劉嘉琦
其實(shí)我們好多人都會有一種錯誤的做法,就是心情不好時會對最親近的人發(fā)泄情緒。文中的主人公會將自己的煩惱掛在煩惱樹上,第二天再將煩惱帶走。但是他說,等他第二天想帶走所有煩惱的時候會有一個奇怪的發(fā)現(xiàn)!
Paresh, an Indian carpenter I once hired to help me restore my old farmhouse, had just finished a difficult and hard first day on the job. A flat tyre on his lorry made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw packed in, and now his ancient pick up truck refused to start. While I drove him home, Paresh sat in stony, thoughtful silence.
① On arriving, Paresh invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.
②When opening the door to his home, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
After a cup of tea, he walked me to my car. We passed the tree and my curiosity ③got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
“Oh, thats my worry tree,”Paresh replied. “I know I cant help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles dont belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there arent nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”
精彩譯文:
煩 惱 樹
帕萊什,是一個我雇來幫我翻修老房子的印度木匠。他剛剛忙完艱難的第一天工作。結(jié)果他的卡車車胎癟了又讓他忙活了一個小時。好不容易把電鋸裝上車了,結(jié)果他那個古董皮卡車又打不著火了。沒辦法,我只好開車送他回家。一路上,他坐在那兒,鐵青著臉,一言不發(fā),一聲不吭。
一到家,帕萊什就邀請我見見他的家人。當(dāng)我們走向他家前門的時候,他在一棵小樹前停了下來,雙手撫摸樹梢。
當(dāng)門被打開的一刻,帕萊什頓時變成了另外一個人。他黝黑的臉上綻放了笑容。只見他一把摟過兩個年幼的孩子,并吻了妻子一下。
過了一盞茶的時間,我起身告辭,他送我出門。當(dāng)我們經(jīng)過那棵小樹的時候,我經(jīng)不住好奇心的引誘,問起他剛才的舉動。
“哦,那是我的煩惱樹,”帕萊什答道,“我知道,工作中難免會遇到不順心的事,但有一點(diǎn)是肯定的,那就是,這些煩惱不屬于我的家人,不屬于我的妻子和孩子。因此每晚回家時,我都把這些煩惱掛在樹上。早上再去取回。有意思的是,”他微笑著說,“當(dāng)我在早上出門去取回它們時,它們已經(jīng)完全不像我記得的昨晚掛的那么多了?!?/p>
難點(diǎn)解析:
①On arriving, Paresh invited me in to meet his family. 一到家,帕萊什就邀請我見見他的家人。
on/upon doing sth 一……就…… 例如:
On arriving at school, he got down to his work.他一到學(xué)校,就開始工作。
②When opening the door to his home, he underwent an amazing transformation.當(dāng)門被打開的一刻,帕萊什頓時變成了另外一個人。
When引導(dǎo)的時間狀語從句中,若從句主語與主句主語一致并且從句中有be動詞則可以省略從句中的主語和系動詞。例如:
When crossing the street, you must be careful.
當(dāng)過馬路的時候,你一定要加小心。
③get the better of sb.占上風(fēng),勝過。例如:
We can let our fears get the better of us.我們會被憂慮打敗。