中英文本

114.A Favor Owed
114.有恩未报
"Hold on, James! I'll get a stick! Just don't go under, okay?
"坚持住，詹姆斯！我去找根棍子来！别从下面走，好吗？
And if you do, hold your breath and I'll be right there!"
如果你从下面走，屏住呼吸，我马上过去！"
Terry ran as fast as he could. James had fallen in the ice and his life was now held in the balance.
特里拼命地跑开了。詹姆斯掉进了冰里，现在是生死末卜。
Terry found a stick, ran back and rescued James. Ten minutes later they were in the cabin warming up.
特里找到了一根棍子,跑回来把詹姆斯救了出来。十分钟后,他们在一间小木屋取起暖来。
"The city would have hit the roof if I had died!" James said. He held office as mayor.
"如果我死了，这座城市肯定会闹翻天！"詹姆斯说。他担任市长职务。

"Especially if Donovan was elected to replace me. Anyhow, I'm just glad to be alive." "Here, have some coffee!" Terry said.
"尤其是如果多诺万被选上来取代我。不管怎样，我很高兴我还活着。""来，喝点咖啡！"特里说。
"Ah…That hits the spot! You know, you saved my life today, Terry."
"啊……太好啦！你知道吗，你今天救了我的命，特里。"
"I hope you won't hold good opinion of me for what I did just now!" Terry joked.
"我希望你不会因为我刚才做了这么点小事就对我大加赞扬。"特里开玩笑道。
"No! I owe you. You're a good man and you should hold your head high.
"不！我应该感激你。你是个好人，你应该感到骄傲。
I tell you what. You can ask me to do anything for you. Whatever you ask, my promise will hold good!"
我跟你说，你可以让我为你做任何事。不管你让我做什么，我说过的话都管用！"
Terry thought for a moment while looking away and then said,
特里看着别处想了一会儿，然后说道：
"You should hold back from making that kind of promise, James.
"那种诺言你应该克制自己不要轻易许下，詹姆斯。
You don't know what I would ask for. I could ask you to hold a brief for your resignation, you know." James was silent.
你不知道我会跟你要什么。我也许会要你同意辞职。你知道吧。"詹姆斯沉默不语。
"Hmm. I guess I will hold off for a moment. You probably think I should resign for my family's sake.
"嗯……我想我要待会儿再说。你也许认为，看在我家庭的份上我应该辞职。
Well, right now the town is more important. They can wait a couple years." Now Terry was silent.
不过就目前来说，这座城市更重要。他们可以等一两年再说。"现在是特里不说话了。
"Well，anyway," James continued. "You won't be able to hold me down from praising you in public.
"无论如何,"詹姆斯继续说道，"你没办法制止我在公开场合表扬你。
Now I think I'll hit the sack. I'm exhausted."
现在我想我要睡觉了，我太累了。"
James never mentioned the promise again. He did think of Terry a year later, however, when his wife filed for divorce ...
詹姆斯再也没提许诺的事。不过一年后他倒真的想起了特里，这时他的妻子已经提出要跟他离婚……

重点讲解

1.hit the roof 暴跳如雷,大发雷霆，(物价等)涨到(或超过）最髙限度
例句：When he saw all the mistakes his secretary had made, he really hit the roof.
看到他的秘书做了一桩桩错事，他确实火了起来。
2.hit the sack (或hay)上床睡觉，就寝
例句：Louis was so tired that he hit the sack soon after supper。
路易斯太累了，所以吃过晚饭就早早上床睡觉了。
3.hold a brief for 为…辩护，支持,赞同
例句：Don't hold a brief for him. It's his fault.
不要替他说话。这是他的错。
4.hold back 抑制，控制
例句：Our kids don't hold back because they are afraid to fail. They are only afraid of failing us.
我们的孩子不会因为害怕失败而有所退缩，他们只是害怕让我们失望。
5.hold down 压下,压住，压制,抑制
例句：This will help to hold down global prices-although possibly by less than in the past.
这将会有助于抑制全球价格–虽然可能比以往的作用小些。
6.hold good 继续有用(有价值等）
例句：Whether these findings will hold good for other types of request is unknown.
这个发现对于其他请求是否有效，目前还不清楚。