现代大学英语精读1课本内容及翻译
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LessonEightTheKindnessofStrangers
MikeMclntyre
1。OnesummerIwasdrivingfrommyhometownofTahoeCity,Calif，toNewOrleans。Inthemiddleofthedesert，I
cameuponayoungmanstandingbytheroadside.Hehadhisthumboutandheldagascaninhisotherhand.Idroverightbyhim。Therewasatimeinthecountrywhenyou'dbeconsideredajerkifyoupassedbysomebodyinneed.Nowyouareafoolforhelping.Withgangs,drugaddicts,murderers,rapists,thieveslurkingeverywhere，"Idon’twanttogetinvolved”hasbecomeanationalmotto.
2。SeveralstateslaterIwasstillthinkingaboutthehitchhiker。Leavinghimstrandedinthedesertdidnotbothermeso
much。WhatbotheredmewashoweasilyIhadreachedthedecision。Ineverevenliftedmyfootofftheaccelerator。3。Doesanyonestopanymore？Iwondered.IrecalledBlancheDuBois’sfamousline:"Ihavealwaysdependedonthe
kindnessofstrangers。”Couldanyonerelyonthekindnessofstrangersthesedays?Onewaytotestthiswouldbeforapersontojourneyfromcoasttocoastwithoutanymoney,relyingsolelyonthegoodwillofhisfellowAmericans.WhatkindofAmericanswouldhefind?Whowouldfeedhim,shelterhim，carryhimdowntheroad？4。Theideaintriguedme。
5。TheweekIturned37,IrealizedthatIhadnevertakenagambleinmylife。SoIdecidedtotravelfromthePacifictothe
Atlanticwithoutapenny.Itwouldbeacashlessjourneythroughthelandofthealmightydollar。Iwouldonlyacceptoffersofrides,foodandaplacetorestmyhead.MyfinaldestinationwouldbeCapeFearinNorthCarolina,asymbolofallthefearsI'dhavetoconquerduringthetrip。
6.IroseearlyonSeptember6,1994，andheadedfortheGoldenGateBridgewitha50—poundpackonmybackandasign
displayingmydestinationtopassingvehicles:"America.”
7.ForsixweeksIhitched82ridesandcovered4223milesacross14states。AsItraveled,folkswerealwayswarningme
aboutsomeplaceelse.InMontanatheytoldmetowatchoutforthecowboysinWyoming,InNebraskatheysaidpeoplewouldnotbeasniceinIowa.YetIwastreatedwithkindnesseverywhereIwent.Iwasamazedbypeople'sreadinesstohelpastranger,evenwhenitseemedtoruncontrarytotheirownbestinterests.
8.OnedayinNebraskaacarpulledtotheroadshoulder。WhenIreachedthewindow，Isawtwolittleoldladiesdressedin
theirSundayfinest.”Iknowyou'renotsupposedtopickuphitchhikers,butit'ssofarbetweentownsouthere，youfeelbadpassingaperson,”saidthedriver，whointroducedherselfasVi.Ididn'tknowwhethertokissthemorscoldthemforstopping.Thiswomanwastellingmeshe’dratherriskherlifethanfeelbadaboutpassingastrangeronthesideoftheroad.9。OncewhenIwashitchhikingunsuccessfullyintherain,atruckerpulledover，lockinghisbrakessohardheskiddedon
thegrassshoulder.Thedrivertoldmehewasoncerobbedatknifepointbyahitchhiker."ButIhatetoseeamanstandoutintherain，"headded.”Peopledon’thavenoheartanymore."
10.Ifound,however，thatpeopleweregenerallycompassionate.HearingIhadnomoneyandwouldtakenone，people
boughtmefoodorsharedwhatevertheyhappenedtohavewiththem。Thosewhohadtheleasttogiveoftengavethemost.InOregonahousepainternamedMikenotedthechillyweatherandaskedifIhadacoat.WhenhelearnedthatIhad”alightone,"hedrovemetohishouse,andhandedmeabiggreenarmy—stylejacket。Alumber-millworkernamedTiminvitedmetoasimpledinnerwithhisfamilyintheirshabbyhouse.Thenheofferedmehistent.Irefused,knowingitwasprobablyoneofthefamily’smostvaluablepossessions.ButTimwasdeterminedthatIhaveit，andfinallyIagreedtotakeit。
11。IwasgratefultoallthepeopleImetfortheirrides，theirfood，theirshelter,andtheirgifts.ButwhatIfoundmost
touchingwasthefactthattheyalldiditasamatterofcourse。
12。OnedayIwalkedintothechamberofcommerceinJamestown，Tenn。tofindoutaboutcampinginthearea。The
executivedirector，BaxterWilson,59,handedmeabrochureforalocalcampground。Seeingthatitcost$12,Ireplied，"No,that'sallright。I’lltrysomethingelse。"Thenhesawmybackpack."Mostpeoplearoundherewillletyoupitchatentontheirland,ifthat’swhatyouwant,”hesaid.Nowwe’retalking,Ithought."Anyparticulardirection?"Iasked。"Tellyouwhat。I'vegotabigfarmabouttenmilessouthofhere。Ifyou’rehereat5:30,youcanridewithme."13.Iaccepted,andwedroveouttoamagnificentcountryhouse.SuddenlyIrealizedhe'dinvitedmetospendthenightinhis
home.Hiswife,Carol,aseventh-gradescienceteacher,wascookingapotroastwhenwewalkedintothekitchen。Baxterexplainedthatlocalfolkswere”mountainstay-at-homepeople”whorarelyentertainedintheirhouse。”Whenwedo，”hesaid,"it'susuallykin。”Thisrevelationmademynightthereallthemorespecial.
14.ThenextmorningwhenIcamedownstairs,CarolaskedifI'dcometotheirschoolandtalktoherclassaboutmytrip。I
agreed，andbeforelonghadbeenscheduledtotalktoeveryclassintheschool.Thekidswereattentiveandkeptaskingallkindsofquestions：
