开罗的女出租车司机
她叫娜格特。
我第一次见到她是在开罗机场的航空集散站外面。一个女出租车司机——在一大群男伙伴中唯一干这一行的女性。
你知道在深夜到达一个陌生的城市是一种什么感受吗?没有任何人,甚至没有一缕阳光来迎接你。当我走出机场时,迎面而来的是成群的出租车司机,四处转悠,等着拉活,这与世界其他的机场没什么两样。只是在开罗,出租司机人更多,更喧闹。“出租车!”“你要出租车吗?”我耳边充斥着这些声音。
我感到一只有力的手抓住了我的左臂。“你需要出租车,跟我来!”是个女人,她什么都没有问,只是拉着我穿过人群。我顺从地跟着她。一个旅游者,特别是一个女人,有些时候就不得不信赖某个人。我们来到一辆破旧的小车前。这辆车的风光已过——如今车身上有不少擦伤,轮胎磨得光秃秃的,挡风玻璃上还有一道裂缝。但它的确是一辆出租车。而且这个女人将亲自开车送我。她把我的包搬进行李箱,上好锁,然后坐在驾驶座上。这时我才松了一口气。“我会开车送你,别担心。”她说。
娜格特向我解释说,她每周开几个昼夜的出租车。她另有一份工作,在办公室任职,但语焉不详。这辆破旧的小车不是她的,而是一个老板的。只要有可能,她就向他租来开。自从十来年前她丈夫撒手人寰,留下两个十多岁的孩子和她的双亲之后,她就一直开出租车养家糊口。
她熟知开罗的每一个角落——这并非一日之功。开罗的大街小巷、居民区、集市所构成的复杂体系,宛如古代说书人编造的迷宫。数百座清真寺——其中许多是伊斯兰建筑的精华,房子紧紧挤在一起的老街区,郊外巨大的公寓楼群,静静流淌的尼罗河穿城而过——所有这些组成了这座过于拥挤的城市。
娜格特熟谙人情,略带幽默。她全权负责我的观光日程安排。每天早上9点,我肯定能看见她矮壮的身影准时出现在旅馆大厅外。每当她瞥见我走下楼梯,她圆圆的脸上马上会绽放出灿烂的笑容。几乎每天她都穿着一件土黄色的带风帽的斗篷。她动作利索,从不浪费时间。她做事果断,似乎是由于经济条件所迫而养成的习惯,不得不尽可能地多做些事情。
随着她开车带我从博物馆到金字塔,从城市的一端到另一端,我很快就发现她卓尔不群。每当我们停下来,找地方喝一杯茶小憩或到达一个历史景点,这些地方的停车场总是男出租车司机云集之处,然而无论在何处,她总是引人注目。男人们走向她的车,脸上充满了疑惑。正如她告诉我的那样,他们首先都会问:“你是开出租车的吗?”经过她简短的解释,我看见那些男人脸色缓和下来,微笑着,尊重而和善地与她聊天。这种场面多次出现。我感觉到,她总是能赢得别人的友情。
娜格特自尊并自立。有一天,她在博物馆外等我的时候,有一个磨秃的轮胎终于瘪了。我看见她从出租车后备箱里取出备用轮胎,准备自己换胎,几个好奇的旁观者围上来,还有人愿意帮忙——但是不,她不需要任何人帮忙。她麻利而从容地换好了轮胎,用瓶装水洗过手,然后坐进车里,问我:“现在去哪儿?”
如果你有机会去开罗机场,请记得到国际迎客厅外去找她。如果你幸运的话,你就有机会通过一个女出租车司机的眼睛去看看开罗。
Translate the following sentences into English.
1.他悲叹一声,对我们说他年轻时也曾风光一时。(breathe a sigh of; have seen a better day)
Answer:He breathed a sigh of sorrow and told us that he had seen a better day when he was young.
2.他有极强的责任感,这就是为什么他被选中掌管这个项目。(take control of)
Answer:He has a strong sense of responsibility, and that’s why he is chosen to take control of the project.
3.不管你去哪里,不管是出差还是去玩,尽量多了解那个地方总是一个不错的主意。(be it ... or ...)
Answer:Wherever you go, be it for business or pleasure, it is always a good idea to find out as much as you can about the place.
4.我们得小心一点,同样的情景可能就要出现。(be about; repeat)
Answer:Let’s be careful. The situation may be about to repeat itself.
5.事实上,室内空气质量与儿童的健康密切相关,当然与成人的健康也有关系。(for that matter)
Answer:In fact, the air quality of a house has a great deal to do with children’s health, and adults’ health for that matter.
Read and compare the English sentences, paying attention to the italicized parts and translate the Chinese sentences by simulating the structure of the English sentences.
1. Choice Sentences
Do you know what it is like to arrive in a strange city in the middle of the night?
Simulated Reproduction
Do you know what it is like to travel by air as a VIP?
Simulated Translation
你知道站在台上,所有的眼睛都看着你是一种什么感受吗?
Answer:Do you know what it is like to stand on a stage with all eyes on you?
2. Choice Sentences
I breathe a sigh of relief when she puts my bag into the trunk, locks it and gets behind the wheel.
Simulated Reproduction
She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard nothing serious happened to her son.
Simulated Translation
听到人质已被安然无恙地营救出来的消息,我们大家才松了一口气。
Answer:We all breathed a sigh of relief when news came that the hostage was rescued unharmed.
3. Choice Sentences
With a mild sense of humor around a deep core of understanding of human nature, Nagat takes control of my sightseeing schedule.
Simulated Reproduction
With 51% of the stock, the international corporation takes control of the board of the joint-venture.
Simulated Translation
凭着他在金融方面的专业知识和管理技能,他很快就控制住了局面。
Answer:With his professional knowledge in finance and skills in management, he quickly took control of the situation.
4. Choice Sentences
What becomes clear to me soon as she drives me from museum to pyramid, from one part of town to the opposite,is this: she is a true exception here.
Simulated Reproduction
What became clear to the police was this: the murderer had a key to the house.
Simulated Translation
最后我终于明白了这一点:实际上他们对问题的解决并不感兴趣。
Answer:What became clear to me finally was this: they were not actually interested in the solution to the problem.
5. Choice Sentences
Wherever we stop, be it for a cup of tea during a break or upon arriving at an historical site, she is being noticed.
Simulated Reproduction
Whatever the season is, be it in hot summer or in chilly winter, he would always wear a blue jacket.
Simulated Translation
他每次出门,无论是出差还是旅游,总是随身带着笔记本电脑。
Answer:Wherever he travels, be it a business trip or a sightseeing tour, he would always take a laptop with him.