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Christmas Day in the Morning--Pearl S. Buck

He woke suddenly and completely. It was four o'clock, the hour at which his father had always called him to get up and help with the milking. Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still! His father had been dead for thirty years, and yet he still woke at four o'clock in the morning. But this morning, because it was Christmas, he did not try to sleep again.

Yet what was the magic of Christmas now? His childhood and youth were long past, and his own children had grown up and gone.
Yesterday his wife had said, "It isn't worthwhile, perhaps— "
And he had said, "Yes, Alice, even if there are only the two of us, let's have a Christmas of our own."
Then she had said, "Let's not trim the tree until tomorrow, Robert. I'm tired."
He had agreed, and the tree was still out by the back door.
He lay in his bed in his room.

Why did he feel so awake tonight? For it was still night, a clear and starry night. No moon, of course, but the stars were extraordinary! Now that he thought of it, the stars seemed always large and clear before the dawn of Christmas Day.
He slipped back in time, as he did so easily nowadays. He was fifteen years old and still on his father's farm. He loved his father. He had not known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he had overheard what his father was saying to his mother.
"Mary, I hate to call Rob in the mornings. He's growing so fast, and he needs his sleep. I wish I could manage alone."
"Well, you can't, Adam." His mother's voice was brisk, "Besides, he isn't a child any more. It's time he took his turn."
"Yes," his father said slowly, "But I sure do hate to wake him."

参考译文

圣诞节早晨

他猛地完全醒了，是4点钟，以前在这个时候，父亲总是叫他起床帮他挤奶。好奇怪啊，年轻时的习惯还这么紧紧地攫住他！父亲已经去世三十年了，然而，他总仍在凌晨四点的时候醒来。但是这次则是因为是圣诞节，他不想再睡了。

然而现在，圣诞节有什么魔力呢？他的童年和青年时代早已远去，他的孩子们已经长大成人，并离开了家。
昨天妻子说，“不值得，或许...”
他说，“不，爱丽丝，即使只有我们两个，还是要过一个我们自己的圣诞节。”
她说，“等明天再装饰圣诞树吧，罗伯特，我累了。”
他同意了，这棵树这会儿还在门后面。
在他的房间里，他躺下床。

为什么今晚会睡不着觉呢？因为这会儿还是深夜，满天星光的夜晚。当然，没有月亮，然而天上的星星非常耀眼。这时他想到了星星，在他看来，好像在圣诞节黎明之前，星星都一直那么大、那么清楚。
他回想过去，就像今天这么轻松地。他十五岁时仍在父亲的农场里干活，他爱父亲，这一点是圣诞节的前几天才知道的，他无意中听到父亲和母亲的对话。
“玛丽，我不想早上再叫罗布起来了，他现在长得很快，他需要睡眠，我想我自己可以忙得过来。”
“你不行的，亚当。”母亲的声音很轻快，“另外，他不再是个孩子了，该他接管事情了。”
“是的，”父亲慢条斯理地说，“但是我的确不想再叫醒他了。”

词汇释义

1.worthwhile adj. 值得(做)的

例句：
Thank you for making my visit so worthwhile. I shall treasure your friendship and kind hospitality you have given me. 感谢你们使我的访问如此有价值。我将珍惜我们之间的友谊及你们给予我的盛情款待。

2.starry adj. 星光照耀的,闪亮的

例句：
I met him on a starry winter evening.
我是在一个满天星斗的冬夜遇到他的。

3.extraordinary adj. 非常的,特别的

例句：
He married a girl of extraordinary beauty.
他娶了一位非常美丽的姑娘。

4.slip back vt. 退到(退回,松懈倒退,回想过去)

例句:
Push the back of the cart hard, or it'll slip back on this steep hill.
使劲推大车的后部，不然在这个陡坡上会下滑的。

5.overhear v. 无意中听到,偷听

例句：
I overheard them saying they were unhappy.
我偶然听到他们说，他们很不快乐。

难句解析

1.It was four o'clock, the hour at which his father had always called him to get up and help with the milking. Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still!

【参考译文】是4点钟，以前在这个时候，父亲总是叫他起床帮他挤奶。好奇怪啊，年轻时的习惯还这么紧紧地攫住他！

【结构解析】“ at which...”做定语修饰“ the hour”，"have always done sth."表示“过去一直...”，“Strange how...”相当于"How strong the habits...still!"

2. He had not known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he had overheard what his father was saying to his mother.

【参考译文】这一点是圣诞节的前几天才知道的，他无意中听到父亲和母亲的对话。

【结构解析】"not...until"意思是“直到...才...”，例句：It was not until yesterday that I noticed it. 直到昨天我才注意到这件事。