Life Could Be Worse

 

Life Could Be Worse

让生活换一种风景

              

For the taxes that I pay, because it means that I am employed.

纳税——是因为我有一份工作。

 

For the ¹⁾mess to clean after a party, because it means that I have been ²⁾surrounded by friends.

派对后要收拾打扫——因为我身边有好多朋友啊。

 

For the clothes that fit a little too ³⁾snug¹, because it means I have enough to eat.

原本合身的衣服现在有点紧了——那是我足食无忧嘛。

 

For a ⁴⁾lawn that needs ⁵⁾mowing², windows that need cleaning, and gutters³ that need fixing, because it means I have a home.

草坪该剪了，窗户要抹了，水沟还没修——那是因为我有一个家。

 

For the teenager who is not doing dishes but is watching TV, because that means he is at home and not on the streets.

小孩子不刷碗，却在看电视——因为他有家可依，不用流落街头。

 

For the parking spot I find at the far end of the ⁶⁾parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and that I have transportation.

停车场只剩远远的角落有空位——因为我走得了路，我还拥有交通工具。

 

For the ⁷⁾punk rock band that is noisy, because it means that I can hear.

朋克乐队吵翻了天——那意味着我听力不错。

 

For the pile of ⁸⁾laundry and ⁹⁾ironing, because it means I have clothes to wear.

成堆衣服要洗要烫——我的衣服可多了。

 

For weariness and ¹⁰⁾aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means I have been capable of working hard.

一天下来腰酸背疼——因为我有能力勤奋工作。

 

For my alarm that goes of in the early morning hours, because it means that I am alive. And finally...

闹钟清早就响——那意味着我还活着。还有就是……

 

For too much e-mail, because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

电子邮件爆满啦——因为有这么多朋友在惦记着我呢。

 

注释：

1) mess [mes] n. 混乱，脏乱

2) surround [sE5raund] v. 包围

3) snug [snQ^] a. 紧贴

4) lawn [lC:n] n. 草坪

5) mowing [5mEuiN] n. 割草

6) parking lot 停车场

7) punk [pQNk] n. 朋克

8) laundry [5lC:ndri] n. 要洗的衣服

9) ironing [5aiEniN] n. 熨平衣服

10) aching [5eikiN] a. 疼的

1 snug   

adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房

参考例句：

• He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
• She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。

2 mowing   

n.割草，一次收割量，牧草地v.刈，割( mow的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lawn needs mowing. 这草坪的草该割了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• "Do you use it for mowing?" “你是用它割草么？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

3 gutters   

（路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地

参考例句：

• Gutters lead the water into the ditch. 排水沟把水排到这条水沟里。
• They were born, they grew up in the gutters. 他们生了下来，以后就在街头长大。