美国语文第五册第66期:小镇水泵(1)-英语课

时间：2019-01-17 作者：英语课 分类：美国语文第五册

英语课

　　Noon, by the north clock! 中午，北方时钟报时！

　　Noon, by the east! 中午，东方时钟报时！
　　High noon, too, by those hot sunbeams which fall, scarcely aslope, upon my head, 正午，那炽火的光几乎垂直泻落到我的头顶，
　　and almost make the water bubble and smoke in the trough under my nose. 我鼻子下水槽里的水即将沸腾冒烟，
　　Truly, we public characters have a tough time of it! 坦率地说，我们这些公众人物居然身受如此磨难。
　　And among all the town officers, chosen at the yearly meeting, 如果镇政府大小一干官员，若有人被选中参加小镇年度会议，
　　where is he that sustains, for a single year, the burden of such manifold duties as are imposed, in perpetuity, upon the Town Pump? 是否意味一年内他应该履行那些五花八门的职责，类似那些被永久赋予小镇水泵身上的诸多义务？
　　The title of town treasurer 1 is rightfully mine, as guardian 2 of the best treasure the town has. 通过某种正当方式，我被授以小镇财务长官的头衔，如同小镇那些宝贵资产的监护人。
　　The overseers of the poor ought to make me their chairman, since I provide bountifully for the pauper 3, without expense to him that pays taxes. 那些济贫会执事们真该提名我为主席，由于我慷慨地为乞丐或贫民提供帮助，更无需让他们缴税。
　　I am at the head of the fire department, and one of the physicians of the board of health. 我是小镇消防部门当仁不让的主管，同时行使镇上卫生理事会医生的崇高职责。
　　As a keeper or the peace, all water drinkers confess me equal to the constable 4. 作为小镇的维护者，或者毋庸说安宁生活的守护者，所有饮水居民无不承认我的作用好比治安巡警。
　　I perform some of the duties of the town clerk, by promulgating 5 public notices, when they are pasted on my front. 一旦镇政府颁布公告张贴到我的身上，我甚至亦能履行小镇官员的相应管理义务。
　　To speak within bounds, I am chief person of the municipality, 就言论许可范围来说，我是小镇当局的重要人物兼政务形象。
　　and exhibit, moreover, an admirable pattern to my brother officers by the cool, steady, upright, downright, and impartial 6 discharge of my business, 此外，鉴于我的冷静稳定、诚信爽直，以及公正地胜任工作，坚持履行职责，对我的兄弟官员来说，
　　and the constancy with which I stand to my post. 难保不成为令人钦佩的光辉榜样。
　　Summer or winter, nobody seeks me in vain; 无论寒寒暑秋冬，无论什么人，我一概有求必应。
　　for all day long I am seen at the busiest corner, just above the market, stretching out my arms to rich and poor alike; 从早到晚，我成天呆在市场上最繁忙的地方，不管穷人富人，都是以礼相待。
　　and at night I hold a lantern over my head, to show where I am, and to keep people out of the gutters 7. 每逢夜晚，我会在我的头顶挂上一盏灯，表明我的存在，提醒镇上居民小心沟坎。

美国语文第五册 第66期:小镇水泵(1)

美国语文第五册第66期:小镇水泵(1)