03 Love and Time 爱和时间
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all of them constructed boats to leave, except for Love.
从前有一座岛,所有的情感都住在那里:幸福、悲伤、知识和所有其他的情感,爱也不例外。一天,所有的情感听说小岛即将沉没,因此纷纷建造小船离开,除了爱。
Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.
爱是唯一留下来的,它希望能坚持到最后一刻。
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.
小岛即将沉没了,爱决定请求帮助。
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, “Richness, can you take me with you?”
富有驾着一艘大船从爱身边经过,爱说:“富有,你能带上我吗?”
Richness answered, “No, I can’t. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you.”
富有回答:“不行,我的船上载满金银财宝,没有你的位置。”
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel.“Vanity, please help me!”
虚荣坐在漂亮的小船中从爱身边驶过,爱说:“虚荣,帮帮我!”
“I can’t help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat,” Vanity answered.
虚荣说:“不行,你全身湿透,会弄脏我的船。”
Sadness was close by so Love asked, “Sadness, let me go with you.”
悲伤的船靠近了,爱请求道:“悲伤,请带我走吧。”
“Oh ... Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!”
“哦……爱,我太难过了,想一个人待着。”
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.
幸福也经过了爱的身边,但它太开心了,根本没听见爱在呼唤。
Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at the dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much she owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who helped me?”
突然,一个声音喊道:“来,爱,我带你走。”声音来自一位老者。爱太高兴了,甚至忘了问他们即将去往何方。当他们来到岸上,老者自己离开了,爱才意识到老者给了它多大的帮助。
“It was Time.” Knowledge answered.
于是,爱问另一位老者——知识:“谁帮助了我?”
“Time?” asked Love, “But why did Time help me?”
知识说:“是时间。”
“时间?”爱问:“但是时间为什么帮助我?”
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, “Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is.”
知识睿智地微笑道:“因为只有时间了解爱的价值。”
单词解析 Word Analysis
island[ˈaɪlənd]n.岛,岛屿v.使孤立
例 The island is presently uninhabited.
这座岛屿目前无人居住。
announce[əˈnaʊns]v.宣布参加竞选;宣布;述说;声称;预告
例 He will announce tonight that he is resigning from office.
他将于今晚宣布辞职。
sink[sɪŋk]v.淹没;下落;退去;使下沉;使下垂n.水池;洗涤槽;污水坑
例 The sink was full of dirty dishes.
水槽里堆满了脏碟子。
construct[kənˈstrʌkt]v.构成;修建,建造;创立;[数]作图n.结构(物);构想;概念
例 Every citizen has the duty to construct his country.
每个公民都有建设祖国的责任。
hold out伸出;拿出;呈现;抵抗
例 I should have held out for a better deal.
我应该坚持要求更优厚的条件的。
ask for help求援;求人;乞援;借光
例 Did he come to ask for help?
他来请求帮助了吗?
vessel[ˈvesəl]n.容器;船,飞船;血管
例 The British navy boarded the vessel and towed it to New York.
英国海军登上船,把它拖到纽约。
damage[ˈdæmɪdʒ]v.损害,毁坏n.损害,损毁;赔偿金
例 He was vindicated in court and damages were awarded.
他在法庭上被证明无罪,并且获得了损害赔偿金。
blessed[ˈblesɪd]adj.有福的;神圣的;无忧无虑的
例 Both are blessed with uncommon ability to fix things.
两人在修理东西上都有一手绝活。
arrive at到达;来到;达成;获得
例 From the day you arrive at my house, you need not spend a single penny.
从你到我家那天起,你就一个子儿也不用花。
realize[ˈriəˌlaɪz]v.实现;了解,意识到;(所担心的事)发生;以……价格卖出v.变卖,赚得
例 The support systems to enable women to realize their potential at work are seriously inadequate.
使妇女在工作中发挥潜力的支持体系严重不足。
wisdom[ˈwɪzdəm]n.智慧,明智;常识,好的判断力;知识,学问;古训
例 Many Lithuanians have expressed doubts about the wisdom of the decision.
很多立陶宛人对该决定是否明智表示了怀疑。
capable[ˈkeɪpəbl]adj.有能力的,能干的,能的
例 The idea that software is capable of any task is broadly true in theory.
认为软件能够处理任何任务的观念从理论上说基本是正确的。
valuable[ˈvæljuəbəlˌˈvæljə-]adj.有价值的;贵重的,宝贵的;可评估的n.贵重物品,财宝
例 Many of our teachers also have valuable academic links with Heidelberg University.
我们很多老师也和海德堡大学保持着有益的学术联系。
语法知识点 Grammar Points
这个句子中有两个结构“announce sth.to sb.”和“except for”,分别表示“将某事公告或宣布给某人”以及“除了……以外”。该句中it做形式主语,that后面才是it真正的主语the island would sink。
例 They announced their engagement to the family.
他们向家里宣布他们已经订婚了。
I will thank everyone except for her.
除了她,我感谢每一个人。
这个句子中有两个结构“decide to do sth.”和“pass by”,分别表示“决定做某事”和“经过”。前者同义词组还有make a decision to do sth.。该句中who做定语从句修饰vanity, who后面用的过去进行时,表示过去那个时候虚荣正在划船从爱身旁经过。
例 She passed by and ignored me.
她走过去,完全没有注意到我。
这个句子中有一个结构“so ... that ...”,表示“如此……,以至于……”。
例 Amanda was so happy that she forgot to say anything.
阿曼达如此高兴,以至于忘了说话。
这个句子中有一个结构“be capable of”,表示“有能力干某事”。同义词组还有be able to do sth.和have the capability to do sth.。
经典名句 Famous Classics
1. Time is a bird forever on the wing.
时间是一只永远在飞翔的鸟。
2. Time is a great judge, even in the fields of morals.
时间是伟大的法官,即使在道德领域亦如此。
3. Time is a versatile performer. It flies, marches on, heals all wounds, runs out and will tell.
时间是个多才多艺的表演者,它能飞,能大步前进,能治愈一切创伤,即使消逝,也能留下影响。
4. Time is money.
时间就是金钱。
5. Time tames strongest grief.
时间能冲淡巨大的悲伤。