英语小达人 415 A Boy with a Mission(1)
英语课
A Boy with a Mission
男孩的使命
In 1945, a 12-year-old boy saw something in a shop window that set his heart racing 1. But the price—five dollars—was far beyond Reuben Earle's means. Five dollars would buy almost a week's groceries for his family.
1945年,一个12岁的男孩在一家商店橱窗里看到一样令他心动的东西,但是——5美元——远不是鲁本·厄尔能付得起的。5美元几乎够买全家一周的食品呢。
Reuben couldn't ask his father for the money. Everything Mark Earle made through fishing in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, Canada. Reuben's mother, Dora, stretched like elastic 2 to feed and clothe their five children.
鲁本不能向父亲要钱。马克·厄尔的每一分钱都是靠在加拿大纽芬兰的罗伯茨湾捕鱼挣来的。鲁本的母亲多拉,为了不让五个孩子冻着饿着,差不多是一个钱当两个钱用。
Nevertheless, he opened the shop's weathered door and went inside. Standing 3 proud and straight in his flour-sack shirt and washed-out trousers, he told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding, "But I don't have the money right now. Can you please hold it for me for some time?"
尽管如此,鲁本还是推开商店那扇久经风雨的门走了进去。他穿着面粉袋改做的衬衫和洗得褪了色的裤子,站得笔直,丝毫不觉困窘。他告诉了店主他想要的东西,又加上一句:“可我现在还没有钱买它,您能为我预留一段时间吗?”
"I'll try," the shopkeeper smiled. " Folks around here don't usually have that kind of money to spend on things. It should keep for a while."
“我尽量吧,”店主微笑着说,“这儿的人买起东西来,一般不会花那么大一笔钱的,一时半会儿卖不出去 。”
男孩的使命.jpg
Reuben respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out into the sunlight with the bay rippling 4 in a freshening wind. There was purpose in his loping stride. He would raise the five dollars and not tell anybody.
鲁本很有礼貌地碰了碰他的旧帽沿儿,走出店外。阳光下清新的微风吹得罗伯茨湾的海水泛起阵阵涟漪。鲁本迈着大步,下定决心:他要凑齐那5美元,而且不告诉任何人。
Hearing the sound of hammering from a side street, Reuben had an idea.
听到街边传来的铁锤声,鲁本有了主意。
He ran towards the sound and stopped at a construction site. People built their own homes in Bay Roberts, using nails purchased in Hessian sacks from a local factory. Sometimes the sacks were discarded in the flurry of building, and Reuben knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a piece.
他循声跑过去,来到一处建筑工地。罗伯茨湾的人喜欢自己建房,用的钉子是从本地一家工厂买的,都用麻袋来装。有时干活时忙乱中麻袋就被随手丢弃,而鲁本知道他可以 5分钱一条把麻袋再卖给工厂。
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
- I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
- The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的
- Rubber is an elastic material.橡胶是一种弹性材料。
- These regulations are elastic.这些规定是有弹性的。
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
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