TheDiary of the Unknown Soldier
This story isdedicated to all of theunknown soldiers who died while trying to protect the lives of the innocent.
NOVEMBER24, 1943
1 It has been almost six months since I last saw American soil, my family, or my home. My heart aches every momentbecause everywhere I look I see piles ofrubble where houses used to stand and lifeless bodies that once moved aroundwith the joy of life inside them. It is as if I have stared into death’s eyesand seen its hatred, its coldness. If it would have been some strangers’corpses that I had seen I might have taken it lighter. But these lifeless heapsare, or used to be, my friends and colleagues. They all came here with anair of confidence and eagerness, ready to win.1 What fools theywere! Couldn’t those men see that what they received was a one-way ticket todeath, couldn’t they have opened their eyes! Of course, I was like them, but Ihave changed my views since the last D-Day, when our regiment was assigned to protect London.
2 Today was rainy and cold, just like any other, when, out of the blue, German fighter planes bombarded oursmall, makeshift camp.2 AllI could hear were the sounds of bombs exploding, crippling those people intheir way. I was suddenly knocked into a trench and able to be undetected bythe planes circlingoverhead.3 I was lucky.
3 When I came to, the Axis planes had gone and the few survivors that wereleft began scooping up bodies. I suffered minor head injuries,but the rest of my platoon wasn’t so fortunate. All I can say to describe the aftermath of the explosionsis that it wasa sea of blood. Right about this time thoughts of suicide entered myhead, but I decided that I must go on. I must go on living this nightmare, ifnot for myself or my country, then for my family back home. I want my childrento have a father. My family has been sending me mail, but I have received onlya few letters so far. Oh, how I wish I could see my darling daughters! They areexperiencing tough times too, with the food shortageproblems and all. I hope the garden that theyplanted is growing. My thoughts drift to my wife now.4 She isso dear to me that I can’t stop thinking about her.
4 My job now is planespotting. It is a civilian’stask, but there are no more civilians left to do it. I must end this entry nowbecause I am too tired to go on writing. All I ask is that I be alive5when this ends. Although I’m not so sure I’ll get my wish.
NOVEMBER 29, 1943
1 I do not remember why I ever came here.Why does war have to be the way problems are solved? War just creates moreproblems; something every sensible person knows. I guess that means people likeHitler aren’t sensible. Now my K-rations are running low.My joints are frozen stiff and my ammunition has been used up. Word has it that the Axis powers are sending troops toour location within the month.6 My situation is grim and the odds of winning, or even surviving, seemunlikely. More blood has been shed and mybody simply cannot take it.7 When I eat, sleep, and fight I have to stare at cold, lifelesssoldiers that look like they were never alive. If I return home I vow to keep these soldiers’ memories alive by tellingtheir families they died bravely in an effort to save their country from turmoil. While that might not providemuch to help them cope with their loss, it will make the children feel liketheir fathers made a difference.8
2 A few days ago myragtag group of soldiers journeyed to a small European town that had beenuntouched by warfare. Still, the townspeople took allof the proper war-time precautions. One night,as I performed my routine watch, I passed ayoung girl of no more than twelve or thirteen, who was walking home. I couldn’thelp thinking about my two daughters when I saw her. I fell apart inside andbroke into tears, wondering yet again if I would ever see my family.9I would give anything to see them, even if it was for five minutes! I am not aman made for war, nor am I an adventurous person. I do not even remember myreason for joining in this madness! I guess I thought it was something that hadto be done. A saying I once heard strikes a painful note in myhead, “Even one war is too many.”10 The person who said ithad a valid point.11 Neverhave I been so enraged at my fellow man before.12Humans do err, but that is no excuse forending innocent lives and destroying whole countries!13 No onehas that right. How can we be so selfish and ignorant as to not care about eachother! This thought makes me sicker than when I am staring at heaps of bodies strewn over the tattered soil.
DECEMBER24, 1943
1 I think we have a spy in our regimentbecause the nightmare has surfaced again. Our “secret” location is beinginvaded by Nazi troops as I write this down. I have hidden myself in a smalltrench, my last hope for surviving. I wish, with all my soul, that I could behome now, in my own bed, waiting for Christmas morning to come. The childrenwould be tucked in their beds, and my wife and I would be soundly asleep in ourroom. I am struggling to calm myself down, but my face is covered in dirt andsweat, and my head is pounding like mad.14 I am so closeto death that I can actually feel its fiery breath engulfingme.15 To help keep me from panickingI am thinking of my daughters’ faces as they open their presents on ChristmasDay. The faces are all aglow with delight. I will always remember their faces,wait — I hear footsteps coming in my direction. My rifle is useless since thereare no shells in it. If this is my last entry then please, whoever finds this,return it to my family. Oh my God! I can see from my hiding spot that a Nazisoldier is inspecting the trench. It is only amatter of time before he finds me. I have one last question before I die. Why?
Almost nine and a half years afterthe last diary entry was written a British infantryman found the small journalas he was clearing away wreckage at the doomed battlesite. The name of the author is today a mystery and it was not mentioned in thediary. Only the initial R was found in the bottom left-hand corner of the firstpage. The man, who is dubbed “The Unknown Soldier ,” was never found althoughwe assume he is dead at this time.
The first entry
Paragraph 1
Questions:
Why didthe unknown soldier’s heart ache?
Becauseeverywhere around him he saw piles of rubbles where houses used to stand and
those whohad once lived happily inside the houses now lost their lives, vigor and hope.
Words and Expressions
1. soiln. (literary) a country
e.g. It was the first time we hadset foot on foreign soil.
Synonym:
land n.
2. assign vt. give sb. a task to do
e.g. The job of producing a development program was assigned to the juniorminister.
The authorities assigned himan important task.
Derivation:
assignment n.
appoint to choose someone officially for a job or responsibility
assign to give a particular job or piece of work to someone
Exercise: Fill in each blankwith the correct form of appoint or assign.
1. He’sjust been____ (as) director of the publishing division. (appointed)
2. An important task was ___to him. (assigned)
Sentences
1. Theyall came here with an air of confidence and eagerness, ready to win. (Paragraph 1, the first entry)
Paraphrase: Full of confidence and eagerness,the soldiers came here and were ready to win the battle.
Translation: 他们都是充满自信和热情来到这里的，并且做好了打赢的准备。
Paragraph 2
Questions:
Why did the author say he was lucky atthe end of the paragraph? (Paragraph 2)
He was knocked into a trench in the air raid and thereby avoided being detectedby the enemy plane circling overhead, so he thought he was a lucky survivor.
Words and Expressions
3. out of the blue all of a sudden
e.g.The jobhad been offered to her out of the blue.
One day, out of the blue, she announced that she was leaving.
Synonym: unexpectedly
4. circle vi. / vt. move all theway round
e.g. The birds seemed enormous, and there were so many of them, circlingoverhead.
The plane circled the airport before landing.
飞机着陆之前在机场上空盘旋。
Comparison: encircle, circle
encircle to surround something, forming a circle around it
circle: to move in a circle, often around something
Exercise: Fill in each blank with thecorrect form of circle or encircle.
1. The plane _______ for an hour beforereceiving permission to land. (circled )
2. The house is _________ by a highfence. （encircled）
Sentences
2. Todaywas rainy and cold, just like any other, when, out of the blue, German fighterplanes bombarded our small, makeshift camp. (Paragraph2, the first entry)
Paraphrase: That day, it was rainy andchilly as usual, when suddenly German fighter planes attacked our small,makeshift camp.
Translation: 今天和往常一样下着雨，天气寒冷。德军战斗机突然轰炸了我们临时搭建的小营地。
3. I wassuddenly knocked into a trench and able to be undetected by the planes circlingoverhead. (Paragraph 2, the first entry)
Paraphrase: Suddenly, I was hit and throwninto a trench; the situation enabled me to escape the detecting of the planeswhich were flying around my head.
Translation: 突然我被抛进一条壕沟，头顶上盘旋的飞机才没有发现我。
Paragraphs 3-4:
Questions:
1. How did the author describe the aftermath of the explosion?(Paragraph 3)
The author saidin his diary “it was a sea of blood” after the explosions.
2.What thought came into his mind even though he survived the bombing? What madehim give up the thought?(Paragraph 3)
Thoughts of suicide entered his head, but thestrong desire to go back home to see his darling daughters and beloved wifemade him give up this idea, he decided that he must go on living thisnightmare.
Words and Expressions
5. scoop up to lift something or someone withyour hands or arms in a quick movement
e.g.I scooped up mybelongings into my handbag.
He scooped up some soil from the flower bed.
Synonym:
lift, take up
6. aftermath n.the result following a bad event
e.g. European families emigrating from theirhomelands in the aftermath of World War II were
encouraged to immigrate to
二战后一段时期，从故土移居来的许多欧洲家庭被鼓励移民澳洲。
Synonym:
consequence
7. shortage n. a situation in which there is not enough of sth.
e.g. There was a shortage of oxygenat the top of the mountain.
山顶上缺氧。
The bad harvest led to severe foodshortage.
歉收引起食物严重短缺。
Synonym:
lack, scarcity
8. spot vt. locate anenemy’s position, typically from the air; recognize
e.g. He finally spotted just the shirt he wanted.
他最后找到了他想要的衬衫。
They were spotted by police as theywere entering the bank.
他们走进银行时被警察认出来了。
Activity: Choose a word or expression fromthe list and use its appropriate form to fill in each blank.
| spot aftermath shortage a sea of |
1. The teacher looked down and saw ___ smiling faces. (a sea of)
2. Many more people died in the___ of the explosion.(aftermath)
3. Continuance of the war will mean ____ of the food. (shortage)
4. An experienced manager will ____ problems among his staff quitequickly. (spot)
Sentences
4. Mythoughts drift to my wife now. (Paragraph 3, thefirst entry)
Paraphrase: I beginto think of my wife.
Translation: 现在我想起了我的妻子。
5. All Iask is that I be alive … (Paragraph 4, the firstentry):
Explanation: In American English, the mainverbs in object clauses after verbs of request such as “ask,” “demand” and “request”are normally in the form of the subjunctive mood, i.e. without any inflectionalchange. More examples:
e.g. He has asked that the proposal be discussed atthe meeting.
The trade union demanded that the manager of the company resignimmediately.
In British English the verbs are preceded by “should” in suchclauses.
The second entry
Paragraph 1
Questions:
Was the author in a critical situation when he wrote hissecond diary entry?
Yes. His K-rations were running low. His joints were frozen stiffand his ammunition has been used up. However, there was news that the Axispowers were sending troops to his location in a month.
Words and Expressions
9. run vi. develop or pass intothe stated condition
e.g. Several people shouted at the chairman; feelings were runninghigh.
Since their parents divorced those children have been runningwild.
10 . have it that say; express
e.g. Legend has it that they were couples 100 years ago.
Shakespeare has itthat all the world is a stage.
11. grim a.unpleasant, making you feel upset
e.g. Prospects for the long-term unemploymentlook pretty grim.
I had a pretty grim day yesterday.
我昨天很不愉快。
Synonym:
relentless, gloomy
12. odds n. the probability that something will or will nothappen
e.g. The odds are five to one on that horse.
那匹马的赔率是五比一。
Synonym:
likelihood, possibility
13. shed blood cause wounding or esp. killing
e.g. Theywanted to bring down the government, but without shedding blood.
Napoleon shed much blood in his European wars.
Collocation:
shed tears / blood / light to produce tears, light, blood
e.g. Sheshed a few tears at her daughter’s wedding.
So much blood has been shed in this war.
14. vow vi. make a solemnpromise
e.g. Thegroup had vowed to disrupt the elections.
He had vowed never to let it happen again.
Comparison: oath,pledge, vow
promise to tell someone that you willcertainly do something
pledge to make a serious or formal promise to giveor do something
vow to make a solemn promise
Exercise: Fillin each blank with the correct form of promise,pledge, or vow.
1. The government have___ that they’ll reduce taxes. (promised)
2. He ____ that hewould prosecute them for fraud. (vowed)
3. We are askingpeople to ____ their support for our campaign. (pledge)
15. turmoil n. a state of confusion, disorder or great anxiety
e.g. TheLondon Stock Exchange is in turmoil today.
今天伦敦证券市场一片混乱。
The country is in a state ofpolitical turmoil.
Activity: Translatethe following sentences into English.
1. 我无法思考，我的脑子里一片混乱。
I couldn’t think; my mind was in acomplete turmoil.
2. 失业率进一步增高，我们前景堪忧。
We face the grim prospect of stillhigher unemployment.
3. 汽油快要耗尽了。
The petrol is running out.
Sentences
6. Wordhas it that the Axis powers are sending troops to our location within themonth. (Paragraph 1, the second entry)
Explanation: “Word has it that …” means “It issaid that …” or “It is reported that ...”. Other similar expressions include:tradition has it that …, rumour has it that …, custom has it that … .
Axis powersrefers to the alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan in World War II that opposedthe Allies, which were Russia, France, Great Britain and later many others,including the United States.
Paraphrase: It is said that the Axis powersare sending troops to our location within the month.
Translation: 听说轴心国准备在本月内派遣部队到我们这里来。
7. Moreblood has been shed and my body simply cannot take it. (Paragraph1, the second entry)
Translation: 更多的血流出来了，我的身体几乎承受不了。
8. Whilethat might not provide much to help them cope with their loss, it will make thechildren feel like their fathers made a difference. (Paragraph1, the second entry)
Translation: 尽管我这么做对弥补他们失去亲人的痛苦并无多少帮助，但这会让孩子感到他们父亲的死是很值得的。
Paragraph 2
Questions:
How did the sight of a young girl in thesmall European town stir the author’s feelings?
The author passed a girl of no more than twelve orthirteen when he was performing his routine watch. He couldn’t help thinkingabout his two daughters. He felt heart-broken and broke into tears, wonderingif he would return home and see his family. He would give anything to see them,even if it was for five minutes.
Words and Expressions
16. take precautions do everything that is necessary to avoid danger or risk
e.g. Theaccident would never have occurred if they had taken precautions.
They failed to take the necessaryprecautions to avoid infection.
17. routinea. / n. typically happening as part of normal procedure
e.g. It was a rather routineperformance.
那是很平常的演出。
We must introduce some system into our office routine.
我们必须在我们的日常公务中建立一些制度。
There was little deviation from his usual routine.
他没有什么反常的举动。
18. strike a … note express the stated feeling or message
e.g. I find it really difficult tostrike the right note when I’m writing job applications.
At the end of her speech, shestruck a note of warning about the risks involved in the project.
19. valid a. reasonable and generally accepted
e.g. The cheque is not valid if it were not signedby the finance director.
如果没有主管财务的董事签字支票就无效。
The marriage was held to be valid.
这一婚姻关系是有效的。
Derivation:
validity n.
e.g. We should question the validity ofthose figures.
The validity of Freud’s theories about thesubconscious is now being challenged.
20. enrage vt. make sb. very angry
e.g. Plansto build a new nightclub in the neighborhood have enraged local residents.
He was enraged at the article about him.
Derivation:
enragement n.
21. err vi.do sth. wrong
e.g. Often one finds advisers err on the side ofcaution.
To err is human.
人非圣贤孰能无过。
Synonym:
mistake, slip
22. strew vt.scatter
e.g. Shells of all shapes and sizes strew the longnarrow beach.
各种各样的贝壳点缀着狭长的海滩。
They strewed seeds over the earth.
他们把种子撒在地里。
Collocation:
strew sth. over
Activity: Translate the following sentences intoEnglish.
1. 地板上到处撒满了纸。
There are papers strewn all overthe floor.
2. 她错在没有亲自与他见面。
She erred in failing to meet himin person.
3. 银行发的支票保付卡不是有效的身份证明文件。
A credit card is not a valid proofof identity.
4. 我把一切东西都锁在保险箱里以防万一。
I took the precaution of locking everything in the safe.
Sentences
9. I fellapart inside and broke into tears, wondering yet again if I would ever see myfamily. (Paragraph 2, the second entry)
Paraphrase: My heart broke and I cried; I was wonderingyet again if I would ever see my family.
Translation: 我再也控制不住内心的感情，突然大声哭了起来，不知道还能不能再见到我的家人。
10. Asaying I once heard strikes a painful note in my head, “Even one war is toomany.” (Paragraph 2, the second entry)
Translation: 我突然想起一句令我内心痛苦的谚语，“即使一次战争我们也承受不起。”
11. Theperson who said it had a valid point. （Paragraph2, the second entry）
Translation: 说这句话的人说得对极了。
12. Neverhave I been so enraged at my fellowman before.(Paragraph 2, the second entry)
Explanation: “Never have I been …” is an inverted sentence. Such words orexpressions as not, little, hardly, scarcely, no more, no longer, in no way, never, seldom, not only, and no sooner share the similar usage.
e.g No sooner had I arrived at the airport thanit began to rain.
Seldom do I travel by bus.
Paraphrase: I have never been so angry at myfellowman before.
Translation: 从来没有人这样让我如此愤怒。
13.Humans do err, but that is no excuse for ending innocent lives and destroyingwhole countries. (Paragraph 2, the second entry)
Explanation: This is an allusion to the firstpart of a much quoted line from a poem by Alexander Pope: “To err is human; toforgive, divine.”
The third entry
Paragraph 1
Questions:
What was the author’s earnest wish whenhe was faced with his approaching death?
Hewished, with all his heart and soul, that he could be home, getting togetherwith his wife and children, waiting for Christmas morning to come, enjoying thepeace at home and the happiness of reunion.
Wordsand Expressions
23. panic(k) vi.have asudden strong feeling of fear or worry
e.g. The crowd panicked at the sound of theexplosion.
爆炸声一响，人群便惊慌起来。
The thunder panicked the horse.
雷声使马受惊了。
Derivation:
panicky a.
24. engulf vt.surround and swallow up
e.g. Northern areas of the country were engulfedby a snowstorm last night.
The war is threatening to engulf the entireregion.
Derivation:
engulfment n.
Synonym:
immerse
25. inspect vt.examine
e.g. Police were called out to keep at theairport, and inspect the arriving planes.
警察们被紧急召集起来去守卫机场，并对到达的飞机进行检查。
It was strange that nobody inspected my ticket before I got on thetrain.
很奇怪，我上火车前，竟然没有人查看我的车票。
Collocation:
inspect … for
Derivation:
inspection n.
e.g. Acloser inspection revealed sea cucumbers among the rocks.
All the countries must allow international inspection of their nuclearweapons sites.
26. doom vt.cause tosuffer sth. unavoidable, such as destruction or death
e.g. Everyone is doomed to die.
人必有一死。
Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past?
Sentences
14. … andmy head is pounding like mad. (Paragraph 1, the thirdentry)
Translation: ……我的脑袋剧烈地嗡嗡作响。
15. I amso close to death that I can actually feel its fiery breath engulfing me. (Paragraph 1, the third entry)
Translation: 我离死亡如此之近，以至于能感觉到它炙热的气息正在将我吞噬。
