课文阅读

I looked across at the snowbank I would have to negotiate on the opposite side of the street. There, making her way down through the small uneven pathway of ice, was an old woman with a cane. People were standing behind her muttering. She was feeling with her foot, trying to find solid ground. No one could help her; there was not enough room for two abreast. I saw her frantic look, her shaking hands. There, for an instant, she looked up. Across the distance of that icy, slush-filled street, our eyes met. The fear, the sadness, the frustration, the utter aloneness of our respective plights, were mirrored in our respective gazes.

I wanted to help her, but I could not. I could barely make my way across the street myself. The other pedestrians rushing past us were no help either. To them we were impediments to the necessary pace of daily living. To the drivers in the long line of cars that was backing up in the street, we were insufferable obstructions. We approached each other from opposite directions. As we passed, we glanced at each other.

"Hi," I said, not knowing what else to say.
She, who had the added fear of being elderly and alone on a city street, did not know whether to answer. Finally, she said, very softly, "Hello." Cars honked at the further slowing of pace that had been caused by our brief conversation. Other walkers brushed against us in their rush to get to the other side.
We looked again at each other, then went on. The cars revved and drove past in anger as soon as we were out of their path.

When I got to the other side, I turned to see how the woman was doing. She was feeling for the path through the snow with her cane. When she found her footing, she stopped as if she had accomplished a huge feat. She turned to look at me, and she smiled a sweet and tender smile. She knew I understood. For a moment she didn't feel so alone, and neither did I.

I wanted to tell Alex this story. But she was lost in her own world. I watched her as she put her backpack on and moved on unsteady crutches down the hallway. She had an evening class that she had to attend. "I never knew that doorknobs could be so much work," she said as she balanced on one leg and tried to open the door.

"Steps, revolving doors, taking baths, crossing streets. You've got a lot of fun ahead of you," I said. "But make sure to keep your eyes open for those dark gifts. They will be some of the best lessons you will ever be fortunate enough to learn."
Her pack slipped off her shoulder and almost pulled her over. I wanted to help her. But there was nothing I could do. "I'll never make fun of old people again," she said.
With that, I remembered the sweet smile of that woman. "Neither will I."

参考译文

我看着雪场对面，我必须设法到街对面。那里，一位老妇人拄着一支拐杖，走在狭窄、不平的冰路上。身后的人们嘀咕着。她用双脚摸索着，试着找到硬地。没有人可以帮她，这条路只能站下一个人。我看到她迷茫的表情和握紧的双手。突然，她抬起头。越过冰雪覆盖、泥泞的街道，我们的目光相遇了。害怕、悲伤、挫折感、完全的孤独，各自都在对方的凝视中，镜子般看到自己的处境。

我想帮她，但我做不到。我自己都几乎难以行走。其他匆匆而过的路人也帮不上忙。对他们来说，我们就是妨碍日常生活正常节奏的障碍。后面的街道上排起长长的汽车队，对于这些司机们来说，我们就是难以忍受的妨碍物。我们向对方的方向走去。经过对方时，我们相互凝视了一眼。

“嗨，”我说，我不知道还可以说什么。
年老、孤身一身走在街上的她，更加害怕了，她不知道是否要回答。最后，她轻声说，“你好。”由于我们的简短对话，汽车队行进得更缓慢了，它们鸣起了喇叭。其他的路人匆匆走过，撞着我们，走到路的对面。
我们又看了对方一眼，继续前行。我们刚让出路来，汽车就加大马力，从我们身边生气地驶去。

到了路对面，我转过头，看看老妇人怎么样。她用拐杖在路上摸索着，每次找到一个立足点，她就停下来，好像完成一件巨大的成就一样。她回头看看我，对我甜甜、温柔地笑了笑。她知道我懂得。那一刻她不感到孤单了，我也是。

我想告诉Alex这个故事，但是她已经沉浸在自己的世界里了。我看着她拿起书包，拄着一支不稳的拐杖，走下走廊。她晚上有必修课要上。“我从来没想到门把手这么有用，”她把一条腿放平，试着开门。

“台阶、旋转门、洗澡、过街，这都会让你趣味无穷的，”我说。“但是，一定要睁大双眼，看清这些黑暗的礼物。这将是你学到的最好的课程，你很幸运的。”
她的书包从肩上滑下，几乎要把她跌倒在地。我想去帮她，但我什么都没做。“我再也不会取笑老年人了，”她说。
我想起老妇人甜甜的笑来，“我也不会。”

词汇释义

1.negotiate v. 商议,谈判,交涉,转让

例句：
The company has negotiated a new contract with its staff.
公司已经和全体员工商定了一项新合同。

2.make one's way 一路前进, 向前

例句：
To make one's way through thick woods by cutting away bushes and branches.
在丛林中开路通过砍掉树木和树枝找出一条穿过密林的道路

3.uneven adj. 不平顺的,不均匀的,奇数的

例句：
The car bumped on the uneven surface of the gravel road.
汽车在高低不平的砾石路面上颠簸着。

4.abreast adv. 并肩地,相并地,赶得上

例句：
Over the first four laps, Bedford stayed abreast of the German runner.
在头四圈里，贝德福德一直与那名德国赛跑选手并驾齐驱。

5.mirror n. 镜子 v. 反映,反射

例句：
The clear water mirrored the blue sky.
清澈的水中映出蔚蓝的天空。

6.pedestrian n. 行人

例句：
A period of time during which motor vehicular and pedestrian traffic is light.
非交通高峰时间一段时间，在这段时间内车辆和行人都少。

7.insufferable adj. 无法忍受的

例句：
I was a modest, good-humoured boy; it is Oxford that has made me insufferable.
我本是个害羞而又脾气极好的小伙子，就是那牛津（大学）把我造成了一个令人讨厌的人物。

8.honk vt. 按(汽车喇叭)

例句：
She honked the horn of the car.
她把汽车喇叭按得嘟嘟响。

9.rev v. 发动机旋转,加快速度

例句：
Don't rev the engine so hard.
别让发动机转得太快.

语法讲解

1.There, making her way down through the small uneven pathway of ice, was an old woman with a cane.

【参考译文】那里，一位老妇人拄着一支拐杖，走在狭窄、不平的冰路上。
【结构讲解】句子的主干是"There...was an old woman...",“making her... of ice”修饰“an old woman ”。

2.To the drivers in the long line of cars that was backing up in the street, we were insufferable obstructions.

【参考译文】后面的街道上排起长长的汽车队，对于这些司机们来说，我们就是难以忍受的妨碍物。
【结构讲解】“ in the long line of cars ”修饰“the drivers”，“was backing up in the street”修饰“ cars ”。

3.Cars honked at the further slowing of pace that had been caused by our brief conversation.

【参考译文】由于我们的简短对话，汽车队行进得更缓慢了，它们鸣起了喇叭。
【结构讲解】句子的主干是“Cars honked”。“at the further slowing of pace”作状语，修饰“honked”，“ had been caused by our brief conversation”做定语，修饰“pace”。