An asteroid

一颗小行星

When the aspiring young man tried to assert his opinion

当这位有抱负的年轻人 试着宣布他的观点

that an asteroid was going to destroy Earth the following year.

一颗小行星将在来年 摧毁地球时.

he was astonished to be kicked out of his association.

他被协会扫地出门了. 这着实让他大吃一惊.

He thought he had assessed the situation clearly.

他认为自己对情况做 了很清晰的评估.

but he had been wrong to think that the assorted gentlemen would believe his core assumptions.

但是认为各位先生会相 信他的核心假设却是个 错误.

He tried to give assurances of their accuracy.

他试图让人们对他的 理论的准确性充满信 心.

but the verbal assault on his theory made him feel

可是对他的理论的语言 攻击让他觉得

as if he had been assassinated.

好像他已经被暗杀了.

As he walked out of the building he saw that his most valuable asset.

走出大楼时.他发现他 最宝贵的财产-

his car. had been stolen.

-汽车被盗了.

With his aspirations crushed even further

抱负被进一步扼杀之后

he walked home to assemble what was left of his life.

他只好回家去收拾残局

He just couldn't stop thinking

他不禁想.

that those men to whom he had ascribed such wisdom

那些他认为那么有智慧 的人

were unable to assume an open mind to consider other ideas.

怎么就不能在考虑其他 问题时采取开明的态度 呢?

He had aspired so much for their respect.

他曾经如此渴望获得 他们的尊重.

to become assimilated with them.

如此想被他们同化.

The aspect of this experience that would stay with him the most.however.

然而.这段经历最让他 刻骨铭心的方面

was the humiliation.

是他所受的屈辱.

But the day was not over yet.

但是这倒霉的一天还 没有结束.

As he turned the corner to his home he began to see the ash in the air.

在他拐弯回家时.他开 始发现空气中有灰末.

When he looked up he saw that his house had been burned down.He was numb.

他抬起头.发现到他家 的房子已经被烧毁. 他惊呆了.

Luckily the neighbors came over.

幸好邻居们走过来.

put their arms around him

他们伸出手来抓住

and assisted him to a nearby home to rest.

并扶着他到一个附近的 人家体息.

When the assessor came in to tell him that he didn't have fire insurance.

当估价员过来告诉他说 他没有办理火灾险时.

the young man went white.

他的脸色唰地一 下就变白了.

When he was found dead the next morning.

第二天早上人们发 现他死了.

the neighbors pooled together money to pay for his funeral.

邻居们凑钱为他举行 了葬礼.

The association promptly forgot him.

协会里那帮家伙很快就 把他抛在了脑后.

They only remembered him 10 months later

十个月后.他们才又想 起了这个年轻人.

when the whole world saw with their own eyes

因为这时候全世界都 目睹了

that an asteroid was heading straight for earth.

一颗小行星径直朝 地球撞来.

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