纪录片《美国商业大亨传奇》 铁路之争（2）

For the first time in the country's short existence,

旁白：在美国短暂的存在历史中 这是首次

the man most capable of leading America is not a politician.

最有能力引领美国的人不再是政治家

He's a self-made man, who, through sheer force of will,

凭借着纯粹的意志力，他白手起家

turned a poor upbringing on the docks of New York Harbor, into an empire.

从纽约港码头的一介穷人 变成创造出一个帝国的人

At sixteen, Cornelius Vanderbilt

十六岁时 科尼利厄斯·范德比尔特

buys a small ferry boat with a one hundred dollar loan.

用贷来的一百美元买了一条小渡船

He quickly earns a reputation as a cutthroat businessman,

他很快因为心狠手辣而出名

willing to use any means necessary to get ahead.

他会为了前进不择手段

Back then, it was just pure competition.

马克·库班：那时只有纯粹的竞争

My brain against your brain.

我的脑力对抗你的脑力

My effort against your effort.

我的努力对抗你的努力

You just competed.

大家就这样竞争

That's the way they looked at business. It was the Wild, Wild West,

这就是他们看待商业的方式 就像是西部荒原那样

and by hook or crook¹, it was just win or lose,

所有人不择手段 争得你死我活

and the best win.

最优秀的人取得胜利

He was a tough guy.

他是一个很顽强的人

Getting into scraps² with other men,

同其他人进行激烈的战斗

beating the hell out of them and knocking them unconscious.

痛打他们 打得他们失去知觉

That competitive streak³, and that toughness,

这种竞争倾向 这种顽强品质

very much defined his character.

很大程度上定义了他这个人

His single ferry soon becomes a fleet of ships,

旁白：他的经营规模很快就从一条渡船变成了一个船队

transporting goods and passengers to every corner of the growing country.

将货物和乘客运往这个发展的国家的每一个角落

Vanderbilt will become so synonymous with shipping⁴

范德比尔特很快就变成了船运的同义词

that his nickname becomes "the Commodore".

人们称他 "船长"

I think Vanderbilt recognized

我想 范德比尔特肯定知道

that what was going to be important

重要的是将货物

is transporting goods from one place to another.

从一个地方运往另一个地方

And he had this idea that required infrastructure⁵,

他显然知道 这需要基础设施

and not infrastructure the government was going to provide,

这还不能只是政府提供的基础设施

but that he was going to provide.

他自己也需要提供

Over the next forty years,

旁白：在之后的四十年中

Vanderbilt builds the largest shipping empire in the world.

范德比尔特建起了全世界最大的船运帝国

Then, at the peak of his power,

之后 在他权力的顶峰

just before the Civil War, he does the unthinkable.

就在南北战争之前 他做了一件不可想象的事情

1 crook   

v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处)

参考例句：

• He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.我骂他骗子，他要我向他认错。
• She was cradling a small parcel in the crook of her elbow.她用手臂挎着一个小包裹。

2 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

3 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

4 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。