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He sat down on a counter stool with the economics book before him, trying to fix his mind on it. He read a page. The print became thin, blurred parallels of black on the page. He propped the muscles with his palms at his temples, trying to keep his eyes open. His head jerked forward and he caught it and began reading again. Soon his face lowered slowly through his hands and came to rest on the open book.
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● 子夜以后咖啡馆中已无顾客，他开始专心用功。
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● counter stool：靠着柜台的高脚凳子，和前面所说的雅座不同。
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● print：书上的字。thin, blurred parallels of black：一行一行的字，成了稀稀的模糊的平行黑线——他的眼睛已看不见字（这是描写简单朴素之处，希读者注意）。
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● propped：撑住（太阳穴temples上的肌肉）。palms：手掌。
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● jerked forward：往前一冲。he caught it：收住前冲之势，止住不动。
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● lowered slowly：慢慢地俯首下去。through his hand：他的手掌不是撑住了太阳穴吗？但是头慢慢地滑下去了。rest：头伏在书上。
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Fat Kruger came through the kitchen swinging door and tiptoed up front. Fat gave his head a gentle shove, and Charlie started up to catch his balance.
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“What time is it?” Charlie said, yawning and arching his back.
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“Half past two. Charlie, I wouldn’t put my eyes out over that book if I was you, when you’re dyin’ for sleep,” Fat said.
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● swinging door：推拉自如的弹簧门。tiptoed up front：蹑着脚走向前来。
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● a gentle shove：轻轻一推。started up：猛然一惊。to catch his balance：怕跌下凳子去，赶快坐稳了。
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● yawning：打呵欠。arching his back：把背拱起。
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● put my eyes out over that book：读书。If I was you普通语法教科书作if I were you，但if I was you也有人这么说的。
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● dyin’ for：渴欲。此人说话没有ng的音，前面已经说过了。
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“I’ve got to get it read, Fat. It’s my outside reading in Economics and the whole semester grade depends on it. It’s the hardest book to keep your mind on you ever saw. I’ve been reading on it for over a month and I’m only half through, and he’s going to call for these reports any day now. If I flunk Ec I flunk out of school.”
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● 第一句的read是过去分词：“非把它读完不可”。
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● semester grade：学期成绩。
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● 第三句的you是泛指，实在还是说他自己，并不一定指听话的对方。you ever saw（定语从句）：你所看见过的书中，以这本书最难叫人专心阅读。saw是过去式，照语法书规定，用现在完成式have seen较妥，但口语习惯用过去式亦可。I’ve been reading on it：注意时态（一直在读，尚未读完）。reading on it大约相当于working on it：用心研读。
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● half through：读完一半。he’s going中的he指教授。call for：催缴（学生的报告）。any day now：学期所剩只有三分之一，这几天教授随时都会叫学生缴报告的。
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● I flunk out of school：照语法书规定，应说I’ll flunk out of school。但这里前一clause与后一clause都用flunk，亦有简炼动人的效果。
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“Charlie, I just can’t figure you out. You never do get any real sleep. You sure must want a college education bad. It don’t look to me like you would figure it’s worth it.”
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● figure out：了解（美国俗语，很常用）。
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● 第三句的sure和bad都当副词用，前者即surely，后者即badly（非常之需要）。
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● 第四句的语法很成问题，但美国人普通是这么说的，所以不妨分析一下。don’t是用错了，应作doesn’t；前面的It代替后面like以后的clause。like在口语中常用以代替as或as if，这里似乎是代替as if（后面的动词would是虚拟式）。it’s worth it中的第一个it代替college education，第二个it代替牺牲睡眠的刻苦生活。全句可译作：据我看来，你这样吃苦来读大学，总有一天你会觉得（figure）是划不来的。
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