Unit-7-When-Lightning-Struck-课文翻译-综合教程一(2)

the lives we now felt blessed to be living, as difficult or rocky as they might be. The young businessman lamented that he had not a chance to buy his two little girls a present. An older woman offered him her box of expensive Lindt chocolates, still untouched, tied with a lovely bow. "I shouldn't be eating them anyhow," she said. My glamorous aisle mate took out her cell phone and passed it around to anyone who wanted to make a call to hear the reassuring voice of a loved one.

There was someone I wanted to call. Back in Vermont, my husband, Bill, was anticipating my arrival late that night. He had been complaining that he wasn't getting to see very much of me because of my book tour. I had planned to surprise him by getting in a few hours early. Now I just wanted him to know I was okay and on my way.

When my name was finally called to board my new flight, I felt almost tearful to be parting from the people whose lives had so intensely, if briefly, touched mine.

Even now, back on terra firma, walking down a Vermont road, I sometimes hear an airplane and look up at that small, glinting piece of metal. I remember the passengers on that fateful, lucky flight and wish I could thank them for the many acts of kindness I witnessed and received. I am indebted to my fellow passengers and wish I could pay them back.

But then, remembering my aisle mate's hand clutching mine while I clutched the hand of the high school student, I feel struck by lightning all over again: the point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on.

闪电来袭

当我感到猛烈摇晃时我正在飞机尾部的小卫生间。然后又感到一个可怕的、倒向另一侧的摇晃，并使我撞上了门。主啊！我想。这就是了。不管怎样，我设法打开拉门冲了出去。乘务员们都已经把自己捆在椅子上了，使劲向我挥手。要我坐下来。当我费劲的快步朝椅子走去时，乘客们都看着我，他们惊恐的表情告诉我，他们知道他们要死了。

“我想飞机被闪电击中了，”坐在我邻座的女孩说道。她来自东得克萨斯州的一个小镇。而这只不过是她第二次坐飞机而已。她在高中地理友好赛中获胜，由此获得了去英国的旅行，她本该在我们抵达纽华克后转机继续飞行的。

在她旁边靠窗的座位上坐着一个年轻的商人，他一直信心百倍地工作着。现在他看起来很担心。而那真的也让我感到担心——当一直充满自信的人担心的时候。他把手提电脑收了起来。“有些事情不对劲儿，”他说道。

扬声器里传来飞行员的声音。透过恐惧我听得很模糊，“二号引擎…紧急降落…新奥尔良。”他说完后乘务员就接了过来，提醒我们发生紧急情况时应采取的程序，就是起飞前她曾经复习过一遍的。当然我从来没有注意过这个操作，总是想如果我们到了需要用救生衣的地方时，我早就已经被吓死了。

现在我们在雷雨层中像过山车一样翻转着，我都快晕了，但是当我看见坐在我旁边的那个女孩的脸，我就控制住了我的感情，我握住她的手，使她确信我们将会穿越雷雨层。“你想想当你到家时，你会告诉大家一个怎样的故事啊！”我说，“过了这事之后，伦敦看起来就