Sunday, 27 July 2014, The Reporter
2014年7月27日，星期日，记者
THE CALL COMES at 3 a.m.
凌晨3点，电话响了，
The jagged ring of the bedside telephone tearing a hole in our sleep. I reach out a hand to silence it.
床头电话铃声像撕裂开了我们的梦。 我伸出一只手想让它安静下来。
`Hello,’ I whisper.
“你好。”我小声说。
Static whispers back at me. I press the phone harder to my ear.
静电在我耳边低语。我把电话更用力地按在耳朵上。
`Who is this?’ I feel Steve roll over to face me, but he doesn’t speak. The hissing static fades and I hear a voice.
“这是谁？” 我感到史蒂夫翻身面对我，但他不说话。 嘶嘶的静电消失，我听到声音。
`Hello … Hello,’ it says, searching for me. I sit bolt upright and switch on the light. Steve groans and rubs his eyes.
“你好…“你好，”他在找我。我笔直地坐着，把灯打开。史蒂夫呻吟着揉了揉眼睛。
`Kate? What’s going on?’ he says.
“凯特？ 这是怎么回事？” 他说。
`Who is this?’ I repeat. But I know. ‘Jake?’
“这是谁？” 我重复。 但我知道。“杰克？”
`mum,’ the voice says, the word distorted by distance – or drink, perhaps, I think uncharitably.
“妈妈，”那个声音说，这个词因为距离显得不那么真实——也许是喝酒，我认为是不厚道的。
`Sorry I missed your birthday,’ he says. The line fizzes again and he’s gone. I look at Steve. `Was it him?’ he asks. I nod. `He’s sorry he missed my birthday …’
“对不起，我错过了你的生日，”他说。 电话又响了，他走了。 我看史蒂夫。“是他吗？” 他问。 我点头。 “他很抱歉错过了我的生日……”
It’s the first time in seven months that he’s phoned.
这是他七个月来第一次打电话。
There’ve been three emails, but our eldest son had told us from the start that he wouldn’t be contactable by phone. Said he was freeing himself of all the stress that constant calls would bring. He’d keep in touch with us.
已经有三封电子邮件了，但我们的大儿子从一开始就告诉我们，他不会通过电话联系我们。他说他正在把自己从不断的电话带来的所有压力中解脱出来。他会和我们保持联系。
When he last rang, it was Christmas morning. We’d hoped he’d be back home with us, pulling crackers and making his lethal mulled wine. We’d suggested and then pleaded by email, even buying a plane ticket when he seemed to weaken. But Jake had stayed away, managing only a ten-minute call on the day. Steve had answered the phone and spoken to him first while I hovered beside him, then Jake had asked to speak to his little brother, Freddie, and finally his mother.
上次他打电话时，是圣诞节的早晨。希望他能和我们一起回家，吃着饼干，喝着致命的热葡萄酒。我们通过电子邮件建议并恳求他，甚至在他身体虚弱的时候买了一张机票。但是杰克没有来，他一天只打了10分钟的电话。史蒂夫接了电话，在我在他身边转来转去时先和他说了话，然后杰克要求和他的弟弟弗烈特说，最后是他的母亲。。
I’d hugged the phone, as if I could feel the heft and warmth of him, and tried to listen, not talk. But he’d remained distant as the seconds counted down in a phone booth somewhere and I’d found myself turning inquisitor.
我抱着电话，仿佛能感觉到他的身高和温暖，然后试着听而不是说话。但是当秒数在某个地方的电话亭里倒数时，他仍然遥不可及，我发现自己变成了审讯官。
`So, where are you now, love?’
“那么，你现在在哪里，亲爱的？”
`Here,’ he’d laughed.
“在这里，”他笑了。
`Still in Phuket?’
“还在普吉岛吗？”
`Yes, yes.’
“是的，是的。”
`And are you working?’
“你在工作吗？”
`Yeah, sure. Doing this and that.’
“是的，当然。”
`How are you managing for money?’
“你如何赚钱？”
`I’m managing, Mum. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.’
“妈妈，我可以的。不用担心我，我很好。”
`Well, as long as you are happy …’ I’d heard myself say. The coward’s way out.
“好吧，只要你快乐……”我听见自己说。给自己条简单的路。
`Yes, I am.’
“是的，我是快乐的。”
After I’d put the phone down, Freddie had put a glass of Prosecco in my hand and kissed my cheek.
我放下电话后，弗莱迪把一杯普罗塞克葡萄酒放在我手里，吻了吻我的脸颊。
`Come on, Mum. He’s fine. Having a brilliant time lying around in the sun while we’re sitting here in the rain.’
“好啦，妈妈。他还好。当我们坐在雨中时，他可是在阳光下度过美好的时光呢。”
But I’d known deep down he wasn’t fine. His voice had become wary. And that nervy laugh.
但我深知他不舒服。他的声音变得谨慎。那令人担心的笑声。
那我们接下来, 将找出这篇文章有趣又有用的短语和句子！
1. Jag – 缺口，狂欢 , 使……成锯齿状
原文：The jagged ring of the bedside telephone tearing a hole in our sleep (电话铃声像撕裂开了我们的清梦)
此处使用了比喻（metaphor）的手法
– The city had become a jag on my nerves — there was too much young flesh around. 这座城市成为了我内心的一处伤口，那里有太多年轻的人在这。
– They are on a jag, buying everything that they like in the store. 他们正狂欢呢，在商店里买着所有喜欢的物品。
2. Static: = 静电干扰, 静止
– The number of students obtaining qualifications has remained static or decreased. 获得各种证书的学生人数已经平稳了或者在下降。
– Don’t view things as static and isolated. 不要静止地孤立来看待事物。
3. Roll over – 翻滚，转存，延期付款
– In my opinion, it needs to get going soon or it could roll over a bit. 以我的观点来看, 它需要现在开始或者就会被延迟一些。
– how many times do you think you need to roll over the piece of paper ? 你觉得这张纸可以折几次？
– Say something — don’t grunt or “hmph” and roll over. 说点什么吧，别作出抱怨的声音然后还转过身。
4. Uncharitably – 无慈悲心，严厉， 不宽恕地
– ‘All of you shall not pass’ the professor said, not a little uncharitably 教授没良心地说道，你们一个都别想过。
– I don’t want to be uncharitable, but she’s not a terribly good cook. 我不想变得不仁慈，但她不是一个好厨师。
5. Bolt upright- 笔直
原文： I sit bolt upright and switch on the light. (我坐起来把灯打开)
– Any person waking from a nightmare will sit bolt upright and pant. 所有从噩梦中惊醒的人都会坐直，大口喘气。
– They students were so scared of the teacher, they all sat bolt upright. 学生们太害怕老师了，他们都笔直的坐着。
6. The first time in + time – 时段(某个时间段以来第一次)
– The first time in six years. 6年里的第一次。
– I haven’t smoked in so long; this is the first time in 2 years. 我很久没抽烟了，这是我两年里第一次。
7. Plead-借口； 恳求； 辩护
– That nurse should not plead inexperience in excuse of her mistake. 那个护士不应该借口缺乏经验来为她的错误辩解。
– He pleaded with her not to go. 他恳求她不要走。
8. Hover-盘旋
– A smile hovered on her lips. 她的嘴上挂着一丝笑容。
– When the camera carried by helicopter detect the situation of range, the helicopter hover in the range over the regional side. 直升飞机携带摄像机检测靶场情况时,直升飞机悬停在靶场正上空的侧边区域。
9. Heft- 重要，重要性
原文： I could felt the heft and warmth of him (我可以感受到他的温存)
在这里heft应被理解为儿子的存在很重要，在电话那头能让母亲感受到他存在的温暖
– Over that period the heft of emerging economies has increased dramatically. 在那段时期，新兴经济的重要性急剧增长 。
– Goldstone wished Tom Hill were there to add heft to his argument. Goldstone希望 Tom Hill可以在那边给他的辩论增加分量 。
10. Wary – 谨慎的；机智的；惟恐的；考虑周到的
– There was a wariness in her tone. 她的语气中透着一丝谨慎。
– Be wary of strangers who offer you a ride. 提防那些主动让你搭车的陌生人。