胡敏讀故事記托福詞匯078：一個劇作家的生活 The Life of a Playwright
“She’s such a doting mother,” I thought, looking at the woman and her newborn passing me by in the park. I was feeling a bit doubtful about my ability to write a drama in less than a week. I didn’t even have a draft. I was desperate for fresh ideas. That is why I’m sitting here in this downtown park. As they often say, “desperate times call for drastic measures.”
“她是個很溺愛孩子的母親，”看著她和她剛出生不久的小寶寶從我眼前經過，我這樣想著。我置身公園，現在開始懷疑我是否能在一周內寫出一個戲劇來。我到現在甚至連個草稿都沒有。我渴望能撲捉到新的靈感，所以才會坐在這市區(qū)的公園里。就像人們常說的：“危急時刻需要采取斷然措施。”
I scanned the area around me for ideas. what about that downcast man on the park bench? He looks so downhearted. Could there be an interesting story behind his sad eyes? No, I’d better not bother him. It looks like he hasn’t slept for days.
于是，我掃視周圍，尋找我的靈感。坐在公園長登上的那個一臉沮喪的男人怎么樣?他看上去那么無精打采，悲傷的眼神后面會有什么動人的故事嗎?不行，我最好別去煩他，他看上去已經好幾天沒睡覺了。
Perhaps I can write a story about the life of that draft animal. No, that would be rather dreary. All he does is drag things around. I need a more dramatic subject.
也許我可以寫一篇關于耕畜的生活故事。不，那會很乏味。它所做的無非是拖著東西過來過去。我要找一個更具戲劇性的主題。
Could that dragonfly flying above that drain be the answer to my prayers? It is a good thing that this park has excellent drainage. Oh, no, the drain just swallowed him. “Did he suffer from a dread of drain?” I murmured in disgust.
那只在排水溝上空飛著的蜻蜓能作為我祈求的答案嗎?這個公園的排水系統(tǒng)很好是件好事。哦，不，排水溝剛剛把蜻蜓吞沒了。“他會害怕排水溝吧?”我厭惡地小聲嘟囔著。
“This is a dreadful situation,” I said dramatically. Writing plays for a living was drastically different from writing them in school. Maybe I should try drawing pictures for a living? No, I was sure that would not be the situation. It probably would have just as many drawbacks. So, what I am going to do? I felt dispirited. Then suddenly, it came to me.
“情況糟透了。”我戲劇般夸張地說。為了謀生寫劇本與上學時寫劇本截然不同。也許我該嘗試畫畫謀生?不行，我確信那也解決不了問題，可能會遇到同樣多的障礙。那我該做什么?我感到灰心喪氣。過了一會，忽然，靈感來了。
“I’ve got it!” I exclaimed. “I just dramatize the life of a playwright!”
“我找到了。”我大聲喊起來。“我要把一個劇作家的生活編成劇本。”
Words:
doting adj. 溺愛的
doubtful adj. 可疑的，疑心的
downcast adj. 意志消沉的，沮喪的
downhearted adj. 情緒低落的，無精打采的
downtown adj. 在市區(qū)的，往市區(qū)的
draft n. 草圖，草稿;vt. 起草
draft animal (horse) 役用動物，耕畜
drag vt. 拖動
dragonfly n. 蜻蜓
drain v. (使)流走，(使)排光;n. 排水溝;排水，消耗
drainage n. 排水，排出物;排水系統(tǒng)
drama n. 戲劇
dramatic adj. 戲劇性的，生動的
dramatically adv. 戲劇性地;引人注目的
dramatize vt. 改編成為戲劇，編寫劇本
drastic adj. 激烈的，迅猛的
drastically adv. 大大地
draw vt. 吸引;畫，描繪
drawback n. 弊端，缺點，障礙
dread n. 畏懼，恐怖
dreadful adj. 可憐的;(口)糟透了
