英語美文朗讀 第208期:看不見的笑容
Mr.Dawson was an old grouch, and everyone in town knew it. Kids knew not to go into his yard to pick a delicious apple, even off the ground, because old Dawson, they said, would come after you with his ball bullet gun.
道森先生是個壞脾氣的老頭子，鎮(zhèn)上的每個人都知道這個。小孩們知道不能到他的院子里摘美味的蘋果，甚至掉在地上的也不能撿，因為據他們說，老道森會端著他的彈丸獵槍跟在你后面追。
One Friday, 12-year-old Janet was going to stay all night with her friend Amy. They had to walk by Dawson's house on the way to Amy's house, but as they got close Janet saw him sitting on his front porch and suggested they cross over to the other side of the street. Like most of the children, she was scared of the old man because of the stories she'd heard about him.
一個周五，12歲的珍妮特要陪她的朋友艾米過夜。她們去艾米家的途中得路過道森先生的房子。當她們離道森家越來越近時，珍妮特看見道森先生坐在前廊，于是她建議她們過馬路從街的另一邊走。跟大多數孩子一樣，珍妮特聽過他的故事，對他很是害怕。
Amy said not to worry, Mr. Dawson wouldn't hurt anyone. Still, Janet was growing more nervous with each step closer to the old man's house. When they got close enough, Dawson looked up with his usual frown, but when he saw it was Amy, a broad smile changed his entire face as he said, “Hello Miss Amy. I see you've got a little friend with you today.”
艾米說別擔心，道森先生不會傷害任何人。但每向前走一步，離老人的房子越近，珍妮特就越緊張。當她們走到房子那兒，道森抬起了頭，一如既往地皺著他的眉頭。但當他看到是艾米，一個燦爛的笑容讓他整個表情都變了，他說：“你好，艾米小姐，我看見今天有位小朋友陪你。”
Amy smiled back and told him Janet was staying overnight and they were going to listen to music and play games. Dawson told them that sounded fun, and offered them each a fresh-picked apple off his tree. They gladly accepted. Dawson had the best apples in town.
艾米也對他微笑，告訴他珍妮特會陪她過夜，她們要一起聽音樂玩游戲。道森告訴她們這聽上去很有趣，給她們每人一個從他的樹上剛摘下來的蘋果。她們很高興地接受了，因為道森的蘋果是鎮(zhèn)上最棒的。
When they got out of Dawson on earshot, Janet asked Amy, "Everyone says he's the meanest man in town. How come was he so nice to us?"
走到道森聽不到的地方，珍妮特問艾米：“每個人都說他是鎮(zhèn)上最不好打交道的人，但他為什么對我們這么好呢?”
Amy explained that when she first started walking past his house he wasn't very friendly and she was afraid of him, but she pretended he was wearing an invisible smile and so she always smiled back at him. It took a while, but one day he half-smiled back at her.
艾米說當她第一次路過他家時，他不是很友好，這讓她害怕。但她假裝他有著看不見的微笑，所以她總對他回之以微笑。終于過了一段時間，有一天，他也對她露出了一點笑容。
After some more time, he started smiling real smiles and then started talking to her. Just a "hello" at first, then more. She said he always offers her an apple now and is always very kind.
再過了些日子，他開始真正地對她笑了，并開始和艾米說話。開始只是打個招呼，后來越來越多。她說他現(xiàn)在總給她蘋果，總是很友善。
"An invisible smile?" questioned Janet.
“看不見的笑容?”珍妮特問。
"Yes," answered Amy, "my grandma told me that if I pretended I wasn't afraid and pretended he was smiling an invisible smile at me and I smiled back at him, that sooner or later he would really smile. Grandma says smiles are contagious."
"是的，" 艾米回答道?！拔夷棠谈嬖V我如果我假裝不害怕，假裝他有著看不見的笑容，我對他微笑，總有一天他會真正微笑起來。奶奶說笑容是可以互相感染的?！?br />
If we remember what Amy's grandma said, that everyone wears an invisible smile, we too will find that most people can't resist our smile after a while.
如果我們記住艾米奶奶說的，每個人都有著看不見的笑容，我們會發(fā)現(xiàn)大多數人在一段時間后是無法抗拒我們的微笑的。
We're always on the go trying to accomplish so much, aren't we? Getting groceries, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn there's always something. It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life that we forget how simple it can be to bring cheer to ourselves and others. Giving a smile away takes so little effort and time, let's make sure that we've not the one that others have to pretend is wearing an invisible smile.
我們總是忙著去盡量完成更多的事，不是嗎?買東西，打掃屋子，割院子里的草，總有些什么事。這就使我們很容易在日常生活中忘記：給自己和別人帶來快樂是多么簡單的事情。綻放微笑花費的精力與時間很少，讓我們確保自己不會成為這樣的人，別人總得假裝我們有看不見的笑容。
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