胡敏讀故事記托福詞匯 第224期:No Trivial Triumph 非同小可的成功
胡敏讀故事記托福詞匯 第224期:No Trivial Triumph 非同小可的成功
My triumph in English class was no trivial matter.
我在英語課程方面的成功非同小可。
I trudged to class everyday, even in the most trying of times, over the tundra that marks the winter here.
每天我走過這里冬天常見的凍原，步履艱難地去上課，即使在最為難捱的時期。
I had a turbulent time coming up with the tuition for the class as well,
我也經(jīng)歷了湊學(xué)費的艱辛，
once working as a collector of firewood and twigs to place in the fireplaces of rich families.
曾經(jīng)拾木柴和細樹枝供富家的火爐生火。
But once it began, I put all that turmoil behind me,
而一旦開始，我把困苦統(tǒng)統(tǒng)置于腦后，
forgetting all that was troublesome in my life so that I could concentrate on learning English.
忘掉生活中的一切煩惱，全心專注于英語的學(xué)習(xí)。
I attended extra tutorials and even hired a private tutor.
我參加額外的輔導(dǎo)，甚至雇了一位私人教師。
The trumpet sounded in the morning, and I tried my best to trot to class with a happy look on my face.
早晨當號角響起，我竭盡力氣，一路小跑去上課，臉上帶著一副高興的神情。
Sometimes an overwhelming feeling of failure tugged at me, however.
但是，有時一種令人窒息的失敗感在拖我后腿。
I would tumble into a theater and enjoy the entertaining machinations of an acting troupe.
我會闖入劇院去欣賞演出劇團所表演的引入入勝的陰謀詭計。
This usually made me feel better.
這樣通常使我感覺好些。
Whenever I felt myself getting bored with English,
每當我發(fā)覺自己對英語感到厭煩的時候，
I would try to twine my interest in language with my interest in philosophy.
我就會把自己對語言的興趣與對哲學(xué)的興趣相互結(jié)合。
I would seek out translations of Chinese philosophy books that I had already read in my native language.
我會找出我曾用母語讀過的中國哲學(xué)書籍的譯文。
I would take a taxi down the turnpike and buy some books at a famous bookshop.
我會在公路上打的，去一家有名的書店買些書籍。
On one occasion, I bought a turquoise colored reading lamp at a gift shop next to the bookstore. I still have it.
有一次，我在書店旁邊一家禮品店買了一盞碧綠色的閱讀用臺燈。我現(xiàn)在還在用。
Tackling a foreign language is no easy task. I am truculent by nature.
學(xué)一門外語絕非易事。我生性爭強好勝。
When I found myself getting angry at something I did not understand, I would tightly squeeze a tube of toothpaste.
當我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己對不懂的東西生氣的時候，我就使勁擠牙膏管；
It also helped to sit in the tub and take a long, hot bath.
坐在浴缸里，洗個長時間的熱水澡也管用。
Well, in the end, all the hard work paid off. I have my trustworthy teachers to thank.
好啦，最后，所有的辛苦都有了好結(jié)果。我得感謝我那些值得信賴的老師。
Tomorrow, visa in hand, I am heading off for the tropical sun of southern California.
明天，我將手握簽證，動身前往南加州的灸熱地區(qū)。
重點詞匯
understand[.?nd?'stænd]vt. 理解，懂，聽說，獲悉，將 ... 理解為，認為<
trivial['trivi?l]adj. 瑣碎的，不重要的
concentrate['k?nsntreit]v. 集中，專心，濃縮
n. 濃縮物
n. 牙膏
triumph['trai?mf]n. 凱旋，歡欣
vi. 得勝，成功，慶功
adj. 引起樂趣的，娛樂性的，令人愉快的 n. 招待，
heading['hedi?]n. 標題，題目，航向
動詞head的現(xiàn)在分詞
v. 壓榨，擠壓，塞進
n. 壓榨，勒索，榨取
adj. 勢不可擋的，壓倒的
truculent['tr?kjul?nt]adj. 野蠻的，粗野的，殘酷的
