美国小学英语教材5:第191课 罗伯特.E.李:从男孩到男人(5)

The tasks that the boy undertook in his mother’s household would have been hard work for a grown man. But his outdoor life had made him strong. His splendid health helped him to succeed. This same strength gave him an advantage over other men throughout his life. He was like a sturdy tree that could grow with little to eat and drink and could stand the harshest weather without noticing it.

这个男孩在母亲这里所做的工作即使对于一个成年人来说也是艰难的。但是他的户外生活使他变得强壮。他的健康状况使他成功了。这种力量使他在接下来的生活中比别人更有优势。他就像一棵粗壮的树，几乎没有吃的和喝的就能生长，并且能忍受最恶劣的天气而不被抱怨。

While he was helping¹ his mother, Robert went to school as well. His first teacher was an Irish gentleman, a Mr. Leary, with whom young Robert continued his friendship for many years. Later he prepared for West Point Military Academy at the school of Mr. Benjamin Hallowell, where he made a special study of mathematics. The famous teacher always spoke² of him as a splendid student.

罗伯特帮母亲的同时，也在上学。他的第一位老师是一位爱尔兰绅士，名叫利里先生，年轻的罗伯特和他保持了多年的友谊。后来，他在本杰明·哈洛威尔先生的学校为西点军校做准备，在那里他专门学习数学。那位著名的老师总是说他是一个优秀的学生。

After school hours when other children played, Robert hurried home to take his mother driving. And now he had to pretend he was really grown-up to amuse the invalid³. He told her that her ride would not make her better if she were not cheerful. When she shivered with the cold, he called to Nat, the coachman, to halt. Then he pulled out his big jackknife and some newspapers and made curtains to keep out the wind that whistled through the openings of the old family coach. His gay and happy efforts would soon cheer her.

放学后，当其他孩子玩的时候，罗伯特急忙回家带他妈妈兜风。现在他不得不假装自己真的长大了，来逗病人开心。他告诉她，如果她不高兴，骑马也不会使她好起来。当她冷得发抖时，他叫车夫纳特停下来。然后，他拿出他的大折刀和一些报纸，做了窗帘，挡住了呼啸而过的风。他安排的令人愉快的活动很快就逗乐了母亲。

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。