Welcome to learning English, a daily thirty-minute program from the voice of America. I'm Jonathan Evans. And I'm Ashley Tompson. This program is aimed at English learners. So we speak a little slower, and we use words and phrases especially written for people learning English. Today on the program, you'll hear from John Russel, Alice Bryan and Ann Ball. Later, we'll present the story "Luck" by Mark Twain in American stories. But first, here is John Russel:
1.Jigsaw Puzzles Gain Fans
拼圖遊戲贏得了粉絲
Jigsaw puzzles for adults are becoming more popular in America. The puzzles have pieces of different shapes that, when put together, form a picture.
在美國，成年人玩的拼圖遊戲越來越受歡迎。這些拼圖有不同形狀的碎片，放在一起就形成了一幅圖畫。
People attend puzzle nights at coffee shops and libraries. Manufacturers design puzzles that have original artwork or even family photos.
人們在咖啡店和圖書館參加益智之夜。製造商設計的難題，有原始的藝術作品甚至家庭照片。
A.J. Jacobs is working on a book about puzzles, including jigsaws and crosswords.
雅各布斯正在寫一本關於拼圖的書，其中包括拼圖和填字遊戲。
"I was not as passionate about jigsaw puzzles at first, but once I started doing them, I saw the loveliness of these puzzles," he said. Jacobs added, "Puzzles are a very soothing and joyous way to spend a couple of hours."
「一開始我對拼圖沒有那麼熱情，但當我開始做的時候，我看到了這些拼圖的可愛之處，」他說。雅各布斯補充說:「玩猜謎遊戲是一種非常令人放鬆和愉快的消磨時間的方式。」
Jigsaw fans say the puzzles help ease daily stress. In addition, the puzzles give them a chance to step away from electronic devices.
拼圖迷們說拼圖有助於緩解日常的壓力。除此之外，拼圖還給他們脫離電子設備的機會。
Abby Matson, age 37, found puzzles helpful after the death of her dog three years ago.
37歲的艾比·馬森發現，三年前她的狗狗死後，拼圖對她很有幫助。
"The puzzle was the only thing I could do to keep from crying," she said.
「拼圖是唯一能讓我擺脫哭泣的一件事」，她說。
Matson and her friend Abby McDaniel started a puzzle group that now has six members.
馬森和她的朋友艾比·麥克丹尼爾成立了一個拼圖小組，現在已經有六名成員。
Members send photos of a completed puzzle before mailing it to the next person.
會員們將填好的字謎照片發送給下一個人。
"It brings out an inner competition," McDaniel said.
「這帶來了一種內在的競爭，」麥克丹尼爾說。
Many puzzlers - a name for people who like playing puzzles - prefer cardboard puzzles. But some like wooden ones. Some fans buy special frames, glue and other tools to preserve finished jigsaw puzzles.
許多喜歡玩拼圖遊戲的人更喜歡紙板拼圖。但有些喜歡木製的。一些愛好者購買特殊的框架、膠水和其他工具來保存完成的拼圖。
Stave Puzzles, a company based in the state of Vermont, makes many kinds of wooden puzzles.
總部設在佛蒙特州的斯塔夫拼圖公司生產多種木製拼圖。
Speaking with the Associated Press, company founder Steve Richardson described an increase in sales in recent years. "Our sales are up 25 percent in the last decade," he said. Richardson added "We are now seeing orders from the children and grandchildren of some of our original customers."
在接受美聯社採訪時，公司創始人史蒂夫·理查森描述了近年來銷售額的增長。「我們的銷售額在過去十年裡增長了25%，」他說。理查森補充稱:「我們現在接到了一些老客戶子女和孫輩的訂單。」
Shelby Comstock Britten attended the launch of Jiggy Puzzles, a New York-based puzzle company. Britten, who is 29 years old, said a puzzle night with drinks sounded perfect.
謝爾比·康斯託克·布裡頓參加了紐約益智公司Jiggy puzzle的成立儀式。29歲的布裡頓說，喝點飲料的益智之夜聽起來很完美。
She said she liked the idea of puzzles that are made for adults.
她說她喜歡為成年人設計的智力遊戲。
"I've always loved puzzles and will occasionally get a CVS puzzle, but it's kind of a bummer because it's made for an 8-year-old,'' she said. "I can't Instagram that."
她說:「我一直很喜歡拼字遊戲，偶爾還會收到CVS版的拼字遊戲，但這有點讓人失望，因為這是為8歲的孩子設計的。」「我不能在Instagram上分享。」
I'm John Russell.
Tracee M. Herbaugh reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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Words in This Story
Jigsaw puzzle – n. a puzzle made of many small pieces that are cut into various shapes and can be fit together to form a picture
soothing – adj. producing feelings of comfort or relief
cardboard – n. a stiff and thick kind of paper that is used especially for making boxes
frame -- n. an open structure that holds something (such as glass or a picture)
decade -- n. a period of 10 years
original -- adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning
CVS – n. an American retail and drug store
bummer – n. something that is unpleasant or disappointing (informal)
Tips
A.J. Jacobs – A.J. 雅各布斯
Abby Matson – 艾比·馬特森
Stave Puzzles – 梯級拼圖
Vermont – 佛蒙特
Steve Richardson – 史蒂夫·理查森
Shelby Comstock Britten – 謝爾比·康斯託克·布裡頓
翻譯：卡卡
2.How Women Leaders Govern Differently
女性領導者如何以不同的方式治理國家
A record number of women currently serve in the United States Congress. They hold 23.5 percent of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. And 26 out of the 100 members of the Senate are women.
目前在美國國會任職的女性人數創下了紀錄。他們擁有眾議院435個席位中的23.5%。參議院100名成員中有26名女性。
However, the U.S. government still has a smaller percentage of female lawmakers than many other countries, including Mexico, Tunisia, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
然而，與墨西哥、突尼西亞、越南和辛巴威等許多國家相比，美國政府的女性議員比例仍然較小。
The Inter-Parliamentary Union tried to rate 193 countries by the number of women they have serving in national government positions. The United States finished in 76th place in the study.
各國議會聯盟試圖對193個國家在政府職位上任職的女性數量進行排名。美國在這項研究中排名第76位。
The numbers are a little higher on the state government level; in 2019, about 29 percent of state legislators were women.
州政府層面的數字要稍高一些;在2019年，大約29%的州議員是女性。
Two female members of the U.S. Senate -- Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts – are among the candidates seeking to win the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party. Some observers say the two are likely to be judged more critically than men during their efforts to become commander in chief.
美國參議院的兩名女參議員，明尼蘇達州的克羅布查和麻薩諸塞州的沃倫，都是爭取民主黨總統候選人提名的候選人。一些觀察人士說，在他們努力成為三軍統帥的過程中，對這兩人的評價可能比男性更為苛刻。
"Women are expected to be twice as good," says Amanda Hunter. She is director of research and communications for the Barbara Lee Family Foundation. The organization aims to make sure women are equally represented in U.S. politics.
阿曼達·亨特說:「女性的表現應該是男性的兩倍。」她是芭芭拉·李家庭基金會的研究和交流主任。該組織旨在確保女性在美國政治中得到平等的代表。
Women who are in office often change the nature of the political debate.
在職的女性經常改變政治辯論的性質。
Former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp says women in elected office often work on issues that are most important to families -- like paid family leave and security for retirees. They also take up issues like domestic violence and sexual abuse.
美國前參議員海蒂。海特坎普說，當選的女性經常處理對家庭最重要的問題，比如帶薪探親假和退休人員的安全問題。他們還討論家庭暴力和性虐待等問題。
Heitkamp added, "I think there are a whole lot of things that are in the public...dialogue right now that would not be in that public dialogue if women weren't on the podium and on that stage."
海特坎普補充道，「我認為有很多事情是在公眾面前……現在的對話，如果不是女性站在講臺上，就不會出現在公共對話中。」
Heitkamp, a Democrat from North Dakota, served in the Senate from 2013 to 2019. During that time, she attended many dinners with female lawmakers from both major political parties. They worked together, for example, to avoid a federal government shutdown in 2013.
來自北達科他州的民主黨人海特坎普於2013年至2019年在參議院任職。在此期間，她多次與兩大政黨的女議員共進晚餐。例如，他們共同努力，避免了聯邦政府在2013年停擺。
"A lot of women got into politics not -- I don't mean to generalize on men -- but not because they thought it was their destiny or they thought that the world couldn't survive without them," Heitkamp said. "Voters tend to believe that women are motivated not by power and ego, but women are motivated because they want to see a change in the world."
海特坎普說:「很多女性從政，不是因為她們認為這是她們的命運，也不是因為她們認為沒有她們這個世界就無法生存。「選民們往往認為，女性的動機不是權力和自我，而是她們希望看到世界發生變化。」
A 2015 study found that female senators worked with each other more often, were more likely to work with members of other parties and were more active legislatively than male senators.
2015年的一項研究發現，與男性參議員相比，女性參議員彼此合作的頻率更高，與其他政黨成員合作的可能性更大，在立法方面也更積極。
Right now, the country needs more female leaders, says Michael Steele of Maryland. He was the first African American to chair the Republican National Committee.
現在，國家需要更多的女性領導人，馬裡蘭州的麥可·斯蒂爾說。他是第一位擔任共和黨全國委員會主席的非洲裔美國人。
"Women tackle problems differently than men do," Steele noted. "Our politics have gotten hot. Oftentimes, the cooler head is going to be the woman who comes to the table...and says, 『You all need to grow up and start to bring things back to a rational point.'"
「女性處理問題的方式與男性不同，」斯蒂爾指出。「我們的政治越來越熱。通常情況下，比較冷靜的人會是坐在桌邊的女士……他說，『你們都需要長大，開始讓事情回歸理性。』」
I'm Ashley Thompson.
Dora Mekouar wrote this story for VOA News. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
________________________________________________
Words in This Story
domestic - adj. relating to or involving someone's home or family
dialogue -n. conversation between two or more people
podium - n. stand with a slanted surface that holds a book, notes, etc., for someone who is reading, speaking, or teaching
shutdown - n. the act of stopping the operation or activity of a business, machine, etc., for a period of time or forever
destiny - n. what happens in the future : the things that someone or something will experience in the future
tend - v. used to describe what often happens or what someone often does or is likely to do — followed by to + verb
motivate - v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something
ego - n. the opinion that you have about yourself
tackle - v. to deal with (something difficult)
rational - adj. based on facts or reason and not on emotions or feelings
Tips
House of Representatives – 眾議院
Senate – 參議院
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 議會間聯盟
Amy Klobuchar – 艾米·克洛布查
Elizabeth Warren – 伊莉莎白·沃倫
Democratic Party – 民主黨
Amanda Hunter – 阿曼達·亨特
Barbara Lee Family Foundation – 李小龍家庭基金會
Heidi Heitkamp – 海蒂·海特坎普
North Dakota – 北達科他州
Maryland – 馬裡蘭州
Michael Steele – 麥可·斯蒂爾
Republican National Committee – 共和黨全國委員會
翻譯：卡卡
3.Weight Loss Movement Battles Obesity in Malaysia
馬來西亞的減肥運動與肥胖作鬥爭
"1-2-3," shouts Noradhiah Tumirin, a medical doctor and fitness trainer. "You can do it," she says approvingly as her client, Sarah Baharudin, lies on her back and struggles to lift her legs in the air.
「1-2-3，」醫生兼健身教練Noradhiah Tumirin喊道。「你能做到的，」她的客戶莎拉·巴哈魯丁仰面躺著，努力把腿舉到空中時，她讚許地說。
Tumirin is leading Baharudin in an exercise class. Baharudin, age 35, is breathing heavily as she lifts her legs. She is 165 centimeters tall and weighs 110 kilograms. The Malaysian woman blames her diet for her weight gain.
Tumirin在健身課上是巴哈魯丁的領頭人。35歲的巴哈魯丁一邊抬起雙腿，一邊大口喘氣。她身高165釐米，體重110公斤。這名馬來西亞女子將體重增加歸咎於自己的飲食。
"I eat traditional Malay food, yes and it's high in fat and calorie."
「我吃傳統的馬來食物，對，它的脂肪和卡路裡很高「。」
Baharudin added that, for years, she also was not physically active and did not exercise.
巴哈魯丁補充道，很多年來她也沒有做很多鍛鍊。
"So yes, years after years of doing that and it becomes obesity."
「所以是的，年復一年這麼做然後就形成肥胖症。」
Her story is a common one across Malaysia. About 50 percent of the country's adults are obese and about 30 percent of young people are overweight.
她的故事在馬來西亞很常見。美國大約50%的成人都肥胖，而30%的年輕人超重。
Sarah Baharudin and husband, Nazrul Mohammad, are trying to change their lifestyles by exercising regularly and eating healthier food.
薩拉·巴哈魯丁和她的丈夫納茲魯爾·穆罕默德正試圖通過定期鍛鍊和吃更健康的食物來改變他們的生活方式。
Noradhiah Tumirin is now retired, but once served in the Malaysian armed forces. She is physically fit, measuring 157 centimeters tall and weighing just 56 kilograms. She says the country's obesity crisis is leading to high rates of heart disease and related medical conditions.
Noradhiah Tumirin現在退役了，但他曾經在馬來西亞軍隊服役。她身體健康，身高157釐米，體重56公斤。她說，美國的肥胖危機正導致心臟病和相關疾病的高發病率。
"This obesity will lead to multiple illnesses such as hypertension, high cholesterol, heart illnesses and diabetes."
「這種肥胖將會導致多種疾病比如高血壓、高膽固醇、心臟病以及糖尿病。」
Kevin Zahri is one of Malaysia's leading fitness influencers. He founded a local weight loss movement called Jom Kurus, which means "let's get thin" or "let's lose weight."
凱文·扎裡是馬來西亞最具影響力的健身達人之一。他創立了一個名為Jom Kurus的當地減肥運動，意思是「讓我們變瘦」或「讓我們減肥」。
"To help somebody not feel alone and jump on the bandwagon with a group of people...of similar objectives, goals and desires."
「為了幫助一些人不感到孤獨，並加入一群人的行列……有著相似的目標、目的和願望。」
Every year, thousands of Malaysians join six-week-long Jom Kurus fitness camps. They meet several times a week for exercises and to learn more about nutrition. There also are social media support groups. At one recent class, people did leg lifts, pushups and stretches.
每年，成百上千的馬來西亞人參加為期六周的Jom Kurus健身訓練營。他們每周見面幾次，鍛鍊身體，學習更多的營養知識。還有社交媒體支持團體。在最近的一節課上，人們做了抬腿、伏地挺身和伸展運動。
Kevin Zahri says the average person at the camp drops four to five kilos of weight during the six week program. But his real goal is to help Malaysians make healthy changes that will last a lifetime.
凱文·扎裡說在訓練營六周的項目中，平均每個人會減少4-5千克重量。但是他的真實目標是幫助馬來西亞人作出能維持一輩子健康的改變。
That is what Sarah Baharudin is pushing for by getting on a regular exercise routine and improving her diet.
這就是薩拉·巴哈魯丁通過定期鍛鍊和改善飲食所追求的。
"I have decided to change my lifestyle into a healthier one."
我已經決定改變我的生活方式，讓它變得更健康。
But while Jom Kurus and other programs are helping Malaysians change their lifestyles, it is clear these classes only treat a small part of the nation's obesity crisis.
雖然Jom Kurus和其他項目正在幫助馬來西亞人改變他們的生活方式，但很明顯，這些課程只解決了該國肥胖危機的一小部分。
Zahri says the amount of people they have targeted is very small compared to the people who need more exercise and changes in diet.
扎裡說對比起需要更多鍛鍊和飲食改變的人群來說，他們的目標人群是很少的。
Baharudin knows that changing lifelong behaviors is not easy but she says she is strong-minded enough to make this the beginning of a new way of life.
巴哈魯丁明白改變一生的行為不是簡單的，但她說她的意志足夠堅定，能夠讓這成為變成生活方式的新開始。
I'm Alice Bryant.
Dave Grunebaum reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
_______________________________________________
Words in This Story
fitness – n. the act of being healthy through exercise
client – n. a person who pays a professional person or organization for services
calorie – n. a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body
obesity – n. very fat
lifestyle – n. a particular way of living
illness – n. a specific condition that prevents your body or mind from working normally
jump on the bandwagon – expression. to join an activity that has become very popular so you can share in its success
Tips
Noradhiah Tumirin – 諾拉迪亞·圖米林
Sarah Baharudin – 莎拉·巴哈魯丁
Tumirin – 圖米林
Malaysian – 馬來西亞人
Nazrul Mohammad – 納茲魯爾·穆罕默德
Kevin Zahri – 凱文·扎赫裡
Jom Kurus – 喬姆·庫魯斯
Zahri – 扎赫裡
翻譯：卡卡
4.How to Learn About American Culture
怎麼了解美國文化
Today we answer a question from Kotaro in Japan.
今天我們回答來自日本的小太郎的問題。
Question:
"I want to learn about American Culture. Can you tell me about that? – Kotaro, Japan
「我想了解美國文化。你能給我講講嗎?『』-日本的小太郎
How Can I learn About American Culture?
我怎樣才能了解美國文化?
Answer:
Dear Kotaro,
First, thank you for writing!
首先，感謝你的來信！
Learn the language
學習語言
One of the best ways to learn about the United States and its culture is to study American English. This opens the door to understanding Americans when you can read, listen and watch them speaking about their lives.
了解美國及其文化的最好方法之一就是學習美國英語。當你能讀、聽、看他們談論他們的生活時，這為了解美國人打開了一扇門。
Follow the stories on VOA's Learning English website and you will learn and improve your English.
跟隨美國之音英語學習網站上的故事，你將學習和提高你的英語。
Watch television and movies
看電視和電影
Watching American-made television shows and movies is another way to learn about American culture. Watch carefully in these programs to see what daily life is like for Americans.
看美國製作的電視節目和電影是了解美國文化的另一種方式。仔細觀看這些節目，看看美國人的日常生活是什麼樣的。
Read articles and books
閱讀文章和書籍
Next you can read books and articles written by and about Americans. Many U.S. newspapers, magazines and websites publish stories about cultural information online.
其次，你可以閱讀美國人寫的關於美國人的書籍和文章。許多美國報紙、雜誌和網站都在網上發布有關文化信息的報導。
Look for websites and writers from different parts of the country. People in the Southern U.S. are different from those living in the Northeast, Midwest or West.
尋找來自全國各地的網站和作者。美國南部的人與住在東北部、中西部或西部的人不同。
Social media
社交媒體
If you are interested in an American singer, artist or writer, follow them on social media. There, you can see what Americans are talking and posting about. Think about how it is different, or the same, from your culture.
如果你對美國歌手、藝術家或作家感興趣，在社交媒體上關注他們。在那裡，你可以看到美國人在談論和發布希麼。想想它與你的文化有什麼不同，或相同之處。
Visit Museums
參觀博物館
Museums are wonderful places to find out about American culture. If you travel to Washington, D.C., make sure to visit the Smithsonian Institution — the world's largest museum, education and research center. If you cannot come here, there is still a lot to see and learn about American history and culture online.
博物館是了解美國文化的好地方。如果你去華盛頓特區，一定要去參觀世界上最大的博物館、教育和研究中心——史密森學會。如果你不能來這裡，網上還有很多關於美國歷史和文化的東西可以看和學習。
American culture combines the rich traditions of all the people who have come here in hopes of finding their American dream.
美國文化融合了所有來到這裡尋找美國夢的人們的豐富傳統。
We hope you enjoy finding out about American culture.
我們希望你享受了解美國文化的樂趣。
And that's Ask a Teacher!
I'm Anne Ball.
Let us know what you would like to learn. Write to us in the comments section below. We want to hear from you!
Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English. The editor was George Grow.
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Words in This Story
article – n. a piece of writing about a particular subject that is included in a magazine or newspaper, or online
museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public
Tips
Kotaro – 小太郎
5.'Luck,' by Mark Twain
《運氣》，馬克·吐溫
Our story today is called "Luck." It was written by Mark Twain. Here is Shep O'Neal with the story.
我們今天的故事叫做「幸運」。它是馬克·吐溫寫的。下面是謝普·奧尼爾的報導。
I was at a dinner in London given in honor of one of the most celebrated English military men of his time. I do not want to tell you his real name and titles. I will just call him Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby.
我在倫敦參加一個晚宴，招待當時英國最著名的軍人之一。我不想告訴你他的真實姓名和頭銜。我就叫他阿瑟·斯考茲比中將吧。
I cannot describe my excitement when I saw this great and famous man. There he sat, the man himself, in person, all covered with medals. I could not take my eyes off him. He seemed to show the true mark of greatness. His fame had no effect on him. The hundreds of eyes watching him, the worship of so many people, did not seem to make any difference to him.
我無法描述當我看到這個偉大而著名的人時的興奮之情。他坐在那裡，就是那個人本人，渾身都掛滿了勳章。我目不轉睛地看著他。他似乎顯示出真正的偉大。他的名聲對他沒有影響。幾百雙眼睛注視著他，這麼多人崇拜他，似乎對他沒有任何影響。
Next to me sat a clergyman, who was an old friend of mine. He was not always a clergyman. During the first half of his life he was a teacher in the military school at Woolwich. There was a strange look in his eye as he leaned toward me and whispered – "Privately – he is a complete fool." He meant, of course, the hero of our dinner.
坐在我旁邊的是一位牧師，他是我的一位老朋友。他並不總是當牧師。他的前半生是伍爾維奇軍事學校的老師。他的眼睛裡有一種奇怪的表情，他向我俯下身來，悄聲說:「私下裡，他是個十足的傻瓜。」當然，他指的是我們晚餐的主角。
This came as a shock to me. I looked hard at my friend. I could not have been more surprised if he had said the same thing about Napoleon, or Socrates, or Solomon. But I was sure of two things about the clergyman. He always spoke the truth. And, his judgment of men was good. Therefore, I wanted to find out more about our hero as soon as I could.
這讓我很震驚。我凝視著我的朋友。如果他對拿破崙、蘇格拉底或所羅門說過同樣的話，我不會感到更驚訝。但我對牧師有兩點是確信無疑的。他總是說真話。他為人果然不錯。因此，我想儘快了解更多關於我們的英雄。
Some days later I got a chance to talk with the clergyman, and he told me more. These are his exact words:
幾天後，我有機會與牧師交談，他告訴了我更多的事情。以下是他的原話:
About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when young Scoresby was given his first examination. I felt extremely sorry for him. Everybody answered the questions well, intelligently, while he – why, dear me – he did not know anything, so to speak. He was a nice, pleasant young man. It was painful to see him stand there and give answers that were miracles of stupidity.
大約四十年前，我在伍爾維奇軍事學院當教員，年輕的斯考茲比第一次參加考試。我非常同情他。每個人都回答得很好，很聰明，而他——哎呀，我的天——可以說，他什麼也不知道。他是個和藹可親的年輕人。看到他站在那裡回答愚蠢的問題是很痛苦的。
I knew of course that when examined again he would fail and be thrown out. So, I said to myself, it would be a simple, harmless act to help him as much as I could.
我當然知道，如果再考一次，他就會不及格，被開除。所以，我對自己說，儘可能幫助他這將是一個簡單的，無害的行為，。
I took him aside and found he knew a little about Julius Caesar's history. But, he did not know anything else. So, I went to work and tested him and worked him like a slave. I made him work, over and over again, on a few questions about Caesar, which I knew he would be asked.
我把他拉到一邊，發現他對愷撒大帝的歷史略知一二。但是，他什麼也不知道。所以，我去工作，測試他，像奴隸一樣工作。我讓他一遍又一遍地回答關於凱撒的幾個問題，我知道他會被問到這些問題。
If you will believe me, he came through very well on the day of the examination. He got high praise too, while others who knew a thousand times more than he were sharply criticized. By some strange, lucky accident, he was asked no questions but those I made him study. Such an accident does not happen more than once in a hundred years.
如果你相信我的話，他考試那天考得很好。他也得到了很高的評價，而那些比他知道的多一千倍的人卻受到了嚴厲的批評。由於某種奇怪的、幸運的意外，除了我讓他研究的問題外，他什麼也沒問。這樣的事故一百年不會發生一次以上。
Well, all through his studies, I stood by him, with the feeling a mother has for a disabled child. And he always saved himself by some miracle.
在他學習的過程中，我一直站在他身邊，就像一位母親對待殘疾兒童一樣。他總是奇蹟般地救了自己。
I thought that what in the end would destroy him would be the mathematics examination. I decided to make his end as painless as possible. So, I pushed facts into his stupid head for hours. Finally, I let him go to the examination to experience what I was sure would be his dismissal from school. Well, sir, try to imagine the result. I was shocked out of my mind. He took first prize! And he got the highest praise.
我以為最終會毀了他的是數學考試。我決定讓他死的時候儘量不痛不癢。所以，我把事實塞進他愚蠢的腦子裡好幾個小時。最後，我讓他去參加考試，體驗我確信他會被學校開除的經歷。好吧，先生，試著想像一下結果。我大吃一驚。他得了一等獎!他得到了最高的表揚。
I felt guilty day and night – what I was doing was not right. But I only wanted to make his dismissal a little less painful for him. I never dreamed it would lead to such strange, laughable results.
我日夜感到內疚——我所做的是不對的。但我只是想讓他被解僱的痛苦減輕一點。我做夢也沒想到它會導致如此奇怪、可笑的結果。
I thought that sooner or later one thing was sure to happen: The first real test once he was through school would ruin him.
我以為遲早會發生一件事:一旦他完成學業，第一次真正的考試就會毀了他。
Then, the Crimean War broke out. I felt that sad for him that there had to be a war. Peace would have given this donkey a chance to escape from ever being found out as being so stupid. Nervously, I waited for the worst to happen. It did. He was appointed an officer. A captain, of all things! Who could have dreamed that they would place such a responsibility on such weak shoulders as his.
然後，克裡米亞戰爭爆發了。我為他感到難過，因為必須有一場戰爭。和平會給這頭驢一個機會，讓它避免被人發現它是如此的愚蠢。我緊張地等待著最壞的結果。它做到了。他被任命為軍官。一個船長!誰能想到他們會把這樣的責任放在他這樣軟弱的肩上。
I said to myself that I was responsible to the country for this. I must go with him and protect the nation against him as far as I could. So, I joined up with him. And away we went to the field.
And there – oh dear, it was terrible. Mistakes, fearful mistakes – why, he never did anything that was right – nothing but mistakes. But, you see, nobody knew the secret of how stupid he really was. Everybody misunderstood his actions. They saw his stupid mistakes as works of great intelligence. They did, honestly!
我對自己說，我要對國家負責。我必須和他一起去，盡我所能保護國家不受他的傷害。所以，我加入了他。然後我們去了田野。哦，天哪，太可怕了。錯誤，可怕的錯誤——唉，他從來沒有做過一件對的事情——只有錯誤。但是，你看，沒有人知道他有多蠢的秘密。大家都誤解了他的行為。他們認為他愚蠢的錯誤是智慧的結晶。他們做了,真的!
His smallest mistakes made a man in his right mind cry, and shout and scream too – to himself, of course. And what kept me in a continual fear was the fact that every mistake he made increased his glory and fame. I kept saying to myself that when at last they find out about him, it will be like the sun falling out of the sky.
他最小的錯誤也會使一個頭腦正常的人哭泣、喊叫——當然是對他自己。而讓我一直害怕的是，他犯的每一個錯誤都增加了他的榮耀和名聲。我一直對自己說，當他們最終發現他的時候，就像太陽從天上掉下來一樣。
He continued to climb up, over the dead bodies of his superiors. Then, in the hottest moment of one battle down went our colonel. My heart jumped into my mouth, for Scoresby was the next in line to take his place. Now, we are in for it, I said...
他繼續往上爬，越過他上司的屍體。然後，在一場戰鬥最激烈的時候，我們的上校倒下了。我的心都跳到嗓子眼了，因為斯考茲比是下一個接替他的人。現在，我們要倒黴了，我說……
The battle grew hotter. The English and their allies were steadily retreating all over the field. Our regiment occupied a position that was extremely important. One mistake now would bring total disaster. And what did Scoresby do this time – he just mistook his left hand for his right hand...that was all. An order came for him to fall back and support our right. Instead, he moved forward and went over the hill to the left. We were over the hill before this insane movement could be discovered and stopped. And what did we find? A large and unsuspected Russian army waiting! And what happened – were we all killed? That is exactly what would have happened in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. But no – those surprised Russians thought that no one regiment by itself would come around there at such a time.
戰鬥越來越激烈。英國人和他們的盟友在戰場上節節敗退。我們團佔據了一個極其重要的位置。現在一個錯誤就會帶來徹底的災難。斯考茲比這次又怎麼了?他把左手當成右手了……這是所有。他接到命令，要他後退，支持我們的權利。相反，他向前走，翻過了左邊的小山。在這場瘋狂的運動被發現和停止之前，我們已經翻過了山。我們發現了什麼?一支龐大而毫無防備的俄國軍隊正在等待!然後發生了什麼——我們都被殺了嗎?這正是發生在百分之九十九的情況下。但是沒有——那些感到驚訝的俄國人以為，在這種時候，單憑一個團是不會到那裡來的。
It must be the whole British army, they thought. They turned tail, away they went over the hill and down into the field in wild disorder, and we after them. In no time, there was the greatest turn around you ever saw. The allies turned defeat into a sweeping and shining victory.
他們想，那一定是整個英國軍隊。他們掉轉尾巴，亂鬨鬨地翻過小山，又下到田野裡去，我們跟在他們後面。沒過多久，就出現了你所見過的最偉大的轉身。盟軍把失敗變成了徹底的、輝煌的勝利。
The allied commander looked on, his head spinning with wonder, surprise and joy. He sent right off for Scoresby, and put his arms around him and hugged him on the field in front of all the armies. Scoresby became famous that day as a great military leader – honored throughout the world. That honor will never disappear while history books last.
盟軍指揮官在一旁看著，他的腦袋因驚奇、驚訝和喜悅而旋轉著。他馬上派人去找斯考茲比，在所有的軍隊面前，他把斯考茲比摟在懷裡。那天，斯考茲比作為一名偉大的軍事領袖而聞名於世，受到全世界的尊敬。只要歷史書存在，這種榮譽就永遠不會消失。
He is just as nice and pleasant as ever, but he still does not know enough to come in out of the rain. He is the stupidest man in the universe.
他還是和以前一樣和藹可親，但他還是不知道怎麼從雨裡走出來。他是宇宙中最愚蠢的人
Until now, nobody knew it but Scoresby and myself. He has been followed, day by day, year by year, by a strange luck. He has been a shining soldier in all our wars for years. He has filled his whole military life with mistakes. Every one of them brought him another honorary title. Look at his chest, flooded with British and foreign medals. Well, sir, every one of them is the record of some great stupidity or other. They are proof that the best thing that can happen to a man is to be born lucky. I say again, as I did at the dinner, Scoresby's a complete fool.
直到現在，除了斯考茲比和我自己，沒有人知道這件事。他被一種奇怪的運氣日復一日、年復一年地跟蹤著。多年來，他在我們所有的戰爭中都是一名出色的戰士。他的整個軍旅生涯充滿了錯誤。他們每個人都給他帶來了另一個榮譽稱號。看看他的胸脯，掛滿了英國和外國的勳章。嗯，先生，每一件事都是某種愚蠢行為的記錄。它們證明了一個人能遇到的最好的事情就是生來幸運。我又說了一遍，就像我在宴會上說的那樣，斯考茲比是個十足的傻瓜。
Download activities to help you understand this story here.
下載活動來幫助你理解這個故事。
Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Have you ever had a teacher help you in a special or unusual way? What was that experience like? Let us know in the comments section or on our51VOA.COM.
現在輪到你用這個故事中的單詞了。你曾經有一個老師以一種特殊的或不尋常的方式幫助你嗎?那是什麼樣的經歷?請在評論區或在我們的51voa.com上告訴我們。
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Words in This Story
ally– n. (pl. allies) a country that supports and helps another country in a war
disabled – adj. having a physical or mental disability : unable to perform one or more natural activities (such as walking or seeing) because of illness, injury, etc.
dismiss – v. to send away; to refuse to consider
dismissal – n. the act of sending a person away (from a position at work or in a school)
join up – (idiom) enlist in the military service
superiors – n. a person of higher rank or status than another
Tips
Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby – 亞瑟·斯科斯比中將
Napoleon – 拿破崙
Socrates – 蘇格拉底
Solomon – 所羅門
Julius Caesar – 凱撒大帝
Scoresby – 斯科斯比
Zahri – 扎赫裡
And that's our show for today, listen again tomorrow to learn English through stories from around the world. I'm Jonathan Evans. And I'm Ashley Tompson.
整理：玄水
Tips: 魚頭
翻譯：pole