TED演讲:我无家可归的一年(3)
时间:2018-12-18 作者:英语课 分类:TED演讲教育篇
英语课
When winter weather set in, the temperatures dropped below freezing. 当冬天来临的时候,温度骤降到零度以下。
And they stayed there. And I faced a whole new set of challenges 1. 然后就一直这么冷。我又遇到了一堆新问题,
I parked a different place every night so I would avoid being noticed and hassled by the police. I didn't always succeed. 每晚我的车都停在不同的地方。这样才可以不让警察发现以至于和警察争吵。当然,并不是每次都成功。
But I felt out of control of my life. And I don't know when or how it happened, 但是,我觉得我已无力掌控自己的生活了。我也不知道什么时候或者是如何发生的,
but the speed at which I went from being a talented writer and journalist to being a homeless woman, living in a van, took my breath 2 away. 我这么快就从一个有才的写手,新闻从业者变成一个无家可归,住在车里的女人这简直是快的难以置信。
I hadn't changed. My I.Q. hadn't dropped. 我并没有变。我的智商没有降低。
My talent, my integrity 3, my values, everything about me remained the same. 我的才能,我的正直,我的价值,所有关于我的这些东西都还是一样。
But I had changed somehow. I spiraled deeper and deeper into a depression 4. 但是从某种程度上,我还是改变了,我越来越沮丧,像一个漩涡一样不断地往下沉。
And eventually someone referred me to a homeless health clinic. 后来有人介绍我去一个专为无家可归之人开的健康诊所。
And I went. I hadn't bathed in three days. I was as smelly 5 and as depressed 6 as anyone in line. 我去了。我有三天都没有洗澡了,我和其他那些排队的人一样沮丧,身上的味道也很难闻。
I just wasn't drunk 7 or high. And when several of the homeless men realized that, 我只是没有喝醉或者兴奋。当一些无家可归的人意识到,
including a former university professor, they said, "You aren't homeless. Why are you really here?" 包括一个以前在大学任教的教授,他们说:“你不是无家可归,你真正在这里的原因是什么?”
Other homeless people didn't see me as homeless, but I did. 其他的无家可归的人不把我当作是无家可归的人看待。但是我自己是这么认为的。
Then the professor listened to my story and he said, 后来,教授听了我的故事后他说,
"You have a job. You have hope. The real homeless don't have hope." “你有工作,有希望。真正无家可归的人并没有希望可言。”
A reaction to the medication the clinic gave me for my depression left me suicidal. 诊所针对我沮丧开的药物的副作用让我有点自杀的倾向。
And I remember thinking, "If I killed myself, no one would notice." 我还记得当时想,“如果我自杀了,可能没人会发现的。”
1 challenges
n.挑战( challenge的名词复数 );要求;(警卫等)查问口令;怀疑
- Many challenges, abroad and at home, have arrived in a single season. 国内和国外的众多挑战出现在同一个时刻。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
- The new democracies face tough challenges. 这些新兴的民主国家面临着严峻挑战。 来自辞典例句
2 breath
n.呼吸,气息,微风,迹象,精神,一种说话的声音
- I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.我正要出去呼吸新鲜空气。
- While climbing up the stairs the old man always loses his breath.那老人上楼时总是气喘吁吁的。
3 integrity
n.正直,诚实,诚恳,完整,完全,完善
- The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
- He is a man of the highest integrity.他是个极其正直的人。
4 depression
n.压抑,抑制,沮丧;萧条,衰退
- During a depression money circulates slowly.在商业萧条时期,货币流通滞缓。
- He suffers from acute depression.他患有严重的忧郁症。
5 smelly
adj.(口)有臭味的,发出臭气的
- The river was smelly today.今天这条河散发着一股臭味。
- The toilets in that restaurant were horribly smelly.那个餐馆的卫生间气味难闻。
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