研究生英语阅读教程(基础级2版)课文07及其翻译.doc

A Whole Nation and a People 1 There was one storekeeper I remember above all others in my youth, when I was spending a good portion (part) of my time with a motley (mixed) group of varied ethnic ancestry (racial background). We contended (competed) with one another to deride (laugh at) the customs of the old country (motherland). On our Saturday forays (attack) into neighborhoods beyond our own, to prove we were really Americans, we ate hot dogs and drank Cokes. If a boy didnt have ten cents (dime) for this repast (meal) he went (was) hungry, for he dared not bring a sandwich from home made of the spiced meats our families ate.2 One of our untamed games was to seek out (found) the owner of a pushcart (wagon) or a store, unmistakably an immigrant (emigrant), and bedevil (annoy/ troubled) him with a chorus of insults and jeers. To prove allegiance (loyalty) to the gang it was necessary to reserve (keep) our fiercest malevolence for a storekeeper or peddler belonging to our own ethnic background.3 For that reason I led a raid (attack) on the small, shabby (old and broken) grocery of old Barba Nikos, short, sinewy (strong) Greek who walked with a slight limp and sported (showed) a flaring, handlebar mustache.4 We stood outside his store and dared (challenged) him to come out. When he emerged (appeared) to do battle (fight), we plucked (grasped) a few plums and peaches from the basket on the sidewalk (pavement) and retreated (withdrew), I go across the street to eat them while (at same time) he watched. He waved a fist and hurled epithets at us in ornamental (graceful) Greek.5 Aware (Realizing) that my mettle (courage) was being tested, I raised my arm and threw my half-eaten plum at the old man. My aim was accurate and the plum struck (hit) him on the cheek. He shuddered and put his hand to the stain. He stared at me across the street, and although I could not see his eyes, I felt them sear (burn) my flesh (-meat). He turned and walked silently back into the store. The boys slapped (patted) my shoulders in admiration, but it was a hollow (empty) victory that rested (fell down) like a stone in the pit of my stomach (depressed).6 At twilight (dusk), when we disbanded (dismissed), I passed the grocery alone on my way home. There was a small light burning in the store and the shadow of the old mans body outlined against the glass. Goaded (Encouraged) by remorse (regret), I walked to the door and entered.7 The old man moved from behind the narrow wooden counter and stared at me. I wanted to turn and flee (escape; fleet), but by then it was too late. As he motioned (waved) for me to come closer, I braced (prepared) myself for a curse (abuse/ scoring) or a blow (beating).8 You were the one, he said, finally, in a harsh (rigid/ fierce) voice.9 I nodded mutely (silently).10 Why did you come back?11 I stood there unable to answer.12 Whats your name?13 Haralambos, I said, speaking to him in Greek.14 He looked at me in shock (surprisedly), You are Greek! he cried. A Greek boy attacking a Greek grocer! He stood (was) appalled (shocked) at the immensity (seriousness) of my crime. All right, he said coldly. You are (come) here because you wish to make amends (to do sth. as a remedy). His great mustache bristled (stood on end) in concentration. Four plums, two peaches, he said. That makes a total of seventy-eight cents. Call it seventy-five. Do you have seventy-five cents, boy?15 I shook my head.16 Then you will work it off (pay for it by working), he said. Fifteen cents an hour into seventy-five cents makes (equals to) he paused five hours of work. Can you come here Saturday morning?17 Yes, I said.18 Yes, Barba Nikos, he said sternly (seriously/ rigidly). Show respect.19 Yes, Barba Nikos, I said.20 Saturday morning at eight oclock, he said. Now go home and say thanks in your prayers that I did not lose(vt.)-loose(a.)-loosen (vt. removed) your impudent (rude/ impolite) head with a solid (strong/ heavy) smack (slap) on the ear. I needed no further urging (scoring) and fled (escaped).21 Saturday morning, still apprehensive (fearful), I returned to the store. I began by sweeping, raising clouds of dust in dark and hidden corners. I washed the windows, whipping the squeegee swiftly (quickly) up and down the glass in a fever of fear (anxiously) that some member of the gang would see me. When I finished I hurried (ran) back inside.22 For the balance (Paying the debt) of the morning I stacked (piled) cans, washed the counter, and dusted bottles of yellow wine. A few customers entered, and Barba Nikos served them. A little after twelve oclock he locked the door so he could eat lunch. He cut himself a few slices (sliced bread) of sausage, tore a large chunk (a piece) from a loaf of crisp-crusted bread, and filled a small cup with a dozen black shiny olives floating in brine. He offered (gave) me the cup. I could not help (from doing sth.) myself and grimaced.23 You are a stupid (foolish) boy, the old man said. You are not really Greek, are you?24 Yes, I am.25 You might be, he admitted grudgingly (unwillingly). But you do not act (like a) Greek. Wrinkling your nose at these fine (excellent) olives. Look around this store for a minute (moment). What do you see?26 Fruits and vegetables, I said. Cheese and olives and things like that (sth. similar).27 He stared at me with a massive scorn. Thats what I mean, he said. You are a bonehead (fool). You dont understand that a whole nation and a people are in this store.28 I looked uneasily (anxiously) toward the storeroom in the rear (back), almost expecting someone to emerge (appear).29 What about olives? he cut (wave) the air with a sweep of his arm. There are olives of many shapes and colors. Pointed black ones from Kalamata, oval ones from Amphissa, pickled green olives and sharp tangy yellow ones. Achilles carried black olives to Troy and after a day of savage (fierce) battle leading his Myrmidons, hed (would) rest and eat cheese and ripe black olives such as these right here. You have heard of Achilles, boy, havent you?30 Yes, I said.31 Yes, Barba Nikos.32 Yes, Barba Nikos, I said.33 He (move-)motioned (waved) at the row of jars filled with varied spices. These are all the marvelous (wonderful) flavorings (ingredients) that we have used in our food for thousands of years. The men of Marathon carried small packets of these spices into battle, and the scents reminded them of their homes, their families, and their children.34 He walked limping from the counter to the window where the piles of tomatoes, celery, and green peppers clustered (gathered together). I suppose (think) all you see here are some random vegetables? He did not wait for me to answer. You are dumb (stupid) again. These are some of the ingredients that go to make up a Greek salad. Do you know what a Greek salad really is? A meal in itself, an experience (of life), an emotional involvement. It is created (cooked) deftly (skillfully) and with grace (taste). The story goes (says) that Zeus himself created the recipe and assembled and mixed the ingredients on Mount Olympus one night when he had invited some of the other gods to dinner. Do you understand now, boy?35 He watched my face for some response and then grunted (muttered). We stood (were) silent for a moment until he cocked (raised) his head and stared at the clock. It is time for you to leave, he motioned (waved) brusquely (swiftly) toward the door. We are square (equal) now. Keep it that way.36 I decided (thought) the old man was crazy (mad) and reached behind the counter for my jacket and cap and started (headed) for the door. He called me back. From a box he drew out several soft, yellow figs that he placed (put) in a piece of paper. A bonus because you worked well, he said. Take them. When you taste them, maybe (perhaps) you will understand what I have been talking about.37 I took the figs and he unlocked the door and I hurried (ran) from the store. I looked back once and saw him standing in the doorway, watching me, the swirling tendrils of food curling like mist (fog) about his head.38 I ate the figs late that night. And in the morning when I woke, I could still taste and inhale their fragrance.39 I never again entered Barba Nikos store, because shortly afterwards (soon) my family moved from the city. a nation on the wheel40 Some (About) twelve years later, after the war, I drove through the old neighborhood and passed the grocery. I stopped the car and for a moment stood before the store. The windows were stained (dirty) with dust and grime, the interior (was) bare (uncovered) and desolate (deserted), a store in a decrepit (old and broken) group of stores marked for razing (felling down) so new structures could be built.41 I have been in (visited) many Greek groceries since then and have often bought the feta and Kalamata olives. I have eaten countless Greek salads and have indeed found them a meal for the gods. But I have never been able to recapture (re-catch) the flavor (taste and fragrance) of those figs he gave me on that day so long ago, although I have bought figs many times. I have found them pleasant to my tongue, but there is something missing (spiritual experience). And to (until) this day I am not sure whether it was the figs or the vision (appearance) and passion (love) of the old grocer that coated the fruit so sweetly I can still recall (call back) their savor (taste) and fragrance after almost thirty years. (1, 478 words) gold coated; gold gradedABOUT THE AuthorHarry Mark Petrakis (1923 ) has written novels and short stories about Greek-American life. His characters are people who live with memories of another culture and seek to join the old ways with new customs and attitudes. Petrakis was born in St. Louis, Missouri and worked at an assortment of jobs, in steel mills and driving trucks, before becoming a writer. The text here is taken from his autobiography, Stelmark.EXERCISES 1. Reading ComprehensionAnswer the following questions or complete the following statements. 1. When the author was young, he and his friends banded together to _.A. bully new immigrantsB. fight against old customsC. contend that they were real menD. reject their own ethnic background2. The author and his friends often chose a pushcart or a store of their own nationality to attack because _.A. they hated their own peopleB. they could thus be respected as real AmericansC. they hated all the peddlers and store keepersD. they could thus get free fruits and other food3. Why did the author feel that the attack on the grocer was a hollow victory after he won the respect of his friends?A. Because he only hit the grocer once.B. Because he could have taken more plums.C. Because he felt sort of guilty in his heart.D. Because he wanted to attack the grocer again4. At twilight the author returned to the grocery store and entered because _.A. he felt regret and wanted to make amendsB. he wanted to play tricks on the grocerC. he felt hungry and wanted to buy some olivesD. he wanted to check whether the grocer was injured5. Mr. Nikos insisted on the authors saying “Yes, Barba Nikos because he wanted the boy to _.A. remember his nameB. recognize his authorityC. learn how to respect othersD. speak more Greek6. Saturday morning the author washed the windows of the store very quickly because he_.A. didnt want his friends to see himB. wanted to show that he was a good boyC. was afraid that Mr. Nikos would punish himD. wanted to go hack home early7. Mr. Nikos thought that the author was _.A. a real GreekB. a real AmericanC. scornful of his small businessD. ignorant of his own culture8. Mr. Nikos believed that the ancient Greek cultureA. was the richest and most colorful in the worldB. had shaped the whole nation of Greece and its peopleC. was of the same value as that of the AmericansD. could be tasted in Greek food9. By describing the appearance of the store twelve years later, the author impliesthat _.A. old customs and culture should be got rid of in AmericaB. the ethnic cultures were giving way to the American mainstreamC. American value should be restructured and rebuiltD. American society changes quickly and dramatically10. The author conveys his thesis in the last paragraph that _. A. old people can teach young Americans good lessonsB. Mr. Nikos influenced his perspective in appreciating their own cultureC. Greek food is still the best for American GreeksD. Mr. Nikos was the best teacher he had ever seenII. VocabularyA. Read the following sentences and decide which of the four choices below each sentence closest in meaning go the underlined word.1. In July he issued a decree (law) ordering all unofficial armed groups in the country to disband.A. end upB. come upC. stand upD. break up2. The Amazon ant carries out forays (attack) against other ants and brings back some of them to the home nest to serve as slaves.A. (invade-)invasionsB. fightsC. warsD. missions (task)3. The flu virus that are most (prevail-) prevalent one year differ from those that bedevil humans the next year.A. killB. worryC. frustrateD. trouble4. He correctly predicted that the policy against their neighboring countries would goad (force) them into economic nationalism.A. assist(help)B. pressC. drive (make)D. aid (help)5. The King made (declare on country) war on the state of Kalinga, and conquered in 261 B.C. When he saw the suffering he had caused, however, he was overcome (overwhelmed) with remorse. A. regretB. revengeC. hatred (n.)D. emotion6. When she first visited South-West Africa in 1947 as an investigative journalist, she helped reveal the appalling (surprising/ shocking) conditions under which blacks were obliged to work. A. startlingB. exotic (foreign)C. (terror-terrible/) terrific (wonderful) D. (amazing-)amusing (interesting)7. In his book the Iliad, Homer describes Thersites as the ugliest and most impudent (rude) of the Greeks.A. toughB. ill-famed (notorious)C. rudeD. harmful8. Apprehensive (Fearful) of their enemys encirclement, the country enhanced its foreign contacts with its neighbors in Europe.A. ScornfulB. FearfulC. RegardlessD. Careless9. The slave-owners grudgingly (reluctantly) accepted the (abolish-) abolition in 1888, rather than face the massive slave unrest (rebelling) and flight (escape).A. slowlyB. graduallyC. unwillinglyD. eventually (finally)10. They (swear-) swore their allegiance to the nation and received their naturalization papers. A. contributionB. loyaltyC. immensity (greatness)D. epithet (scoring)B. Choose the best word or expression from the list given for each blank. Use each word or expression only once and make proper changes where necessary.work offcontend withdeftlysternlybrusquelyseek outmake amendsdesolatederidemutely1. Its full of useful facts, information and checklists which will give you some idea of all the aspects a business needs to contend with (compete with) in order to survive in todays current economic climate (-weather).2. European market is becoming promising. Now is the time for local companies to seek out business opportunities in Europe.3. The report proposes that students (should) be allowed to work off (pay off) their debt through community service.4. It was wonderful to watch her fingers moving deftly (skillfully) and (errerror) unerringly.5. Many students advocate the right of freedom. Some of my students once protested to me recently because I shouted at sternly (severely) a problem boy of seven.6. (Evidence-)Evidently (Obviously) men of great energy and charm, Bouvier and Thierry found friendliness wherever they went, and had the fortunate ability to perceive (see/ find) beauty in every landscape, however desolate (deserted).7. Is there a bar at the Center? he asked brusquely.8. I crouched by him and grasped his hand,mutely (silently) offering (giving) what comfort I could.9. He wanted to make amends for causing their marriage to fail.10. His sophisticated (complete) theory about economic development is widely derided (laughed at) by conventional (traditional) scientists.III. ClozeThere are ten blanks in the following passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the right word or phrase from the list given below for each of the blanks. Change the form if necessary.in favor oflook down ondistinctivetraditionallysuccessivediversedespitetargetin search ofintegrateAlthough the United States has been shaped (formed) by 1 successive waves of immigrants, Americans have often viewed immigration as a problem. Established Americans often 2 look down on new immigrants. The cultural habits of immigrants are frequently 3 targets of criticism, especially when the new arrivals come from a different country than those in the established community. 4 Despite such tensions, economic needs have always forced Americans to seek immigrants as laborers and settlers, and economic opportunities have attracted foreigners. The vast majority of immigrants to the United States have come 5 in search of jobs and the chance to create a better life for themselves and their families. In all of American history, less than 10 percent of immigrants have come for political or religious reasons.6 Traditionally the United States has been described as a melting pot, a place where the previous identities of each immigrant group are melted down to create an 7 integrate and uniform society. Since the 1960s, many Americans have