【精品】现代大学英语精读1—课本内容及翻译.doc

Lesson One Half a Day Naguib Mahfous 1. I walked alongside my father clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes the green school uniform and the red cap. They did not make me happy however as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time. 2. My mother stood at the window watching our progress and I turned towards her from time to time hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens and fields planted with crops: pears and date palms. 3. quotWhy school quot I asked my father. quotWhat have I done quot 4. quotIm not punishing you quot he said laughing. quotSchools not a punishment. Its a place that makes useful men out of boys. Don t you want to be useful like your brothersquot 5. I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge high-walled building. 6. When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard vast and full of boys and girls. quotGo in by yourself quot said my father quotand join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. quot 7. I hesitated and clung to his hand but he gently pushed me from him. quotBe a man quot he said. quotToday you truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when its time to leave. quot 8. I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity and one of them came over and asked quotWho brought youquot 9. quotMy father quot I whispered. 10. quotMy fathers dead quot he said simply. 11. I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came along followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings from each floor w