219 A testimony of fear
219 有关恐惧的证言
The terrain of the Rocky Mountains terrifies me. Some people think such terrestrial wonders to be terrific, but I must testify-they fill me with terror so thorough that the texture of my skin becomes covered with goose bumps. This theft of my usual equanimity bothers me, and not just in a theoretical sense. Therefore, I avoid such high mountains. I also don’t like the fact that I must wear thermal underwear. The thermometer dips below freezing temperatures. Walking into a heated building during winter is a thawing process. As your body readjusts to room temperature, you feel a tingling everywhere, your head, hair, arms, thighs, and feet. Please don’t believe that the theme of this essay is negative. My thesis is simply that some places are suitable for some people and some places are not. For example, I am happy in the textile regions of upstate South Carolina, but someone else may very well get excited about the thorny bush regions of thick wooded area. I’m a thoughtful person. I don’t like cold weather and I will not be held in thrall to it. I respect others, and I thereby realize we all have our own unique likes and dislikes. A thorn in my side is not necessarily a thorn in your side. You might say that diversity is the thread that holds us all together. So, while I will never go to the Rocky Mountains again, I encourage others to view such a place. My testimony is simply that-mine, no one else’s. John Denver may have sang of his “Rocky Mountain High”, but I call it Rocky Mountain Terror.
落基山脉的地势令我感到恐惧。有入认为这样的陆地奇观非常好看，但我必须声明，这些奇观让我内心充满恐惧，我的皮肤肌理起满鸡皮疙瘩。我平时镇定自若的丧失令我不安，不只是在理论意义上。因此，我避开这么高的山脉。我也不喜欢穿保暖内衣，温度表降到冰点温度以下。在冬天走近温暖的建筑物，身体要经历变暖的过程。随着身体重新适应室温，你感觉浑身上下刺痛：脑袋、头发、胳膊、大腿和双脚。请不要认为这篇文章的主题是消极的。我的论点只是，有些地方适合于某些人，有些地方则不适合。比如，我适合于呆在南卡罗来纳州北部的纺织业地区，但别人很可能在林木繁茂的荆棘丛地带感到兴奋。我是个替别人着想的人。我不喜欢寒冷的天气，我不希望被寒冷天气束缚。我尊重别人，因此我意识到我们都有自己独特的好恶。我讨厌的东西未必是你讨厌的东西。你或许会说，多样性是维系我们所有人的主线。所以，尽管我绝不会再去落基山脉，我还是鼓励别人去游览这样的地方。我的证言只是我自己的，不是别人的。约翰·丹佛唱过他的“高高的落基山”，但是我把它称做恐怖的落基山。
Words:
terrain n.地势,地形
terrestrial adj.地球(上)的,陆地的
terrific adj.极好的
terrify vt.使恐怖,使惊吓
terror n.恐怖
testify v.证明,证实,作证
testimony n.证言,证词(尤指在法庭所做的)
textile n./ad j. 纺织品,纺织的
texture n.质地,(材料等的)结构
thaw n. 解冻v.解冻,融化
theft n.偷窃
theme n.(谈话,写作等的)题目,主题
theoretical adj.理论上的
thereby adv.因引,从而
therefore adv.因此,所以
thermal adj.热的,热量的
thermometer n.温度计
thesis n.论题,论文
thigh n.大腿
thorn n.刺,棘
thorny adj.有刺的,多刺的
thorough adj.完全的,彻底的
thoughtful adj.体贴的,考虑周到的,有思想性的
thrall n.奴隶,奴役,束缚
thread n.线