Chapter16 The Story of My Life-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《假如给我三天光明Three Days to See》

The Story ofMyCife CHAPTERI6 B EFORE OCToBER, 1893, I had studied various subjects by myself in a more or less desultory{ manner. I read the histories of Greece, Rome and the United States. I had a French grammar in raised print②, and as I already knew some French, I often amused myself by composing in my head short exercises, using the new words as I came across them, and ignoring rules and other technicalities as much as possible. I even tried. without aid. to master the French pronunciation, as I found all the letters and sounds described in the book. Of course this was tasking slender powers for great ends: but it gave me something to do on a rainy day, and I acauired a sufficient knowledge of French to read with pleasure La Fontaine's "Fables,""Le Medecin Malgre Lui" and passages from"Athalie." I also gave considerable time to the improvement of my speech. I read aloud to Miss Sullivan and recited passages from my favorite poets, which I had committed to memory: she corrected my pronunciation and helped me to phrase{③}and inflect{. It was not, however, until October, 1893, after I had recovered from the fatigue{} and excitement of my visit to the World's Fair, that I began to have lessons in special subjects at fixed hours. Miss Sullivan and I were at that time in Hulton, Pennsylvania, visiting .158. 我的生活l 第十六章 在1893年10月之前,我断断续续地自学了很多科 ① desultory I'desaltari] a. 目的课程。我阅读了希腊、罗马和美国的历史。我有一 不连贯的 ② raised print 盲文印刷 本盲文字体的法语语法书。因为对法语已经有所了解, 所以我常常在脑海里创建一些简单的小练习,随意使用 一些碰到的新单词造句,尽量忽略语法规则和一些其他 的技巧,以此来自娱自乐。我甚至试图在不寻求帮助的 情况下掌握法语发音,因为我发现书里对所有的字母和 音节都有讲解。当然,要想取得巨大的成果,这些微小 的努力是远远不够的。不过,在阴雨连绵的日子里,我 就不会再无所事事。就这样,我掌握的这些法语知识已 经足够我快乐地阅读拉封丹的《寓言》、莫里哀的《屈 打成医》,以及拉辛的《阿达莉》了。 我还花了大量时间提高自已说话的能力。我大声地 为沙利文小姐读书,背诵一些我最喜欢的诗歌节选,这 些诗歌都是我用心记忆过的。沙利文小姐则纠正我的一 ③ phrase [freiz]v 用语言 些发音,并帮助我学习运用措辞和词形的屈折变化。但 表达 ④ inflect in'flekt]v 【语 是,直到1893年10月,我从参观世界博览会的疲劳和 法学】使发生屈折变化 fatigue [fa'ti:q]n. 疲劳 兴奋中恢复平静后,我才开始在固定时间内学习一些特 殊的课程。 那时,我和沙利文小姐正在宾夕法尼亚州的霍尔 .159· The Story ofMyCife the family of Mr. William Wade. Mr. Irons, a neighbor of theirs, was a good Latin scholar: it was arranged that I should study under him. I remember him as a man of rare, sweet nature and of wide experience. He taught me Latin grammar principally{①}; but he often helped me in arithmetic, which I found as troublesome as it was uninteresting. Mr. Irons also read with me Tennyson's"Ir Memoriam." I had read many books before, but never from a critical point of view. I learned for the first time to know an author, to recognize his style as I recognize the clasp of a friend's hand At first I was rather unwilling to study Latin grammar. It seemed absurd to waste time analyzing every word I came across - noun, genitive②}, singular, feminine{③} - when its meaning was quite plain. I thought I might just as well de scribe my pet in order to know it -order{④}, vertebrate: division^{} quadruped^{}: class^{③}, mammalia^{}: genus^{①}, felinus^{④}: species, cat. individual. Tabby. But as I got deeper into the subject, I became more interested, and the beauty of the language delighted me. I often amused myself by reading Latir passages, picking up words I understood and trying to make sense. I have never ceased to enjoy this pastime^{}. There is nothing more beautiful, I think, than the evanescent^{} fleeting images and sentiments presented by a language one is just becoming familiar with -- ideas that flit across^{}the mental sky. shaped and tinted{by capricious fancy. Miss Sullivan sat beside me at my lessons, spelling into my hand whatever Mr. Irons said, and looking up new words for me. I was just beginning to read Caesar's "Gallic War"when I went to my home in Alabama .16o. 我的生活l 顿拜访威廉·韦德一家,他们的邻居艾恩斯先生是一名 优秀的拉工文学者,所以,我就依照安排跟着他学习拉 丁文。我记得艾恩斯先生是一位少有的性情温和、阅历 ① principally ['prinsapali] 丰富的杰出人士。他主要教我拉丁文语法,但是也经常 ad.主要地 帮助我学习算数-一对我来说,算数实在是既麻烦又无 趣。艾恩斯先生常常陪我读丁尼生的《悼念》。以前 我也读过很多书,但是从未以批判的眼光看待书中的问 题,与艾恩斯先生一起读书则让我第一次了解具有思辨 思想的作家,认同其创作风格,正如我认同一个和朋友 ② genitive P'd3enitiv]n. 所 的击掌一样。 有格 起初,我对于学习拉丁文语法不太情愿,因为我 ③ feminine 'femininl n. 阴 性形式 觉得碰到每一个单词都要浪费时间去分析它的名词属 ④order I'sx:da]n. 【生物】 目 性、所有格、单复数、阴阳性,真是一种愚蠢的举动 vertebrate I'vo:tibrot] n. 脊稚动物 尤其是当这个单词的意思已经相当明了的时候。我想 division ldi'vi3anln. 【生 为了更清楚地了解我的宠物,我可以学习一些拉丁文 物学】门 quadruped ['kwodruped] 来描述它一一目,脊稚动物;门,四足动物;纲,哺孔 n.四足动物 ⑧class kles]n.【生物】 动物;属,猫科;个体,大花猫。但是,随着学习的深入, 纲 mammalia Imae'malial n 我越来越感兴趣了,拉丁文语言的魅力也让我高兴不 哺孔动物 genus fdsitnos]n. 【生物】 已。我常常阅读一些拉丁文段落自娱自乐,我把学过 的单词挑选出来并试着去理解其含义。在随后的生活 felinus ['felinas]n.【生物】 猫科 中,我一直都很享受这种消遣 ② pastime I'prstaim]n. 消 遣 我认为,任何事物也比不上因刚开始熟悉一种语 evanescent L.i:va'nesant] a.瞬息的 言而产生的稍纵即逝的影像和情感那么美丽,那种思想 ④ flit across 掠过 已经穿越了精神的天空,被瞬息万变的幻想所塑造和渲 tint [tint]:稍微影响 染。沙利文小姐坐在我旁边,为我拼写艾恩斯先生说过 的每一句话,并为我查找新的单词。就那样,当我返回 亚拉巴马老家的时候,我已经开始读恺撒的《高卢战记》 了。 .161·