大学英语精读第三版（第一册）学习笔记（原文及全文翻译）——Unit 2B - To Swim the English Channel at 58（58岁时横渡英吉利海峡）

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Unit 2B - To Swim the English Channel at 58

A little over a year ago I began training to swim the English Channel this September. I will be 58 years old then.

My friends thought I had lost my mind; my wife didn't think I was crazy but she was somewhat worried. The question I was asked over and over was this:

Why?

When a student reporter at Indiana recently asked me this question, I said, "First, let me ask you a question. What are your plans for this summer?" He replied that he was going to work in a supermarket. I didn't have to say more; he understood my point.

A challenge and something of an adventure are welcome whether you are 20 or 58, and preparing to swim the Channel is far better than working in a supermarket, especially when you have a choice.

But why did I decide to swim the Channel at 58? Perhaps I myself can hardly give a satisfactory answer.

The Channel has always been the greatest challenge to swimmers; a test of ability, endurance, luck, and even bravery. It is this challenge that attracts about 100 swimmers a year, who are willing to spend time, effort, and money trying it.

One fact that adds to my interest is that, if I succeed, I will be the oldest person ever to swim the Channel.

I don't think I'm a superman. I do think I have at least two things in my favor:

First, I am training hard — now swimming 7 and a half miles a day. Prior to that time I also kept physically fit by training moderately hard.

Second, I am a resolute man. Once I set up a goal, I won't give it up easily. And this swim has long been a goal. I have a feeling I will be mentally ready and won't do as one Channel swimmer did a few years ago. He trained hard for a couple of years, made the arrangements and even went to England weeks early to train in the Channel before his attempt. The great day came, and he started swimming toward France. After swimming only one hour, he got out of the water and climbed aboard the boat, saying that he suddenly had lost the desire to swim the Channel and it no longer meant anything to him.

On the other hand there was the young girl who was attempting to finish her swim when the ocean got rough. She was having a tough time with the rough and cold water, when her trainer shouted to her from the boat that he thought she should give up and get out of the water. She shouted back, "I'm doing the swimming, and I'll decide when to get out." She made it.

参考译文——58岁时横渡英吉利海峡

58岁时横渡英吉利海峡

一年多以前，我开始为今年九月横渡英吉利海峡进行训练。届时我将年满58岁。

朋友们以为我疯了。我妻子倒没觉得我疯，就是有点担心。人们一再问我的问题是：

为什么？

最近，印第安纳州的一位见习记者问了我这个问题，我说：“让我先问你一个问题。今年夏天你有些什么打算？”他回答说打算去超市打工。我无需再说什么，他明白了我的意思。

不管你是20岁还是58岁，都喜欢接受挑战，干些带有冒险意味的事儿；而为横渡英吉利海峡做准备，远比在超市打工有意义，尤其是当你有所选择的时候。

可我究竟为什么决定要在58岁时横渡英吉利海峡呢？也许我自己也很难作出满意的回答。

对游泳爱好者来说，英吉利海峡向来是莫大的挑战：是对能力、耐久力、运气以至勇敢精神的一种考验。正是这一挑战，每年吸引了100名左右的游泳爱好者，他们心甘情愿地投入时间、精力和财力，一试身手。

有一点更增添了我的兴趣，那就是，我要是成功了，将成为迄今为止年龄最大的英吉利海峡畅游者。

我并不认为自己是个超人。但我确实觉得自己至少有两个有利条件：

首先，我正在刻苦训练——现在每天游7.5英里。在此之前，我一直坚持适度的刻苦训练，以保持良好的身体状态。

其次，我是个不屈不挠的人。我一旦确立了目标，便不会轻易放弃。横渡英吉利海峡早就是我的一个目标。我有一种预感，觉得自己会做好充分思想准备的，决不会像几年前一个英吉利海峡的横渡者那样半途而废。他刻苦训练了两三年，做好了种种准备，甚至在赛前几星期就去英国，在英吉利海峡进行实地训练。重要的日子到来了，他开始向法国游去。才游了一个小时，他就从水里出来，爬上小船，说自己突然失去了横渡英吉利海峡的意愿，这事对他不再有什么意义。

相反，有位姑娘在海面涌起急浪时，力图游完全程。由于海浪汹涌，海水冰凉，她游得很艰苦。这时她的教练在船上向她大声喊叫，认为她应该知难而退，弃水上船。她大声回应说：“是我在游，我会决定该什么时候上来的。”结果她成功了。

bravery ['breivəri]

n. 勇敢

challenge ['tʃælindʒ]

n. 挑战

v. 向 ... 挑战

endurance [in'djuərəns]

n. 忍耐，忍耐力，耐性

rough [rʌf]

adj. 粗糙的，粗略的，粗暴的，艰难的，讨厌的，不适的

resolute ['rezə.lu:t]

adj. 坚决的，果断的