Unit 8 Ada's First Bike Ride
第8单元 艾达第一次骑自行车

For most people, riding a bike is not much of an adventure. Most of us learn to ride by the time we are five years old and after that it's as easy as walking. But Ada had never learned to ride a bike. Ada was blind. So, when her friend, Brenda offered to teach her to ride when she was 27 years old, Ada jumped at the chance.
对大部分人来说，骑自行车并不算是什么冒险活动。大多数人都是在五岁左右学骑自行车的，一旦学会就和走路一样容易了。不过艾达因为失明，所以从来没有学过骑自行车。当艾达二十七岁时，她朋友布兰达提议要教她骑自行车，艾达便充分把握了这次机会。

Brenda wheeled her bike to the long driveway. Brenda learned to ride on this driveway when she was six and thought it would be the perfect place for Ada to learn.
布兰达把她的自行车推到她六岁时学会骑车的那条长长的车道上，她觉得这里是艾达学骑自行车最理想的地方。

When Ada arrived she was smiling but seemed nervous. “Don't worry, Ada, it will be fun.” “But what if fall?” said Ada. “Then you fall. No big deal. Now come and sit on my bike.”
艾达来了以后，虽然一脸微笑但似乎有点紧张。“不要担心，艾达，会很好玩的。”“可是万一摔倒怎么办？”艾达说。“摔倒就摔倒，没什么大不了的。现在就坐上自行车吧。

On Ada's first try, she did fall. The second time she was able to stay up for about three seconds, and on the last time she was riding. She was actually riding a bike. Ada was so happy, she almost cried. The cool air on her face felt refreshing. She was finally riding a bike.
艾达第一次试骑果然摔倒了，第二次则撑了三秒钟，最后一次就开始骑了，她真的会骑自行车了。艾达几乎喜极而泣，吹在脸上的凉风也令人精神为之一振。她终于会骑自行车了。”

【美】 Meredith Walker 著 陈怡芬 译

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