读者文摘:我在新兵训练营学到的经验(1)

A decade ago, when my son raised his hand and vowed¹ to "support and defend the Constitution"while being sworn in to the U.S. armed forces,

十年前，我的儿子在向美国武装部队宣誓就职时，举手宣誓“支持和捍卫宪法”，

I felt a collision of emotions: burning pride, aching loss, jubilation², consuming worry—and the passing of years.

我感到一种情绪的碰撞：燃烧的骄傲、痛苦的失败感、欢乐、忧虑——以及岁月的流逝。

How had we gone from pacifiers to camouflage³ uniforms so quickly?

我们怎么这么快就从奶嘴变成了迷彩服？

A big part of my pride came from the fact that I had served a generation before my son,

我骄傲的大部分原因是因为我在生他之前参过军

so his enlisting⁴ felt like the beginning of a family tradition.

所以他参军就像是继承了家风。

In fact, he was born at Ireland Army Community Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1987.

事实上，1987年，我的儿子出生于肯塔基州诺克斯堡的爱尔兰陆军社区医院。

As my son prepared to follow in my boot steps, I was eager to pass along advice on how to succeed.

当我的儿子准备跟随我的脚步时，我急切地想向他传递关于如何成功的建议。

I began to craft a list of suggestions, as any dad would when his child was venturing into the world.

我开始起草一份建议清单，就像任何一位父亲在孩子冒险踏入社会时所做的那样。

But the more I wrote, the more I realized that this wasn't a guide to surviving boot camp.

但我写得越多，就越意识到这不是一本如何在新兵训练营中生存的指南。

It was a guide for life. Substitute department manager for drill sergeant⁵,

而是一本生活指南。从部门经理替换成为教官，

and the advice rings just as true for the civilian⁶ world as it does for the military.

这个建议对平民和军队同样适用。

My son survived boot camp and is thriving today as a NASA engineer.

我的儿子从新兵训练营幸存下来，现在是一名美国宇航局的工程师。

Perhaps these words of hard-learned wisdom contributed to his success in some way;

也许这些来之不易的智慧话语在某种程度上促成了他的成功；

I certainly like to think so. If this advice worked for him, it just might work for all of us as well.

我当然愿意这么想。如果这个建议对他有效的话，那么对我们所有人都有效。

1. Never argue with drill sergeants⁷. If you have a differing opinion, ask whether you can give yours.

1、千万不要和教官争论，如果你有不同的意见，询问是否能给出你的意见。

They'll tell you whether there's any room for discussion. If not, salute⁸ and move out smartly.

他们会告诉你是否有讨论的余地，如果没有，敬礼，潇洒地离开。

Don't roll your eyes or let your attitude show, either. The drill sergeants will pick up on it and eat your lunch.

不要翻白眼，也不要表现出你的态度。教官会注意到你，吃你的午餐。

1 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

2 jubilation   

n.欢庆，喜悦

参考例句：

• The goal was greeted by jubilation from the home fans.主场球迷为进球欢呼。
• The whole city was a scene of jubilation.全市一片欢腾。

3 camouflage   

n./v.掩饰，伪装

参考例句：

• The white fur of the polar bear is a natural camouflage.北极熊身上的白色的浓密软毛是一种天然的伪装。
• The animal's markings provide effective camouflage.这种动物身上的斑纹是很有效的伪装。

4 enlisting   

v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的现在分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• He thought about enlisting-about the Spanish legion-about a profession. 他想去打仗，想参加西班牙军团，想找个职业。 来自辞典例句
• They are not enlisting men over thirty-five. 他们不召超过35岁的人入伍。 来自辞典例句

5 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 sergeants   

警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士

参考例句：

• Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square. 排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍。
• The recruits were soon licked into shape by the drill sergeants. 新兵不久便被教育班长训练得象样了。

8 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。