A Wedding Gift翻译

1、Unit 2Text AA Wedding GiftElizabeth EconomiesI had always dreamed of being proposed to in a Parisian cafe, under dazzling stars, like the one in a Van Gogh knockoff that hangs in my studio apartment. Instead, my boyfriend asked me to marry him while I was wandering the bathroom mirror.At 40 years ol

2、d, it was my turn. 1 had gracefully stepped aside and watched both my twin sister and our baby sister take the matrimonial plunge before me? 1 had been a bridesmaid seven times and a maid of honor three times. 1 had more pastel-colored, taffeta dresses than a consignment shop.My fiancé, George,

3、 and I are Greek-American, but we wanted a simple, elegant affair. No entourage of bridesmaids and groomsmen. No silly slideshow revealing details of our courtship. This would be an intimate gathering, neither big nor fat, with 100 or so guests. In our families that is intimate. My job as a publicis

4、t to a monomaniacal orchestra conductor had just vanished, so 1 had lots of time to devote to my new project. George, who worked 60 hours a week as a pharmacist, now had a second job: listening to me whine about the wedding. After all, this was my show, and 1 was the director.But the more time and e

5、ffort 1 put in, the more the universe tried to thwart me. The Greek band from Los Angeles that 1 wanted wasn't available. The stitching 1 had requested for my cathedral veil was all wrong. My ivory silk gown was being quarantined somewhere in Singapore. And with our wedding just a few weeks away

6、, 1 was annoyed that most of my guests were responding after the deadline.Then 1 received the call from my mother, petite and brimming with energy at 68, who a few days before had been so thrilled about the wedding. Shed been to the doctor for her annual checkup. Although she felt fine, the diagnosi

7、s was stomach cancer. Over the next few days, the question became not "What kind of wedding?" but "Wedding?" I had thought of it as my Big Day. I realized that a Big Day without my mother would be no day at all. Not having my dad, who passed away three years before, to walk me do

8、wn the aisle was painful, but the thought of not having Mom there was unbearable.Within a few days, 1 moved back home to Seattle from New York City and postponed the ceremony. 1 switched from navigating wedding plans to navigating the health-care system. I had picked out the song to be played for ou

9、r first dance as a husband and wife, but now 1 was hard-pressed to remember what it was. My wedding, like a dream, was vanishing against the harsh reality of illness. Meanwhile, my two sisters and I, who lived in three different cities, were united once again in a hospital waiting room. My twin sist

10、er flew in from Chicago despite being eight months pregnant. Our baby sister, who'd been looking after Mom since Dad's death, was gripped by fear as the familiar sights and smells were eerily reminiscent of his final days. After consulting with doctors, we learned that stomach surgery was Mo

11、m's only option. We took the first opening. On a drab autumn morning, as sheets of rain relentlessly poured over Seattle, Mom was admitted to the Swedish Cancer Institute. During a five-hour operation, surgeons removed two thirds of her stomach. Pacing in the waiting room, terrified, I wondered

12、what the future held for all of us. George flew out to be with me. "There's no place I'd rather be," he said. For three nights he slept on the dank floor in the hospital waiting area wrapped in a tattered sheet with a soiled sofa cushion under his head. A week after the operation,

13、the surgeon gave us his prognosis: "The cancer has not spread," he said. Those were some of the loveliest words in the English language. George squeezed my hand as tears trickled down my face. The weeks that followed were exhausting. My mother had to rethink her diet, and I had to figure o

14、ut what to prepare. Decadent Greek meals were replaced by tiny portions and lots of protein, which would help mend the six-inch incision that ran from her breastbone past her navel. Protein would also bolster her immune system for the chemo and radiation that might follow.Until then, my idea of cook

15、ing had been microwaving the doggie bag from the chi-chi restaurant I'd eaten at the night before. But after two months, I mastered poached eggs and T-bone steaks. What's more, caring for my Mom made me realize how consummately she had cared for all of us. I'll never forget when I went t

16、o see her in the intensive-care unit, just a few hours after her surgery. She was strung out with a myriad of plastic tubes protruding from her arms, nose, and mouth." Liz, make sure you eat something," she said in a strained, raspy voice. Forget Paris. Mom's full recovery was my dream

17、 now. Recently, she went for a follow-up C-T scan. As she removed her gold wedding band for the exam, her fragile 98-pound frame trembled. There would be this scan, and many more. But the doctor said," Everything looks good." Soon, my mother will be walking me down the aisle. I've forg

18、otten what kind of stitching is in my veil. But when I remove it from my face , Ill be staring at the two people I love beyond all reason: my soon-to-be husband and the woman who showed me what' s really important.结婚礼物伊利莎白埃科诺莫我一直有这样的梦想：星光灿烂的网上，在一家巴黎咖啡馆能有人向我求婚。那个咖啡馆就像梵高所画的“夜晚的咖啡馆”，我的工作室墙上就挂着一幅此画的

19、翻印本。然而，我男朋友却在我用“稳得新”擦洗卫生间镜子的时候叫我嫁给他。我已经上40岁，是该轮到我了，我已经体面地让开，眼看着孪生妹妹还有小妹在我之前出嫁，我做过女傧相7次，伴娘3次，我的淡颜色塔夫绸衣服比寄物店都多。我的未婚夫乔治和我都是希腊裔美国人，但是我们想办一个简朴、大方的婚礼。不需要很多伴娘伴郎。也不放映幻灯片，展示求婚的细节，那太傻了，这会是一次很温馨的聚会，请的人不多也不铺张，100个左右的宾客吧。在我们的家族，那算是小圈子内的聚会。我为一位偏执狂的管弦乐队指挥做公关刚刚结束，因而我有很多时间投入到我这个新的项目上。乔治是药剂师，每周工作60小时，现在又有一份工作：听我抱怨婚礼一

20、事。这毕竟是我表现的时候，得有我说着算。但是，我投入的时间和精力越多，万事就越和我过不去。没有请到我想要的洛杉矶希腊乐队。我到教堂时所戴面纱的针线活也很糟，不是我原来所要求的。我订的象牙色的丝绸礼服被隔离在新加坡的某个地方。眼看着婚礼也就没有几个礼拜了，我邀请的客人大部分在最后期限之后才回信，让我很是烦恼。之后，我接到妈妈的电话。她个头娇小，68岁却依然精力饱满。几天前还为我即将举行的婚礼而感到兴奋不已。她刚去医院做例年的身体检查。虽然感觉不错，但被诊断是胃癌。接下来的几天，问题不再是“举行什么样的婚礼”，而是“还办婚礼吗？”我把这看作是我的大喜日子。我认识到没有妈妈的大喜日子不可思议。爸爸已

21、经在三年前过世，不可能牵着我的手到教堂圣坛完婚，这已经让我觉得凄苦。但是一想到妈妈那天也不能在教堂就让我觉得无法忍受。几天后，我从纽约搬回西雅图，延迟了婚礼。我从操办婚礼转向指导保健。我已经挑选好歌曲，准备作为我们夫妻的首个舞曲，但现在压力那么大，我已经记不起来是哪首了。我的婚礼在母亲患病这个残酷的事实面前就像梦一样消失了。与此同时，我和两个妹妹原本都生活在三个不同的城市，这时却在医院的等候室里再次相聚了。我的孪生妹妹虽然已怀孕八个月，但还是从芝加哥飞了过来。小妹自父亲去世以来一直照顾着妈妈，这时恐惧占据了她的心，此情此景让她不由得想起父亲临终的日子。咨询医生后，我们得知手术是妈妈唯一的选择。

22、医院一有床位我们就住进去了。一个沉闷的秋天早晨，大雨无情地倾泻在西雅图市，妈妈被收进瑞典肿瘤研究所。在五个小时的手术过程中，医生把她的胃切掉了三分之二。我在等候室里来回走动，恐惧不安，不知道等待我们的会是什么。乔治飞过来陪我。他说：“我也不想待在其他地方”。三个夜晚，他睡在医院等候区域潮湿的地板上，裹着破旧床单，头枕脏兮兮的沙发垫。手术一周后，医生向我们告知了预后。“癌细胞没有扩散，”他说。这几个词可是英语中最可爱的词了。乔治紧握着我的手，这时眼泪流下我的面颊。接下来的几个礼拜令人劳累。妈妈只得重新考虑她的饮食，我得琢磨该准备哪些饭菜。颓废的希腊饭菜被蛋白质替代，少食多餐，这有助于修补她那从胸

23、骨到肚脐下长达六英寸的刀口。蛋白质还增强她的免疫系统，因为接下来她要化疗和放疗。在此之前，做饭对我来说也就是把头天晚上从花哨饭店里吃剩下打包回来的饭菜在微波炉热一下。但两个月之后，我掌握了水煮荷包蛋，学会烧带骨牛排。此外，照顾母亲也让我认识到她当年照料我们是多么地尽心。我永远也不会忘记，她刚动完手术几个小时后，我到特护病房去看她。她躺在那里，手臂、鼻孔和嘴巴里插了那么多的塑料导管，她却吃力、沙哑地说道：“莉兹，你一定要吃点东西。”忘记巴黎。妈妈的彻底康复才是我现在的梦想。最近，她去做了一次随访CT检查。当她脱下结婚金戒指检查的时候，98磅的柔弱身躯颤抖了。这个检查得做，接下来还有很多次。但医生

24、说，“一切都很好。”不久，妈妈就可以把我领到圣坛举行婚礼。我已经忘记面纱上的刺绣。但在我掀开面纱的时候，我肯定会脉脉地注视着我所最爱的两个人：我的未婚夫和让我懂得人生要义的那个女人我的母亲。Text BWedded Dis Amy Wathen In February，I got engaged to a guy who I believe to be the most amazing man aliveI feel so lucky，and I am very much in loveI cannot wait to be married· Since I have been en

25、gaged，while I have gotten a lot of congratulatory wishes from friends，some older，more cynical people just wont let me be. I have heard the following comments, knocking me from my Im -getting -married -to -the -love -of -my life pedestal: "It will never last," "You won't even make

26、it to the altar," "Marriage is so difficult," "It's so hard to make it work" and my favorite, accompanied by an eye roll and a horribly sarcastic tone, "Good luck to you!" I get lectures on the struggles that lie ahead, looks of sympathy, and speeches on how te

27、rrible my life will be in about l0 years when I will apparently hate my husband. Can't anyone just let me be happy? People love my fiancé and no one has ever said that I am not ready. So why is this such a mistake? Why do some adults who have had bad experiences decide to kill my happiness

28、with nasty remarks instead of just saying congratulations?Dont get me wrong，I have not allowed my happiness to overpower my common sense. I know all about the struggles of marriageI know all about the heartache：that children can strain a marriage，that money issues can blow up，that a couple can lose

29、their connection，that job stress can take a toll and that changing and growing older can aid in the dissolution of what once was real loveI know its not always easy or fun，and that it's not perfect forever.I saw this firsthand when my parents were divorced last year. I watched their once -perfec

30、t union fall apart amid unhappiness, pain, desperation, frustration, sadness and anger. Marriage can be a beautiful journey，but it isnt for everyoneMy mom and dad are much happier apartI thought I wouldnt want to be married after living through that until I met the man of my dreams and he changed my

31、 mindMy fiancé has incredible parents. They have been together since they were in high school, more than 30 years, and they have five children, crazy work schedules, and the same issues as everyone else. But they are an exception because they are still madly in love. It's a breath of fresh

32、air to be with them. I see in them a love that is different and I think that I have that as well. You never know where life will take you, but I think it is a dangerous assumption that a marriage can never work out, or that it isn't worth a try. It can last. My future in-laws are proof that a ma

33、rriage can withstand the many potential catastrophes and last a lifetime.My relationship with my fiancé is not perfect. But it is fantasticBeing with him brings out a better and happier version of meHe makes me laugh harder than anyone elseWe have a healthy and wonderful way of communicatingBut

34、 mostimportantly，I love him without conditionAnd he loves me for who I am without judgment, without complaining about how messy I am or getting annoyed at how crazy and neurotic I can beWe always put each other first and always make time for each other no matter how busy our world getsHe is as excit

35、ed as I am to get married，and together we are confident in our compatibility and our ability to last foreverWe have the example of his parents and mine，examples to learn from，what mistakes not to make，and how to create a stable foundation that will last beyond the present timeOne day，I may look back

36、 with stale，wrinkled eyes and see a silly little girl who didnt know what she was talking aboutOne day my relationship may not be as wonderful as it is nowBut I am not going to go into marriage waiting for everything to fall apartIm not planning ahead for my divorce or imagining myself as a walking

37、statistic。When I say “I do，”I am saying I promise to love forever；not “until this isnt perfect and l want out”I mean forever When l was younger, I dreamed about getting marriedI dressed up in my moms wedding dress and veil，put on ridiculous amounts of poorly-placed pink blush，carried a bouquet of fa

38、ke flowers from the vase on the kitchen table and thought about how wonderful it would be to do that for realI know now that the dream I had of married life was a little too optimistic and hopeful to say the least.Now I have a gorgeous wedding dress of my ownIll wear it proudly and say“I do!” and da

39、nce and eat cake that costs way too much moneyI will enjoy that one amazing day with all of my beingBut I know that day will end, and once its over，I have to make plans for the future，and my husband and l will have to work hard to reach our mutual goalsAnd Ill try with everything I am to prove to ev

40、eryone that we can make it work，to make the 6-year-old version of me proudSo, for all of you divorced folk out there，or those of you unhappily married, or those who are just plain cynical, I am sorry that you arent crazy in love anymore. Im sorry if you never found someone who makes you catch your b

41、reath. But for now, let me have my fun，let me back in the glory of ridiculous，consuming，delicious, beautiful, wonderful，once-in-a-lifetime loveYou don't have to tell me what I already know. For now, just let me be happy.藐视婚姻 艾米沃森二月份，我和一个我认为是活着的人当中最出色的家伙订了婚。我感觉甚为幸运，沉浸在爱河中。我急不可待要结婚。 自我订婚以后，虽然听到朋友们很多祝福的话语，可一些上了年纪、玩世不恭的人却不愿让我高兴。我听到了下列的评论，在抱有马上嫁给心上人这个理想的我的头上浇了一盆冷水。“不会长久的”，“你们连婚都结不了”，“婚姻太难了”，“要让事如所愿太难了”，还有我喜欢听的话、但说的时候是眼珠溜转并且怪声怪调，“祝你好运了”。有些人还就婚后生活的困境给我上了课，给我同情的神情，还有人高谈阔论说我l0年后的生活会多么糟糕，说那时我肯定恨我丈夫。难道大