Passage B
It Finally Dawned on Me
Monica Sone
Culturalnote：
Monica Sone (1919–2011) was a Japanese American writer. She is well-known for her 1953 autobiographical memoir Nisei Daughter. The book is an account of the Japanese American experience in Seattle during the 1920s and 1930s, and in the World War II internment camps. It is an important text in Asian American and women's studies courses.
（译文）我终于明白了
1 One day when we were ambulatory patients, Chris, Elaine and I agreed to invite Laura Wilson, a newcomer, to sit at our table in the dining room. Chris brought Laura over and made the introductions.
ambulatory a. 走动的；非卧床的
e.g. She was completely ambulatory and would soon go back to school.
她走动完全不成问题了，很快会回到学校。The athlete will receive an ambulatory surgery. 运动员将接受门诊手术。
patient n. 病人；患者
（译文）一天，当我们还是门诊病人时，克里斯、伊莱恩和我同意邀请新来的劳拉·威尔逊到我们住处共进晚餐。克里斯把劳拉带来作了介绍。
2 “Girls, I'd like you to meet Laura. Laura, this is Elaine and Kazi.”
（译文）“姑娘们，我想让你们认识一下劳拉。劳拉，这是伊莱恩和卡齐。”
3 I greeted Laura with what I considered to be one of my most cordial smiles and said, “How do you do.” Laura seated herself at the table and Chris and Elaine piled her with all sorts of questions and exchanged confidences while I sat contentedly by, listening. After dinner when we had returned to our room, Chris startled me by saying, “Kazi, Laura thought you didn't care for her too much. You did seem a bit cold, you know, just sitting and not saying a word to her. Didn't you like her?”
I greeted Laura with what I considered to be one of my most cordial smiles...
Note: 该句中 what 引导的名词性从句做介词with的宾语。
cordial a. 热忱的，诚恳的
e.g. There was a cordial welcome to the guests at the reception party.
在欢迎晚会上，客人受到了热烈的欢迎。
The relationship between the two countries was always cordial.
两国之间的关系总是很友好。
Laura seated herself at the table and Chris and Elaine piled her with all sorts of questions and exchanged confidences while I sat contentedly by, listening.
Note: 该句中的 “listening” 是现在分词做伴随状语。
Paragphrase：Laura took a seat at the table, and Chris and Elaine asked her lots of different questions. While they were having a heart-to-heart conversation, Ijust listened, feeling at ease.
confidence n. 秘密，机密
contentedly ad. 满足地；安心地
e.g. Seeing her son arrive home safe and sound, she smiled contentedly.
看到她的儿子安然无恙地回到家，她心满意足地笑了。
The captain sat down contentedly after the ship succeeded in avoiding the iceberg.
在船成功避开冰山之后，船长安心地坐下了。
（译文）我向劳拉打招呼，脸上挂着我认为是最亲切的笑容之一，我对她说 :“你好。”劳拉在桌旁坐下，克里斯和伊莱恩向她提出各种各样的问题，互相推心置腹，而我则心满意足地坐在一旁听着。晚饭后，当我们回到房间，克里斯说的一番话令我惊讶 :“卡齐，劳拉认为你不太喜欢她。
你看起来确实有点冷，你只是坐着，一句话也没跟她说。你不喜欢她吗 ?”
4 I felt as if Chris had dashed cold water over me. I did like Laura. I hadgiven her my best smile and yet she had taken offense. I assured Chris that I would love having Laura at our table and apologized for having seemed rude. We nevertalked about it again, but I was too surprised to forget Chris's strange reaction.
I felt as if Chris had dashed cold water over me.
Note: 该句中 as if 引导的方式状语从句使用了虚拟语气，是对过去发生情况的虚拟。
I did like Laura.
Note: 该句为“助动词 + 动词原形”结构的强调句。在肯定句中，用助动词 do（does，did）
+ 动词原形的结构可以表示强调。例如：
I do believe what he said.
我确实相信他说的话。
Please do take good care of yourself! 请一定照顾好你自己！
dash v. 泼溅；使…破灭
e.g. Their ship dashed against the rock in the extreme weather.
在极端天气下，他们的船撞向岩石。
Hopes of an economic recovery were dashed by the worsening of relationships between the two countries.
经济复苏的希望因两国之间关系恶化而破灭。
take offense 生气；介意
e.g. I didn't take offense because they only voiced their true thought.
我没有生气，因为他们只是表达了他们的真实思想。
The actor took offense when the tabloid published some false news about him.
当小报发表关于他的一些虚假消息时，这位演员生气了。
assure v. 保证；担保
e.g. The sales woman assured me of the good quality of the vacuum cleaner.
售货员向我保证吸尘器质量很好。
The police assured that the criminal would get arrested soon.
警方保证，罪犯很快就会抓获。
（译文）我觉得好像克里斯给我泼了一盆冷水。我确实喜欢劳拉。我给了她最美好的笑容，可她却生气了。我向克里斯保证，我很乐意让劳拉和我们共进晚餐，并为自己貌似粗鲁的行为道歉。我们再也没有谈论过这件事，但我太惊讶了，忘不了克里斯的奇怪反应。
5 Weeks later the explanation dawned upon me. I noticed two new ambulatory patients, Nisei girls. They sat by themselves at the far end of the room as ifthey were trying to remain inconspicuous. They seemed lonely so I walked up to them and introduced myself.
Nisei n. （美）第二代日裔美国人
inconspicuous a. 不显眼的；不引人注意的
e.g. There is an inconspicuous coffee shop at the corner of the street.
街角有一家毫不显眼的咖啡店。
At the meeting,she always sat in an inconspicuous place.
会议上，她总是坐在一个不起眼的地方。
（译文）几个星期后，我终于明白了。我注意到两个新来的病人，第二代日裔美国女孩。她们坐在房间的角落，似乎想尽量不引人注目。她们看起来很孤单，所以我走到她们面前做了自我介绍。
6 “Hello, I'm Kazuko Itoi. How does it feel to be walking around now?”
（译文）“你好，我是井井和子。现在到处走走感觉怎么样?”
7 They stared at me a moment as if they were trying to place me.Then they smiled shyly at me. “I'm Nami.”
“And I'm Marie.”
They stared at me a moment as if they were trying to place me.
Note: 该句中的“place” 意思为“认出，想起”，表示在辨认一个有印象但记不清楚的人。例子：
Jack could not place him immediately since it's too long ago.
杰克不能马上记起他，因为时间太久了。
（译文）她们盯着我看了一会儿，好像是在辨认我。然后她们害羞地对我笑了笑。
“我是奈美。”
“我是玛丽。”
8 I waited. Then Nami said simply, “It's nice, all right.” And Marie just smiled. They did not invite me to sit down, but looked expectantly at me as if they were waiting for me to state my business.
expectantly ad. 期望地，期待地
e.g. When his mother arrived home, the boy looked at her expectantly.
当他的母亲到家时，男孩满怀期待地看着她。She waited expectantly, but he didn't say a word. 她期待着，但他没有说一句话。
（译文）我等待着。然后奈美只说了:“很好，很好。”玛丽也只是笑了笑。她们没有请我坐下，而是充满期待地看着我，好像在等我把事情说出来。
9 With a determined smile, I asked them, “How long have you been in this ice cave?”
（译文）我带着坚定的微笑问她们 :“你们在这个冰洞里呆了多久了 ?”
10 Nami replied gravely, “Twenty weeks.” Nothing more. I looked at Marie who stammered out, “Fivemonths.”
gravely ad. 严重地；严肃地；
e.g. In the competition, the racer was injured gravely.
在比赛中，赛车手严重受伤。
“The air crash caused great casualty,” the news anchor gravely said.
“空难造成了极大的伤亡，”新闻主播严肃地说道。
stammerv. 口吃；结结巴巴地说
e.g. The little boy stammered a bit.
小男孩说话有点口吃。
I began to get nervous and stammered at the wedding ceremony.
在婚礼上我开始变得紧张，说话结结巴巴。
（译文）奈美严肃地回答说：“二十个星期。”仅此而已。我看着玛丽，她结结巴巴地说 :“五个月。”
11 Nami asked me in a tiny voice,“And you?”
tiny a . 微小的；很少的
e.g. Near the wall grows a tiny flower.
靠近墙壁长出一朵小花。
She is tall but has tiny feet.
她很高，但脚很小。
（译文）奈美用细小的声音问我：“你呢？”
12 “Seven months.” It was the snappiest reply I could think of. I tried another sure-fire topic.“Are you taking pneumo or other treatments?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Nami lifted her eyes up at me with great effort. “And you?”“Nothing.”
It was the snappiest reply I could think of.
Note: 该句中 “I could think of” 是省略了关系代词的定语从句修饰“reply”。先行词在定语从句中做 think of 的宾语。
snap a . 仓促的，匆忙的
e.g. He made a snap decision in such a short time.
他在如此短的时间内做出了仓促的决定。
Don't make a snap judgement about a person.
不要对一个人做出快速判断。
sure-fire 必定成功的；肯定会发生的
e.g. There is no sure-fire solution to the problems they are confronted with.
对于他们面临的问题，没有可靠的解决方法。
The concert is a sure-fire success.
这场音乐会是必然的成功。
pneumo与肺有关的（前缀）
（译文）七个月。这是我能想到的最干脆利落的回答。我尝试了另一个肯定会成功的话题。“你正在接受肺炎或其他治疗吗？”
“没有。”
“是的。”
奈美费力地抬起眼睛看着我。“你呢？”
“没有。”
13 We had wrung each other dry. Feeling thoroughly foolish and unnecessary, I tried to make a graceful exit. “Well, it was nice meeting you. I'll be seeing you. Good-bye.”
wring each other dry 说完我们能想到的所有话
Feeling thoroughly foolish and unnecessary, I tried to make a graceful exit.
Note: 该句中 “feeling thoroughly foolish and unnecessary” 是现在分词结构做原因状语。
...I tried to make a graceful exit.
Paraphrase: ...I tried to end the conversation in a graceful way.
thoroughly ad. 彻底地，完全地
e.g. After the breakup, the girl was thoroughly heart-broken.
分手后，这个女孩彻底心碎了。
I thoroughly disagree with his decision to go back to his hometown.
我完全不同意他回家乡的决定。
graceful a. 优雅的；优美的
e.g. No matter what the occasion, the woman is always graceful and beautiful.
无论什么场合，这位女士总是优雅而美丽。
The ballerina dances in a graceful way.
芭蕾舞女演员优雅地跳舞。
（译文）我们说完我们能想到的所有话。我觉得自己非常愚蠢和尴尬，于是试图优雅地离开。
“嗯，很高兴见到你。后会有期。再见。”
14 Then Nami and Marie came to life and literally glowed when they said,“Bye.”
literally ad . 真正地，确实地
e.g. The talent show was watched by literally millions of people.
选秀节目确实有数百万的人在观看。
In the economic crisis, he suffered a loss of literally billions of dollars.
在经济危机中，他承受了数十亿的损失。
glow v. 发光，燃烧；激动，焕发
e.g. The lantern glowed softly in the darkness.
灯笼在黑暗中发出微弱的光。
The children were happy to see the fireworks glow.
孩子们看到烟火的燃放非常开心。
（译文）然后奈美和玛丽又充满了活力，当她们说“再见”的时候，她们真的容光焕发。
15 The girls had not meant to be unkind even though they had made me feel as if I were a spy at large. Their response was typically Japanese, and that was the way I had behaved with Laura. No wonder Chris and Laura thought I had been deliberately impolite.
spy n. 间谍；密探
at large 未被捕获的；整个；完全
e.g. The criminal is still at large.
罪犯仍然在逃。
The policy will bring great benefits to the society at large.
这个政策将给整个社会带来巨大利益。typically ad. 代表性地；作为特色地 behave v. 表现；举止行为
e.g. After the argument, the two girls behaved as if nothing had happened.
争吵之后，两个女孩表现得好像什么也没发生过。
Whenever I was on the stage, I would behave in an awkward way.
每当我上台时，我都会表现得笨手笨脚。
no wonder 难怪
e.g. No wonder people don't like living in the suburbs; the commute is too long.
难怪人们不喜欢住在郊区，路上来回的时间太长。
No wonder we didn't sign up for the competition; we were too busy.
难怪我们没有报名参加比赛，因为实在太忙了。
deliberately ad . 故意地；谨慎地
e.g. Some historical sites have been deliberately scratched by the tourists.
一些历史遗迹被游客故意刮坏。
The old lady climbed the stairs deliberately.
这位老太太小心地上楼梯。
（译文）姑娘们并不是存心对我不好，尽管她们使我觉得自己好像是个在外流窜的间谍。她们的反应是典型的日本人的反应，这就是我对待劳拉的方式。难怪克里斯和劳拉认为我故意不礼貌。
16 From a Japanese point of view, Nami, Marie and I had behaved in the utmost decorum becoming to modest maidens. At home whenever I was introduced to friends, I always bowed low and said, “I meet you for the first time.” I did not lunge at the visitor and start cross-examining him. Instead I sat down and never uttered aword unless the guest spoke to me. Then I would answer politely and briefly “yes” or “no.” The important thing was to sit quietly and let the other folks talk about what they wanted to talk about, smile agreeably at all times, and keep the guest's tea cup brimming full.
From a Japanese point of view, Nami, Marie and I had behaved in the utmost decorum becoming to modest maidens.
Paraphrase: From a Japanese point of view, Nami, Marie and Ihad behaved quite politely, in
the way that modest maidens should do.
utmost a. 极度的；极限的
e.g. Safety is the utmost concern in any industry.
安全是任何行业最关心的问题。
The issue is very delicate, so you should handle it with utmost care.
问题非常棘手，所以你应该非常小心地处理它。
decorum n. 礼仪；礼貌
e.g. The young lady was taught to behave with proper decorum.
这位年轻的女士被教导要举止端庄。
Since he is a foreigner, he is reminded of decorum of a funeral.
由于他是外国人，有人提醒他葬礼的礼仪。比较 decorum， etiquette 和 protocol
etiquette 注重于交际应对的礼仪、礼节；decorum 主要着重于举止行为的体面、举止适当；
protocol 指的是外交的或军事的礼节和秩序的规则，如开会时关于悬挂国旗、奏国歌的规则、举行正式宴会时的座位安排等
e.g. Before studying in England, she spent a lot of time learning western etiquette.
在去英国留学前，她花了很多时间学习西方的礼仪。
Different countries have different table etiquette.
不同的国家有不同的餐桌礼仪。
The young lady was expected to behave with decorum in front of guests.
这位年轻的女士应该在客人面前表现得体。
The man impressed the lady with his remarkable decorum.
这位男士彬彬有礼，给这位女士留下了深刻印象。
They need to know more about royal wedding protocol before the wedding ceremony.
在婚礼前，他们需要了解更多有关皇家婚礼礼仪的信息。
For an interpreter, it is necessary for you to learn the protocol of diplomatic visits.
对于口译员来说，有必要学习外交访问的礼节。
becoming to 相称，相配
e.g. The necklace is becoming to you.
这串项链适合你。
Such a behavior is not becoming to a gentleman.
这样的行为和一个绅士的身分不相称。
modest a . 谦逊的；端庄的
e.g. The winner was modest to talk about his achievement in the games.
获胜者谦虚地谈论他在比赛中取得的成绩。
She wore a modest dress on such a big occasion.
在如此重要的场合，她衣着端庄。
maidenn. 少女；姑娘
lunge v . 冲 向
e.g. The girl lunged at her mother, shouting happily.
那女孩向她的母亲扑来，高兴地喊叫。
I lunged forward and grabbed the letter in her hand.
我向前冲去，夺去了她手里的那封信。
cross-examine v . 交叉询问（尤指在法庭上诘问证人）；盘问
e.g. Law students willl earn skills to cross-examine the witness and suspect.
法学院学生将学习交叉询问证人和嫌疑人的技能。
The man was cross-examined and made a confession. 该名男子接受盘问，并且认罪。
utter v. 讲，说出
e.g. She was deeply movedand couldn't utter a word.
她深受感动，无以言表。
When a cat appeared suddenly in front of her, she uttered a cry.
当一只猫突然出现在她面前时，她发出一声叫喊。
briefly ad. 短暂地，短时间地
folk n. 人 们
agreeably ad. 愉快地
e.g. Their journey began agreeably but ended up with a fight.
他们的旅程愉快地开始，但以吵架告终。
It is agreeably warm in May.
五月温暖宜人。
brim v. 满溢；充盈
e.g. The glass is brimming with red wine.
玻璃杯里的红葡萄酒溢了出来。
Their eyes brimmed with tears when they saw their daughter get married.
当看到女儿结婚时，他们的眼睛噙满了泪水。
（译文）从日本人的角度来看，奈美、玛丽和我都表现得极度礼貌，就像端庄的淑女。在家里，每当我被介绍给朋友时，我总是深深地鞠一躬，说 :“初次见面请多多关照”我不会冲向来客并问东问西。相反，我会坐下来，一句话也不说，除非客人跟我说话。然后我会礼貌而简短地回答“是”或“不是”。重要的是要安静地坐着，让其他人谈论他们想谈论的话题，始终面带愉快的微笑，把客人的茶杯斟得满满的。
