书城外语英文爱藏:那一年,我们各奔东西
2009200000024

第24章 梦开始的地方 (4)

“Toot, toot, too-tooooooo!” Some students with deep voice moaned, and we all looked encouragingly at Bolenciecwcz. Somebody else gave a fine imitation of a loccomotive letting off steam. Mr. Bassum himself rounded off the little show. “Ding, dong, ding, dong,” he said hopefully. Bolenciecwcz was staring at the floor now, trying to think, his great brow furrowed, his huge hands rubbing together, his face red.

“How did you come to college this year, Mr. Bolenciecwcz?” Asked the professor. “Chuffa, chuffa, chuffa, chuffa.”

“My father sent me.” Came the reply.

“What on?” Asked Bassum.

“I got an allowance,” said his student, in a low, husky voice, obviously embarrassed.

“No, no,” said Bassum.“Name a means of transportation. What did you ride here on?”

“Train,” said Bolenciecwcz.

“Quite right,” said the professor. “Now, Mr. Nugent, will tell us...”

我不喜欢的另外一门课程是经济学,但是我还是努力通过了这门课程。尽管这两门课程对我理解这两门学科毫无益处,我还是在上完植物学课之后径直去上经济学课了。我经常混淆这两门课的内容。与选经济学课的另外一名学生相比,我没有他混淆得厉害,他是下了物理实验室课后直接来上经济学课的。他叫波兰西维茨,教他的大多数教授都很仁慈,一直以来对他都很照顾。在课堂上回答问题的时候,瘦小腼腆的经济学教授巴森给他的提示最多,所提的问题也比较简单。一天,正好轮到波兰西维茨回答问题,那天讲的是到运输和分销部分的内容。教授说:“请说出一种运输工具的名称。”然而,波兰西维茨的两眼毫无光彩。教授又说:“任何一种运输工具都可以。”

波兰西维茨坐在位子上,盯着教授。教授继续补充道:“从一个地方到达另外一个地方的任何介质、工具或者方式。”波兰西维茨一脸困惑,像要被带到沟里去一样。

教授说道:“你可以从蒸汽驱动、马力驱动或电力驱动交通工具中任选一个。我建议你选择能够穿越陆地进行长途旅行的交通工具。”教室中,包括波兰西维茨和巴森教授在内的每个人,都感到尴尬,默不作声地等待结果。突然,巴森以一种令人惊异的方式打破了沉默。他压低了声调,发出“突突突……”的声音,刹那间脸憋得通红。他用恳求的目光,把教室环视了一周。

一些学生用低沉的声音咕哝着:“嘟嘟,嘟嘟,嘟嘟嘟!”我们都向波兰西维茨投去了鼓励的目光。一个学生还发出了一阵很棒的机车头鸣笛的声音。最后,巴森教授满怀期望地说道: “叮咚,叮咚。”他自己结束了这场短暂的模仿秀。现在,波兰西维茨两只眼睛盯着地板,竭尽全力地思考着。他来回搓着两只大手,两条浓重的粗眉毛紧锁着,脸涨得通红。

教授问道:“波兰西维茨先生,你今天是怎么来到学校的。”然后,他说:“哐—哐—哐……”

他回答道:“父亲送我来的。”

巴森教授问道:“他怎么把你送到学校的?”

波兰西维茨用低哑的声音尴尬地说道:“我获得了一份助学金。”

巴森教授说道:“不,不,说出交通工具的名称,你们是乘什么来到这里的?”

波兰西维茨说:“火车。”

巴森教授说道:“完全正确。现在,纽金特先生,你能告诉我们……”

心灵小语

相对于严师的严谨,慈师的慈祥关爱更容易让我们感动和怀念。慈师常有一颗包容、热情、关爱的心,他们就像父母,无微不至地关怀我们、爱我们。慈师如一杯清茶,余香袅袅,回味无穷。

记忆填空

1. One day when we were on the____ of transportation and distribution, it came Bolenciecwcz’s___ to answer a question. “Name one___ of transportation,” the professor said to him. No light came_____his eyes.

2. “You may____ among steam, horse-drawn, or electrically-propelled vehicles,” said the instructor. “I might____ the one which we commonly______in making long journeys across land.”

佳句翻译

1. 尽管这两门课程对我理解这两门学科毫无益处,我还是在上完植物学课之后径直去上经济学课了。

译________________________________

2. 他用恳求的目光,把教室环视了一周。

译________________________________

3. 他来回搓着两只大手,两条浓重的粗眉毛紧锁着,脸涨得通红。

译________________________________

短语应用

1. I used to get them mixed up.

mix up:混乱

造_______________________________

2. Somebody else gave a fine imitation of a loccomotive letting off steam.

let off:免除;放过;放掉(气);放(枪);引爆(炸弹);准许……暂时停止工作

造_______________________________

真的梦想,没有屏障

Save Money for College by My Own

佚名 / Anonymous

I will never forget one day in my first year in high school. I was sitting on the stairs descending into the basement, putting my head in my hands and crying out in despair to my parents that I would never be able to save enough money for college. My parents tried to console me, but it seemed impossible to save $64, 268, the cost for the private restitution that I desperately wanted to attend.

Now let me tell you the amazing story of how I earned this sum of money.

It all began with a paper route in Ankeny, IA. I hated delivering that route, but was determined to stick it out for six months until my family moved to Wausau, WI. With a few meager dollars from my paper route, a small nest egg began to develop. My next job was with an athletic company as a telephone customer service representative. The savings account continued to grow very slowly. Then, the fall of my junior year of high school, I began to waitress at Denny’s restaurant. It was a hard work, but the money began to roll in and this job paid at least twice as much money per hour.

By the time my senior year arrived, I had saved a considerable amount of money. This was encouraging, but I knew that I would also need some help, so began the process of applying for scholarships. Sometimes it was discouraging because I was rejected again and again. Then, my first scholarship offer came in, $2, 000 a year to play tennis. This is only a small dent at a school that costs approximately $14, 000 a year, but it was a start. Several other academic scholarships also came my way and soon I was up to have $9,050 in scholarships. Between scholarships and savings, I had enough money for my first year!_

Another interesting development emerged. I began testing out of classes. Running anxiously to the mailbox in anticipation of my test scores became part of my daily routine. Excitement mounted as test result saved me approximately $1,000 in tuition and then enabled me to graduate a year early. This would save room and board expenses as well.

Finally, I was off to college. Because of careful saving, I did not have to work during the school year. Then, summer hit and it was time to work harder than ever. I continued working as a waitress at night, instructed tennis camps several mornings a week and worked as a secretary for a few hours in the afternoons. Being a little overzealous, I decided to also take a class at a community college. This class at the community college saved me $650, it was an exhausting summer and made me anxious to return to my relatively easy life at college.