unit1课文B (2)

Marta had worked hard for a long time to win the scholarship jacket, but at the last moment something happened that threatened to rob her of the prize.

长期来，玛尔塔为赢得一件奖给全优生的短上衣而刻苦学习，但最后一刻发生的事可能会使她失去这一奖品。

The Scholarship Jacket

一件奖给全优生的短上衣

Marta Salinas

玛尔塔·萨利纳斯

1. The small Texas school that I attended carried out a tradition every year during the eighth grade graduation; a beautiful gold and green jacket was awarded to the class valedictorian, the student who had maintained the highest grades for eight years.

八年级学生毕业时，我就读的那所规模甚小的得克萨斯州学校年年都遵循传统做这样一件事：把一件金色绿色相间的漂亮短上衣授予毕业典礼上致告别辞的毕业生代表，即八年来成绩保持第一的那个学生。

2. I was fourteen and in the eighth grade. I had been a straight A student since the first grade, and the last year I had looked forward to owning the jacket. My father was a farm laborer who couldn't earn enough money to feed eight children, so when I was six I was given to my grandparents to raise. We couldn't participate in sports at school because there were registration fees, uniform costs, and trips out of town; so there would never be a sports school jacket for us. This one, the scholarship jacket, was our only chance.

当时我14岁，在上八年级。从一年级开始，我就一直是全优生，到了最后一年，我盼望拥有一件这样的短上衣。我父亲是农场工人，挣的钱不够养活八个孩子，所以我六岁那年，他们就把我送给祖父母抚养。我们没法参加学校的体育活动，因为那些活动都要交注册费，运动服要买，去外地也要花钱。所以，我们永远不会有什么校运动服。拥有这样一件毕业生荣誉服，对我们而言，便是唯一的机会。

3. One day in May, on the way from my history class to the gym, I remembered my P.E. shorts were still in the classroom. I had to walk back and get them. I was almost back at the door when I heard angry voices and arguing in my classroom. I recognized the voices: Mr. Schmidt, my history teacher, and Mr. Boone, my math teacher. They seemed to be arguing about me. I couldn't believe it. I still remember the shock that rooted me flat against the wall.

五月的一天，历史课后去健身房的路上，我突然想起我的运动短裤还在教室里。我得回去取。快到教室门口时，我听见从里面传来愤怒的争吵声。我辨出了那些声音：是历史老师施密特先生和数学老师布恩先生。他们似乎在为我争吵。简直难以置信。我仍记得我当时惊呆了，靠在墙上，一动不动。

4. "I refuse to do it! I don't care who her father is, her grades don't even begin to compare to Martha's. I won't lie or falsify records. Martha has a straight A plus average and you know it." That was Mr. Schmidt and he sounded very angry. Mr. Boone's voice sounded calm and quiet.

“我拒绝那样做!我才不管她父亲是谁呢，她的成绩根本无法与玛莎相比。我不愿撒谎，不愿篡改成绩。玛莎平均成绩都是A+，这一点你清楚。”那是施密特先生的声音，听上去他很愤怒。布恩先生的声音听上去又轻又平静。

5. "Look, Joann's father is not only on the Board, he owns the only store in town; we could say it was a close tie and — ?"

“你瞧，琼的父亲不仅是校董，他还拥有镇上唯一的商店。应该说是难分高低，再说……”

6. The pounding in my ears drowned out the rest of the words, only a word here and there filtered through." ... Martha is Mexican ... resign ... won't do it ..."

我耳朵里嗡嗡作响，听不见他们后来讲的话，只东一点西一点渗入片言只语。“……玛莎是墨西哥人……辞职……不干……”

7. To this day I don't remember how I made it through the rest of the afternoon. I went home very sad and cried into my pillow that night so Grandmother wouldn't hear me.

直到今天，我都想不起来那天下午我是怎么度过的。我心情沮丧地回到家。那天晚上，为了不让祖母听见，我把头埋进枕头里痛哭一场。

8. The next day when the principal called me into his office, I knew what it would be about. He looked uncomfortable and unhappy.

第二天，校长把我叫进他的办公室时，我就知道他为什么要这样做。他看上去不太自在，也显得不高兴。

9. "Martha," he said, "there's been a change in policy this year regarding the scholarship jacket. As you know, it has always been free." He cleared his throat and continued. "This year the Board decided to charge fifteen dollars — which still won't cover the complete cost of the jacket."