英语沙龙：生活中的启示：雨中搭车

Important Things Life Teaches Us:Pickup in the Rain

One night,at 11:30PM,an older African America woman was standing¹ on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing² rainstorm.Her car had broken down and she desperately³ needed a ride.Soaking wet,she decided⁴ to flag down the next car.A young white man stopped to help her－－generally unheard of in those conflict－filled 1960s.The man took her to safety,helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.She seemed to be in a big hurry.She wrote down his address,thanked him and drove away.Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door.To his surprise,a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.A special note was attached.It read:"thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night.The rain drenched⁵ not only my clothes but my spirits.Then you came along.Because of you,I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away.God bless you for helping⁶ me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely,

Mrs.Nat King Cole."

生活中的启示：雨中搭车

一天午夜１１：３０分，一位年长的黑人妇女在阿拉巴马的一条高速公路旁站着，忍受着暴风雨的鞭笞。她的车坏了，她急切地等待搭乘别人的车。她浑身湿透，决心一定拦住下一辆车。这时，一位白人青年停下车，帮了她的忙---在那充满种族冲突的６０年代，这实属闻所未闻。那位男子开车把她送到安全地方，找人帮她的忙并为她叫来了一辆出租车。她似乎急急忙忙要去什么地方。她记下他的地址，谢了他便让司机开走了。７天过去了，这天忽然有人敲了那位年轻人的房门。让他吃惊的是，来人给他送来了一台大型的落地式彩色电视机。上面附着一张纸条：“非常感谢您那天晚上在高速公路上帮了我的忙。当时大雨不仅湿透了我的衣服，也摧垮了我的精神。但你来了。由于你的帮助，我才得以在老伴咽气前赶到他的病床前见了他一面。你帮了我的忙并无私地为他人服务。愿上帝保佑您。

娜特·金·科莱夫人谨上。”

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 lashing   

n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The speaker was lashing the crowd. 演讲人正在煽动人群。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rain was lashing the windows. 雨急打着窗子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。