英文單字與聽力學習平台中級(9)一名常備兵a regular soldier compiled by David Pai

 英文單字與聽力學習平台中級(9)一名常備兵a regular soldier

Aspirations Gone Astray

I work in an assembly line in a car factory.

我在一家汽車廠的流水線上工作。

Most days, I just assemble car parts.

大多數時候，我只是組裝汽車配件。

Occasionally, they’ll ask me to assay an unknown drugs substance.

有時，他們會讓我化驗某種不明藥物。

Once in a while, I’ll be asked to assist with breaking up a fight.

有時，我又去幫忙勸架。

Assault is not common here.

這裏很少有人身攻擊。

But now and then, a frustrated worker will assail his assistant by casting aspersions on some aspect of the other’s work.

不過，時不時會有一名灰心喪氣的工人抨擊他的助手，就其工作的某方面進行誹謗。

I’m considered an asset in my company.

我被視為公司的寶貝。

But before 20 years ago, I was a different kind of asset to an entirely different type of company.

但20年前，我被另一家完全不同的公司視為另一種類型的寶貝。

They called it “the company” but it was really a secret government group trained to assassinate political leaders.

他們所謂的“公司”實際上是一個受過訓練、專門暗殺政界領導人的秘密政府組織。

I never aspired to be an assassin.

我從未渴望做個刺客。

In fact, I was an aspiring chemist and a regular soldier in the army.

事實上，我是個有抱負的化學家，又是部隊中的一名常備兵。

All I really wanted was to do something great or important for my country.

我的全部思想就是成就大事、為國效力。

But sometimes, having too great an aspiration can lead you astray.

但有時，理想過於遠大只會將你引入歧途。

I still recall the day of the assembly.

我仍記得那天的集會。

It was a small gathering of highly skills people like me.

那是個小集會，與會者都是些像我這樣的技術精湛的人員。

“The company” was assessing our abilities in the areas of weaponry and chemistry.

當時“公司”評估我們在武器和化學領域的才能。

I was a top chemist and a natural marksman, probably the best in my group.

我既是最優秀的化學家，又是天生的神槍手，很可能是我們小組中最棒的。

They ascribed my success to my steady hands and sharp eyes, the same tools I used for chemistry.

他們將我的成功歸於我穩健的雙手和敏銳的眼睛，這也是我搞化學時用的工具。

After the assembly, they gave us our assignments.

會後，“公司”給我們下達了任務。

I was assigned to assimilate into the mainstream society of a Latin American country.

我的任務是滲透進入一個拉美國家的主流社會。

It wasn’t long before I was doing things that I will forever be ashamed to admit.

不久，我就開始做些我永遠恥於承認的事情。

It’s been over for about 15 years.

這一切已經過去15年了。

But I’ll never feel clean and I’ll never be able to assert that I have been a good man all my life.

但我將永遠感到自己的肮髒，永遠無法斬釘截鐵地說我做了一輩子的好人。

ascribe vt. 把….歸於

aspect n. （問題等的）方面；（事物等的）一部分

aspersion n. 誹謗，中傷

aspire vi. 渴望

aspiring adj. 有抱負的，有理想的，積極向上的

aspiration n. 雄心，抱負

assail v. （身體上）攻擊，（言語上）攻擊，批評

assassin n. 刺客

assassinate vt. 暗殺，行刺

assault n. (武力上的)襲擊；（口頭上的）攻擊

assay v. 化驗

assemble vt. 集合，裝配； vi. 聚集

assembly n. 集會；參加集會的人們（譯成：。。。大會，。。。議會）；裝配，安裝

assembly line 裝配線，流水線

assert vt. 聲稱，堅持，斬釘截鐵地說

assess vt. 估計，分析，評估

asset n. assests 財產，資產；優勢，重要的品質；寶貴（或有益）的人（或東西）

assignment n. 任務，作業；分配

assimilate vt. 學習，吸收（知識）；吃，吸收（食品或營養）

assist vt. 援助，幫助

assistant n. 助手，助教；adj. 輔助的，助理的