“ For a student who is so knowledgeable, you have recently been displaying an amazing lack of judgment, Brian,” the teacher said sternly. “ Tell me, how do you justify pouring kerosene into that kennel and then setting a match to it? The place went up in flames like a kiln, you know. You caused death and grievous injury to those poor, helpless puppies, you know! This is in total juxtaposition to what you wrote in your last essay on the value of life, including animal life. As far as I can see now, there was not a kernel of truth in those high-sounding ideas of yours, was there?”
“作為一個(gè)如此博學(xué)的學(xué)生,你最近表現(xiàn)得驚人地缺乏判斷力,布萊恩,”老師嚴(yán)厲地說(shuō),“告訴我,你如何證明往狗窩上倒煤油, 然后把它點(diǎn)著是有道理的?那個(gè)地方像磚窯一樣冒煙,這你知道。你使那些可憐無(wú)助的小狗死亡、嚴(yán)重受傷,你知道!這和你上次寫(xiě)的關(guān)于生命,包括動(dòng)物的生命價(jià)值的論文的思想形成鮮明的對(duì)比?,F(xiàn)在,就我而言,你的這些夸夸其談的理論中沒(méi)有真實(shí)的核心,對(duì)嗎?”
Britain simply stood in silence, head bowed.
布萊恩只是默默地站著,低著頭。
“ It is outside my ken how anyone of your intelligence can commit such a wanton act of vandalism. Now, while I am not keen on meting out punishment, as you are well aware, in this case I shall see to it that justice be done. The proceedings will, no doubt, be laborious, but I shall do everything I can to make sure you are sent to an institution for juvenile offenders, and justly so. And, as far as I am concerned, you can stay there till kingdom come!”
“像你這樣聰明的人竟然做出這種荒唐的故意破壞的事情超出了我的知識(shí)范圍。好了,你非常清楚,我并不熱衷于進(jìn)行懲罰,在這件事中,我會(huì)保證讓正義得到伸張。毫無(wú)疑問(wèn),訴訟程序會(huì)很艱難曲折,但我將盡我所能,確保把你送到一個(gè)失足少年的收容所,這樣做是公正的。我認(rèn)為,你可以永遠(yuǎn)呆在那里!”
Still, Brian said nothing.
布萊恩還是什么也沒(méi)說(shuō)。
His teacher went on:” And when you come out, at the age of 21, you can kiss your dream of becoming a famous physicist, doing research into your favourite subject of kinetic energy goodby! A labourer, that’s what you’re going to be! Join a labour union, my young friend, become part of the labour movement, ha!”
他的老師繼續(xù)說(shuō):“你21歲出來(lái)的時(shí)候,你可以和你想成為著名的研究動(dòng)力學(xué)能量的物理學(xué)家的夢(mèng)想再見(jiàn)了!一個(gè)體力勞動(dòng)者,這就是你以后要當(dāng)?shù)?加入一個(gè)工會(huì),我年輕的朋友,成為勞工運(yùn)動(dòng)的一員,哈!”
Words:
justice n. 正義,公平,公正
justify vt. 證明…是正當(dāng)?shù)幕蛴欣淼?/p>
justly adv. 公正地,正當(dāng)?shù)?/p>
juvenile n./adj. 青少年(的)
juxtaposition n. (不同的)思想,文化,傳統(tǒng)的對(duì)比
keen adj. (感覺(jué)、觀察、理解等)敏銳的,敏捷的
keen on sth. 熱衷于某事物
ken n. 視野,知識(shí)領(lǐng)域
kennel n. 狗舍,狗窩
kernel n. 仁,核心,要點(diǎn)中心
kerosene n. 煤油
kiln n. (磚、石灰等的)窯,爐
kinetic adj. 運(yùn)動(dòng)的,動(dòng)力學(xué)的
kingdom n. 王國(guó)
till kingdom came 永久,永遠(yuǎn)
knowledgeable adj. 有知識(shí)的,博學(xué)的
labo(u)rer n. 勞動(dòng)者(尤指體力勞動(dòng)者)
labo(u)movement 勞工運(yùn)動(dòng)
labo(u)r union 工會(huì)
laborious adj. 費(fèi)力的,艱難的