TED演讲: 用班卓琴来建设中美关系(1)

 　　If you had caught me straight out of college in the halls of the Vermont State House 如果你在我本科刚毕业后在佛蒙特州议会大楼里遇到我

　　where I was a lobbyist in training and asked me what I was going to do with my life, 那时我还正在参加说客培训，并同时问我我的人生理想是什么

　　I would have told you that I'd just passed the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, 我会告诉你我刚通过了汉语水平考试

　　the Chinese equivalency exam, and I was going to go study law in Beijing, （The Chinese Equivalency Exam)，而且我准备去北京进修法律

　　and I was going to improve U.S.-China relations through top-down policy changes and judicial¹ system reforms. 我要自上而下地修订政策及改革司法系统以来改善中美关系

　　I had a plan, and I never ever thought it would have anything to do with the banjo. 我是有个计划，但是我没想到它会和班卓琴扯上什么关系，就是这玩意儿

　　Little did I know what a huge impact it would have on me one night 我真没想到它将在某个晚上对我造成如此巨大的影响

　　when I was at a party and I heard a sound coming out of a record player in the corner of a room. 当时我正在一个派对，我听见从房间角落里的录音机传来得声音

　　And it was Doc Watson singing and playing "Shady Grove²." 那是多克·沃森弹唱的《林荫》

　　Shady Grove, my little love. Shady Grove, my darlin' 树林荫荫啊，我的小爱人。树林荫荫啊，我的小亲亲

　　Shady Grove, my little love. Going back to Harlan 树林荫荫啊，我的小爱人。让我们一起回哈兰

　　That sound was just so beautiful, the sound of Doc's voice and the rippling³ groove⁴ of the banjo. 那声音真是太美了，多克的嗓音和荡漾的班卓琴声

　　And after being totally and completely obsessed⁵ with the mammoth⁶ richness and history of Chinese culture, 在完全彻底沉迷于悠久厚重、浩浩汤汤的中国历史与文化这么久以后

　　it was like this total relief to hear something so truly American and so truly awesome⁷. 听到这种地道的美国风格，也是地道的一流音乐，实在是对我的一种解脱

1 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

2 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

3 rippling   

起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的

参考例句：

• I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
• The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。

4 groove   

n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯

参考例句：

• They're happy to stay in the same old groove.他们乐于墨守成规。
• The cupboard door slides open along the groove.食橱门沿槽移开。

5 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

6 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

7 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.