哈佛大學(xué)校園英語情景對話04：知識的天堂:威德納圖書館

Han Meimei and John are touring Harvard University. They are now standing in front of Widener Library.

H: What a grand? building! What is this building for?

H：多么宏偉的建筑呀!這幢樓是干什么用的?

J： It’s Widener Library?, the largest library of Harvard University.

J：這是威德納圖書館，哈佛大學(xué)最大的圖書館。

H: No wander? it looks so magnificent. Look at those pillars. I seem to be brought back to theMedieval times?.

H:難怪看起來這么壯觀。瞧那些柱子，我仿佛被帶到了中世紀(jì)。

J: They really look great, like the Romanesque? architecture.

J：看起來確實很不錯，像羅馬式建筑。

H： As I approach it, I feel something special.

H:我接近它時，感覺很奮妙。

J： Is it something holy?

J：是不是很神圣? 、

H; Kind of?.

H:有點兒。

J： It’s said that the inside of the library is also very classic, but I haven’t got the chance to step into it. What a pity!

J:據(jù)說圖書館里面也很古典，但我還設(shè)機會到里面去。真可惜!

H: You will.

H:你會有機會的。

J: But then again, I won’t use it quite often even if I can get into Harvard University in the

near future.

J：不過話又說回來了，即使在不久的將來我上了哈佛大學(xué)，我也不會經(jīng)常用這個圖 書館。

H： Why?

H:為什么呀?

J: The collections in the library are mainly about social science and humanities. I think my

major is going to be physics.

J：這個圖書館里的藏書大都是關(guān)于社會學(xué)和人類學(xué)的，我想將來我的專業(yè)應(yīng)該是物 理學(xué)。

H: Well, I think everybody needs to know something about history, economy, literature, so on and so forth?. As long as you have interest in these subjects and want to broaden your horizon, you will use it quite often,

H:我認(rèn)為每個人都應(yīng)該了解一些歷史、經(jīng)濟、文學(xué)等知識，所以只要你對這些學(xué)科 感興趣，并且想開闊視野，你會經(jīng)常用到這個圖書館的。

J: I couldn’t agree with you more. Students shouldn’t favor one subject and neglect others.

J：我完全同意你的看法。學(xué)生不應(yīng)該偏科。

H: I think you’ve done quite well. You have such a good knowledge American history and culture as well as those of Harvard University.

H:我認(rèn)為你已經(jīng)做得很好了，你對美國的歷史文化以及哈佛大學(xué)的歷史文化都很 了解o

J： I'm flattered?. Speaking of my knowledge of this university, I，m not talking big?, I know nearly all the stories about the university.

J:過獎了。說到我對這所大學(xué)的了解，不是吹，有關(guān)它的故事我基本上都知道。

H: You mean there is sad story about Widener Library?

H:你的意思是威德納圖書館背后也有故事?

J： Yes. It’s a sad story which is related to Titanic disaster?.

J:是的，是個與泰坦尼克號失事有關(guān)的悲傷故事。

H: Another love story?

H:又是一個愛情故事?

J: Not exactly. It’s about love, but it’s love between mother and son.

J:不完全對，是關(guān)于愛的，但是是母子之間的愛。

H: Don’t keep me guessing.

H:別賣關(guān)子了。

J: The library was named after a Harvard alumnus? called Harry Elkins Widener. He

graduated in 1907 and was a book collector. In 1912，he went to England to buy books and lost his life when he came back to New York by Titanic.

J:這個圖書館是以一個名叫哈利?埃爾金斯?威德納的哈佛校友命名的。他1907年 畢業(yè)，是個藏書家。1912年他前往英國購書，在乘泰坦尼克號回紐約時不幸喪生。

H: Every time I hear stories about Titanic with a heavy heart.

H:每次我聽到有關(guān)泰坦尼克號的故事，心情就很沉重。

J: Definitely. It’s said that when people flooded onto the lifeboats, Widener ran in

reverse direction? and back to the cabin, just to save the Collected Essays of Francis Bacon.

J：肯定的。據(jù)說當(dāng)入們都涌向救生船時，威德納卻朝相反方向跔去，回到了船艙， 只為搶救一本弗朗西斯_培根的散文集。

H: What? I can’t imagine why.

H:什么!我無法想象這是為什么。

J; Because he loved books more than his life.

J:因為他愛書勝過生命。

H: Is it worthy?

H:這值得嗎?

J: Every person has his own values.

J:每個人都有自己的價值觀。

H; No wonder Harvard students love books, and library to them is what water is to fish.

H:難怪哈佛的學(xué)生好像都很愛看書，圖書館對他們來說就像水對于魚一樣重要。

J: In fact, his parents were also on the ship and his father died

desperate his mother was.

J：實際上，他父母當(dāng)時也在船上，他父親也死了，你可以想象他母親有多絕望。

H: It must be hard for her.

H:對她來說那段時間肯定很難熬。

J: But she was a strong mother and tried to find a way to

remember her beloved son.

J：但i也是個堅強的母親，并找到一個可以紀(jì)念心愛的兒子的途徑。

H： What did she do?

H:她做什么了?

J: She, according to Widener，s will, donated all his collections

to Harvard. She also made a $3.5 million donation to Harvard University to build a library in honor of her son. So the full name of the library is actually “Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Libraiy'

J:她按照威德納的遺愿，把他的所有藏書都捐纟含了哈佛大學(xué)。她還綰學(xué)校捐了 350 萬美元用于建圖書館，以此紀(jì)念兒子。所以，圖書館的全名其實是“哈利?埃爾 金斯?威德納紀(jì)念圖書館”。

H: A mother’s love never changes. Widener died，but his spirit, together with his books, is still alive.

H:母愛永不移。威德納雖然死了，但他的精神與他的藏書卻一起留傳下來了。

J： There is legend at Harvard that in order to prevent what befell? Widener from happening to other students, all students of Harvard College are required to prove that they can swim before they are allowed to graduate

J:在哈佛有個傳說：為了防止發(fā)生在威德納身上的事再次發(fā)生在別的學(xué)生身上，哈 佛學(xué)院要來所有學(xué)生都必須證明會游泳后才能畢業(yè)。

H： Is it real? I've never heard such rules.

H:是真的嗎?從來設(shè)聽過還有這樣的規(guī)定。

J： I said it’s only a legend. Don’t be too serious about it.

J：我說過這只是個傳說，別太當(dāng)真了。 .