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通过面试后,Hugh终于如愿以偿来到流浪汉收容所开始第一次的志愿者活动。这里,他看到平日不曾看到的情景:心酸的是,有许多需要帮忙的人,他们无家可归、生活艰辛;欣慰的是,也有许多像他一样的志愿者,利用空余的时间来帮助这些流浪汉。
Harold: You’re a new face around here. ①What brings a young fellow like you here?
Hugh: They weren’t sure where to put me, so I wound up in the kitchen.
Harold: Must be your first day.
Hugh: How did you guess?
Harold: They always put the new ones in the kitchen. Eventually, you might end up on 1)handyman duties: fixing broken beds and sinks.
Hugh: ②I’m not too fussed about where they put me. Everyone has been so friendly so far.
Harold: The kitchen is a good place to start. Gives you a chance to meet the locals.
Hugh: How many home…
Harold: It’s ok, you can call us homeless. ③Call a spade a spade.
Hugh: Sorry. How many homeless come through here each day?
Harold: This is one of the busiest shelters in the city. Probably between fifty and seventy a day.
Hugh: And how long have you been coming?
Harold: Oh, must be close to ten years now. I’m too old to get a job and I have no family to speak of. But I’ve been on and off the streets all my life. They are pretty much all I know. Things have come a long way over the years. The government is doing a good job to keep us well fed and clothed.
Hugh: Yes, I must say I’m surprised at how well-organised they are here. I had no idea how many volunteers gave up their time to help out; ④people from all walks of life.
Harold: It’s the same on my side of the table. ⑤People living on the streets come in all shapes and sizes. One day they are teachers, parents, the shopkeeper at the corner store…then the next day, it can all change. Some people lose everything in an instant. Bankruptcy, addiction, a death in the family. ⑥Our lives are hanging by a string. Some manage to turn it all around. Not me. All I have are the clothes on my back…and my dreams. It’s too late for me now. All I’ve got to look forward to is the soup of the day. ⑦Sorry to talk your ear off. I’m holding up the queue. Better keep moving.
Hugh: No problem. Nice to meet you. And I hear the soup of the day is 2)pumpkin.
Harold: My favourite.
哈罗德:你是新来的吧。像你这样的年轻人怎么会到这里来呢?
休:他们不知道把我安排到哪去,所以我就到厨房来了。
哈罗德:一定是第一次来吧。
休:你怎么知道的?
哈罗德:他们总是让新来的到厨房来。最后,就是做杂务工的工作:修床和水槽。
休:我对他们把我安排到哪倒无所谓。目前为止每个人对我都很友好。
哈罗德:厨房工作是一个很好的开始。让你有机会见到一些当地人。
休:有多少流浪……
哈罗德:没关系,你可以叫我们流浪汉。有啥说啥。
休:对不起。每天会有多少流浪汉到这里来呢?
哈罗德:这是市里最繁忙的收容所之一。每天大概有五十到七十人左右。
休:你们来这多长时间了?
哈罗德:噢,到现在快十年了吧。我年纪大了,没法找到工作,也没有家人。但是我一生与大街为伴。这一切我都太熟悉了。这些年来发生了很大的变化。政府在这方面做得很好,让我们吃饱穿暖。
休:是啊,我得说,这里运作得这么好让我觉得很吃惊。我从不知道有这么多志愿者在这里帮忙;各行各业的人都有。
哈罗德:我也是这么看的。街上的流浪汉形形色色。曾经,他们是老师、父母、街边小店的店主……第二天,一切都可能改变。一些人在一瞬间失去了所有东西。破产、吸毒、家人去世。我们的生命都岌岌可危。一些人都挺过去。我不能。我只有身上的这些衣服……还有我的梦想。对于我来说都太迟了。我所能期待的就是每天有汤喝。对不起,说起来就没完没了了。我耽误到别人了,最好赶紧走开。
休:没关系。很高兴认识你。我听
说今天有南瓜汤。
哈罗德:这是我的最爱。
Smart Sentences
① What brings a young fellow like you here? 像你这样的年轻人怎么会到这里来呢?
What brings you here?: an expression used when inquiring about the reasons for sb.’s appearance(用以询问某人出现的原因)。例如:
I haven’t seen you in ages. What brings you here?
我好久没见到你了,你怎么来了?
② I’m not too fussed about where they put me. 我对他们把我安排到哪都无所谓。
not too fussed about: uncaring about an outcome(不在乎,不介意)。例如:
I’m not too fussed which department they will put me in.
他们把我安排在哪个部门都行。
③ Call a spade a spade. 有啥说啥。
call a spade a spade: speak frankly about something, even if it is unpleasant(实事求是地说,直言不讳)。例如:
As for who is the best candidate for the job, I believe in calling a spade a spade.
在谁是这个职位的最佳人选这个问题上,我赞成有啥说啥。
④ ...people from all walks of life. ……各行各业的人都有。
all walks of life: all social, economic, and ethnic groups(各界人士)。例如:
Our club is not exclusive and you will be able to meet people from all walks of life.
我们俱乐部不排外,在这里你可以认识各界人士。
⑤ People living on the streets come in all shapes and sizes. 街上的流浪汉形形色色。
come in all shapes and sizes: things or people are very different from each other (各种各样,形形色色)。例如:
Parents come in all shapes and sizes.
家长中有各种各样的人。
⑥ Our lives are hanging by a string.我们的生命都岌岌可危。
hang by a string: in a very uncertain state(岌岌可危)。例如:
For days after his car accident, his life was hanging by a string.
在车祸后的几天里,他的生命岌岌可危。
⑦ Sorry to talk your ear off. 对不起,说起来就没完没了了。
talk sb.’s ear off: talk to someone endlessly(说个没完,没完没了地唠叨)。例如:
Stay away from my aunt. She will talk your ear off if she gets a chance.
别靠近我姨,她一有机会就唠叨个没完。
Harold: You’re a new face around here. ①What brings a young fellow like you here?
Hugh: They weren’t sure where to put me, so I wound up in the kitchen.
Harold: Must be your first day.
Hugh: How did you guess?
Harold: They always put the new ones in the kitchen. Eventually, you might end up on 1)handyman duties: fixing broken beds and sinks.
Hugh: ②I’m not too fussed about where they put me. Everyone has been so friendly so far.
Harold: The kitchen is a good place to start. Gives you a chance to meet the locals.
Hugh: How many home…
Harold: It’s ok, you can call us homeless. ③Call a spade a spade.
Hugh: Sorry. How many homeless come through here each day?
Harold: This is one of the busiest shelters in the city. Probably between fifty and seventy a day.
Hugh: And how long have you been coming?
Harold: Oh, must be close to ten years now. I’m too old to get a job and I have no family to speak of. But I’ve been on and off the streets all my life. They are pretty much all I know. Things have come a long way over the years. The government is doing a good job to keep us well fed and clothed.
Hugh: Yes, I must say I’m surprised at how well-organised they are here. I had no idea how many volunteers gave up their time to help out; ④people from all walks of life.
Harold: It’s the same on my side of the table. ⑤People living on the streets come in all shapes and sizes. One day they are teachers, parents, the shopkeeper at the corner store…then the next day, it can all change. Some people lose everything in an instant. Bankruptcy, addiction, a death in the family. ⑥Our lives are hanging by a string. Some manage to turn it all around. Not me. All I have are the clothes on my back…and my dreams. It’s too late for me now. All I’ve got to look forward to is the soup of the day. ⑦Sorry to talk your ear off. I’m holding up the queue. Better keep moving.
Hugh: No problem. Nice to meet you. And I hear the soup of the day is 2)pumpkin.
Harold: My favourite.
哈罗德:你是新来的吧。像你这样的年轻人怎么会到这里来呢?
休:他们不知道把我安排到哪去,所以我就到厨房来了。
哈罗德:一定是第一次来吧。
休:你怎么知道的?
哈罗德:他们总是让新来的到厨房来。最后,就是做杂务工的工作:修床和水槽。
休:我对他们把我安排到哪倒无所谓。目前为止每个人对我都很友好。
哈罗德:厨房工作是一个很好的开始。让你有机会见到一些当地人。
休:有多少流浪……
哈罗德:没关系,你可以叫我们流浪汉。有啥说啥。
休:对不起。每天会有多少流浪汉到这里来呢?
哈罗德:这是市里最繁忙的收容所之一。每天大概有五十到七十人左右。
休:你们来这多长时间了?
哈罗德:噢,到现在快十年了吧。我年纪大了,没法找到工作,也没有家人。但是我一生与大街为伴。这一切我都太熟悉了。这些年来发生了很大的变化。政府在这方面做得很好,让我们吃饱穿暖。
休:是啊,我得说,这里运作得这么好让我觉得很吃惊。我从不知道有这么多志愿者在这里帮忙;各行各业的人都有。
哈罗德:我也是这么看的。街上的流浪汉形形色色。曾经,他们是老师、父母、街边小店的店主……第二天,一切都可能改变。一些人在一瞬间失去了所有东西。破产、吸毒、家人去世。我们的生命都岌岌可危。一些人都挺过去。我不能。我只有身上的这些衣服……还有我的梦想。对于我来说都太迟了。我所能期待的就是每天有汤喝。对不起,说起来就没完没了了。我耽误到别人了,最好赶紧走开。
休:没关系。很高兴认识你。我听
说今天有南瓜汤。
哈罗德:这是我的最爱。
Smart Sentences
① What brings a young fellow like you here? 像你这样的年轻人怎么会到这里来呢?
What brings you here?: an expression used when inquiring about the reasons for sb.’s appearance(用以询问某人出现的原因)。例如:
I haven’t seen you in ages. What brings you here?
我好久没见到你了,你怎么来了?
② I’m not too fussed about where they put me. 我对他们把我安排到哪都无所谓。
not too fussed about: uncaring about an outcome(不在乎,不介意)。例如:
I’m not too fussed which department they will put me in.
他们把我安排在哪个部门都行。
③ Call a spade a spade. 有啥说啥。
call a spade a spade: speak frankly about something, even if it is unpleasant(实事求是地说,直言不讳)。例如:
As for who is the best candidate for the job, I believe in calling a spade a spade.
在谁是这个职位的最佳人选这个问题上,我赞成有啥说啥。
④ ...people from all walks of life. ……各行各业的人都有。
all walks of life: all social, economic, and ethnic groups(各界人士)。例如:
Our club is not exclusive and you will be able to meet people from all walks of life.
我们俱乐部不排外,在这里你可以认识各界人士。
⑤ People living on the streets come in all shapes and sizes. 街上的流浪汉形形色色。
come in all shapes and sizes: things or people are very different from each other (各种各样,形形色色)。例如:
Parents come in all shapes and sizes.
家长中有各种各样的人。
⑥ Our lives are hanging by a string.我们的生命都岌岌可危。
hang by a string: in a very uncertain state(岌岌可危)。例如:
For days after his car accident, his life was hanging by a string.
在车祸后的几天里,他的生命岌岌可危。
⑦ Sorry to talk your ear off. 对不起,说起来就没完没了了。
talk sb.’s ear off: talk to someone endlessly(说个没完,没完没了地唠叨)。例如:
Stay away from my aunt. She will talk your ear off if she gets a chance.
别靠近我姨,她一有机会就唠叨个没完。