。这一切怎么可能就在从清晨到日落的这半天时间里发生？或许回到家，父亲会告诉我答案的。但是，我的家又在哪里？我赶紧奔向十字路口，因为我记得要穿过那条街道才能到家，但车流不息，我极为恼怒，我知何时才可以过去。
19 我久久的站在那里，直到在街道熨衣店里工作的小男孩向我走来。 20 他伸出手臂来说道：“爷爷，我扶您过马路吧。”
单元测验：
Quiz
Explain the following words and phrases in English
1.take sb. across 2.beneficial 3.cling to 4. conjurer 5.convince 6.curiosity 7.daze 8.exertion 9.halt 10.intricate 11.irritated 12.misgiving 13.observant 14.overlook 15.perseverance 16.rank 17.revolve 18.scold
19.startled 20. in vain Keys
1.take sb. to the other side 2.useful 3. to hold closely; refuse to let go 4. a magician
5. to make sb. believe; to persuade 6. the desire to learn and know 7. a condition of being unable to think or feel clearly 8. effort 9. a stop or pause 10. very complicated 11. annoyed
12. feelings of doubt and fear 13. careful to observe (rules) 14. to see a place from a building or window
15. to keep trying to do sth. in spite of the difficulties 16. a line (of people) 17.to move or turn in a circle around a central point 18. to angrily criticize sb. , especially a child
19. surprised and often slightly frightened 20. without result
Lesson Two Going Home
Pete Hamill
1. They were going to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There were six of them, three boys and three girls, and they got on the bus at
34th Street, carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags. They were dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the grey, cold spring of New York vanished behind them. Vingo was on the bus from the beginning.
2. As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice that Vingo never moved. He sat in front of the young people,
his dusty face masking his age, dressed in a plain brown suit that did not fit him. His fingers were stained from cigarettes and he chewed the inside of his lip a lot. He sat in complete silence and seemed completely unaware of the existence of the others.
3. Deep into the night, the bus pulled into a Howard Johnson's restaurant and everybody got off the bus except Vingo. The
young people began to wonder about him, trying to imagine his life: perhaps he was a sea captain; maybe he had run away from his wife; he could be an old soldier going home. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls became so curious that she decided to engage him in a conversation. She sat down beside him and introduced herself. 4. \"We're going to Florida,\" the girl said brightly. \"You going that far?\" 5. \"I don't know,\" Vingo said.
6. \"I've never been there,\" she said. \" I hear it's beautiful.\"
7. \"It is,\" he said quietly, as if remembering something he had tried to forget. 8. \"You live there?\"
9. \"I was there in the Navy, at the base in Jacksonville\".
10. \"Want some wine?\" she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and retreated again into his silence.
After a while, she went back to the others as Vingo nodded in sleep.
11. In the morning they awoke outside another Howard Johnson's and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join
them. He seemed very shy and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously, as the young people chattered about sleeping on beaches. When they got back on the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again. After a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in jail in New York for the last four years, and now he was going home. 12. \"Are you married?\" 13. \"I don' t know.\" 14. \"You don't know?\" she said.
15. \"Well, when I was in jail I wrote to my wife. I said, 'Martha, I understand if you can't stay married to me.' I said I was
going to be away a long time, and that if she couldn't stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, if it hurt her too much, well, she could just forget me. Get a new guy—she's a wonderful woman, really something—and forget about me. I told her she didn't have to write to me or anything, and she didn't. Not for three-and-a-half years.\" 16. \"And you're going home now, not knowing?\"
17. \"Yeah,\" he said shyly. \"Well, last week, when I was sure the parole was coming through I wrote her again. I told her that if
she had a new guy, I understood. But, if she didn't, if she would take me back she should let me know. We used to live in Brunswick, and there' s a great oak tree just as you come into town. I told her if she would take me back, she should tie a yellow ribbon to the tree, and I would get off and come home. If she didn't want me, forget it, no ribbon and I'd understand and keep going on through.\" 18. \"Wow,\" the girl said. \"Wow.\"
19. She told the others, and soon all of them were caught up in the approach of Brunswick, looking at the pictures Vingo
showed them of his wife and three children. Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took the window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask, as if fortifying himself against still another disappointment. Then it was 10 miles, and then five, and the bus became very quiet.
20. Then suddenly all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying, doing small dances,
shaking clenched fists in triumph and exaltation. All except Vingo.
21. Vingo sat there stunned, looking at the oak tree through his misty eyes. The tree was covered with yellow ribbons, 30 of
them, 50 of them, maybe hundreds, a tree that stood like a banner of welcome, blowing and billowing in the wind. As the young people shouted, the old con slowly rose from his seat, holding himself tightly, and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
第二课 回家
皮特·哈米尔
1 他们准备去佛罗里达州的劳德岱尔堡。一行六人，三个男孩，三个女孩，拎着装满三明治和葡萄酒的纸带，在第34街上了公共汽车。他们正梦想着（佛罗里达）金色的海滩和海潮，纽约那灰暗寒冷的春天在他们身后消失得了无踪迹。温戈一开始就在车上。
2 当汽车穿过新泽西州时，他们开始注意到温戈从未挪过地方。他坐在这群年轻人的前面，身着不合体的浅棕色套装，满是灰尘的脸使人无法看出他的实际年龄。过多地吸烟使他的手指成了黄色，他不停地咬着下唇，安静地坐在那儿，好像完全没有意识到其他人的存在。
3 到了深夜，汽车开到一家霍德华·约翰逊连锁餐饮店前停了下来，所有的人都下了车，除了温戈。那群年轻人开始对他产生了好奇，试着猜想他的生活阅历：或许他是个船长，或许他是从他妻子身边逃出来的，或许他是个退役回家的老兵。当他们回到车上时，其中一个女孩忍不住内心的好奇，决定和他聊聊天。于是她坐到了他的身旁，做了一下自我介绍。
4 “我们要去佛罗里达，”那个女孩欢快地说，“你也要去那么远吗？” “我不知道。”温戈说道。
“我从未去过那儿，”她说，“听说那儿很美。” “是的。”他轻声地说，好像想起了他试图想要忘记的事情。 “你住在哪儿？”
“我在那儿的海军服过役，是在杰克逊维尔德海军基地。”
“你想喝点儿酒吗？”她说，他笑了笑拿起酒瓶喝了一大口。道过谢后，他又陷入了沉默。过了一会儿，温戈大气瞌睡，于是那个女孩又回到了她的同伴当中。
5 到了早上，当他们醒来的时候，车停在了另一个霍德华·约翰逊连锁餐饮店前面，这一次温戈进去了。那个女孩坚持要求他加入他们年轻人。他看起来很腼腆，要了杯浓咖啡后就神情局促地抽起了烟，而年轻人们则喋喋不休地谈起了在海滩上睡大觉的事。当他们回到车上，那个女孩又同温戈坐到了一起。过了一会儿，他就开始讲起了他的故事，语速缓慢且神情痛苦。在过去的四年里他一直在纽约的监狱里服刑，现在他要回家了。
6 “你成家了吗？” “我不知道。” “你不知道？”她说。
7 “是的。我在监狱时曾经给我的妻子写过信，我说：‘玛莎，如果你想和我离婚，我能理解。’我说我要离开很长一段时间，如果他无法忍受，如果孩子们不停地问这问那，如果这对她的伤害非常大的话，那么，她可以把我忘了。再找个男人——她是个非常不错的女人，真的不一般——然后把我忘了。我告诉她不必给我写信或以其他的方式与我联系，她也确实没再和我联系。就这样已经三年半了。”
8 “那么你现在要回家啰，而什么都还不知道？”
9 “是的，”他不好意思地说，“上个星期，当我确切地知道我很快就会被假释的时候，我又给她写了封信。我告诉她如果她另外有人了，我理解。但是，如果她没有，如果她愿意接受我回家，要告诉我。我们过去一直住在布朗兹威克，在进镇的地方有一颗大橡树，我告诉她如果她希望我回家，就在树上系一条黄色丝带，这样我就会下车回家。如果她不接受我，就忘记这一切，也不必再系带，我也就知道了，我就随着汽车一直坐下去。”
“啊，”那个女孩感叹道，“啊，原来这样。”
10 她把温戈的故事告诉了其他人，在区布朗兹威克的路上，他们看着温戈拿出的他妻子和三个孩子的照片，很快都被深深地触动了。现在他们里布朗兹威克还有20英里了。那群年轻人都坐到车上右侧靠窗的座位，期待着看到那棵大橡树。温戈将目光从车窗移开，脸绷得紧紧的，又恢复了之前那副假释犯的冷漠神情，好像在鼓足勇气去面对又一次的失望、打击。离布朗兹威克只有10英里了，只有5英里了，车内一片寂静。
11 突然所有的年轻人都从他们的座位上跳了起来，大声叫着、喊着、欢呼着，手舞足蹈，摇晃着紧握的拳头以示胜利和兴奋，除了温戈。
12 温戈坐在那儿，惊呆了，泪眼婆娑地望着那棵橡树。树上系满了带，有30条，有50条，也许有上百条，那棵树像一面欢迎的旗帜屹立在那儿随风飘扬。在年轻人欢呼时，那位老囚徒缓缓地从座位上站起来，用力地支撑着自己，走到了车的前部，踏上了回家的路。
单元测验： Quiz
Answer the following questions:
1. What do you think Vingo had done that got him in prison?
2. What kind of person do you think Vingo's wife was? Why didn’t she write Vingo?
3. Do you agree the yellow ribbon id a symbol? What does it symbolize? What did it mean to Vingo? 4. What lesson do you think the young people can learn from Vingo’s story?
Keys
1.We can assume that he had committed a minor crime, probably a fight.
2.She must have been a loving wife and mother. She didn’t answer Vingo’s second letter because she wanted t give her husband a pleasant surprise, Also she probably wanted to think the matter over seriously. After all, it was a big decision to make even though she might not have thought of any other choice. Perhaps she had to talk with her children too to prepare them for meeting a father who had been away for so long.
3.Yes. It symbolizes “welcome home”. For Vingo it also meant forgiveness and a new start. It gave him something to live for after prison and strengthened his determination to turn over a new leaf. 4. Life is not always rosy. It is an opportunity if you are willing to try again.
Lesson Three Message of the Land
Pira Sudham
1. Yes, these are our rice fields. They belonged to my parents and forefathers. The land is more than three centuries old. I'm
the only daughter in our family and it was I who stayed with my parents till they died. My three brothers moved out to their
wives' houses when they got married. My husband moved into our house as is the way with us in Esarn. I was then eighteen and he was nineteen. He gave me six children. Two died in infancy from sickness. The rest, two boys and two girls, went away as soon as we could afford to buy jeans for them. Our oldest son got a job as a gardener in a rich man's home in Bangkok but later an employment agency sent him to a foreign land to work. My other son also went far away. 2. One of our daughters is working in a textile factory in Bangkok, and the other has a job in a store. They come home to see
us now and then, stay a few days, and then they are off again. Often they send some money to us and tell us that they are doing well. I know this is not always true. Sometimes, they get bullied and insulted, and it is like a knife piercing my heart. It's easier for my husband. He has ears which don't hear, a mouth which doesn't speak, and eyes that don't see. He has always been patient and silent, minding his own life.
3. All of them remain my children in spite of their long absence. Maybe it's fate that sent them away from us. Our piece of
land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, getting old and exhausted. Still my husband and I work on this land. The soil is not difficult to till when there is a lot of rain, but in a bad year, it's not only the ploughs that break but our hearts, too.
4. No, we two haven't changed much, but the village has. In what way? Only ten years ago, you could barter for things, but
now it's all cash. Years ago, you could ask your neighbors to help build your house, reap the rice or dig a well. Now they'll do it only if you have money to pay them. Plastic things replace village crafts. Men used to make things with fine bamboo pieces, but no longer. Plastic bags litter the village. Shops have sprung up, filled with colorful plastic things and goods we have no use for. The young go away to towns and cities leaving us old people to work on the land. They think differently, I know, saying that the old are old-fashioned. All my life, I have never had to go to a hairdresser, or to paint my lips or nails. These rough fingers and toes are for working in the mud of our rice fields, not for looking pretty. Now young girls put on jeans, and look like boys and they think it is fashionable. Why, they are willing to sell their pig or water buffalo just to be able to buy a pair of jeans. In my day, if I were to put on a pair of trousers like they do now, lightning would strike me. 5. I know, times have changed, but certain things should not change. We should offer food to the monks every day, go to the
temple regularly. Young people tend to leave these things to old people now, and that's a shame.
6. Why, only the other day I heard a boy shout and scream at his mother. If that kind of thing had happened when I was
young, the whole village would have condemned such an ungrateful son, and his father would surely have given him a good beating.
7. As for me, I wouldn't change, couldn't change even if I wanted to. Am I happy or unhappy? This question has never
occurred to me. Life simply goes on. Yes, this bag of bones dressed in rags can still plant and reap rice from morning till dusk. Disease, wounds, hardship and scarcity have always been part of my life. I don't complain.
8. The farmer: My wife is wrong. My eyes do see—they see more than they should. My ears do hear—they hear more than is
good for me. I don't talk about what I know because I know too much. I know for example, greed, anger, and lust are the root of all evils.
9. I am at peace with the land and the conditions of my life. But I feel a great pity for my wife. I have been forcing silence
upon her all these years, yet she has not once complained of anything.
10. I wanted to have a lot of children and grandchildren around me but now cities and foreign lands have attracted my children
away and it seems that none of them will ever come back to live here again. To whom shall I give these rice fields when I die? For hundreds of years this strip of land has belonged to our family. I know every inch of it. My children grew up on it, catching frogs and mud crabs and gathering flowers. Still the land could not tie them down or call them back. When each of them has a pair of jeans, they are off like birds on the wing.
11. Fortunately, my wife is still with me, and both of us are still strong. Wounds heal over time. Sickness comes and goes, and
we get back on our feet again. I never want to leave this land. It's nice to feel the wet earth as my fingers dig into the soil, planting rice, to hear my wife sighing, \"Old man, if I die first, I shall become a cloud to protect you from the sun.\" It's good to smell the scent of ripening rice in November. The soft cool breeze moves the sheaves, which ripple and shimmer like waves of gold. Yes, I love this land and I hope one of my children comes back one day to live, and gives me grandchildren so that I can pass on the land's secret messages to them.
第三课 土地的讯息
1是的，这些都是我们的稻田。它们曾属于我的父母和祖辈。这片土地有三百多年的历史了。我是家里唯一的女孩。所以，我一直陪在父母身边直到他们去世。我的三个兄弟结婚以后就都搬到他们的女人家里去了。按照我们伊萨恩的风俗，我男人进了我们家的门。那时我18岁，他19岁。我们生了六个孩子，有两个孩子在襁褓中就病死了，剩下的两个男孩和两个女孩在我们能为他们买得起牛仔裤的时候，就离开了家门。我的大儿子在曼谷的一个有钱人家里做圆丁，后来一家劳务所介绍送他到国外干活去了。我的小儿子离家也很远。
2我们的一个女儿现在在曼谷的一家纺织厂上班，另一个女儿在一家商店里工作。他们偶尔回家来看我们，待上几天就又走了。他们经常寄钱给我们并告诉我们他们过得很好。我知道这并不全是真的。有时，（当我知道）它们受欺负受侮辱时，我就心如刀割。而这一切对于我的男人来说就好过些，他有一对听不见的耳朵、一张不说话的嘴和一双看不见的眼睛。他总是不紧不慢，沉默寡言，自个儿过日子。
3虽然孩子们长时间不在家，但他们始终是我的孩子，也许是命运让他们离开了我们。我们的这片土地很小，也不再肥沃，就像我们一样，一年年地被榨干了血，慢慢上了年纪，渐渐精疲力竭了。而我和我的男人还在这片土地上耕作。当雨水多的时候土地还不难耕种，可要是赶上干旱，干硬的土地不仅使我们的犁耕碎了，我们的心也碎了。 4是的，我们两口子一直没怎么变，可是我们的村子却变了很多。怎么变了？就在十年前你还可以和别人换东西，可现在就得用现金了。几年前你还可以喊你的邻居们帮你盖房子、割麦子或挖口井。但现在只有付钱给他们，他们才干。塑料制品代替了村里的手工做的东西。过去男人们常常用好的竹简做东西，但现在已经不再做了。塑料袋扔的村里哪儿都是。还突然冒出些商店，里面摆满了五颜六色的塑料制品和对我们没有用的东西。年轻人离开了家去了城镇，留下我们这些上了年纪的人种田。我知道他们的想法和我们不同，他们说我们岁数大的人跟不上时代。我这一辈子从来没说非得去理发店或者涂唇膏，染指甲。我这粗手粗脚是用来在稻田里的泥地里干活的，而不是摆样子好看的。现在的年轻姑娘们穿上了牛仔裤，看着像小伙子，可她们却认为这是时髦。哦，只为了能买条牛仔裤，她们宁愿卖掉猪或水牛。我年轻的时候要是能穿上她们那样的裤子，准得遭雷劈。
5我知道时代已经变了，但是有些东西是不该变的，我们还应该每天为僧人提供吃的，定期去寺庙上香。现在的年轻人往往把这些事留给上了岁数的人去做，这真是太不像话了。
6就在前些天，我听见一个小男孩朝着他母亲大声喊叫。如果这件事发生在我小的时候，全村人都会责骂这个没良心的儿子，他的父亲准会狠狠地抽他一顿。
7至于我，是不会变了，就是我想变也是不可能了。我幸不幸福？我从来没想过这个问题。生活简简单单地过着。是的，我这把裹着破烂衣衫枯瘦如柴的老骨头还能从早到晚地在地里耕作。疾病、伤痛、艰难还有穷困始终伴随着我的一生。我没有怨言。
8农夫：我老伴错了。我的眼睛看得见——看到了许多它们所不应该看到的。我的耳朵也听得到——听到了许多它们不应该听到的。我没有将我所知道地说出来，因为我知道的太多了。我知道诸如贪婪、愤怒和欲望是一切的根源。 9对于这片土地，对于我的生活境况我感到满足。但对于老伴，觉得对不住她，这些年来我一直对她沉默寡言，而她从未抱怨过什么。
10我希望自己身边儿孙成群，但如今城里和国外的生活吸引着他们，让他们离开了我们。看来他们没有一个是会再回到这生活了。那我死后这些稻田该留给谁呢？几百年来我们家一直拥有这块土地。我熟悉我的每一寸土地。我的孩
子就是在这儿长大的，他们捉青蛙、逮泥螃蟹、采花朵。但是这片土地还是没有能够拴住他们或是召回他们。当他们每人有了一条牛仔裤，就像鸟儿一样飞走了。
11幸运的事，我老伴还在我身边，我们俩身体还很硬朗。过一段时间伤口也就愈合了。疾病来了又去，接着我们又能站起来。我从未想过要离开这片土地。我喜欢将我的手插进潮湿的泥地里栽稻子。我喜欢听我的老伴叹息道：“老头子，如果我先死了，我要变成一片云来为你遮太阳。”我喜欢闻11月份稻米成熟散发的香味。凉爽的清风吹拂着水稻，水稻像金色的海浪一样起伏着。是的，我爱这片土地，我希望有一天有个孩子会回来生活，给我生几个孙子孙女，这样我就可以把这片土地的讯息传递给他们了。
Lesson Four The Boy and the Bank Officer
Philip Ross
1. I have a friend who hates banks with a special passion. \"A bank is just a store like a candy store or a grocery store\
says . \"The only difference is that a bank's goods happen to be money, which is yours in the first place. If banks were required to sell wallets and money belts, they might act less like churches.\"
2. I began thinking about my friend the other day as I walked into a small, over lighted branch office on the West Side. I had
come to open a checking account.
3. It was lunchtime and the only officer on duty was a fortyish black man with short, pressed hair, a pencil mustache, and a
neatly pressed brown suit. Everything about him suggested a carefully dressed authority.
4. This officer was standing across a small counter from a young white boy who was wearing a V-necked sweater, khakis,
and loafers. He had sandy hair, and I think I was especially aware of him because he looked more like a kid from a prep school than a customer in a West Side bank.
5. The boy continued to hold my attention because of what happened next.
6. He was holding an open savings-account book and wearing an expression of open dismay. \"But I don't understand,\" he was
saying to the officer. \"I opened the account myself, so why can't I withdraw any money?\"
7. \"I've already explained to you,\" the officer told him, \"that a fourteen-year-old is not allowed to withdraw money without a
letter from his parents.\"
8. \"But that doesn't seem fair,\" the boy said, his voice breaking. \"It's my money, I put it in. It's my account.\" 9. \"I know it is,\" the officer said, \"but those are the rules. Now if you'll excuse me.\" 10. He turned to me with a smile. \"May I help you, sir?\"
11. I didn't think twice. \"I was going to open a new account,\" I said, \"but after seeing what's going on here, I think I've changed
my mind.\" 12. \"Excuse me?\" he said.
13. \"Look,\" I said. \"If I understand what's going on here correctly, what you're saying is that this boy is old enough to deposit
his money in your bank but he's not old enough to withdraw it. And since there doesn't seem to be any question as to whether it's his money or his account, the bank's so-called policy is clearly ridiculous.\"
14. \"It may seem ridiculous to you,\" he replied in a voice rising slightly in irritation, \"but that is the bank's policy and I have no
other choice but to follow the rules\".
15. The boy had stood hopefully next to me during this exchange, but now I was just as helpless. Suddenly I noticed that the
open savings book he continued to grasp showed a balance of about $100. It also showed that there had been a series of small deposits and withdrawals. 16. I had my opening.
17. \"Have you withdrawn money before by yourself?\" I asked the boy. 18. \"Yes,\" he said. 19. I moved in for the kill.
20. \"How do you explain that?\" I zeroed in on the officer. \"Why did you let him withdraw money before, but not now?\" 21. He looked annoyed. \"Because the tellers were not aware of his age before and now they are. It's really very simple\".
22. I turned to the boy with a shrug. \"You're really getting cheated,\" I said. \"You ought to get your parents to come in here and
protest.\"
23. The boy looked destroyed. Silently, he put his savings book in a rear-pocket and walked out of the bank. 24. The officer turned to me. \"You know,\" he said, \"you really shouldn't have interfered.\"
25. \"Shouldn't have interfered?\" I shouted. \"Well, it damn well seemed to me that he needed someone to represent his
interests.\"
26. \"Someone was representing his interests,\" he said softly. 27. \"And who might that be?\" 28. \"The bank.\"
29. I couldn't believe what this idiot was saying. \"Look,\" I concluded, \"we're just wasting each other's time. But maybe you'd
like to explain exactly how the bank was representing that boy's interests?\"
30. \"Certainly,\" he said. \"We were informed this morning that some neighborhood bully has been shaking this boy down for
more than a month. The other guy was forcing him to take money out every week and hand it over. The poor kid was apparently too scared to tell anyone. That's the real reason he was so upset. He was afraid of what the other guy would do to him. Anyway, the police are on the case and they'll probably make an arrest today.\" 31. \"You mean there is no rule about being too young to withdraw money from a savings account?\" 32. \"Not that I ever heard of. Now, sir, what can we do for you?\"
第四课 男孩和银行职员
1 我有一位朋友特别讨厌银行。他说：“银行就是个商店，和糖果店或杂货店一样。唯一的区别就是银行的商品碰巧是钱。首先，钱还是你的。如果要银行去卖钱包和钱夹，他们表现得就不会有教堂那样的架势了。”
2 几天前，我走进位于纽约曼哈顿西区的一家支行时，想到了我的那位朋友。这家支行面积不大，灯火辉煌。我来是要开一个活期存款账户的。
3 当时正是吃午饭的时间，银行只有一个职员值班。他是个四十来岁的黑人，梳着短短的平头，留着一字胡，穿这一身整洁熨烫过的棕色西装。他的浑身上下都显示出他是个注意着装，有身分地位的人。
4 这位职员站在一个小柜台内，面对着一个白人小男孩，小男孩穿着一件V字领的毛衣，一条卡其布裤子和一双平底便鞋。他有一头浅棕色头发。我想我之所以特别注意他，是因为他看起来更像是一个来自预科学校的孩子，而不是西区银行的客户。
5 我之所以继续注意那个男孩是因为接着发生的事。
6 他拿着一张敞开的定期储蓄账户存折，神情沮丧失望。“但是我不明白，”他对那位职员说道，“我自己开的户，可为什么我不能取钱呢？”
7 “我已经向你解释过了，”那位职员对他说，“没有父母写的字条，一个十四岁的孩子是不允许取钱的。” 8 “但那听起来不公平，”那个男孩说，都语不成声了，“那是我的钱，是我存的，是我的账户。” 9 “我知道，”那个职员说，“但那是银行的规定，请原谅。” 10 他转向我，面带微笑地说，“先生，我能为您做点什么？”
11 我没多想。“我原来准备开个新账户的，”我说，“但是看到了刚才发生的事，我想我已经改变主意了。” 12 “我不明白，请原谅。”他说。
13 “喂，”我说，“如果我对这儿刚刚发生的事情理解正确的话，那么你是在说，按照这个男孩的年龄，他可以在你们银行存钱但不能取钱。既然从前是不是他的或者帐户是不是他的这个方面来看，好像没有任何问题，那么你们银行的所谓是在是荒唐可笑。”
14 “这在你看来也许是荒谬，”他回答说，在愤怒中他的嗓门稍微抬高了些，“但是那是银行的，我别无选择，只能照章办事。”
15 在我们口舌交锋中，那小男孩满怀希望的站在我的旁边，但现在我也和他一样没招了。突然我发现，他始终抓在手中的那张敞开的存折上显示出大约有100美元的余额，同时还显示出一些小额账目的存取记录。
16 我有机会了。
17 “以前你自己取过钱吗？”我问那个男孩。 18 “有过”，他说。 19 我抛出了杀手锏。
20 “你对此怎么解释？”我把矛头直接对准了那个银行职员，“为什么以前你们让他取钱，而现在不行了呢?” 21 他看起来被惹恼了。“因为以前出纳员没有意识到他的年龄，现在他们意识到了，就这么简单。” 22 我耸了耸肩转向那个男孩：“你真的上当了，”我说，“你一定要让你的父母到这儿来。” 23 那个男孩看来是被击垮了。一言不发地把将定期存折放入后裤兜里，走出了银行。 24 那位职员转过来对我说：“你看，你真的不该干涉。”
25 “不该干涉？”我喊道，“在我看来，他真的需要有人来代表他的利益。” 26 “有人正在代表他的利益。” 27 “那个人会是谁呢？” 28 “银行。”
29 我真不敢相信这白痴说的是什么。“听着，”我最后说道，“我们只是在相互浪费对方的时间。但是也许你愿意确切的解释一下银行是如何代表那个男孩的利益的？”
30 “当然可以，”他说，“今天早上我们得到通知，说附近有个流氓一个月以来一直在勒索这个小男孩。那家伙一直逼着他每周从银行取钱交给他。这个可怜的孩子显然吓得不敢跟任何人说。那才是他如此不安的真正原因。他害怕那个家伙会对他做出什么。不管怎样，正在调查这个案子，他们可能会在今天捉拿那个家伙。”
31 “你是说没有关于年龄太小而不能从定期储蓄账户取钱的规定？” 32 “我从未听说过。先生，现在我能为您做点什么？”
Lesson Five Angels on a Pin
Alexander Calandra
1. Some time ago, I received a call from Jim, a colleague of mine, who teaches physics. He asked me if I would do him a
favor and be the referee on the grading of an examination question. I said sure, but I did not quite understand why he should need my help. He told me that he was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, but the student protested that it wasn't fair. He insisted that he deserved a perfect score if the system were not set up against the student. Finally, they agreed to take the matter to an impartial instructor. And I was selected.
2. I went to my colleague's office and read the examination question. It said: \"Show how it is possible to determine the height
of a tall building with the aid of a barometer.\" The student had answered: \"Take the barometer to the top of the building, tie a long rope to it, lower the barometer to the street, and then bring it up and measure the length of the rope. The length of the rope will be the height of the building.\"
3. I laughed and pointed out to my colleague that we must admit the student really had a pretty strong case for full credit
since he had indeed answered the question completely and correctly. On the other hand, I could also see the dilemma because if full credit were given to him it could mean a high grade for the student in his physics course. A high grade is supposed to prove competence in the course, but the answer he gave did not show his knowledge on the subject. \"So, what would you do if you were me?\" Jim asked. I suggested that the student have another try at answering the question. I was not surprised that my colleague agreed, but I was surprised that the student did, too.
4. I told the student that I would give him six minutes to answer the question. But I warned him that this time his answer
should show some knowledge of physics. He sat down and picked up his pen. He appeared to be thinking hard. At the end of five minutes, however, I noticed that he had not put down a single word. I asked him if he wished to give up, but he said no. He had not written anything down because he had too many possible answers to this problem. He was just trying to decide which would be the best one. I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to go on. In the next minute, he dashed off his answer, which read: \"Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof. Drop the barometer and time its fall with a stopwatch. Then, using the formula S = 1 /2 at2, calculate the height of the building.\" 5. At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up. He nodded yes, and I gave the student almost full credit.
6. When I left my colleague's office, I recalled that the student had said that he had other answers to the problem. I was
curious, so I asked him what they were. \"Oh, yes,\" said the student. \"There are many ways of getting the height of a tall building with the aid of a barometer. For example, you could take the barometer out in a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer, the length of its shadow, and the length of the shadow of the building, and by the use of a simple proportion, determine the height of the building. The beauty of this method is that you don't have to drop the barometer and break it.\"
7. \"Fine,\" I said. \"Any more?\"
8. \"Yes,\" said the student. \"There is a very basic measurement method that people will like, because it is so simple and direct.
In this method, you take the barometer and walk up the stairs. As you climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the barometer along the wall. You then count the number of marks, and this will give you the height of the building in barometer units. The only trouble with this method is that it doesn't require much knowledge of physics.\"
9. \"Of course, if you prefer a more sophisticated method, a method that will really show some knowledge of physics, you can
tie the barometer to the end of a rope, swing it as a pendulum and determine the value of'g' at the street level and at the top of the building. From the difference between the two values of'g' the height of the building can, in principle, be worked out.\"
10. Finally, he concluded that while there are many ways of solving the problem, \"Probably the best and the most practical in a
real-life situation is to take the barometer to the basement and knock on the superintendent's door. When the superintendent answers, you speak to him as follows: Mr. Superintendent, I have here a fine barometer. If you will tell me the height of this building, I will gladly give you this barometer!\"
11. At this point, I asked the student if he really didn't know the expected answer to this question. He smiled and admitted that
he did, but said he was fed up with standard answers to standard questions. He couldn't understand why there should be so much emphasis on fixed rules rather than creative thinking. So he could not resist the temptation to play a little joke with the educational system, which had been thrown into such a panic by the successful launching of the Russian Sputnik. 12. At that moment I suddenly remembered the question: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? We teachers are
always blaming the students for giving wrong answers. Perhaps we should ask ourselves whether we are always asking the right questions.
第五课 针尖上的天使
亚历山大·卡兰德拉
1 前些时候，我接到同时吉姆的一个电话，他是教物理的。他问我是否愿意帮个忙，为一道考题的得分做评判。我说当然可以，但我不理解他为什么要我帮忙。他告诉我说，是因为他准备给一个学生的一道物理题的答案得分，但那个同学提出说不公平。而且那个学生坚持说，要不是考试制度和他对着干的话，他应该得满分。最后，他们达成一致，找一个公平的老师来解决这件事。于是，我就被选中了。
2 我来到我同事的办公室，读了那道考题，题目是这样说的：“写出如何借助一个气压计来测量出一座大楼的高度。”那个同学的答案是这样的：将气压计拿到楼顶，给他系上一根长绳，接着降落气压计至路面，然后将它们收上来并量出绳子的长度。绳子的长度便是大楼的高度。
3 我笑着向我的同事指出，我们必须承认这个学生确实有足够的理由要求得满分，因为他的确是完整地并正确地回答了这个问题。另一方面，我也感受到了这个两难处境，因为如果给那个学生满分，就是表明这个学生的物理成绩得了个高分。而高分要能体现出他在这门课程上的能力，但是从他所给的答案却看不出他在这门课上所学的知识。“所以说，如果你是我，你会怎么做？”吉姆问道。我建议让这个学生在做一遍这道问题。我的同事同意了我的建议我倒不觉得奇怪，我惊讶地是那个学生也同意了。
4 我告诉那个学生，我会给他六分钟来做这道题。但是我告诫他这次他的答案一定要体现出某些物理知识。他坐下来，拿起笔，看起来是在用心思考。然而，五分钟已经过去了，我注意到他一个字都没写。我问他是否想放弃。但他说不，并表示他什么都没写是因为这道题有太多种解法。他只是一直在尽力得出最好的一个。我对打断了他表示歉意并让他继续进行。在接下来的一分钟里，他飞快地写下了答案，是这样的：“把气压计拿到屋顶，斜靠在房檐上。扔下气压计并用秒表记下它的下落时间。然后用公式S=1/2at²（距离=重力加速度×下落时间的平方×1/2），算出大楼的高度。”
5 这是，我问我的同事是否愿意放弃，他点了点头表示同意，我给了那个学生一个将近满分的分数。 6 在我要离开同事的办公室时，想起那个学生曾说过对于那道题他还有其他的答案，我感到好奇，便问他其他的答案是怎样的。“噢，是的，”那个学生说，“借助气压计来得出大楼高度的方法有很多。比如说在晴天里你可以将气压计拿出去量出气压计的高度，气压计影子的长度和大楼影子的长度，然后利用简单的比例关系就可以量出大楼的高度，这种办法的好处是你无需扔下气压计而把它摔坏。
7 “很好，”我说，“那还有呢？”
8 “是啊，”那个学生说，“还有一个大家都非常喜欢的基本直接的测量方法。是这样的，你拿着气压计上楼梯，当你爬楼的时候将气压计靠在墙上，刻画出气压计的长度，然后数出划痕的数量，就可以得出大楼高度，即有多少个气压计长度计量单位的大楼高度。这种方法的唯一不好的是它无需很多物理知识。”
9 “当然，如果你喜欢更复杂的方法，一种能真正体现出一些物理知识的方法，你可以把气压计系到绳子的一端，使它像钟摆一样地摆动，分别测出路面上的和在大楼顶部的重力加速度值（g）。通过两个‘g’值的差，理论上将就可算出大楼的高度。”
10 最后他总结说，尽管这道题有多种解法，“但也许在现实生活中最好且最实际的方法就是拿着气压计到那座大楼的地下室，敲开大楼管理员的门。当那个管理员开门时你就对他这样说：管理员先生，我这有个很好的气压计，如果你愿意告诉我这座大楼的高度，我会很高兴将这个气压计送给你！”
11 说到这里，我问那个学生他是否真的不知道老师所期望的答案。他笑了笑，并承认说他知道，但他说他厌倦了用标准答案回答标准问题。他不能理解为什么要这样强调固定的规则，而不是创造性思维。于是，他忍不住同教育制度开了个小小的玩笑。而这个教育制度曾一度陷入因前苏联成功地发射世界第一颗人造卫星而引起的恐慌之中。
12 就在那一刻，我突然想起了这样的问题：有多少个天使能在针尖上跳舞？我们教师总是在责怪学生答错了。或许我们该问问自己，我们问的问题是否都是正确的。
Lesson Six The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street (Act I)
CHARACTERS
Les Goodman Sally Mrs. Goodman Man Don Martin Second Man Steve Brand Woman Mrs. Brand Five Different
Rod Serling
Voices
Pete Van Horn First Figure Charlie Second Figure Tommy
1. It is Maple Street, a quiet, tree-lined, residential street in a typical American town. The houses have front porches where
people sit and talk to each other across their lawns. STEVE BRAND polishes his car parked in front of his house. His neighbor, DON MARTIN, leans against the fender, watching him. A Good Humor man rides a bicycle and is just stopping to sell some ice cream to a couple of kids. Two women gossip on the front lawn. Another man waters his lawn. 2. At this moment one of the boys, TOMMY, looks up and listens to the sound of a tremendous roar from overhead. A flash of
light plays on his face, then moves down the street past lawns and porches and rooftops, and then disappears. STEVE BRAND, the man who has been polishing his car, stands there speechless, staring upwards. He looks at DON MARTIN, his neighbor from across the street. 3. Steve: What was that? A meteor?
4. Don: That's what it looked like. I didn't hear any crash, though, did you? 5. Steve: Nope, I didn't hear anything except a roar. 6. Mrs. Brand (from her porch): Steve? What was that? 7. Steve: Guess it was a meteor, honey. Came awful close, didn't it? 8. Mrs. Brand: Much too close!
(People stand on their porches, watching and talking in low tones. We see a MAN screwing in a light bulb on a front porch, then getting down off the stool to turn on the switch and finding that nothing happens. A MAN working on an electric power mower plugs in the plug. He turns on the switch, on and off, but nothing happens. Through the window of a front porch a WOMAN is seen dialing her phone.)
9. Woman: Operator, operator, something's wrong with the phone, operator!
(MRS. BRAND comes out on the porch.)
10. Mrs. Brand (calling): Steve, the power's off. I had the soup on the stove, and the stove just stopped working. 11. Woman: Same thing over here. I can't get anybody on the phone, either. The phone seems to be dead. 12. First Voice: Electricity's off. 13. Second Voice: Phone won't work. 14. Third Voice: Can't get a thing on the radio.
15. Fourth Voice: My power mower won't move, won't work at all.
(PETE VAN HORN, a tall, thin man, is seen standing in front of his house.)
16. Van Horn: I'11 cut through the back yard . . . see if the power' s still on on Cherry Street. I'll be right back! 17. Steve: Doesn't make sense. Why should the power and the phone line go off all of a sudden? 18. Don: Maybe it's an electrical storm or something.
19. Charlie: That doesn't seem likely. Sky's just as blue as anything. Not a cloud. No lightning. No thunder. No nothing. How
could it be a storm?
20. Woman: I can't get a thing on the radio. Not even the portable.
21. Charlie: Well, why don't you go downtown and check with the police, though they'll probably think we're crazy or
something. A little power failure and right away we get all excited.
22. Steve: It isn't just the power failure, Charlie. If it was, we'd still be able to get a broadcast on the portable.
(There's a murmur of reaction to this. STEVE walks over to his car.)
23. Steve: I'll run downtown. We'll get this all straightened out. (STEVE gets into his car, turns the key. The engine is dead. He
then gets out of the car.)
24. Steve: I don't understand it. It was working fine before— 25. Don: Out of gas?
26. Steve (shakes his head): I just had it filled up. 27. Woman: What does it mean?
28. Charlie: It's just as if. . . as if everything had stopped. (Then he turns toward STEVE.) We'd better walk downtown. 29. Steve: OK, Charlie. (He turns to look back at the car.) It couldn't be the meteor. A meteor couldn't do this.
(He and CHARLIE exchange a look. Then they start to walk away from the group. TOMMY, a serious-faced young boy tries to stop them.)
30. Tommy: Mr. Brand...you'd better not! 31. Steve: Why not?
32. Tommy: They don't want you to.
(STEVE and CHARLIE exchange a grin. STEVE looks back toward the boy.) 33. Steve: Who doesn't want us to?
34. Tommy (jerks his head in the general direction of the distant horizon): Them! 35. Steve: Them?
36. Charlie: Who are them?
37. Tommy (very intently): Whoever was in that thing that came by overhead. I don't think they want us to leave here.
(STEVE walks over to the boy. He kneels down in front of him. He forces his voice to remain gentle. He reaches out and holds the boy.)
38. Steve: What do you mean? What are you talking about?
39. Tommy: They don't want us to leave. That's why they shut everything off. 40. Steve: What makes you say that? Whatever gave you that idea? 41. Woman (from the crowd): Now isn't that the craziest thing you ever heard?
42. Tommy (persistently): It's always that way, in every story I ever read about a ship landing from outer space.
43. Woman (to the boy's mother, SALLY,): From outer space yet! Sally, you'd better get that boy of yours up to bed. He's been
reading too many comic books or seeing too many movies or something! 44. Sally: Tommy, come over here and stop that kind of talk.
45. Steve: Go ahead, Tommy. We 'll be right back. And you 'll see. That wasn't any ship or anything like it. That was just a... a
meteor or something. (He turns to the group, now trying to sound optimistic although he obviously doesn't feel that way himself.) Meteors can do some crazy things. Like sun spots.
46. Don: Sure. They raise Cain with radio reception all over the world. And this thing, being so close-why, there's no telling the
sort of stuff it can do. (He wets his lips, smiles nervously.) Go ahead, Charlie. You and Steve go into town and see if that isn't what's causing it all.
(STEVE and CHARLIE again continue to walk away down the sidewalk. The people watch silently. TOMMY stares at them, biting his lips and finally calling out again.) 47. Tommy: Mr. Brand!
(The two men stop again.)
48. Tommy: Mr. Brand. . .please don't leave here.
(STEVE and CHARLIE stop once again and turn toward the boy. There's a murmur in the crowd, a murmur of irritation and concern.)
49. Tommy: You might not even be able to get to town. It was that way in the story. Nobody could leave, except— 50. Steve: Except who?
51. Tommy: Except the people they'd sent down ahead of them. They looked just like humans. And it wasn't until the ship
landed that—(The boy suddenly stops again, conscious of his parents staring at him and of the sudden quietness of the crowd.)
52. Sally: Tommy, please, son, don't talk that way—
53. Man: The kid shouldn't talk that way... and we shouldn't stand here listening to him. Why, this is the craziest thing I ever
heard of.
(STEVE walks toward the boy.)
. Steve: Go ahead, Tommy. What about the people that they sent out ahead?
55. Tommy: That was the way they prepared things for the landing. They sent people who looked just like humans... but they
weren't.
(There's laughter at this, but it's a laughter that comes from a desperate attempt to lighten the atmosphere.)
56. Charlie (rubs his jaw nervously): I wonder if Cherry Street's got the same deal we got. (He looks past the houses.) Where is
Pete Van Horn, anyway? Didn't he get back yet?
(Suddenly there's the sound of a car's engine starting to turn over. LES GOODMAN is at the wheel of his car.) 57. Sally: Can you get it started, Les?
(GOODMAN gets out of the car, shaking his head.) 58. Goodman: No.
(As he walks toward the group, he stops suddenly. Behind him, the car engine starts up all by itself. GOODMAN whirls around and stares at it. His eyes go wide, and he runs over to his car. The people stare toward the car.) 59. Man: He got the car started somehow. He got his car started! 60. Woman: How come his car just started like that?
61. Sally: All by itself. He wasn't anywhere near it. It started all by itself.
(DON approaches the group: He stops a few feet away to look toward GOODMAN's car and then back toward the group.) 62. Don: And he never did come out to look at that thing that flew overhead. He wasn't even interested. (He turns to the faces
in the group.) Why? Why didn't he come out with the rest of us to look? 63. Charlie: He was always an oddball. Him and his whole family. . Don: What do you say we ask him?
(The group suddenly starts toward the house.) 65. Steve: Wait a minute... wait a minute! Let's not be a mob!
(The people seem to pause for a moment. Then, much more quietly and slowly, they start to walk across the street. GOODMAN stands there alone, facing the people.)
66. Goodman: I just don't understand it. I tried to start it, and it wouldn't start. You saw me.
(And now, just as suddenly as the engine started, it stops. There's a frightened murmuring of the people.)
67. Don: Maybe you can tell us. Nothing's working on this street. Nothing. No lights, no power, no radio. Nothing except one
car—yours!
(The people pick this up, and their murmuring becomes a loud chant filling the air with demands for action.) 68. Goodman: Wait a minute now. You keep your distance—all of you. So I've got a car that starts by itself—well, that's
weird—I admit it. But does that make me a criminal or something? I don't know why the car works—it just does! (This stops the crowd, and GOODMAN, still backing away, goes up the steps and then stops to face the mob.) 69. Goodman: What's it all about, Steve?
70. Steve (quietly): Seems that the general impression holds that maybe the people in one family aren't what we think they are.
Monsters from outer space or something. Different from us. You know anybody that might fit that description around here on Maple Street?
71. Goodman: What is this, a practical joke or something?
(Suddenly the engine of the car starts all by itself again, runs for a moment, and stops. The people once again react.) 72. Goodman: Now that's supposed to make me a criminal, huh? The car engine goes on and off? (He looks around at the faces
of the people.) I just don't understand it... any more than any of you do! (He wets his lips, looking from face to face.) Look, you all know me. We've lived here five years. Right in this house. We're no different from any of you! 73. Woman: Well, if that's the case, Les Goodman, explain why—(She stops suddenly.) 74. Goodman (softly): Explain what? 75. Steve: (cutting in): Look, let's forget this—
76. Charlie: Go ahead; let her talk. What about it? Explain what?
77. Woman (a little reluctantly): Well... sometimes I go to bed late at night. A couple of times... I'd come out here on the porch
and I'd see Mr. Goodman here standing out in front of his house... looking up at the sky. (She looks around at the circle of faces.) That's right, looking up at the sky as if... as if he were waiting for something.
78. Goodman: She's crazy. Look, I can explain that. Please... I can really explain that. She's making it up anyway.
(He takes a step toward the crowd, and they back away. He walks down the steps after them, and they continue to back away. He's suddenly and completely left alone. He looks like a man caught in the middle of a menacing circle.)
第六课 怪物即将降临枫树街(第一幕)
人物 莱兹·古德曼 古德曼太太 唐·马丁 史蒂夫·布兰德
萨莉 男人甲 男人乙 女人
布兰德太太 皮特·范·霍恩 查利 汤米
五个不同的声音 第一个人物 第二个人物
1 [故事发生在枫树街，一条典型的美国小镇上的居民街，街上十分安静，两旁绿树成荫。房屋前建有可以供人们闲坐
和隔着草地聊天的门廊。史蒂夫正在擦着停在自家房前的汽车。他的邻居——唐·马丁，斜靠在车的挡泥板上看着他。一名古德赫姆公司的工人骑了辆自行车，他正停下车向几个小孩儿出售冰淇淋。两名妇女站在草坪前聊天。还有一个男人在给草坪浇水。]
2 [这时，一个叫汤米的小男孩儿抬起头来听到头上传来的一声巨响，一道亮光划过他的脸庞，接着穿过街道上的草地，
门廊和屋顶，然后消失了。正在擦车的史蒂夫站在那里，盯着上空，惊讶得说不出话。他又看了看街对面的邻居唐·马丁。]
3 史蒂夫：那是什么？流星？
4 唐：看上去像。但我没听到有东西落下来的声音，你听到了吗？ 5 史蒂夫：没有，我就听到一声巨响。
6 布兰德夫人：(从门廊上)史蒂夫？那是什么东西？ 7 史蒂夫：亲爱的，我猜是颗流星。飞得太近了，不是吗？ 8 布兰德太太：太近了！
(人们站在门廊前，一边观察一边低声交谈着。我们看到一个男人正在前门廊上拧灯泡，然后从凳子上下来去打开开关，但灯没有亮。另一个男人正在摆弄电动割草机。他把插头插入插座，反复按着开关，但割草机没有任何反应。透过前门廊的一扇窗户，人们可以看到一位妇女正在打电话。) 9 女人：接线员，接线员，电话坏了，接线员！ 10 (布兰德太太从屋里走出来到门廊上。)
布兰德太太：(喊到)史蒂夫，停电了。我还在炉子上煮着汤呢，可炉子刚刚没电了。 11 女人：这儿也是。电话也打不通了。电话好像坏了。 12 第一个声音：停电了。 13 第二个声音：电话不通了。 14 第三个声音：收音机什么也收不到。
15 第四个声音：我的电动割草机不动了，一点儿也不转了。 16 (皮特·范·霍恩，一个又高又瘦的男人，站在他的房前。)
范·霍恩：我从后院走近路……去樱桃街看看那里是否有电。我一会儿就回来。
17 史蒂夫：真是不可思议。怎么突然停电了，连电话也中断了呢？ 18 唐：也许是雷暴或其他什么原因吧？
19 查利：好像不是。天空一片蔚蓝，连一片云都没有。没有闪电，没有雷声。什么都没有，怎么可能是雷暴呢？ 20 女人：收音机什么也收不到。甚至也半导体也一样。
21 查利：那你为什么不到镇上向问一下呢？不过，他们一定会认为我们疯了或是怎么了。一个小小的停电，我们
马上就反应如此强烈。
22 史蒂夫：这可不是简单的停电，查利。如果是的话，我们还可以用收音机收听广播的。
(人们对此议论开来。史蒂夫走向他的汽车。)
23 我去一趟镇上，我们会搞清楚这一切的。(史蒂夫转了一下车钥匙。发动机没有任何反应。他又从车里钻出来。) 24 史蒂夫：我不明白是怎么回事。以前是好好的—— 25 唐：没油了吧？
26 史蒂夫：(摇头)我刚给车加满油。 27 女人：那是怎么回事？
28 查利：好像……好像所有东西都不工作了。(然后他转向史蒂夫)我们最好走到镇上去问一下。 29 史蒂夫：好吧，查利。(他转过身了看汽车。)不太可能是流星。流星可没有这么大的影响。
(他和查利互相对看了一眼。接着他们从人群中走开。汤米，一个表情严肃的男孩子极力阻止他们。) 30 汤米：布兰德先生……。。你们最好别去！ 31 史蒂夫：为什么不去？ 32 汤米：他们不想让你们去。
(史蒂夫和查利相互对笑了一下。史蒂夫回头看着小男孩。) 33 史蒂夫：谁不想让我们去？
34 汤米：(冲着遥远的地平线猛地甩了下头)他们！ 35 史蒂夫：他们？ 36 查利：他们是谁？
37 汤米：(非常认真地)就是刚才从我们头上飞过去的那个东西里的人。我想他们不愿让我们离开。
(史蒂夫走近男孩，在他面前蹲下来。他尽力使自己声音保持温和。他伸手抓住男孩。) 38 史蒂夫：你是什么意思？你在说什么？
39 汤米：他们不想让我们离开，因此他们关闭了所有的东西。 40 史蒂夫：你凭什么这么说？是什么使你有了这些想法？
41 女人：(从人群中传出来声音)这难道不是你们所听说过的最离奇的一件事吗？ 42 汤米：(坚决地)就是这样的，我读过的所有关于宇宙飞船的故事都是这样的。
43 女人：(冲着男孩的妈妈萨莉)还来自太空呢！萨莉，你最好让你的宝贝儿子上床睡觉去吧。他一定是连环画看多了，
或者是电影或是其他的什么东西看多了！ 44 萨莉：汤米，过来，别再说那样的话了。
45 史蒂夫：去吧，汤米！我们一会就回来。到时你就会明白了。那不是飞船或类似的什么东西。只不过是颗……流星
或是其他什么东西罢了。(他转向人群，尽量使自己的话听上去乐观些，但很显然他自己并不是那种感觉。)流星也会产生一些让人无法理解的事情。就像太阳黑子一样。
46 唐：是啊！它们会在世界范围内对无线电形成干扰。而这个东西离我们这么近……真不好说它会产生什么影响。(他
舔了舔嘴唇，不安地笑了笑。)去吧，查利。你和史蒂夫到镇上去看看是怎么回事。
(史蒂夫和查利又继续沿着人行道走下去。人们静静地看着他们。汤米咬住嘴唇，盯着他们，最后又叫了起来。) 47 汤米：布兰德先生……请你们别离开这儿。
48 (史蒂夫和查利再次停下了脚步，转过身，面对着那个哪孩子。人群中传来了抱怨声，恼怒中夹杂着好奇。) 49 汤米：你们甚至到不了镇上。事情就是这样。谁都不能离开，除了…… 50 史蒂夫：除了谁？
51 汤米：除了那些外星人来之前事先派来的人。他们看起来和人类长的一样，直到飞船着陆是才——(男孩突然又停了
下来。因为意识到父母在瞪着他，突然，人群变的特别静。) 52 萨莉：汤米，别说了，孩子，快别说那些了——
53 男人甲：这孩子不应该说这种话……。我们也不应该站在这儿听他胡说。咳，这是我听过的最荒唐的一件事了。
(史蒂夫走向那个男孩)
史蒂夫：接着说，汤米，他们事先派来的人怎么了？
55 汤米：那是他们在着陆前做的准备。他们派来了和人类长的一样的人……但他们并不是人类。
(听到这些，人群中传来了笑声，但这笑声是为了缓解气氛而做出的绝望的尝试。)
56 查利：(紧张地摸着下巴)我想知道樱桃街的情况是否跟这里一样。(他向房子的更远处望去。皮特·范·霍恩在哪？
他难道还没回来吗？
(突然传来汽车发动的声音。莱兹。古德曼正坐在汽车的方向盘前。) 57 萨莉：莱兹，你能把汽车发动起来吗？
(古德曼从车里钻出来，摇着头) 58 古德曼：不能。
(正当他向人群走去的时候，突然停住了。在他身后，汽车的发动机竟然自己发动了起来。古德曼转过身，睁大眼睛盯着它。 他跑向车。所有人都将目光盯着那辆车。) 59 男人甲：他居然把车给发动起来了！他把车发动起来了！ 60 女人：他的车怎么这样发动起来啊？
61 萨莉：自己发动起来的。他并没有在车附近。它是全靠自己发动起来的。
(唐走近人群，在距离人群几英尺的地方停了下来，他看了一下古德曼的汽车，又回到人群中。)
62 唐：他始终就没出来看一眼头顶飞过的那个东西。他根本就不感兴趣。(他转过身朝大家。)为什么？为什么他不出
来和其他人一起看看呢？
63 查利：他一直就很古怪。他和他全家都是这样的。 唐：我们问问他怎么样？
(人群突然向房子走去。)
65 史蒂夫：等一会……等一会！我们不要冲动！
(人们似乎停了片刻。然后，他们开始更加安静，缓慢地穿过街道。古德曼一个人站在那儿，面对着大家。) 66 古德曼：我也不明白。我设法发动汽车，但没发动。这你们都看见了。
(正在这时，就像发动机突然启动一样，它又突然停止了。人群中传出惊恐的低语声。)
67 唐：或许你能告诉我们。这条街上所有东西都陷入了瘫痪。所有的东西。没有灯，没有电，没有收音机信号。没有
东西可以工作，除了一辆车——那就是你的车。
(人们重新议论起这个话题，他们的低语变成了高声的呼叫，空气中充满了要求采取行动的呼声。)
68 古德曼：等一下。你们离远点——你们所有人。我的车自己能发动——是的，很古怪——我承认。但这难道就能证
明我是一个罪犯或是其他什么了吗>我不知道车为什么会自己发动——它就是自己发动起来的！ (这些话让众人停了下来，古德曼仍然在往后退，上了台阶，然后停下来面对人群。) 69 古德曼：史蒂夫。这到底是怎么了？
70 斯蒂夫:(轻声道)看起来大家似乎普遍认为有一家人不是和我们所想的一样。他们是来自太空的怪物或其他的什么东
西。和我们大家不一样。你知道在枫树街符合这个描述的人是谁吗？ 71 古德曼：这是怎么了？是恶作剧还是其他的什么？
(突然汽车的发动机又自己启动了，运转了一会后又自己停了下来。人群再次骚动起来。)
72 古德曼：现在这样就认定我是个罪犯了是吗？就凭去、汽车发动了又停下？(他看了一圈所有的人。)我对此也很不
理解----和你们所有人一样！(他舔了舔嘴唇，挨个地看每一张脸。)其实你们都很熟悉我。我们已经在这里住了5年了。就在这所房子里。我们和你们当中的任何人都没有什么不同！
73 女人：好吧，假设情况是这样，莱兹。古德曼，请你解释一下为什么——(她突然停下了。) 74 古德曼：(轻轻地)解释什么？
75 史蒂夫：(打断)行了，我们还是不要说这些了—— 76 查利：接着说，让她说下去，是怎么回事？解释什么？
77 女人：(有点勉强地)……有时我晚上睡得晚。有几次……我走出来站在门廊上，我都能看到古德曼先生站在他的房
前……向天上看。(她环顾了一圈人们的面孔。)是的，仰头看着天空，好像……好像在等待着什么。 78 古德曼：她疯了。我可以解释这件事。请听我说……我真的可以解释这件事。不管怎么说，这些都是她编造的。
(他向人群走近了一步，大家都向后退去。他走下台阶，继续跟着人群，大家继续后退。突然间，他完全被孤立起来。他看上去就像是一个人陷入了重重的包围圈。)
Lesson Seven Mandela's Garden
Nelson Mandela
1. In early 1977, the authorities announced the end of manual labor and arranged some type of work for us to do in the
courtyard, so we could spend our days in our section. The end of manual labor was liberating. I could now spend the day reading, writing letters, discussing issues with my comrades, or preparing legal documents. The free time also allowed me to pursue what became two of my favorite hobbies on Robben Island: gardening and tennis.
2. To survive in prison, one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled by washing one's
clothes so that they are particularly clean, by sweeping a hallway so that it is empty of dust, by organizing one's cell to save as much space as possible. Just as one takes pride in important tasks outside of prison, one can find the same pride in doing small things inside prison.
3. \"Almost from the beginning of my sentence on Robben Island, I asked the authorities for permission to start a garden in
the courtyard. For years, they refused without offering a reason. But eventually they gave in, and we were able to cut out a small garden on a narrow patch of earth against the far wall.
4. The soil in the courtyard was dry and rocky. The courtyard had been constructed over a garbage dump, and in order to start
my garden, I had to remove a great many rocks to allow the plants room to grow. At the time, some of my comrades joked that I was a miner at heart, for I spent my days in a wasteland and my free time digging in the courtyard.
5. The authorities supplied me with seeds. I at first planted tomatoes, chilies, and onions—hardy plants that did not require
rich earth or constant care. The early harvests were poor, but they soon improved. The authorities did not regret giving permission, for once the garden began to flourish, I often provided the warders with some of my best tomatoes and onions. 6. While I have always enjoyed gardening, it was not until I was behind bars that I was able to tend my own garden. My first
experience in the garden was at Fort Hare where, as part of the university's manual labor requirement, I worked in one of my professors' gardens and enjoyed the contact with the soil as an alternative to my intellectual labors. Once I was in Johannesburg studying and then working, I had neither the time nor the space to start a garden.
7. I began to order books on gardening. I studied different gardening techniques and types of fertilizers. I did not have many
of the materials that the books discussed, but I learned through trial and error. For a time, I attempted to grow peanuts, and used different soils and fertilizers, but finally I gave up. It was one of my few failures.
8. A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. To plant a seed, watch it grow, to tend it and then
harvest it, offered a simple but enduring satisfaction. The sense of being the owner of the small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom.
9. In some ways, I saw the garden as a metaphor for certain aspects of my life. Leaders must also look after their gardens;
they, too, plant seeds, and then watch, cultivate, and harvest the results. Like gardeners, leaders must take responsibility for what they cultivate; they must mind their work, try to drive back enemies, save what can be saved, and eliminate what cannot succeed.
10. I wrote Winnie two letters about a particularly beautiful tomato plant, how I made it grow from a tender seedling to a
strong plant that produced deep red fruit. But then, either through some mistake or lack of care, the plant began to wither and decline, and nothing I did would bring it back to health. When it finally died, I removed the roots from the soil, washed them, and buried them in a corner of the garden.
11. I told her this small story at great length. I do not know what she read into that letter, but when I wrote it I had a mixture of
feelings: I did not want our relationship to go the way of that plant, and yet I felt that I had been unable to nourish many of the most important relationships in my life. Sometimes there is nothing one can do to save something that must die.
第七课 曼德拉的菜园
1 1977年初，当局宣布解除集体劳动，给我们安排了一些院内的工作，因此我们可以在自己的这片区域里打发时间了。结束了体力劳动就像了一样。现在我每天可以读书、谢辛和我的狱友讨论问题，或者准备法律文件。时间上的自由还得以让我继续从事在罗本岛上培养起来的两大爱好：园艺和网球。
2 为了在狱中生存，你必须使自己在日常生活中得到满足。你可以通过把衣服洗的特别干净，把门前过道打扫得一尘不染，或把自己的牢房整理出尽可能大的空间这些方法使自己感到充实。同一个在监狱外的人为自己完成重要任务而感到骄傲一样，监狱的人也可以完成未完成一件小事而同样感到自豪。
3 几乎刚在罗本岛被判刑时起，我就向当局提出申请，我在院子里开垦一块菜园。多年来，他们没有给出任何原因，却一直拒绝我的请求。但最终他们让步了，这样我们能够在远处墙根下一块狭长的地面上划出小片面积的地方做菜园。
4 院子里的土壤很干，而且石头很多。这个院子在建起来之前是个垃圾场，因此为了开辟这个园子，我的清除掉大量的石头，给植物留出生长的空间。当时，一些狱友开玩笑说我骨子里是个矿工，整天呆在一片荒地里，把自己的空闲时间都花费在挖院子里的地了。
5 狱方给我提供了种子。开始时，我种了番茄、辣椒和洋葱——都是些不需要肥沃的土壤或经常照料的生命力很强的植物。早期的收成不好，但很快状况就有了改善。狱方不会后悔允许我开辟菜园种菜的，因为菜园的蔬菜长的好起来后，我就经常给看守们一些最好的番茄和洋葱。
6 虽然我一直喜爱园艺，但直到入狱后我才得到一片属于自己的菜园。在园艺方面的第一次经历是在海尔堡，那是大学时作为体力劳动要求的一部分，我在一位教授家的院子里干活，在那里我享受着脑力劳动之余和土地之间的接触。但自从我到约翰内斯堡学习并工作以后，就在没有时间和没有地方种菜了。
7 我开始订阅一些关于园艺方面的书籍。从中学习了不同的园艺技术和不同种类的肥料。书中提及的许多材料我都没有，但经历了尝试和失败以后，我学到了很多东西。我曾用不同的土壤和化肥来试着种花生，但最终都失败了。这是我很少的几次失败之中的一次。
8 菜园是一个人在监狱中所能控制的仅有的几件事情之一。播下种子，看着它生长，照料它，然后收获果实，这一过程是人得到一种简单却持久的满足感。作为一小片土地的主人是我感到一丝的自由。
9 在某些方面，我把这个菜园当作自己一些侧面生活的暗喻。领袖人物也必须照料他们的菜园；我们也一样要播种，然后看管、培育、收获果实。像园丁一样，领袖人物也必须为他们培育的一切负有责任；他们必须致力于自己的工作，努力击退敌人，挽救所能挽救的一切，并去除不能获得成功的事情。
10 在写给温妮的两封信中我讲述了一株非常美丽的番茄，告诉她我是怎样把它从一颗娇嫩的幼苗培育成杰出深红色果实的强壮的植物。但是后来，也许是因为出了什莫错，也许是因为缺少养料，这棵番茄开始枯萎、凋谢，而我不论做什莫都无法挽回它了。当它最终死去的时候，我把它的根从土中挖了出来，洗干净后埋在菜园的一角。我用了很长的篇幅给她讲这样的一个小故事。至于她从信中体会到了什莫言外之意，我不得而知，但我当时是怀着非常复杂的心情来写这封信的：我不希望我们的关系向那株植物一样结束，然而我感觉到我已不能维持我生活中许多最为重要的关系，有时，一个注定要死去的东西任凭你如何去设法挽救都是徒劳的。
Lesson Eight My personal Manager
Margaret Goff Clark
1. I'm getting a great idea,\" Carlos said to me. We were standing on the steps outside Galeton High. It was one of those golden days in late October. \"Why not let me be your manager? I can promise you'll soon be cool, pretty, and popular.\"
\"You sound like a soap commercial, \" I said.
\"It's funny you should say that. It is pretty close to my aim in life. I'm going be a promotion man. I may be short, but I can promote big things.\" \"Like me.\"
Which is how little Carlos Herrera took me and turned me into, well—
2. The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was tearing into the classroom when I ran into something solid. It was Carlos.
He looked up at me. \"My, you're tall,\" he said.
Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry, I walked to my seat without a word.
3. I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed was studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn't know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and made a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington.
4. I came back to earth to see the cocky newcomer standing in front of Mr. McCarthy's desk. He was telling him that his name was Carlos Herrera and that he'd moved to Galeton from New York.
\"Take that seat, \" Mr. McCarthy told Carlos, pointing to the only empty one, in the back of the room. Carlos grinned. \"But I need a couple of dictionaries.\"
Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos, not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side.
5. The bell rang for classes. As I stood up to go I saw Carlos coming toward me.
\"I'm sorry I embarrassed you,\" he said.
I looked straight ahead over the top of his black hair. \"That's all right.\" \"I ought to know better.\" He was still blocking my way. \"What's your name?\" \"Karen Forbes.\"
\"You probably heard me say, I'm Carlos Herrera.\" He held out his hand. Unwillingly, I shook hands with him. He looked up at me seriously with his brown eyes. \"I don't see why you're so touchy.\" I brushed by him and said sharply, \"You wouldn't understand.\"
He followed me a few steps. \"I'm just the one who should, Karen,\" he said. \"You and I have a lot in common.\"
6. It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. They were held the last of October. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vice-president. \"How come?\" I kept asking myself. \"How come this shrimp who's only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular?\"
7. So on that perfect October morning, I stopped Carlos and said, point blank, \"It doesn't seem to bother you—being short, I mean.\"
He looked up at me. \"Of course I mind being short. I get a stiff neck every day from looking up at people like you.\" \"I might have known I couldn't get a sensible answer from you.\" I started up the steps. \"Hey, don't go away. Please.\" I stopped.
Carlos was through kidding. \"Sure, it bothers me, being knee-high to a flea. But there isn't anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin, I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself.\"
8. \"You seem to get along great,\" I admitted. \"But what about me? No boy wants to date a girl taller than he is.\"
\"The trouble with you is you're afraid to be yourself. You're smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.\" I felt myself turning red.
\"I am getting a great idea,\" said Carlos, and right then he suggested being my manager. I wasn't sure. \"W-e-ll—\"
\"Look,\" He almost fell off the steps in his eagerness, \"Prize fighters have managers. And movie stars. Besides, what have you got to lose?\"
I shrugged. \"OK.\"
9. Soon after that, he had my new life planned. I was to let my hair grow, wear a fitted sweater and neat skirt, and lift my head and say \"Hi\" to everyone. I was to volunteer to work on the school paper and go out for dramatics.
\"Dramatics! \" I protested. \"I can' t act. And anyway, they don't have parts for giants.\" \"You won't be alone,\" he told me. \"I, too, am joining the Dramatics Club.\"
Four months went by—four months of being almost a puppet, with Carlos pulling the strings.
10. Then one day, he told me about his latest brain wave. It seemed my acting career was about to burst into flower with the lead part in a play Carlos had dug up. It was about a six-foot model who! falls in love with a jockey.
\"You, I suppose, are the jockey,\" I said. He grinned.
\"No way, \" I said. \"That story has been done so many times it has lost its humor. The coach would never let us put on a play like that.\"
\"That's where you're wrong, Karen,\" said Carlos. \"It's all arranged and that plot is still funny.\" \"But I don't want to be funny,\" I groaned.
Carlos gave me a pleading look. \"Karen, I've never asked you for a thing for myself, have I ?\" He hadn't.
\"And now, I want you to do this for me. I want to play that jockey. And we can't do this play without you in it.\"
What could I do? He had given hours—months—to me. I knew it was the most foolish move of my life, but I said yes. 11. I could not put my heart into that play. It was pure nonsense from beginning to end. The tall model and the jockey were in every foolish situation ever invented.
12. The night of the play I felt lowest of all. I didn't see how I could go out on that stage and make a laughing stock of myself right in front of my parents and Reed Harrington.
\"I can't do it,\" I groaned to Carlos.
He reached up and patted me on the back. \"Stage fright. All the best actors have it. You'11 be fine.\"
I could see he could hardly wait for the curtains to open. His brown eyes, shining with eagerness. I had to go through with it for him.
\"I'm with you, \" I said, \"to the end.\"
13. Carlos took my hand in both of his. \"We'll celebrate after the play. OK, Karen?\"
I managed to smile down at him. \"It's a date.\"
The band stopped playing, and the curtains opened.
Carlos as the jockey and I, the model, were seated at a table. From our talk the audience could tell we were falling in love. There was no comedy yet. Then as we stood up the awful difference in our sizes became clear. There was a chuckle all over the auditorium. Carlos wanted to kiss me good-bye, but he couldn't reach my face. I bent over and he stood on tiptoe to give me a peck on the chin. A shout of laughter burst from hundreds of throats. I walked off the stage with an exaggerated model's walk. More laughs.
From then on I let loose and acted for all I was worth. Carlos was better than ever, and so was the rest of the cast. Again and again we had to hold up our lines while the people laughed.
As the curtains closed, Carlos threw his arms around my waist. \"You were terrific!\" he said. \"Bend over and I'll give you a kiss.\"
14. The house lights went up and people began pouring backstage to congratulate US.
Mother and Dad were flushed and happy looking. \"I'm proud of you, dear,\" Mother said.
Mobs of my friends crowded around, but I was looking for one person who would tower above the others. At last he came.
\"You're a real comedian,\" he said, taking my hand and looking me straight in the eyes. Then he cleared his throat. \"I was wondering—that is, if you don't have something else planned, would you go out with me for something to eat?\" Here it was at last—my chance. But somehow, now that I had the chance, I knew there was something more important than going out with Reed.
\"Thank you,\" I said, smiling at him. \"Some other time I'd love to, but tonight I have a date with Carlos.\"
第八课 我的经纪人
1
“我有个绝妙的主意”卡洛斯对我说。我们站在凯尔顿中学外面的台阶上。那是金秋10月下旬的一天。“让
我来做你的经纪人怎么样？我保证你很快就变得又酷、又靓，受到欢迎的。” “你听上去上是在做肥皂广告。”我说。
“你这么说可真有意思。这真与我的人生目标很接近。我要成为一个营销员。我虽然长得矮，但我可以推销大东西。” “比如我。”
小卡洛斯·赫迪拉就是这样以为我作为它的服务对象，并把我变成，事情是这样的——
2 我第一次见到卡洛斯时，怎么也没想到他将改变我的一生。当时我手里抱满了书，正蒙冲向教室，突然撞上了一个结实的东西。这就是卡洛斯。 他抬头看着我。
“天啊，你可真高!”他说。
不用说，教室里的所有人都笑起来了。我很生气，一言不发的走向我的座位。
3 我朝后面扫的一眼，看里德·哈里顿是否也在和别人一起笑我。那对我将是致命的打击。但实力的当时正在学化学，好像并没有意识到周围发生的事。我不知道自己为什么把里德当做朋友。也许只是因为他足足比我高两英寸吧。反正每次我吹灭生日蜡烛许愿的时候，都希望能与里德·哈里顿约会。
4 我回过神来，看到那个新来的自大家伙正站在迈卡锡先生的桌前。他正告诉迈卡锡先生他叫卡洛斯·赫迪拉，是从纽约搬到凯尔顿来的。
“坐在那个位子上吧。”迈卡锡先生之这屋子后面唯一的一个空座对卡洛斯说。 卡洛斯咧嘴笑了笑，说：“那我可得要几本子字典了。”
教室里的人又笑了起来，但他们这此时也卡洛斯一起笑得，而不是在笑他。他来这里才不过十分钟，就赢得了他们的心。
5 上课铃声响了。当我站起身来时，看到卡洛斯朝我走来。 “很抱歉，让你难堪了。”他说。
我的目光越过他头顶的黑发，直视着前方 ：“没什么。”
“我本该知道不该这么说的，”他仍就挡着我的去路，“那你叫什么？” “凯伦·福布斯。”
“你可能听到我说了，我叫卡洛斯·赫雷拉。”他伸出了手。
我不情愿的与他握了握手。他抬起头，用她那棕色的眼睛认真的看着我。“我不知道你为什么这么敏感。” 我从他身旁插身而过，尖刻的说：“你会明白的。”
他跟着我走了几步。“凯伦，我就是那个应该能明白的那个人，”他说，“你和我有许多共同之处。” 6 学校的选举让我再次想到了卡洛斯。选举在10月底进行。里德·哈里顿当选为，而卡洛斯当选为副。“怎么会这样？”我不断地问自己，“这只小虾米来镇上仅仅一个多月就这么受欢迎，这是怎么回事呢？”
7 于是，在10月那个美好的早晨，我拦住了卡洛斯，直截了当地对他说：“看来你对此并不烦心——我的意思是，你这么矮。”
他抬头看着我：“我当然介意自己长得矮。每天抬头看你这么高的人，我的脖子都发僵。” “我本该想到从你这里得不到什么合理的答案。”我开始朝台阶上走去。 “嗨，请别走！” 我停住了。
卡洛斯不在开玩笑了。“当然，长的只有跳蚤膝盖那么高让我很烦恼，但我也为力。当我意识到自己一辈子都要活在这个小皮囊里时，我就决定尽力而为，专心做好我自己。”
8 “你似乎过得很不错”我承认道，“可是我呢？没有男孩子愿意和一个比他都高的女孩约会。” “你的问题是你害怕成为你自己。你很聪明。你也很漂亮，但实际上，你可以变得更漂亮。”
我感到自己脸红了。
“我有一个绝妙的注意，”卡洛斯说，就在这时他提出做我的经纪人。 我拿不定主意。“嗯——”
“想想，”他很兴奋，几乎从台阶上掉下来了，“职业拳击手游经纪人。电影明星也有经纪人。再说了，你也不会有任何损失啊！” 我耸耸肩。“好吧。”
9 之后不久，他就为我的新生活做了规划。我要把头发留长，穿合体的针织衫，优雅的裙子，要抬起头来与每个人打招呼。我要志愿到校报工作，并参加话剧团。
“话剧！”我道，“我不会表演。再说了，他们也没有适合大个子演的角色。”
“你不会孤单的，”他告诉我，“我也要加入话剧团。” 四个月过去了——四个月来我就像个木偶，由卡洛斯提线摆弄着。
10 然后有一天，他告诉我他脑子里最新闪先出的灵光。似乎我的演艺生涯要随着我在卡洛斯发掘的戏剧性里领衔主演而开花结果了。这部戏剧讲的是一个六英尺的模特爱上了一个赛马骑师。 “我想你就是那个赛马骑师吧。”我说。 他咧嘴笑了。
“没门，”我说，“这种故事已经上演了很多次了，已经失去幽默感了。指导老师绝不会让我们上演那样一部戏剧的。”
“凯伦，那你就想错了，”卡洛斯说，“一切都安排好了，那个剧情仍然很逗人的。” “但是我可不想逗人发笑。”我嘟哝着说。
卡洛斯用恳求的眼神看着我。“凯伦，我可从来没有为我自己而求你做个什么事，对吗？” 他确实没有。
“但现在，我希望你为我做这件事。我想扮演那个赛马骑师。如果没有你，我们就无法演这个话剧。” 我能怎么办呢？他已经付出了无数个小时——甚至好几个月——就为我。我知道这是我一生中最愚蠢的举动，但是我答应了。
11 我不能全心投入到那部戏中。这部戏从头到尾都是胡闹。那个高个的模特和赛马骑师出现自一场场人们所能编造的最愚蠢的场景中。
12 戏上演的当晚是我情绪最低落的时候。我不知道我当时怎么能走上那个舞台，当着我父母和里德·哈里顿的面把自己当做别人的笑柄。
“我不干了。”我想卡洛斯抱怨道。
他身起手来，拍了拍我的后背。“怯场。所有优秀的演员都有这个问题，很快就会好起来的。”
我看得出，他已经等不及要开幕了。他棕色的眼睛闪烁着热切的光芒。为了他，我不得不坚持下去了。 “我将陪伴你，”我说，“直到结束。”
卡洛斯双手握住我的手。“演出结束后我们庆祝一下，怎么样？凯伦？” 13 我勉强低头朝他笑了一下。“一言为定。” 乐队停止演奏了，开幕了。
卡洛斯扮演的骑师和我扮演的模特坐在一张桌子前。观众从我们的谈话中可以听出我们相爱了。但喜剧场面还没出现。接着当我们站起来时，我们身高的极大差距便一目了然了。礼堂里充满了咯咯的笑声。卡洛斯想与我吻别，但他够不着我的脸。我俯下身去，他点起脚尖在我脸颊上啄了一下。好几百人马上爆发出了一阵大笑。我买这夸张的模特步走下舞台。引来了更多的笑声。
从那时起我就轻松了，尽力发挥出我最好的表演水平。卡洛斯表演的比以往任何时候都好，其他演员也都是如此。一次次的，当观众大笑的时候，我不得不停下片刻。
14 当帷幕落下时，卡洛斯伸开两臂抱住了我的腰。“你太棒了！”他说，“俯下身来，我要吻你一下” 室内灯光亮起来，人们开始涌进后台祝贺我们。
我的爸爸妈妈脸上洋溢着红光，非常高兴。“我为你感到骄傲，亲爱的。”妈妈说。 我的朋友蜂拥在我的周围，但是我在找一个高出他们很多的人来。最后他来了。
“你是一个真正的喜剧演员，”他说着，握住我的手，直视着我的眼睛。然后他清了清嗓子。“我想知道——就是，如果你没有别的安排，愿意跟我一起去吃点什么吗？”
最终它终于来了——我的机会。但是，不知怎么地，如今我有了这个机会，我却知道有一件事比跟里德一起出去更重要。
“谢谢你，”我对他笑笑，说道，“如果换个时间的话我非常乐意，但是今晚我也卡洛斯有约。”
Lesson Nine Against All Odds
Michael White & John Gribbin
1. When Stephen Hawking returned to St. Albans for the Christmas vacation at the end of 1962, the whole of southern
England was covered in a thick blanket of snow. In his own mind, he must have known that something was wrong. The strange clumsiness he had been experiencing had occurred more frequently. At the party he threw on New Year's Eve, he had difficulties pouring a glass of wine, and most of the liquid ended up on the tablecloth.
2. After a series of examinations, he was told that he had a rare and incurable disease called ALS. The disease affects the
patient's nerves in the spinal cord and the parts of the brain which control motor functions. The body gradually wastes away, but the mind remains unaffected. Hawking just happened to be studying theoretical physics, one of the very few jobs for which the mind is the only real tool needed. This, however, gave little comfort to the twenty-one-year-old who, like everyone else, had seen a normal life ahead of him rather than a death sentence. The doctors had given him two years.
3. Hawking was deeply shocked by the news and experienced a time of deep depression. He shut himself away and listened
to a great deal of loud music. He kept thinking, 'How could something like this happen to me? Why should I be cut off like this?' There seemed very little point in continuing with his research because he might not live long enough to finish his PhD.
For a while he quite naturally believed that there was nothing to live for. If he was going to die within a few years, then why bother to do anything now? He would live out his time span and then die. That was his fate.
4. It was not long, however, before he dragged himself out of his depression and back to work. In the hospital, he had seen a
boy die of leukaemia in the bed opposite him, and it had not been a pretty sight. He realised that clearly there were people who were worse off than him. At least, his condition didn't make him feel ill. Whenever he felt like pitying himself, he remembered that boy.
5. He had had some recurring dreams. He dreamt that he was going to be put to death, which made him realise that there were
a lot of worthwhile things he could do if he were to be set free. In another frequently occuring dream, he thought he could give up his life to save others: 'After all, if I were going to die anyway, it might as well do some good.'
6. There is little doubt that the appearance on the scene of a young woman was a major turning point in Hawking's life. This
was Jane Wilde, whom he had first met at the party. After he came out of the hospital, the two of them began to see a lot more of one another, and a strong relationship developed. It was finding Jane that enabled him to break out of his depression.
7. As predicted, during his first two years at Cambridge, the effects of the disease rapidly worsened. He was beginning to
experience great difficulty in walking and was forced to use a stick in order to cover just a few feet. With the support of walls and objects, as well as sticks, he would manage, painfully slowly, to move across rooms and open areas. There were many times when these supports were not adequate, and he would turn up in the office with a bandage around his head, having fallen heavily and received a nasty bump. Meanwhile, his speech rapidly became first slurred, and then very hard to follow, and even those close to him were having difficulty understanding what he was saying.
8. Nothing slowed him down, however; in fact, he was just hitting his stride. Work was progressing faster and better than it
ever had before. Crazy as it may seem, ALS is simply not that important to him. Of course he has had to suffer the humiliations and obstructions facing all those in society who are not able-bodied, and naturally he has had to adapt to his condition and to live under exceptional circumstances. But the disease has not touched his mind, and so it has not affected his work. More than anyone else, Hawking himself would wish to downplay his disability and to give his full attention to science, for that is what is really important to him.
9. Having come to terms with ALS and found someone in Jane with whom he could share his life on a purely personal level,
he began to blossom. The couple became engaged, and the frequency of weekend visits increased. It was obvious to everyone that the two of them were truly happy and highly important to each other. Jane recalls, 'I wanted to find some purpose to my existence, and I suppose I found it in the idea of looking after him. But we were in love. 'For Hawking, his engagement to Jane was probably the most important thing that had ever happened to him: it changed his life and gave him something to live for. Without the help of Jane he almost certainly would not have been able to carry on or had the will to do so.
10. From this point on, his work went from strength to strength, and Sciama, his supervisor, began to believe that Hawking
might, after all, manage to pull together the different threads of his PhD research. It was still touch and go, but a wonderful chance was just around the corner.
第九课 走出逆境
1 1962年底，当史蒂芬·霍金回到圣奥尔本斯过圣诞节的时候，整个英国南部都被厚厚的雪毯所笼罩。他知道他的身体一定出了什么问题。一段时间以来，那种奇怪笨拙感发生得更加频繁了。在新年前夜霍金举办的晚会上，他连倒酒都感到吃力，把大部分的酒都撒在了桌布上。
2 经过一系列的的检查，他被告知患上了一种罕见的、叫做ALS（肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症）的不治之症。这种疾病会影响病人脊髓神经和大脑中控制运动功能的部分。患者的机体会逐渐萎缩但大脑不会受影响。霍金恰好研究的
是理论物理学，这是为数不多的只需要大脑作为唯一真正有用的工具的工作之一。但这对于一个21岁的青年人来说没有任何安慰，像其他人一样，他也曾希望自己面前是一种正常的生活而不是死亡的宣判。医生说他还有两年的时间。
3 听到这个消息，霍金极为震撼，有一段时间他特别消沉。他把自己关在房间里，听了很多嘈杂的音乐。他不停地想：“这种事怎么会发生在我的身上？为什么我的生命就这样结束？”继续研究看来已经没有什么意义了，因为也许他根本就没有足够的时间完成他的博士学位。有一段时间，他很自然地认为活着没有什么指望了。如果几年后就死去，那现在为什么还费心做任何事情呢？他将度过最后一段时间，然后死去。这就是他的命运。
4 但没有过多长时间，他就从消沉中解脱出来并重新投入工作。在医院里，他目睹了对床的那个男孩死于爱雪并，场景非常凄惨。他清楚地意识到有些人的命运还不如他。至少，目前的状况还没有事自己感觉像个病人。每当他为自己感到难过时，就会想起那个男孩。
5 他总是反复地做同样的梦。梦见自己快被处死了，这是他意识到如果它可以活得自由，他要做很多有价值的事情。还有一个经常去做的梦，在梦里他想他可以献出自己的生命去挽救他人。“毕竟，如果我就要死去，还不如做点儿好事。”
6 毫无疑问，一位青年女子的出现成为霍金生活的重要转折点。她就是简·瓦尔德，霍金是在新年晚会上认识她的。霍金出院后，两个人开始经常见面，牢固的关系得到发展。正是和简的相识使他摆脱了抑郁。
7 正如医生的预言，在剑桥的前两年，疾病的影响越来越严重。他开始考虑到走路特别吃力，只走几步路就得使用手杖。借助墙壁、其他无题还有手杖，他可以努力在房间和户外缓慢而艰难地走动。有很多次，当这些帮助他走路的东西没有时，他就会头缠绷带出现在办公室，因为他重重地摔在地上并且头上磕了一个很大的包。同时，他讲话很快变得含糊不清，然后就让人很难听懂，甚至连那些他身边的人也很难听懂他说的话。
8 尽管如此，任何事情都不能使他放慢脚步，实际上，他的事业正步入正轨。工作比以前进展得更快更好。尽管有些不可思议，但ALS对他来说已经不那么重要了。当然，同社会上所有肢体不健全的人所面临的屈辱和障碍一样，这一切他也不得不承受。他自然必须要适应这种状况，并在此特殊的情形下生活。但这种病并未影响到大脑，因此他的工作没有收到影响。霍金和其他人相比，更希望低调处理身体上的残疾，而把所有精力都投入到科学上，因为对他来说那才是真正重要的。
9 接受了ALS这一事实，并且找到了可以喝他共同亲密分享生活的人——简，霍金开始充满生机。他们订了婚，周末见面的次数也增加了。很显然在大家看来他们是真正幸福并且彼此珍惜对方的一对。简回忆说：“我想寻找一些生存的意义，我想我在照顾他的想法中找到了答案。而且我们彼此深爱着对方。”对霍金来说，同简的订婚也许是发生在他身上的最重要的事情：它改变了他的生活，是他有了生活的目标。如果没有简的帮助，他几乎不可能继续他的事业或有这样做的决心。
10 从那时起，他的事业发展得越来越好，他的导师塞尔马开始相信，霍金也许最终真的能把他的博士论文中研究的各种思路综合在一起。虽然这还是个未知数，但一个奇妙的机遇就要到来。
Lesson Ten The Green Banana
Donald Batchelder
1. Although it might have happened anywhere, my encounter with the green banana started on a steep mountain road in the
central area of Brazil. My ancient jeep was straining up through beautiful countryside when the radiator began to leak, and I was ten miles from the nearest mechanic. The over-heated engine forced me to stop at the next village, which consisted of a small store and a few houses that were scattered here and there. People came over to look. They could see three fine streams of hot water spouting from holes in the jacket of the radiator. \"That's easy to fix,\" a man said. He sent a boy running for some green bananas. He patted me on the shoulder, assuring me that everything would work out. \"Green bananas,\" he smiled. Everyone agreed.
2. We chattered casually while all the time I was wondering what they could possibly do to my radiator with their green
bananas. I did not ask them, though, as that would show my ignorance, so I talked about the beauty of the land that lay before our eyes. Huge rock formations, like Sugar Loaf in Rio, rose up all around us. \"Do you see that tall one right over there?\" asked the man, pointing to a particularly tall, slender pinnacle of dark rock. \"That rock marks the center of the world.\"
3. I looked to see if he was teasing me, but his face was serious. He, in turn, inspected me carefully, as if to make sure I
grasped the significance of his statement. The occasion called for some show of recognition on my part. \"The center of the world?\" I repeated, trying to show interest if not complete acceptance. He nodded. \"The absolute center. Everyone around here knows it.\"
4. At that moment the boy returned with an armful of green bananas. The man cut one in half and pressed the cut end against
the radiator jacket. The banana melted into a glue against the hot metal, stopping the leaks instantly. I was so astonished at this that I must have looked rather foolish and everyone laughed. They then refilled me radiator and gave me extra bananas to take along in case my radiator should give me trouble again. An hour later, after using the green banana once more, my radiator and I reached our destination. The local mechanic smiled. \"Who taught you about the green banana?\" I gave him the name of the village. \"Did they show you the rock marking the center of the world?\" he asked. I assured him they had. \"My grandfather came from there,\" he said. \"The exact center. Everyone around here has always known about it.\" 5. As a product of American education, I had never paid the slightest attention to the green banana, except to regard it as a
fruit whose time had not yet come. Suddenly, on that mountain road, its time had come to meet my need. But as I reflected on it further, I realized that the green banana had been there all along. Its time reached back to the very origins of the banana. The people in that village had known about it for years. It was my own time that had come, all in relation to it. I came to appreciate the special genius of those people, and the special potential of the green banana. I had been wondering for some time about what educators like to call \"learning moments,\" and I now knew I had just experienced two of them at once.
6. It took me a little longer to fully grasp the importance of the rock which the villagers believed marked the center of the
world. I had at first doubted their claim, as I knew for a fact that the center was located somewhere else in New England. After all, my grandfather had come from there. But gradually I realized the village people had a very reasonable belief and I agreed with them. We all tend to regard as the center that special place where we are known, where we know others, where things mean much to us, and where we ourselves have both identity and meaning: family, school, town and local region could all be our center of the world.
7. The lesson which gradually dawned on me was actually very simple. Every place has special meanings for the people in it,
and in a certain sense every place represents the center of the world. The world has numerous such centers, and no one student or traveler can experience all of them. But once a conscious breakthrough to a second center is made, a life-long perspective and collection can begin.
8. The cultures of the world are full of unexpected green bananas with special value and meaning. They have been there for
ages, ripening slowly, perhaps waiting patiently for people to come along to encounter them. In fact, a green banana is waiting for all of us if we would leave our own centers of the world in order to experience other places.
第十课 青香蕉
1尽管这种事情在任何地方都可能发生，但我与青香蕉的邂逅却源自于巴西腹地一条险峻的山路上。我那老式吉普车正吃力地穿过景色优美的乡村，这时，水箱突然漏水了，而离我最近的汽车修理站也还要十英里。发动机过热迫使我在临近的村庄停了下来。村里有一个小商店和分布在四处的几座房子。有村民围过来看，三股细细的热水柱从水箱外壳上的小孔喷出来。“这容易解决，”一个人说到。他让一个小男孩跑去拿些青香蕉来。这个人还拍了拍我的肩膀，安慰我问题会解决的。“青香蕉。”他笑了，其余的人都这么说着。
2我和他们闲聊起来，心里却一直在想他们用这青香蕉怎么能修补好水箱。毫无疑问，提问会暴露我的无知，因此我开始赞叹眼前美丽的乡村景色。耸立在我们周围巨大的岩石群，很像里约热内卢著名的糖面包山。“看见那边那块高高的岩石了吗？”那人指着一块特别高而且细长的黑色石柱问我，“那块岩石标志着世界的中心。”
3我看着他，想知道他是否在和我开玩笑，但他却表情严肃，反过来认真地审视着我，似乎想确定我是否领会了他那句话的深刻含义。这种情况要求我必须表现出认同。他点头说：“绝对是中心。这儿的人都知道。”
4这时，小男孩抱着青香蕉回来了。那个男子把其中一根掰成两半，将其断口处按在水箱的外壳上。香蕉遇到炙热的金属融成了胶，立刻就堵住了漏洞。面对如此情景，我惊呆了，我当时的表情一定是傻傻的，所有的人都笑了起来。他们把我的水箱装满水，又让我带上一些香蕉，以防沿途中水箱再出问题。路上，我又用了一次青香蕉，一个小时后，我开着车到达了目的地。当地的一修理工笑着问我：“谁教你用青香蕉的？”我告诉了他那个村子的名字。“他们有没有指给你看标志世界中心的那块岩石?”他问道。我告诉他，他们指给我看了。“我祖父就是那儿的人，”他说，“那的确是中心。一直以来这儿的人都知道。”
5作为美国教育的产物，除了把青香蕉当作还没长熟的水果，我从来就没注意过它。但突然在那条山路上，当我需要它时，它正巧出现了。可是仔细想一想，其实青香蕉一直在那儿存在着。时间可以追溯到香蕉的最初的起源。那个村子里的人都知道它已经很多年了，我现在也因此认识它了。我开始珍视村民们的聪明才智和青香蕉的特殊潜能。曾有一段时间，我一直困惑于教育家们提出的“领悟的瞬间”，而现在我知道自己刚刚同时经历了两个这样的瞬间。 6我又用了一些时间来领会村民们认为那块标志着世界中心的岩石的重要性。开始时我怀疑他们的说法，因为我知道实际上世界的中心是位于新英格兰的某个地方，毕竟，我的祖父就是那儿的人。但我逐渐意识到他们的想法是很有道理的，我赞同了他们的看法。我们都倾向于把一个特殊的地方理解为“中心”：在那儿为人所知，我们也认识其他人；那儿的事物对我们来说都别有意义；那儿有我们的根，有我们存在的价值所在：家庭、学校、城镇以及当地的一切都可能成为我们眼中世界的中心。
7我渐渐明白了一个其实再简单不过的道理：对于居住在其中的人来说，每个地方都有着特殊的含义，从某种意义上说，每个地方都代表着“世界的中心”。世界上有无数这样的“中心”，没有哪个学生或旅行者能经历所有的这些“中心”。但是，一旦突破这种意识从而建立另一个中心，一个全新的视角将伴随你的一生，并且一种积累的过程也将从此开始。
8在世界文化之林中充满了你意想不到的含有特殊价值和意义的青香蕉。它们在那里存在很久了，满满地成熟，也许在耐心等待着人们的发现。实际上，青香蕉在等待着我们所有的人离开自己的“中心”，去体验更加广阔的天地。
Lesson Eleven The Midnight Visitor
Robert Arthur
1. Ausable did not fit the description of any secret agent Fowler had ever read about. Following him down the corridor of the
gloomy French hotel where Ausable had a room, Fowler felt disappointed. It was a small room on the sixth floor and hardly a setting for a romantic figure.
2. Ausable was, for one thing, fat. Very fat. And then there was his accent. Though he spoke French and German passably, he
had never altogether lost New England accent he had brought to Paris from Boston twenty years ago.
3. \"You are disappointed,\" Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder. \"You were told that I was a secret agent, a spy, dealing
in espionage and danger. You wished to meet me because you are a writer, young and romantic. You thought you would have mysterious figures in the night, the crack of pistols, drugs in the wine.\"
4. \"Instead, you have spent a dull evening in a French music hall with a sloppy fat man who, instead of having messages
slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties, gets only an ordinary telephone call making an appointment in his room. You
have been bored!\" The fat man chuckled to himself as he unlocked the door of his room and stood aside to let his frustrated guest enter.
5. \"You are disillusioned,\" Ausable told him. \"But take cheer, my young friend. Before long you will see a paper, a quite
important paper for which several men and women have risked their lives, come to me in the next-to-last step of its journey into official hands. Some day soon that paper may well affect the course of history. There is drama in that thought, don't you think?\" As he spoke, Ausable closed the door behind him. Then he switched on the light.
6. And as the light came on, Fowler had his first real thrill of the day. For halfway across the room, a small automatic pistol
in his hand, stood a man. 7. Ausable blinked a few times.
8. \"Max,\" he wheezed, \"you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin. What are you doing in my room?\"
9. Max was slender, not tall, and with a face that suggested the look of a fox. Except for the gun, he did not look very
dangerous.
10. \"The report,\" he murmured. \"The report that is being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles. I thought I
would take it from you. It will be safer in my hands than in yours.\"
11. Ausable moved to an armchair and sat down heavily. \"I'm going to raise the devil with the management this time; I am
angry,\" he said grimly. \"This is the second time in a month that somebody has gotten into my room off that confounded balcony!\" Fowler's eyes went to the single window of the room. It was an ordinary window, against which now the night was pressing blackly.
12. \"Balcony?\" Max asked curiously. \"No, I had a passkey. I did not know about the balcony. It might have saved me some
trouble had I known about it.\"
13. \"It's not my balcony,\" explained Ausable angrily. \"It belongs to the next apartment.\" He glanced explanatorily at Fowler.
\"You see,\" he said, \"this room used to be part of a large unit, and the next room through that door there used to be the living room. It had the balcony, which extends under my window now. You can get onto it from the empty room next door, and somebody did, last month. The management promised to block it off. But they haven't.\"
14. Max glanced at Fowler, who was standing stiffly a few feet from Ausable, and waved the gun with a commanding gesture.
\"Please sit down,\" he said. \"We have a wait of half an hour, I think.\"
15. \"Thirty-one minutes,\" Ausable said moodily. \"The appointment was for twelvethirty. I wish I knew how you learned about
the report, Max.\"
16. The little spy smiled evilly. \"And we wish we knew how your people got the report. But, no harm has been done. I will get
it back tonight. What is that? Who is at the door?\"
17. Fowler jumped at the sudden knocking at the door. Ausable just smiled, \"That will be the police,\" he said. \"I thought that
such an important paper should have a little extra protection. I told them to check on me to make sure everything was all right.\"
18. Max bit his lip nervously. The knocking was repeated.
19. \"What will you do now, Max?\" Ausable asked. \"If I do not answer the door, they will enter anyway. The door is unlocked.
And they will not hesitate to shoot.\"
20. Max's face was black with anger as he backed swiftly toward the window; with his hand behind him, he opened the
window and put his leg out into the night. \"Send them away!\" he warned. \"I will wait on the balcony. Send them away or I'll shoot and take my chances!\"
21. The knocking at the door became louder and a voice was raised. \"Mr. Ausable! Mr. Ausable!\"
22. Keeping his body twisted so that his gun still covered the fat man and his guest, the man at the window swung his other leg
up and over the window sill.
23. The doorknob turned. Swiftly Max pushed with his left hand to free himself and drop to the balcony. And then as he
dropped, he screamed once, shrilly.
24. The door opened and a waiter stood there with a tray, a bottle and two glasses. \"Here is the drink you ordered, sir.\" He set
the tray on the table, uncorked the bottle, and left the room.
25. White faced and shaking, Fowler stared after him. \"But... but... what about... the police?\" he stammered. 26. \"There never were any police.\" Ausable sighed. \"Only Henry, whom I was expecting.\" 27. \"But what about the man on the balcony?\" Fowler began. 28. \"No,\" said Ausable, \"he won't return.\"
第十一课 不速之客
1 奥萨博与福勒所读过的书中关于特工的描述并不相副。福勒很失望地跟着他一路走过阴暗的法国旅馆的走廊，在那里奥萨博租了一套房间。那是一个位于六层的小房间，这种环境很难与这样一位传奇人物联系起来。
2 令他失望的是，首先，奥萨博是一个胖子，而且非常胖。其次是他的口音，尽管他的法语和德语都还说的过去，但他仍然带有二十年前带到巴黎的新英格兰口音。
3 “你一定很失望”，奥萨博气喘吁吁的回过头说。“别人说我是一个特工，一名间谍，周旋于间谍和危险之间。你期望能见到我，因为你是一个年轻，浪漫的作家。你本来以为今天晚上回碰见神秘人物，声，放在酒里的。 4 “然而事情并不像你相象的那样，你在一个演奏法国音乐的餐厅同一个胖子度过了一个乏味的夜晚，而并没有黑眼睛的美女给他传递情报，只是打了个普通电话，将在他的房间里与人有个约会。你一定已经无聊及了。”胖男人边低声笑着边开门，并且站到一旁让他那位失望的客人进了房间。
5 “你的幻想破灭了，”奥萨博对他说。“但是我年轻的朋友，振作起来。一会儿你就会看到一分文件，这份相当重要的文件曾经让好几个人甘冒生命危险，送到我这儿后，我将把它转交给部门。很快这份文件就很影响到历史的进程。有点戏剧化，不是吗?”他边说，边随后关上了门。然后打开灯。
6 当灯亮时，福勒这一天中第一次感到真正害怕了。因为在房间的中间站着一个男人，手里拿着一只小型自动手。
7 奥萨博眨眨眼睛楞了一会儿。
8 “马克思”，他喘着气说，“你真让我吃惊，我以为你在柏林呢。你在我房间里做什么?” 9 马克思很单薄，个子不高，脸上的表情回让人想到狐狸。要不是那支，他看上去并不是太危险。
10 “那分报告”，他低声说道。“今天晚上将送到你手里的那分报告是有关一些新型导弹的。我想我要把它从你受里拿走，在我手里比在你手里安全。”
11 奥萨博缓慢走到扶手椅，重重地坐在上面。“这次我要对管理人员不客气了，真是令我生气，”他阴着脸说。“这已经是这个月第二次有人从那个该死的阳台上进入我的房间了。”福勒的眼睛看向房里的唯一的窗户。这只是一扇普通的窗户，现在夜色已经给它蒙上了一层黑暗。
12 “阳台”马克思好奇地问。“不，我有。我不知道什么阳台。如果我要是知道的话，可能就少了许多麻烦。”
13 “那不是我的阳台”奥萨博生气地解释说。“它属于隔壁房间。”他看了福勒一眼解释说。“要知道，”他说，“这个房间是一个大套间的一部分，那扇门进去的隔壁房间曾经是卧室。卧室有阳台，并且现在延伸到我的窗户下。你可以从隔壁的空房间站到上面，上个月就有人这么做了。管理人员答应把隔壁房间锁上。但是可见他们并没有那么做。” 14 马克思看了看此时正僵硬地站在里奥萨博几英尺远的福勒，并晃晃做出一个命令的手势。“坐下吧，”他说。“我想我们还得等半个小时。”
15 “31分钟，”奥萨博不快地说道。“约定时间是12点30分。马克思，我很想知道你是怎么知道那分报告的。” 16 那个小个子间谍地笑着。“我到是想知道你的人是怎么得到那分报告的。不过，好在一切平安无事。今天晚上我就可以再拿回来。什么事?睡在门口?”
17 突然的敲门声使福勒惊跳起来。奥萨博只是笑笑，“一定是，”他说。“我认为这么一分重要的文件应该优点特别的保护。我告诉他们来检查一下以确保一切正常。” 18 马克思不安地咬着嘴唇。敲门声又响起，
19 “现在你怎么办，马克思?”奥萨博问。“如果我不开门的话，他们也会想尽办法进来的。门没锁。他们会毫不犹豫的开。”
20 马克思的脸气得发青，随之快速地向窗户后退，回过手打开窗户，并把一条腿伸到外面。“把他们打发走!”他警告说。“我在阳台上等着。把他们打发走，否则我就会开，我会冒一下险的。” 21 门外的敲门声更响了，一个声音大叫着:“奥萨博先生!奥萨博先生!”
22 马克思扭动着身体，使他的一直瞄准胖男人和他的客人，他侧着身子把另一条腿也抬起上来，跨过窗台。 23 门把手扭动了。马克思快速地用左手推了下窗台，放开自己，跳向阳台。当跳下的时候，他发出凄厉的尖叫。 24 门开了，一个侍者站在门外，手里拿者一个托盘，上面有一个瓶子和两个玻璃杯。“这是你要的酒，先生。”他把托盘放在桌上，打开瓶子并离开房间。
25 福勒被吓着脸色苍白，全身发抖，盯着他走出去。“可是……可是……怎么办……呢?他结结巴巴地说着。 26 “根本没有什么。”奥萨博松了口气。“就只是亨利，我正在等的人。” 27 “可是阳台上那个人怎么办?”福勒又不安起来。 28 “我不会回来了，”奥萨博说，“他再也不会回来了。”
Lesson Twelve The Kindness of Strangers
Mike Mclntyre
1. One summer I was driving from my home town of Tahoe City, Calif, to New Orleans. In the middle of the desert, I came
upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. There was a time in the country when you' d be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need. Now you are a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves lurking everywhere, \"I don't want to get involved\" has become a national motto.
2. Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker. Leaving him stranded in the desert did not bother me so much.
What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision. I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator. 3. Does anyone stop any more? I wondered. I recalled Blanche DuBois's famous line: \"I have always depended on the
kindness of strangers.\" Could anyone rely on the kindness of strangers these days? One way to test this would be for a person to journey from coast to coast without any money, relying solely on the good will of his fellow Americans. What kind of Americans would he find? Who would feed him, shelter him, carry him down the road? 4. The idea intrigued me.
5. The week I turned 37, I realized that I had never taken a gamble in my life. So I decided to travel from the Pacific to the
Atlantic without a penny. It would be a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar. I would only accept offers of rides, food and a place to rest my head. My final destination would be Cape Fear in North Carolina, a symbol of all the fears I'd have to conquer during the trip.
6. I rose early on September 6, 1994, and headed for the Golden Gate Bridge with a 50-pound pack on my back and a sign
displaying my destination to passing vehicles: \"America.\"
7. For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4223 miles across 14 states. As I traveled, folks were always warning me
about someplace else. In Montana they told me to watch out for the cowboys in Wyoming, In Nebraska they said people would not be as nice in Iowa. Yet I was treated with kindness everywhere I went. I was amazed by people's readiness to help a stranger, even when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests.
8. One day in Nebraska a car pulled to the road shoulder. When I reached the window, I saw two little old ladies dressed in
their Sunday finest.\" I know you're not supposed to pick up hitchhikers, but it's so far between towns out here, you feel bad passing a person,\" said the driver, who introduced herself as Vi. I didn't know whether to kiss them or scold them for stopping. This woman was telling me she'd rather risk her life than feel bad about passing a stranger on the side of the road. 9. Once when I was hitchhiking unsuccessfully in the rain, a trucker pulled over, locking his brakes so hard he skidded on the
grass shoulder. The driver told me he was once robbed at knifepoint by a hitchhiker. \"But I hate to see a man stand out in the rain,\" he added. \"People don't have no heart anymore.\"
10. I found, however, that people were generally compassionate. Hearing I had no money and would take none, people bought
me food or shared whatever they happened to have with them. Those who had the least to give often gave the most. In Oregon a house painter named Mike noted the chilly weather and asked if I had a coat. When he learned that I had \"a light one,\" he drove me to his house, and handed me a big green army-style jacket. A lumber-mill worker named Tim invited me to a simple dinner with his family in their shabby house. Then he offered me his tent. I refused, knowing it was probably one of the family's most valuable possessions. But Tim was determined that I have it, and finally I agreed to take it. 11. I was grateful to all the people I met for their rides, their food, their shelter, and their gifts. But what I found most touching
was the fact that they all did it as a matter of course.
12. One day I walked into the chamber of commerce in Jamestown, Tenn. to find out about camping in the area. The executive
director, Baxter Wilson, 59, handed me a brochure for a local campground. Seeing that it cost $12, I replied, \"No, that's all right. I'll try something else.\" Then he saw my backpack. \"Most people around here will let you pitch a tent on their land, if that's what you want,\" he said. Now we're talking, I thought. \"Any particular direction?\" I asked. \"Tell you what. I've got a big farm about ten miles south of here. If you're here at 5:30, you can ride with me.\"
13. I accepted, and we drove out to a magnificent country house. Suddenly I realized he'd invited me to spend the night in his
home. His wife, Carol, a seventh-grade science teacher, was cooking a pot roast when we walked into the kitchen. Baxter explained that local folks were \"mountain stay-at-home people\" who rarely entertained in their house. \"When we do,\" he said, \"it's usually kin.\" This revelation made my night there all the more special.
14. The next morning when I came downstairs, Carol asked if I'd come to their school and talk to her class about my trip. I
agreed, and before long had been scheduled to talk to every class in the school. The kids were attentive and kept asking all kinds of questions: Where were people the kindest? How many pairs of shoes did you have? Did anybody try to run you over? Did you fall in love with someone? What were you most afraid of?
15. Although I hadn't planned it this way, I discovered that a patriotic tone ran through the talks I gave that afternoon. I told the
students how my faith in America had been renewed. I told them how proud I was to live in a country where people were still willing to help. I told them that the question I had had in mind when I planned this journey was now clearly answered. In spite of everything, you can still depend on the kindness of strangers.
第十二课 陌生人的仁慈
1 一个夏天，我正驱车从我的家乡加利福尼亚州的塔霍湖市前往新奥尔良。行驶到沙漠中部时，我遇到了一个正站在路边的年轻人。他竖起拇指请求搭车，另一只手里握着一个汽油罐。我径直从他身边开了过去。在这个国家曾经有一个时期，如果你对一个需要帮助的人置之不理，那你就被认为是一个愚蠢的人。但现在，你帮助了别人，你就是一个愚蠢的人。由于到处隐藏着歹徒、吸毒成瘾者、强奸犯和小偷，“我不想惹麻烦”就成了民族的箴言
2 驶过了几个州后，我仍然在想着那个搭便车的旅行者。把他束手无策留在沙漠并没有让我太烦扰。让我烦扰的是，我是多么轻易的就下了这个决定。我甚至都没有把脚从加速器上抬起来。
3 还会有人再停下来么？我很想知道。我想起布兰奇-杜包尔斯的著名的台词“我总是非常依赖陌生人的仁慈”。如今还会有人依赖陌生人的仁慈检验此事的一个方法就是让一个人不带钱，只依靠美国同胞的好心，从一个海岸到另一个海岸去旅行。他将发现什么样的美国人呢？谁将会给他食物、提供住处、载他一路？
4 这个想法激起我的好奇心。
5 在我步入37岁的那周，我意识到在我的一生中还从未冒过险。因此我决定身无分文的从太平洋到大西洋旅行。在这个金钱万能的国家，这将会是一次不花钱的旅行。我将只接受别人提供的搭车、食物以及休息场所。我最终的目的地将是被卡罗莱纳周的恐怖角，这是我整个旅行要克服的所有恐惧的一个象征。
6 1994年9月6日，我早早的起了床，动身前往金门桥。我背上背了50镑重的行李和一个向过往的车辆展示我此行目的地的标牌“美国”。
7 六周的时间，我免费搭车82次，穿越了14个省4223英里。当我旅行时，人们总是提醒我关于其他地方的事情。在蒙大拿州，他们告诉我要提防怀俄明州的牛仔。在内布拉斯加州，他们说艾奥瓦州的人不像他们那么友好。然而，我所到之处受到的是善意的款待。我对于人们欣然帮助一个陌生人而感到吃惊，甚至当这些行为与他们自己的利益背道而驰的时候。
8 在内布拉斯加州，一辆汽车驶向路的边缘。当我靠近车窗户时，我看见两个身着节日盛装的身材矮小的老妇人。“我知道我们不应该拉免费搭车的旅行者，但是这里距离前后两个镇太远了，对人置之不理感觉挺糟糕。”司机说，
她向我自我介绍叫做维。我不知道是否应该为停车而亲吻她们或是责备她们。这个妇人一直告诉我说，她宁愿冒生命危险也不愿意对一个路边的陌生人置之不理而感到不安。
9 当我在雨周搭不到车时，一个卡车司机把车开到路边，由于刹车过猛，车子在草地上打滑。这个司机告诉我，他曾经被一位搭车者持刀抢劫过。“但是我不愿意看到一个人站在雨中，”他接着说。“人们不要在冷酷无情了”。
10 然而，我发现人们通常还是富有同情心的。一听说我身无分文，却也不会拿别人的钱，人们给我买食物，或是与他们分享他们碰巧带着的东西。那些拥有最少的人给予最多。在俄勒冈州，一个叫麦克的建筑油漆工注意到了寒冷的天气，并问我是否有大衣。当知道我只有“一件单薄的外套”时，他开车把我带到他家，并递给我一件大大的军用夹克衫。一个名叫提姆的锯木厂工人邀请我在他们破旧的房屋里与他的家人共进晚餐。他把他的帐篷给了我。知道这个帐篷可能是他们家中最值钱的财产之一，我拒绝了他的好意。但是提姆决心把他给我，我最终同意拿了它。
11 我感谢所有我遇到的人，感谢他们的搭载、他们的食物、他们提供的住处和他们送的礼物。但是我发现最另我感动的是他们做这些事时都认为是理所当然的。
12 我走进田纳西州詹姆斯顿的商会去查一下露营的地方。该商会的执行理事59岁的巴克斯特-威尔逊，递给我一本有关当地露营场所的小册子。考虑到他要花费12美圆，我回答说，“不用了。我在试试其他办法。”然后他看到了我的背包。“如果你愿意的话，这儿附近的大多数人都会让你在他们的土地上搭帐篷。”他说到。我认为他的话有理。“有具体的方向么？”我问道。“听我说，距离这儿往南十英里处我有一个大的农场。如果你五点半在这儿的话，你可以搭我的车。”
13 我接受了他的好意，我们开车来到了一所豪华的乡村房屋。我突然明白他是在邀请我在他家过夜。当我走进厨房的时候，他的妻子卡罗尔，一为七年级的理科教师，正在做炖肉。巴克斯特解释说当地人是“山区居家人”，他们很少在他们家里招待客人。“当我们在家里招待客人时”，他说，“那通常是亲属。”这个意外的发现让我呆在那儿的整个晚上更加特别。
14 第二天早上当我下楼的时候，卡罗尔问是否我愿意去她们的学校，并和她班上的学生谈谈关于我旅行的事情。我同意了，而且不久之后我就被安排和学校每个班级的学生谈话。孩子们很专心，而且还一直问各种各样的问题：哪儿的人最友善？你有多少双鞋？有人试图撞你么？你恋爱了么？你最担心的是什么？
15 尽管我没有做过这样的准备，我发现一种爱国气氛贯穿着那天下午的谈话。我告诉学生们我对美国的信任是如何恢复的。我告诉他们生活在这样一个人们仍然愿意帮助别人的国家我是多么的自豪。我告诉他们当我计划这次旅行时心中的疑问现在被清楚的解答了。不管发生什么事情，你仍然可以依靠陌生人的仁慈。
Lesson Thirteen Christmas Day in the Morning
Pearl S. Buck
1. He woke suddenly and completely. It was four o'clock, the hour at which his father had always called him to get up and
help with the milking. Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still! His father had been dead for thirty years, and yet he still woke at four o'clock in the morning. But this morning, because it was Christmas, he did not try to sleep again. 2. Yet what was the magic of Christmas now? His childhood and youth were long past, and his own children had grown up
and gone.
3. Yesterday his wife had said, \"It isn't worthwhile, perhaps— \"
4. And he had said, \"Yes, Alice, even if there are only the two of us, let's have a Christmas of our own.\" 5. Then she had said, \"Let's not trim the tree until tomorrow, Robert. I'm tired.\" 6. He had agreed, and the tree was still out by the back door.
7. He lay in his bed in his room.
8. Why did he feel so awake tonight? For it was still night, a clear and starry night. No moon, of course, but the stars were
extraordinary! Now that he thought of it, the stars seemed always large and clear before the dawn of Christmas Day.
9. He slipped back in time, as he did so easily nowadays. He was fifteen years old and still on his father's farm. He loved his
father. He had not known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he had overheard what his father was saying to his mother.
10. \"Mary, I hate to call Rob in the mornings. He's growing so fast, and he needs his sleep. I wish I could manage alone.\" 11. \"Well, you can't, Adam.\" His mother's voice was brisk, \"Besides, he isn't a child any more. It's time he took his turn.\" 12. \"Yes,\" his father said slowly, \"But I sure do hate to wake him.\"
13. When he heard these words, something in him woke: his father loved him! He had never thought of it before, taking for
granted the tie of their blood. Now that he knew his father loved him, there would be no more loitering in the mornings and having to be called again. He got up, stumbling blind with sleep, and pulled on his clothes.
14. And then on the night before Christmas, he lay thinking about the next day. They were poor, and most of the excitement
was in the turkey they had raised themselves and in the mince pies his mother made. His sisters sewed presents, and his mother and father always bought something he needed, a warm jacket, maybe, or a book. And he always saved and bought them each something, too.
15. He wished, that Christmas he was fifteen, he had a better present for his father instead of the usual tie from the ten-cent
store. He lay on his side and looked out of his attic window. 16. \"Dad,\" he had once asked when he was a little boy, \"What is a stable?\" 17. \"It's just a barn,\" his father had replied, \"like ours.\"
18. Then Jesus had been born in a barn, and to a barn the shepherds and the Wise Men had come, bringing their Christmas
gifts!
19. A thought struck him like a silver dagger. Why should he not give his father a special gift, out there in the barn? He could
get up earlier, creep into the barn and get all the milking done. And then when his father went in to start the milking, he'd see it all done.
20. He laughed to himself as he gazed at the stars. It was what he would do, and he mustn't sleep too soundly. 21. He must have waked twenty times, striking a match each time to look at his old watch.
22. At a quarter to three, he got up and crept downstairs, careful of the creaky boards, and let himself out. A big star hung low
over the roof, a reddish gold. The cows looked at him, sleepy and surprised. It was early for them, too.
23. But they accepted him calmly and he brought some hay for each cow and then got the milking pail and the big milk cans. 24. He had never milked all alone before, but it seemed almost easy. He smiled and milked steadily, two strong streams rushing
into the pail, frothing and fragrant. The cows were behaving well, as though they knew it was Christmas.
25. The task went more easily than he had ever known it to before. Milking for once was not a chore. It was a gift to his father.
He finished, the two milk cans were full, and he covered them and closed the milk-house door carefully, making sure of the
latch. He put the stool in its place by the door and hung up the clean milk pail. Then he went out of the barn and barred the door behind him.
26. Back in his room he had only a minute to pull off his clothes and jump into bed, before he heard his father get up. He put
the covers over his head to silence his quick breathing. The door opened. 27. \"Rob! \" his father called. \"We have to get up, son, even if it is Christmas.\" 28. \"Aw-right,\" he said sleepily.
29. \"I'll go on out,\" his father said. \"I'll get things started.\"
30. The door closed and he lay still, laughing to himself. In just a few minutes his father would know. His dancing heart was
ready to jump from his body.
31. The minutes were endless—ten, fifteen, he did not know how many—and he heard his father's footsteps again. The door
opened. 32. \"Rob!\" 33. \"Yes, Dad—\"
34. \"You son of a—\" His father was laughing, a queer sobbing sort of a laugh. \"Thought you'd fool me, did you?\" His father
was standing beside his bed, feeling for him, pulling away the cover.
35. He found his father and clutched him in a great hug. He felt his father's arms go around him. It was dark, and they could not
see each other's faces.
36. \"Son, I thank you. Nobody ever did a nicer thing—\" 37. \"It's for Christmas, Dad!\"
38. He did not know what to say. His heart was bursting with love.
39. \"Well. I guess I can go back to sleep,\" his father said after a moment. \"No, come to think of it, son, I've never seen you
children when you first saw the Christmas tree. I was always in the barn. Come on!\"
40. He pulled on his clothes again, and they went down to the Christmas tree, and soon the sun was creeping up to where the
star had been. Oh, what a Christmas morning, and how his heart had nearly burst again with shyness and pride as his father told his mother about how he, Rob, had got up all by himself.
41. \"The best Christmas gift I ever had, and I'll remember it, son, every year on Christmas morning, as long as I live.\"
42. They had both remembered it, and now that his father was dead he remembered it alone: that blessed Christmas dawn when,
along with the cows in the barn, he had made his first gift of true love. Outside the window now the stars slowly faded. He got out of bed and put on his slippers and bathrobe and went softly downstairs. He brought in the tree, and carefully began to trim it. It was done very soon. He then went to his library and brought the little box that contained his special gift to his wife, a diamond brooch, not large, but beautiful in design. But he was not satisfied. He wanted to tell her—to tell her how much he loved her.
43. How fortunate that he had been able to love! Ah, that was the true joy of life, the ability to love! For he was quite sure that
some people were genuinely unable to love anyone. But love was alive in him; it still was.
44. It occurred to him suddenly that it was alive because long ago it had been born in him when he knew his father loved him.
That was it: love alone could waken love.
45. And this morning, this blessed Christmas morning, he would give it to his beloved wife. He could write it down in a letter
for her to read and keep forever. He went to his desk and began: My dearest love.
46. When it was finished, he sealed it and tied it on the tree. He put out the light and went tiptoing up the stairs. The stars in the
sky were gone, and the first rays of the sun were gleaming in the east, such a happy, happy Christmas!
第十三课 圣诞节的早上
1 他猛然彻底醒了过来。四点钟，这个时候他的父亲总是会叫他起床，帮忙挤牛奶。令人奇怪的是，他年轻的时候的习惯任然保留着！他的父亲已经趋势三十年了，然而他任然会在清晨四点钟醒过来。但是因为今天是圣诞节，早晨他不想再睡了。
2 然而，现在圣诞节还有什么魅力呢？他的童年和青春过去很久了，他自己的孩子都已经长大并离开了他。 3 昨天他懂得妻子说：“圣诞节不值得过的，也许……”
4 他说道：“不，值得的，爱丽丝，即使只有我们两个人，我们也要过一个属于我们的圣诞节。” 5 然后她说：“罗伯特，我们明天再装饰圣诞树吧。我累了。” 6 他同意了，树任然放在外面，在后门旁。 7 他躺在自己房间的床上。
8 为什么今晚他会睡不着呢？因为这是一个寂静的夜晚，明朗的繁星之夜，当然没有月亮，但是星星很特别！他一想到这个，便觉得圣诞节黎明前的星星总是看起来很大很明亮。
9 他不知不觉地回想起了过去，进来他总是很容易回想过去。那年他15岁，任然在他父亲的农场。他爱他的父亲。直到圣诞节之前的某一天，当他无意中听到他父亲对他母亲所说的话他才意识到这一点。
10 “玛丽，我真的不想在早晨去叫醒罗布。他在长身体，需要睡眠。我希望我可以独自应付。” 11 “你一个人不行的，亚当。”母亲尖声叫地说，“另外，他不再是个孩子了。他该干活了。” 12 “是啊，”他父亲缓慢地说道：“但是我确实不想叫醒他。”
13 当听到这番话，他豁然醒悟到：父亲爱他！这他以前从未想到过，把他们的血缘关系当作理所当然的。既然知道父亲爱他，早上就不能再磨蹭，也不再让父亲叫起来。他于是起床，睡眼朦胧，磕磕碰碰，床上了他的衣服。
14 然后，在圣诞节前夜，他躺着思考着第二天的事情。他们家很穷，圣诞节最让他们激动的就是吃他们自己养的火鸡和他母亲做的馅饼。他的姐妹们自己缝制礼物，他的父母总是买一些他需要的东西，一件保暖的夹克，或是一本书。他也总是攒钱给他们每个人买东西。
15 那年圣诞节他十五岁，他希望送给父亲一份好点的礼物，而不是从便宜的商店买来的普通的领带。他侧躺着，从阁楼的窗户向外看。
16 “爸爸，”当他还是小孩子的时候曾经问过，“马厩是什么？” 17 “就是牲口棚，”父亲答道,“就像我们家的那个。”
18 耶稣就是在马厩里降生的，牧羊人和圣人们都呆着他们的圣诞礼物来到马厩！
19 一个想法想银色的匕首触动了他，为什么不在牲口棚送给父亲意见特别的礼物？他可以早点起床，悄悄溜进牲口棚，把牛奶都挤完。然后当父亲进去开始挤牛奶时，就会发现活都干完了。他凝视着星星，暗自笑了。他就要这样做，决不能睡得太死。
20 他醒了足有20次，每次醒来都划根火柴看看他那块旧表。
21 差一刻钟三点，他起了床，悄悄下了楼，小心翼翼地不让地板发出吱吱的声音，然后走了出去。一颗很大的星星低悬在屋顶上空，发出淡红色的金光。奶牛瞅瞅他，睡意未尽，有些吃惊。对它们来说,时间太早了。
22 但是它们平静地接受了他。他给每头牛都拿来干草，然后拿来奶桶和大奶罐。
23 他以前从未独自挤过奶，但是似乎这也相当容易。他笑了，不停地挤着奶，两股强劲的奶汁冲入奶桶，溅起了泡沫，散发出芳香。奶牛表现得也不错，好像它们知道那天是圣诞节。
24 这活儿干起来比他以前所知道的要更容易.第一次挤奶并非难事.这是他给父亲的礼物.他把活儿干完了,两只奶罐全满了,他把它们盖好了,小心翼翼的关上奶房的门,并确定是否闩好.他把凳子放在门边的原处,又把干净的奶桶灌好,然后走出牲口棚,闩上门.
25 回到他的房间，他立刻脱下衣服跳上床，因为他听到父亲起床了。他用被子蒙上头以掩饰他急促的呼吸声。门开了。
26 “罗布”父亲喊道。“该起床了，孩子，即使今天是圣诞节。” 27 “好——吧，”他带着困意答道。 28 “我先走了。”父亲说。“我先去干着。”
29 门关上了，他安静地躺着，暗自发笑。几分钟后父亲就会知道了。他那颗狂跳的心跳快要蹦出来了。时间一直在过去——10分钟、15分钟，他也不知道过了多少分钟——他又再次听到父亲的脚步声。门开了。
30 “罗布！” 31 “嗯，爸爸——”
32 “你这个——”父亲笑了，一种奇妙的带点儿哽咽的笑。“你以为你能骗我，是吗？”父亲站在床边，一边去摸他，一边掀开了被子。
33 他摸到父亲，紧紧地抱住他。他感到父亲的双臂也抱住额他。天色漆黑，他们看不到彼此的脸。 34 “孩子，谢谢你。没有人做过比这更好的事——” 35 “爸爸，这是圣诞礼物！”
36 他不知道说什么好。他的心里充满着爱。
37 “嗯。我想我可以回去睡觉了，”父亲过了会说道。“不，想起来了，孩子，我还从未在你们看着圣诞树前见到你们呢。我总是在牲口棚里。来吧！”
38 他又穿上衣服，和父亲一起来到圣诞树前，不久太阳便升起在原来那颗星星的位置。啊，多么美好的圣诞节的早晨啊！当父亲告诉母亲罗布是怎样独自起来的时候，他心里再次充满了害羞与自豪。
39 “这是我收到的最好的圣诞礼物。孩子，我会记住它的。只要我活着，每年圣诞节早晨我都会记起它。” 40 他和父亲一直都记得这件事，现在他父亲已经去世，他独自记得此事：那个幸福的圣诞节黎明，与奶牛在牲口棚里，他创造出表达自己真挚的爱的第一件礼物。现在窗外的星星逐渐消失了。他下了床，穿上拖鞋和浴衣，轻轻地下了楼。他把圣诞树拿进屋里，开始仔细地装饰。很快就弄好了。然后他去书房取来一只小盒子，里面装着他送给妻子的一份特别礼物——一枚钻石胸针。胸针不大，但是设计得很精美。可他并不满意。他想告诉她——告诉她他是多么爱她。
41 他能够爱他人是多么幸运啊！啊，能够爱他人才是人生真正的快乐！因为他确信有些人不能真正爱任何人。但他内心充满了爱，而且依然如故。
42 他突然想起，他之所以在心中充满爱，是因为在很久以前父亲对他的爱唤起了他心中的爱。是啊，爱本身能唤起爱。
43 这个早晨，这个幸福的圣诞节的早晨，他将把爱献给他的亲爱的妻子。他将把这份爱写在信中以便她阅读并永久保存。他走到桌前开始写道：我最亲爱的。
44 当信写完后，他把信封好，把它系在圣诞树上。他关上灯，踮着脚尖走上楼。天上的星星已经消失，东方露出第一缕阳光。多么幸福的一个圣诞节啊！
Lesson Fourteen After Twenty Years
O. Henry
1. The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was normal and not for show, for
spectators were few. The time was barely ten o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had almost emptied the streets.
2. Trying doors as he went, swinging his club with many clever movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye
down the peaceful street, the officer, with his strongly built form and slight air of superiority, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The area was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed. 3. When about midway of a certain block, the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware
store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him, the man spoke up quickly. 4. \"It's all right, officer,\" he said, confidently. \"I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago.
Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands — 'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant.\" 5. \"Until five years ago,\" said the policeman. \"It was torn down then.\"
6. The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a
little white scar near his right eyebrow. His tiepin was a large diamond, oddly set.
7. \"Twenty years ago tonight,\" said the man, \"I dined here at 'Big Joe' Brady's with Jimmy Wells, my best friend, and the
finest man in the world. He and I were brought up here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our fate worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.\"
8. \"It sounds pretty interesting,\" said the policeman. \"Rather a long time between meetings, though, it seems to me. Haven't
you heard from your friend since you left?\"
9. \"Well, yes, for a time we wrote,\" said the other. \" But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a
pretty big place, and I kept running around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, best old friend in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight, and it's worth it if my old partner turns up.\"
10. The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.
11. \"Three minutes to ten,\" he announced. \"It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door.\" 12. \"Did pretty well out West, didn't you?\" asked the policeman.
13. \"You're right! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of slow man, though, good fellow as he was. I've had to
compete with some of the sharpest brains going to get my money. A man gets stuck in New York. It takes the West to make a man really keen.\"
14. The policeman swung his club and took a step or two.
15. \"I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Are you going to leave immediately?\"
16. \"I should say not!\" said the other. \"I'll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he'll be here by that time. So
long, officer.\"
17. \"Good night, sir,\" said the policeman, passing on along his beat.
18. There was now a fine, cold rain falling, and the wind had risen to a steady blow. The few foot passengers in that quarter
hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited. 19. About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across
from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man. 20. \"Is that you, Bob?\" he asked, doubtfully.
21. \"Is that you, Jimmy Wells?\" cried the man in the door. iwaiyu
22. \"Bless my heart! \"exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own. \"It's Bob, sure as fate. I was
certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well! — twenty years is a long time. The old restaurant's gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?\" 23. \"It has given me everything I asked it for. You've changed lot, Jimmy. I never thought you would get so tall.\" 24. \"Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty.\" 25. \"Doing well in New York, Jimmy?\"
26. \"Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we'll go around to a place I know of, and
have a good long talk about old times.\"
27. The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, full of pride at his success, was beginning to outline
the history of his career. The other, hidden in his overcoat, listened with interest.
28. At the corner stood a chemist's, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this brightness each of them turned
simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face.
29. The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.
30. \"You're not Jimmy Wells,\" he said sharply. \"Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change the size of a man's
nose.\"
31. \"It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,\" said the tall man. \"You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob.
Chicago thinks you may have come over our way and telegraphs us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here's a note I was asked to hand to you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Policeman Wells.\"
32. The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed to him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it
trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was short.
33. Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar, I saw it was the face of the man
wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job.
第十四课 二十年后
1 正在巡逻的精神抖擞的沿着大街走着。他这样引人注目并不奇怪，并不是为了招摇，因为此时大街上根本没有什么观众。时间还不到晚上十点钟，但夹带着雨意的冷风几乎清空了整个街道。
2 边走边检查门是否关好了，他十分灵巧的不停转动着警棍，眼光还不时投向平静的街道。他那魁梧的身材，配上卓越不凡的气势，就是一副治安维持者的形象。那个地区的人晚上休息的很早。你偶尔还能看到一家雪茄店或是昼夜营业的饭店还亮着灯，但是绝大多数店铺都已经关门了。
3 在一个街区的半路上，忽然放慢了脚步。在一家已经关门的五金商店的门廊里，一个男子倚在那里，嘴里叼着一只未点燃的雪茄。当朝他走去时，男人赶忙毫不犹豫的说。
4 “没事的，长官，”他坦然的说。“我只是在等一个朋友，这是二十年前就定好的约会。听起来有点荒唐，是吧？哦，如果你想弄明白事情的，我就说给你听。大约二十年前，在这家五金商店所在的位置曾经是一家餐馆----‘大乔’布雷迪餐馆。”
5 “那家餐馆五年前还在，”说道。“后来就被拆除了。”
6 门廊里的人划着火柴，点着了烟。火光映出了一张苍白的、方正下巴的脸，一双锐利的眼睛，右边眉毛附近还有一小道泛白的疤痕。他的领带夹上镶着一颗大钻石，镶的十分奇怪。
7 “二十年前的这个晚上，”男子说，“我和吉米-威尔斯在大乔布雷迪餐馆共进晚餐，他是我最好的朋友，也是世界上最好的人。我和他一起在纽约长大，亲如手足，当年，我18岁，吉米20岁。第二天早晨，我就要动身去西部赚钱去了。吉米是无论如何也不会离开纽约的。他认为这是世界上最好的地方。那天晚上我们定好，就在20年后的同一天，同一时间，我们都要在这里碰面，不管我们的情况如何，也不管我们相隔多远。我们觉得不管怎样，20年后我们的命运也该有一个好结果了，该发财的也已经发财了。”
8 “听起来有点意思，”说道。“尽管在我看来，你们两次见面的时间间隔太长了点。自从你离开后，你和你的朋友还有联系么？”
9 “哦，有的，有一段时间我们相互通信，”那男子说。“可是一两年后我们就失去了联系。你知道，西部是个大地方，而我又忙着东奔西跑。不过我知道，如果吉米还活着，他就会来这儿和我见面的。因为他一直是世界上最忠诚、最好的老朋友。他绝不会忘记的。今晚我千里迢迢来到这个门前等他，只要我的老伙计露面，所有这一切都是值得的。” 10 这位等人男子掏出一块漂亮的怀表，表盖上镶嵌着许多小钻石。
11 “差3分钟十点，”他说。“我们当时在餐馆的门口分开时正好是十但钟。” 12 “在西部游荡的不错，是吧？”问道。
13 “那是当然了！我希望吉米的情况能赶上我的一半就好了。虽然他是个好人，但他是个迟钝的人。为了赚钱，我不得不和那些头脑最机灵的人较量。在纽约，人不免墨守成规。但在西部，确实会让人变得机灵。” 14 转了转警棍，走了一两步。
15 “我要接着巡逻了。希望你的朋友如约而至。你要马上走么？”
16 “不会的！”那个男子说。“我至少会再等他半个小时。如果吉米还活在世上，到那时他一定会来的。再见，长官。”
17 “晚安，先生，”说道，沿着他要巡逻的街道走去。
18 此时天上下起了冰冷的细雨，刮起阵阵寒风。街道上寥寥无几的行人竖起高高的领子，双手插进衣带，阴沉着脸默默赶路。从前里之外赶来与年轻时的朋友见面的那个男子仍然站在五金商店门廊里，抽着雪茄等候着。 19 他大约等了20分钟，这时一个身着长大衣，衣领竖到耳朵的高大男人，匆匆的从街道对面走来。他径直朝那个等候的男子走去。
20 “是你么，鲍勃？”他迟疑的问道。 21 “是你么，吉米-威尔斯？”门廊里的人叫道。
22 “我的天啊！”来的人惊叫着，抓住了对方的手。“没错，你是鲍勃。我就知道如果你还活着，我就会在这里见到你的。哎呀，20年可不短。这个老餐馆已经没了，鲍勃。真希望它还在，那么我们就又可以在这里吃晚餐了。老朋友，你在西部过的怎么样？”
23 “它给了我所想要的一切。你变了很多啊，吉米。我没想到你长这么高了。” 24 “哦，20岁后我长高了一点。” 25 “在纽约过的还不错吧，吉米？”
26 “马马虎虎，我在市政部门谋了个职位。来吧，鲍勃，我知道个地方，我们可以去那儿叙叙旧。” 27 两个人手挽手朝街上走去。西部来的男子充满了成功的骄傲，开始描述自己的创业史。另一个人缩在大衣里，饶有兴趣的听着。
28 街角处有家药店，灯火通明。当他们来到亮处时，两个人不约而同的盯着对方的脸。 29 西部来的男人突然停下脚步，抽出自己的手臂。
30 “你不是吉米-威尔斯，”他厉声说道。“20年的时间不短，但也不足以改变一个人的鼻子的大小。”
31 “但有时他却能把一个好人变成坏人，”高个子男人说。“你十分钟前已经被捕了，‘滑头’鲍勃。芝加哥警方已经察觉到你可能到我们这里了，发电报告诉我们说想和你谈谈。乖乖和我走吧。这才是明智的。现在，在我们去局之前，有人让我 给你捎张字条。可以站在窗边看。这是威尔斯警官写给你的。”
32 西部来的男人打开了交给他的那张字条。当他开始读时，他的手还拿的稳，但是当他读完时，他的手微微颤抖。纸条内容很短。
33 鲍勃，我准时到了约定的地点。当时你划着火柴点着雪茄的时候，我看到那正是芝加哥警方通缉的那张脸。不管怎么样，我自己下不了手，所以我找了个便衣来完成这个任务。
Lesson Fifteen Touched by the Moon
Nirmal Gbosb
1. Driving to a friend's house on a recent evening, I was awe-struck by the sight of the full moon rising just above Manila's
rooftops, huge and swollen, yellow through the dust and smoke of the city. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, reflecting on what a pity it was that most city dwellers—myself included—usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors.
2. My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched
many aspects of his life, including those concerning his ordinary daily life. For example, when he had to make sure that he had his torch with him when he was outside in the evening, or when the moon was due to rise late or was at its newest—a bright, distant sliver of white like a chink of light below a door in the sky.
3. I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with
some friends. We stayed in a forest rest-house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. At Binsar, 7, 500 feet up in the Kumaon hills, I can remember going out at 10 pm and seeing the great Nanda Devil mountain like a ghost on the horizon, gleaming white in the moonlight and flanked by Trishul, the mountain considered holy by Hindus. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon.
4. On the same trip, further down by the plains, we stayed in village style clay huts at the edge of a wheat field, with a cold
river tumbling over rocks a few yards away. Late at night, underneath the full moon, everything seemed bathed in a quiet supernatural light, and we could see the stones in the river, and watch the deer and antelope crossing, almost half a kilometre away.
5. I also remember sitting on the beach at San Antonio in Zambales, one night in the Philippines about two years ago,
watching the South China Sea hiss against the sand. The full moon rose and hung over the sea like a huge lantern in the sky. I felt as if I could walk up and touch it.
6. Last summer, on another trip, I met the caretaker of a rest-house at Chitkul, 11,000 feet above the plains at the top end of
the Sangla valley in the Indian Himalayas, two days' walk from . We sat in the sun looking at the scattering of stone-tiled roofs, and the stony valley climbing away between the mountains towards , leaving behind the small, struggling vegetable patches planted by the farmers and herders of this, the last village before the border. We were a thousand feet above the tree-line; every winter the place is covered with several feet of snow.
7. The caretaker was a local, an old man with the craggy face and thin beard typical of the high plateaus. He didn't have a
watch or calendar—nobody in that village of less than 200 people had one. I asked him how he knew which month it was. He turned and pointed to the row of snow peaks towering above us across the valley. \"When the morning sun falls first on
that peak it is January,\" he said. \"When it falls first on that second peak it is February, and on the third it is March and so on.\"
8. The cycles of the sun and moon are simple but gigantic forces which have shaped human lives since the beginning. Wise
men and women studied them not as scientists, but as mystics; ancient communities worshipped them. Today so many of us miss this experience because we are inside cars or houses all the time. We have lost our sense of wonder at the elements—our lives are full of forces that are so new and barely understood that we are confused shadows of what we should be.
9. Today our lives are defined by glass, concrete, metal, plastic and fibre-glass. We eat and breathe things our bodies were
not designed to process. We have televisions, Xerox machines, cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers and remote controls. Energy flies around us. White noise and pollution is in the air. Radio waves and strange harsh lights are constantly drumming into our minds and bodies.
10. Struggling through traffic that evening in Manila at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I saw the moon and
remembered these things. And I thought: before long, I would like to live in a small cottage in the Himalayas. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains—and perhaps write, but not in anger. I may grow old there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touch the moon.
第十五课 月色动人
1 前几天的一个晚上，在开车去朋友家的时候，我被眼前的圆月所震撼。它刚刚升上马尼拉的屋顶，又大又饱满，透过城市的灰尘和烟雾泛出黄光。我停下车来看了一会儿，想到包括我在内的大多数城里人，因为大部分的生活都是在室内度过，通常错过了这样的美景，这是多么的可惜啊！
2 我的朋友也看到了此景色。他是在欧洲的森林里长大的，那时月亮对他来说意味着更多的东西。月亮触及到他生活中的很多方面，包括那些有关他日常生活的方面。例如，什么时候当他晚上出去时不得不确定带上手电筒，或当月亮升起得很晚时或只是一轮新月时——像一个银钩遥挂天际，明亮的白光从天际的一扇门缝中射出。
3 我知道这种感受。去年12月我带着7岁的女儿和 一些朋友去了印度北部山区的丛林。我们住在森林里的招待所里，那里没有电也没有热水。每天晚上我们这伙人都在外面生起篝火，当外面太冷时就在室内生火。在我们旅途期间，月亮逐渐变成了满月。在7500英尺高的库毛恩山的宾萨，我还记得晚上10点出去看雄伟的楠边德弗尔山，它就像是地平线上的魔鬼，在月光下闪烁着白光，侧面是被印度教徒认为是圣山的特里苏尔山。在我和高山之间隔着三四个山谷。山谷中没有一丝光，也听不到一点声音。这是我所知的最安全的地方之一，一个寂静的无底洞。我的头上就是满月。 4 在此次旅行中，我们继续下到了平原上，住在一片麦田边的乡村土屋里。几码外，一条冰冷的河中，河水滚滚流过岩石。深夜时，在满月之下，一切仿佛沐浴在宁静的、超自然的光中，我们能看到河中的石头，看到大约半英里外的鹿和羚羊穿过。
5 我还记得大约两年前在菲律宾的夜晚，我坐在三描扎士的圣安东尼奥的海滩上，看着中国南海的海水嘶嘶地拍打着沙子。满月升起，悬挂在海面上，就像是天空中的一盏巨大的灯笼。我感觉到我似乎可以走上前去触摸到它。 6 去年夏天,在另一次旅行中，我在奇特库尔遇见一个休养所的看管者。奇特库尔位于印度喜马拉雅山的桑拉山谷顶端，高于平原11，000英尺的地方，距离中国的需要两天的路程。我们坐在阳光下看着稀疏的石头屋顶和山间蜿蜒通向中国的布满石头的山谷，留下了农民和牧民们耕种的小块顽强生长的菜地，这是边界前的最后一个村子。我们在林木线上方1，000英尺处，这里每年冬天都覆盖着几英尺厚的雪。
7 看管者是一个当地人，他是个典型的高原地区的老人，有着饱经风霜的脸和稀疏的胡子。他没有手表和日历——在那个不足200人的村子里没有一个人有。我问他如何知道是几月份。他转过身，指着山谷那边高耸在我们面前的一
排雪峰。“当早晨的太阳首先照在那座山峰时是一月，”他说。“当照到第二座山峰时是二月，第三座就是三月，依此类推。”
8 日月循环虽然简单，但是却有巨大的力量，它从一开始就影响着人类的生活。聪明的人并不像科学家那样研究它们，而是作为神秘主义者来研究。古代社会崇拜它们。今天我们这么多人因为总是呆在车里或是房子里而错过了这个经历。我们已经失去了对自然力量的好奇感——我们的生活充满了新的几乎不为人所知的力量，以至于我们对于应该怎样做而困惑。
9 今天我们的生活被解释成玻璃、水泥、金属、塑料和玻璃纤维这类东西。我们吃着和呼吸着我们身体不能吸收的东西。我们有电视、复印机、手机、寻呼机、电、加热器、烤箱、空调、汽车、电脑和遥控器。能源围绕在我们周围。空中是白色噪音和污染。电波和奇怪刺眼的光不断冲击着我们的身心。
10 在室内差不多呆了一天，那晚在马尼拉当我挣扎于拥挤的交通中，即将度过疲惫不堪的一天时，我看见了月亮，并想起了这些事情。我想：不久以后，我想住在喜马拉雅山的一间小屋中。我会在那里种蔬菜、读书、在山间漫步——也许还会写些东西，但不会带有怨言。我会在那里变老，穿着挽腿的裤子，喝着咖啡度过余生。可是我将能在一个寒冷寂静的夜晚走到外面，去触摸月亮。
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