读者文摘:自学号角向老兵致敬(2)

"It was awful," says Gary's wife, Joanie Marquardt, with a laugh.

“有点害怕，”加里的妻子琼妮·马夸特笑着说。

The Marquardts' neighbors, Bruce and Carol Hedblom, were exposed to Gary's playing too. "No inhibitions," Bruce says diplomatically.

马夸特家的邻居布鲁斯和卡罗尔·赫德布卢姆也看到了加里的表演。“没有禁忌，”布鲁斯说道。

"I would have given up," adds Carol. Instead, Gary took lessons. "We were all hoping he would get better," says Joanie.

“我本应该放弃的，”卡罗尔补充道。相反，加里学道了知识。“我们都希望他能变得更好，”琼妮说。

"And then he did." He even passed his audition¹ (on the third try).

“后来他做到了。”他甚至通过了试镜（第三次试镜）。

Through BAA, Gary volunteers at funerals roughly a hundred times a year. "I don't play perfect every time," he says.

通过全美军号组织，加里每年大约做100次葬礼志愿者。“我不是每次都吹得很完美，”他说。

"But it comes from the heart." When he's not playing a funeral, he's often found at local cemeteries² honoring veterans.

“但我是发自内心的。”当不参加葬礼时，他会经常去当地的公墓，纪念退伍军人。

Be they Civil War–era soldiers or casualties of more recent conflicts,

无论是参加内战的士兵还是最近在冲突中的伤亡人士，

he always leaves a penny on each stone, symbolizing³ the pittance⁴ of his service compared with theirs.

他总是在每一块石头上留下一便士，象征着自己的服务与他们相比微不足道。

But why so committed? Turns out Gary—now 68 and comfortably retired⁵ after selling his document services company—got a pass in his 20s.

但为什么这么承诺？事实证明，出售文件服务公司后轻松退休的68岁的加里，在20多岁时获得了通行证。

He was all but certain he'd be heading to -Vietnam after college, until a bleeding ulcer⁶ intervened.

他大学毕业后去越南几乎成为定局，直至被诊断为胃出血。

1 audition   

n.(对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱等)

参考例句：

• I'm going to the audition but I don't expect I'll get a part.我去试音，可并不指望会给我个角色演出。
• At first,they said he was too young,but later they called him for an audition.起初，他们说他太小，但后来他们叫他去试听。

2 cemeteries   

n.（非教堂的）墓地，公墓( cemetery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It's morbid to dwell on cemeteries and such like. 不厌其烦地谈论墓地以及诸如此类的事是一种病态。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In other districts the proximity of cemeteries seemed to aggravate the disease. 在其它地区里，邻近墓地的地方，时疫大概都要严重些。 来自辞典例句

3 symbolizing   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• This symbol later evolved into a common hieroglyphic symbolizing victory. 这幕场景后来逐渐演化为象征胜利的普通象形文字。 来自时文部分
• Mooncakes reunion, is symbolizing the Mid-Autumn festival will feed. 月饼象征着团圆，是中秋佳节必食之品。 来自互联网

4 pittance   

n.微薄的薪水，少量

参考例句：

• Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
• The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 ulcer   

n.溃疡，腐坏物

参考例句：

• She had an ulcer in her mouth.她口腔出现溃疡。
• A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。