现代大学英语精读第二版（第一册）学习笔记（原文及全文翻译）-15A-Clearingin

现代⼤学英语精读第⼆版（第⼀册）学习笔记（原⽂及全⽂翻ClearingintheSkyJesseStuart"Thisistheway,"saidmyfather,pointingwithhiscaneacrossthedeepvalleybelowus."Iwanttoshowyousomething!""Isn'tittoohotforyoutodomuchwalking?"Iwipedthestreamsofsweatfrommyfacetokeepthemfromstingingmyeyes.Ididn'twanttogowithhim.Ihadjustfinishedwalkingahalfmileuphillfrommyhometohis,carryingabasketofdishestoMom.Iknewhowhotitwas.IknewalsothatfromJanuaryuntilAprilmyfatherhadgonetoeightdifferentdoctors.Andtheyhadalltoldhimnottowalkfar.ButIcouldnotprotesttohimnow.Whenhemadeuphismindtodoathing,hewoulddoit.Hedidn'tcareifitwas100Fintheshadeor20Fbelowzero.SoIfollowedhimdownthelittlepathbetweenthepastureandthemeadow.Suddenlyhestopped,tookouthispocketknife,andcutawispofalfalfa.Hehelditupinthesun."Lookatthis,Jess!"hebragged."Didyoueverseebetteralfalfagrowoutoftheearth?""It'sthebest-lookinghayI'veeverseen,"Isaid."WhenIboughtthislandeverybodysaidIwascrazy."Hebraggedagain."Ittookmethirtyyearstomakeitdothis!"AsIstoodlookingatthismeadowofalfalfainthesaddlebetweentwohills,Irememberedhowhehadhauledleavesfromthewoodsandspreadthemoverthisfieldandthenplowedthemunderandletthemrot.Allthatwouldgrowonthisgroundwhenheboughtitwerepinesandbriars.Thepinesdidn'tgrowwaist-high.Therewasn'tenoughstrengthinthegroundtopushthemanyhigher.Hecutdownthepinesandplowedtheland.Hesowedacovercropandturneditunder.Thenhesowedasecond,athird,andafourth.Inafewyearshehadthelandproducinggoodcropsofcorn,wheatandpotatoes."ButthisisnotwhatIwanttoshowyou,Jess,"hesaid."Comeon.Followme!"Ifollowedhimthroughthepasturegate,thendownalittlenarrowcattlepathintothedeephollow."Wherearewegoing?"Iaskedwhenhestartedtowalkalogacrossthecreek."There,"hesmiled,pointingtowardawoodedmountaintop."That'sthewaywearegoing!"Ifollowedhimacrossthefootloghehadmadebychoppingdownawhiteoak,fellingitoverthedeepstream.Thenwewentupthewindingfootpathunderthetallhickorytrees,aplacewhereIusedtocomewithhimwhenIwasalittleboytohuntsquirrels.Butthathadbeennearlythirtyyearsago.Andthroughtheyears,fromtimetotime,Ihadwalkedovertheruggedmountainslopeandtherewasneverapathonituntilmyfatherhadmadethisone.Itwasaprettylittlefootpathunderthehighcanopyofhickory,walnut,andoakleaves.Wecouldn'tseetheskyaboveourheads.InfrontofmewalkedthelittlemanwhooncewalkedsofastIhadtoruntofollowhim.Buttimehadnowslowedhim,andmuchhardlaborhadbenthisshoulders.Hisbreathdidn'tcomeaseasilyasitusedto,forhestoppedtwice,andleanedonhiscanetorest."Rememberhowweusedtocomeheretohuntsquirrels?ThemorningwindinAugustwassogoodtobreathe.AndinOctoberwhentherabbitswerefatandthefrostshadcomeandthehickoryleaveshadturnedyellowandwhentheOctoberwindsblewtheyrustledthebigleavesfromthetreesandtheyfelllikeyellowraindropstotheground!Thoseweregooddays,Jess!""Isthatwhatyouwantedtoshowme?"Iasked."Oh,no,no,"hesaidashebegantoclimbtheslopethatroseabruptlytowardthesky.Thepinesontopofthemountainaboveuslookedasifthefingersoftheirlongboughswerefondlingawhitecloud."Whydoyoutakethepathstraightup?"Iasked."Lookattheseotherpaths!Whataretheydoinghere?"Withinthedistanceoffewyards,severalpathsleftthemainpathandcircledaroundtheslope,climbingthemountaingradually."Allpathsgotothesameplace,"heanswered."Thenwhytakethesteepone?"Iasked.Mycuriositywasroused.Ithoughthehadfoundanewkindofwildgrass,oranewkindoftree.ForIrememberedthetimehefoundacoffeetreeinourwoods.Itis,asfarasIknow,theonlyoneofitskindgrowinginourcounty.Wefinallyreachedthetallstraightpineswhosebranchesreachedtowardthebluedepthofsky,forthewhitecloudwasnowgone.Isawasmallclearingofnotmorethanthree-fourthsofanacreintheheartofthiswildernessrightonthemountaintop."Now,son,"hesaidashepusheddownthetopwiresohecouldcrossthefence."ThisissomethingIwantyoutosee!""Whodidthis?"Iasked."Whoclearedthelandandfencedit?""Iclearedtheland.AndIfencedit!""Butwhydidyoudothis?"Iaskedhim."Lookatallthefertilelandwehaveinthevalley!""Fertile,"helaughedashereacheddownandpickedupadoublehandfulofthesoil."Thisistheland,son!Thisisit."Thenhesmeltthedirt."Justlikefreshair,"hesaidasheletthedirtrunbetweenhisfingers."It'spleasanttotouch,too,"headded."Iknowwhatyouthink,"heinterrupted."Yourmotherthinksthesamething.ShewonderswhyIeverclimbedtothismountaintoptoraisemypotatoes,yamsandtomatoes!But,Jess,"healmostwhispered."Anythinggrowninnewgroundlikethishasabetterflavor.Waituntilmytomatoesareripe!You'llnevertastesweetertomatoesinyourlife!""ThisisthecleanestpatchI'veeverseen,"Iexclaimed."ButIstilldon'tseewhyyoutookallthistrouble.Andallagainstyourdoctor'sorders!""Twentytimesinmylife,"hesaid,"adoctorhastoldmetogohomeandbewithmyfamilyaslongasIcould.Toldmenottowork.NottodoanythingbuttoliveandenjoythefewdaysIhadleftme.ButIhavecheateddeathmanytimes!Now,I'vereachedtheyearstheGoodBookallowstoaman.Three-scoreyearsandten!"Hegotupfromthetreestumpwherehewassittingandwipedthedropsofsweatfromhisred-wrinkledface."Andaftertheseyears,yourtimeisborrowed,"hesaid,motioningformetofollowhimtotheedgeoftheclearing."Andthen,yougobacktotheplaceyouknewandloved.Seethissteepslope."Hepointedtowardthedeepvalleybelow."YourmotherandI,whenshewasnineteenandIwastwenty-two,clearedthismountainslopetogether.Weraisedcorn,beans,andpumpkinshere,"hecontinued,hisvoicerisingwithexcitement."That'swhyIcamebackuphere.Iwentbacktoouryouth."Ilookedatthevastmountainslopebelow.Itwasonthisslopethatmyfatheroncemademealittlewoodenplow.ThatwaswhenIwassixyearsoldandtheybroughtmetothefieldtothincorn.Now,tolookattheslope,itwashardtobelievethattheyhaddoneitall.Formanyofthetreesweresixtyfeettallandthewildvineshadmattedtheirtopstogether."And,Jess,"hewenton,"thedoctortoldmetositstillandtotakelifeeasy.Icouldn'tdoit.Ihadtowork.Ihadtosmellthissoilandtouchitagain.AndIwantedtotasteyams,tomatoes,andpotatoesgrownontheland."Ifollowedhimfromhisclearinginthesky,downanewpath,towardthedeepvalleybelow."Butwhydoyouhavesomanypathscominguphere?"Iasked."Oh,yes,"hesaid."Earlylastspring,Icouldn'tclimbstraightupthesteeppath.Thatwaswhenthedoctordidn'tgivemeaweektolive.SoImadeaneasierpath.Then,asIgotbetter,"heexplained,"Imadeanotherpaththatwassteeper.AndasIcontinuedtogetbetter,Imadestillsteeperpaths.ThatwasonewayofknowingIwasgettingbetterallthetime!"Ifollowedhimdownthepaththatwoundthiswayandthat,threetimesthelengthofthepathwehadclimbed.半空中的⼀块空地杰西·斯图亚特“就是这条路。”我⽗亲⼀⾯跟我说道，⼀⾯⽤他的拐杖指了指下⾯深深⼭⾕的对⾯。“我想给你看样东西！”“你不觉得对你来说今天天⽓实在太热，不宜⾛太多路吗？”我擦去脸上直往下淌的汗⽔，以免汗⽔刺痛我的眼睛。我实在不想和他⼀起⾛。我刚刚从⾃⼰家⾥带了⼀篮⼦饭菜，爬了半⾥⼭路上来送给妈妈。我知道天⽓有多热。⽽且我还知道，从⼀⽉到四⽉，我爸去看过⼋个⼤夫，他们都叫他别⾛太多路。可是，我也知道我现在反对他没⽤。他要是拿定主意做某件事情，他就⼀定要做。他根本不管连荫凉处的温度都到了华⽒100度还是零下20度。所以我只好跟着他往牧场和草地之间的⼩路⾛去。他突然停了下来，取出了⼝袋⾥的⼩⼑，割了⼀⼩把苜蓿，然后在阳光中将它举了起来。“看看这个，杰西！”他得意地说。“你这辈⼦见过⽐这更好的苜蓿吗？”“这是我见到过的最好的牧草。”我说道。“当年我买这块地的时候，⼤家都说我疯了。”他⼜吹嘘说。“我花了三⼗年的时间才让它上⾯的东西长得这么好！”当我站在那⾥望着两座⼩⼭之间的这块苜蓿地时，我想起了他当年是怎样⼀次次把树林中的落叶拖来，铺在地上，然后⽤犁把它们翻到⼟壤下⾯让它们腐烂的。他刚买下这块地的时候，地⾥只长松树和荆棘。那松树都长不到半⼈⾼，因为地⾥的那点肥料根本不够让它们再往上长了。他就把松树砍了，把地犁松了，然后种上肥⽥植物，再犁地把它们翻到⼟壌下。然后再种第⼆次、第三次、第四次。⼏年⼯夫，他就让这块地⾥的⽟⽶、⼩麦和⼟⾖有了好收成。“不过这并不是我要给你看的东西，杰西，”他说道，“来，跟我来！”我跟着他穿过牧场的门，然后顺着窄窄的牲⼝⾛的⼩路，⼀直往下⾛到那深深的⼩⼭⾕。“我们上哪⼉去？”我看到爸爸⾛上了横跨溪流的原⽊，就⼜问道。“就在那⾥，”他笑笑说，往被林⽊覆盖的⼭顶指了指，“那就是我们要去的地⽅。”我跟着他⾛过了原⽊桥。那是他做的桥，他砍倒了⼀棵⽩橡树，让它顺势倒在那条深深的溪流上。接着，我们⾛上了那曲曲弯弯的⽺肠⼩道，路旁都是⾼⾼的⼭核桃树，我⼩时候常常跟他来这⾥打松⿏。但是那已经是差不多三⼗年前的事这么多年来，我时不时地⾛过这起伏不平的⼭坡，⽽上⾯本来没有路，直到我爸开辟出了这⼀条。这条路⾮常美，头上是⼭核桃、核桃树和橡树的枝叶交错⽽成的⾼⾼的穹顶。我们抬头都望不到天空。⾛在我前⾯的这个⼩个⼦男⼈，当年⾛路快得我必须⼀路⼩跑才能跟上。可是⽆情的岁⽉减慢了他的速度，繁重的劳动折弯了他的腰。他的呼吸也不如以前顺畅，他在路上停了两次，拄着拐杖休息。“还记得从前我们到这⾥来打松⿏吗？那⼋⽉的晨风是多么清新啊。到⼗⽉的时候，兔⼦都养肥了，秋霜⼀来,那些⼭核桃树的叶⼦就都变黄了。⼗⽉的秋风⼀吹起，树上的⼤叶⼦就沙沙作响，像黄⾊的⾬珠⼀样落在地上！多美好的⽇⼦啊，杰西！”“那就是你要给我看的东西吗？”我问道。“哦，不，不！”他说着，开始爬那直指天空的陡峭⼭坡。我们前⾯⼭顶上的松树长长的树枝看起来就像⼈的⼿指，正在抚摸着⼀朵⽩云。“你为什么要⾛这条直上直下的⼩路呢？”我⼜问。“你瞧其他那些路！它们通向哪⾥呢？”就在⼏码之外，有好⼏条⼩路离开了这条主道，环绕⼭坡蜿蜒向上。“这些路都是通向同⼀个地⽅的。”他回答说。我的好奇⼼⼀下⼦被勾起来了。我想也许他找到了⼀种新草或是新树种。因为我记得他曾经在我们的林地中发现过⼀棵咖啡树，据我所知，在我们这个县，这种咖啡树还只有我们这⼀棵。我们最终到达了那些⾼⼤挺拔的松树⽣长的地⽅。松树的枝⼲直插蓝天深处，刚才的⽩云已经飘⾛了。我看到在⼭顶这⽚树林的中⼼地带，有⼀块不到四分之三英亩的空地。“好了，⼉⼦。”他说着就把最上⾯的铁丝往下按了按，以便跨过铁丝⽹进去。“这就是我想给你看的东西！”“这是谁弄的？”我问。“是谁开辟了这块地，⼜拉了这个铁丝⽹？”“是我！是我开的地，也是我拉的铁丝⽹。”“可是，你⼲吗这么做呢？”我问他，“我们在⼭⾕⾥已经有那么多肥沃的⼟地了！”“肥沃，”他笑着弯下⾝捧起了⼀捧泥⼟，“这才叫肥沃呢，⼉⼦！这才是真货⾊。”说着，他闻了闻那泥⼟。“就像新鲜空⽓那样。”他⼀⾯说着，⼀⾯让那⼟从他的指缝间流在地上。“这⼟摸着都舒服。”他加了句。“我知道你在想什么。”他打断了我。“你妈也这么想。她不明⽩我为什么要爬到⼭顶去种⼟⾖、甜薯和西红柿！但是，杰西，”他这时⼏乎像在和我⽿语，“在这样新开垦的地⾥种出来的任何东西，都有特别的风味。等到西红柿熟了的时候吧，你会发现你这辈⼦从没有吃过那么甜的西红柿！”“这的确是我见过的最⼲净的⼀块地，”我激动地⼤声说道，“但我还是不明⽩你为什么要去费那个劲，⽽且还不听医嘱！”“我这辈⼦曾有⼆⼗次，”他说道，“医⽣跟我说，叫我回家和家⼈待在⼀起，能团聚⼏天就团聚⼏天。叫我不要再⼯作了。叫我什么都不要⼲，只要在剩下的⼏天时间⾥尽情地享受。可是每⼀次我都躲过了死神！我现在已经⽤尽了《圣经》上说上帝赐给每个⼈的寿命，我已经整七⼗岁了！”他从刚才坐着的树桩上站了起来，⽤⼿擦去了他那布满皱纹的通红的脸上的汗⽔。“这以后，你的时间都是借来的，”他说，并⽤⼿⽰意我跟他⾛到那块空地的边缘，“于是，这时候，你就会回到你以前熟悉和热爱的地⽅。你看这个陡坡。”他⽤⼿指指下⾯⼭⾕的深处。“你妈和我，当时她⼗九，我⼆⼗⼆，我们俩⼀起开垦了这⾯⼭坡。我们在这⾥种⽟⽶、⾖⼦和南⽠，”他接着说道，因为激动，嗓门也越来越⾼。“那就是我为什么要回到这⾥来的原因。我要回到我们的青年时代。”我望着下⾯⼴阔的⼭坡。当年就是在这⾯坡上，⽗亲有⼀次给我做了⼀张⼩⼩的⽊犁。记得那年我六岁，他们把我带到这块地⾥来给⽟⽶间现在，看看这个⼭坡，你很难相信，这⼀切都是他们两个⼈完成的。因为很多树现在都已经有六⼗英尺⾼了，⽽且那些野藤已经把树顶缠结“还有，杰西，”他接着说，“医⽣叫我待着别动，完全放松地⽣活。可是我办不到。我必须做点事情。我得闻闻这泥⼟，再抚摸抚摸它。⽽且我要尝尝这地⾥长出来的甜薯、西红柿、⼟⾖。”我随他从那半空中的空地，沿着⼀条新的⼩路，⾛向下⾯的深⾕。“噢，对了，”他说。“去年舂天，