A balcony with a view

观景阳台

Dr.Martin watched the preparation for the banquet from the balcony.

马丁博士从阳台上看着 人们为宴会做准备.

His wife had banished him from helping because it was in his honor.

因为这是为他举行的宴 会.所以妻子把他驱逐 到一边.不让他帮忙.

He wiped the sweat from his Bald head in frustration. however.

可是他却沮丧地擦掉他 那光头上的汗珠

because he loved to bake and run the barbeque himself.

因为他喜欢烘烤食品. 喜欢亲自烧烤.

even as he loved to manage the distribution of barrels of beer to the bar.

正如他喜欢把一桶桶 啤酒分配到吧台一样.

As he leaned on the barrier he heard a bark

马丁博士倚靠在屏障上 忽然听到一声狗叫.

and turned to look towards the river.

于是转过头向河的 方向望去.

Another barge was floating by loaded up with old discarded car batteries.

又一艘装满废弃汽车电 池的平底驳船缓缓驶过

A recent ballot to ban putting the trash in a local garbage dump had failed

最近举行的禁止将此类 垃圾倒入当地垃圾站的 投票失败了.

and the barge was taking its baggage up the river to the next town.

驳船正将这些垃圾包袱 运往下一个城镇.

That city had baffled its own residents

这使当地的居民大惑不 解

by offering to accept the trash at a Bargain rate.

那座城市主动要求以便 宜的价格接受这些垃圾

Apparently there was a large area of barren land that they had not been able to use.

显然.他们有一大片还 无法利用的贫瘠土地

Now people marching in protest beset that city.

现在游行抗议的人群 包围了城市.

More people were jumping on the bandwagon each day.

每天都有更多的人严 厉批评这股潮流.

The only winner was the barge company;

惟一的赢家是运输公司

the deal had saved them from going bankrupt.

这笔生意使他们免于 破产、起死回生.

It was difficult to Balance

很难找到平衡

the needs of society with its desire to protect the environment.

在满足社会需求与 保护环境之间

thought the Dr. as he frowned.

博士皱着眉头想道.

We just have a way of battering this planet

我们就会用某种方式 破坏地球

even as we feel we need to live more comfortably.

恰恰在我们觉得有必要 生活得更舒适的时候.

Dr.Martin was brought back quickly to his setting. however.

不过.马丁博士很快 回到现实之中.

when he heard a noise

被一阵喧闹声带回.

and looked down to see that his wife had fallen down the basement steps.

他朝下一看.发现妻子 从地下室的楼梯上跌了 下去.

He ran down to help. His banishment was certainly over now.

他赶快跑下去帮忙. 现在.妻子对他的 驱逐当然结束啦.