和老父亲的一顿晚餐

安徽 王 岩

□语篇导读

这是一个值得分享的优美故事：儿子带着年迈的父亲在餐厅吃饭，父亲掉了很多食物在衣服和餐桌上。尽管大家对此都感到有些嫌弃，但是儿子并不感到尴尬。吃完饭后，儿子带老父亲走进洗手间帮他清洗干净。这个儿子的行为给在场的每个人都上了一堂教育课。我们应该怎样看待这个问题呢？

A son took his old father to a restaurant for an evening dinner.The father was very old and weak.While the father was eating,he dropped food on his shirt and trousers,and also on the table,the chair and the floor.Other diners watched him in disgust while his son was calm.

After the father finished eating,the son who was not at all embarrassed,quietly took him to the washroom,wiped all the food particles,cleaned the stains,combed his hair and fitted his glasses firmly.When they came out,the whole restaurant was watching them in dead silence,not able to understand how someone could embarrass themselves in public like that.The son walked directly to settle the bill and started walking out with his father.

At that time,an old man among the diners called out to the son and asked him, “Don’t you think you have left something behind?”

The son replied,“No sir,I haven’t.”

The old man retorted,“Yes,you have!You left a lesson for every son and hope for every father.”

The restaurant went silent.

To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.We all know how our parents cared for us for every little thing.Love them,respect them,and care for them.

◆词语积淀

diner/΄daInə/n.用餐者；快餐店

in disgust厌恶；厌恶地

particle/΄pɑːrtIkl/n.微粒；颗粒

stain/steIn/n.色斑；污点

comb/kəʊm/v.梳理；梳头发

firmly/΄fʒːrmli/adv. 牢牢地；坚定地

settle the bill结账；结账单

call out召集；唤起；大声叫喊

retort/rI΄tɔːrt/v.反驳；反击

◆典句赏析

1.Other diners watched him in disgust while his son was calm.其他用餐的人嫌弃地看着他，然而他的儿子却很平静。

句中的while用作连词，意为“然而”，此处用该词目的是将其他用餐的人和老人的儿子的态度进行对比。

【即时尝试】汤姆喜欢音乐，然而我更喜欢运动。

2.After the father finished eating,the son who was not at all embarrassed,quietly took him to the washroom,wiped all the food particles,cleaned the stains,combed his hair and fitted his glasses firmly.父亲吃完后，他的儿子一点也不感到尴尬，悄悄地把父亲带到洗手间，帮他擦拭食物残渣，去除污渍，梳理好头发，并把他的眼镜固定好。

本句是含有after引导的时间状语从句的复合句，主句中who引导的是定语从句，修饰主语the son。finish作为动词，意为“完成”，其后的非谓语动词要用动名词形式，表示“完成某个动作”。

【即时尝试】我做完家庭作业之后可以玩电脑游戏吗？

3.Don’t you think you have left something behind?难道你不觉得你留下了什么东西吗？

“Don’t you think...？”是否定疑问句，表示反问，意为“难道你不觉得……？”；句子“you have left something behind”是think的宾语从句，连接词that已被省略。

【即时尝试】难道你不觉得他们应该帮帮这些无家可归的孩子吗？

4.To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.关心曾经关心过我们的那些人是最高的荣誉之一。

本句是复合句，who引导的是定语从句，修饰先行词those。one of...是固定词组搭配，意为“……之一”，后面常跟形容词的最高级和名词的复数形式。

【即时尝试】他是我曾经拜访过的最有才华的歌手之一。

译文助读

一个儿子带着他的老父亲去一家餐馆吃晚餐。这位父亲又老又虚弱。父亲吃饭时，食物掉到了衬衫和裤子上，而且桌子、椅子和地板上都有。其他用餐的人嫌弃地看着他，然而他的儿子却很平静。

父亲吃完后，他的儿子一点也不感到尴尬，悄悄地把父亲带到洗手间，帮他擦拭食物残渣，去除污渍，梳理好头发，并把他的眼镜固定好。当他们出来的时候，整个餐厅的人都静静地看着他们，无法理解有人会允许自己像这样当众出丑。儿子直接走过去结账，开始和他的父亲向外走。

在那时，一个用餐的老人向这位儿子喊了一声，问他：“难道你不觉得你留下了什么东西吗？”

儿子回答说：“不，先生，我没有。”

老人反驳说：“是的，你留下了！你给每一个儿子留下了一堂课，并给每个父亲留下了希望。”

整个餐馆都静了下来。

关心曾经关心过我们的那些人是最高的荣誉之一。我们都知道，父母关心我们的每一件小事。爱他们，尊重他们，关心他们吧。