By the Seat of My Pants 隨心而動 Track 5

by R.K.Krochmal

翻譯：Cass

By the Seat of My Pants 隨心而動 Track 5

by R.K.Krochmal

翻譯：Cass

成功并不是瞬間達成的事，而是從決定去做的那一刻起，持續(xù)累積努力而成的。想要斬獲成功，僅僅抓住機遇是不夠的，還需要背后默默努力、反復(fù)地練習(xí)。如果說機遇是成功的外因，那么努力便是其內(nèi)因。這篇短文恰到好處地向我們闡釋了這樣一個道理：成功=機遇+努力。如果我們的主人公羅布平時沒有在車道上千百次地練習(xí)，那么在遇到主力球員受傷，自己得到上場機會時，他可能就沒有辦法在比賽中獲得勝利。就讓我們一起來看看，主人公是如何令觀眾們瞠目結(jié)舌的。

——Cass

“Let’s go， Rob，” Mom2）screamed up the stairs.“We’re going to be late.”

“We don’t have time for this，” my older brother， Lee， yelled.

I3）rolled my eyes.I could picture Lee standing at the bottom of the stairs，4）tapping his foot and looking at his watch.He was never late.

“I’ll be right down，” I yelled.But that probably wasn’t true.I couldn’t find my basketball shorts.

Someone5）stomped up the stairs.My door opened and Lee stepped inside.He looked around with disgust at the mess I call a room.“What’s the problem？” he asked.

“I can’t find my shorts.”

“We don’t have time to look for them，” he said.“Just borrow my extra ones.”

“They’ll be too big.” But he was already getting them from his room.

I6）shrugged.It’s not like it mattered.Coach注注：本文中出現(xiàn)的Coach（教練）一詞有部分因為是人的稱呼，首字母大寫，與Mr.Green、Mrs.White等同理。類似的還有親屬關(guān)系的詞，用作稱呼時也大寫首字母，例如：Where is Mother？ Is Teacher back？wasn’t going to let me play no matter how much I practiced at home.Lee was the star player and I was the7）bench warmer.That’s just how it was.I put on the shorts and hurried downstairs.

1） seat ［si?t］ n.（褲子的）后襠

2） scream ［skri?m］ v.尖叫，喊叫著說出

3） roll one’s eyes 翻白眼

4） tap ［t?p］ v.輕叩，輕拍，輕踏

5） stomp ［st?mp］ v.重踏

6） shrug ［?r?g］ v.聳肩

7） bench warmer 候補球員

The rest of the team was already on the court doing warm-ups when we got there.Coach was tapping his foot and looking at his watch.He looked like an older8）version of Lee.

“It’s Rob’s fault，” Lee said as he hurried to join the others on the court.Coach9）glared at me as I took my seat on the bench.

The first half of the game went like it usually did.Lee scored basket after basket and10）racked up point after point.We were11）beating the pants off the other team.

The second half started and that’s when things started to go wrong.Sam， one of our best players， missed an easy basket.Lee had the ball stolen from him.The other team was starting to catch up.

Then Lee12）tripped and fell hard.He didn’t jump back up.The players and coaches gathered around.When the group13）parted，Coach helped Lee to the bench.He wasn’t putting any weight on his right foot.

“Are you okay？” I asked him.

“Yeah，” Lee answered， “Just14）twisted my ankle.”

Coach looked around， searching the crowd.He sighed.“Okay， Rob，” he said.“You’re the only other player we have.15）Take Lee’s place.”

My heart raced.I couldn’t take Lee’s place.The only reason I was on the team was the Parks and16）Recreation Department said Coach had to let anyone join.I’d never played in a real game before.

“Go on， Rob，” Coach pointed.“Get out there.”

I17）swallowed hard and stepped onto the court.“Please don’t let me18）mess up，” I thought.I followed as my team ran from one side of the court to the other.

The other team scored a few more baskets.The score was tied and there were only a few minutes left in the game.The other team had the ball and their best player was running toward me.He lost control of it right in front of me.

“Get it， Rob！” Lee screamed from the bench.

I19）grabbed it.I looked for someone to pass it to.No one was close enough.

“Try for the basket！” Lee yelled.

I ran down the court， concentrating on my20）dribble.I didn’t want to mess up.This was my chance to show Coach I really had been practicing.The other team tried to21）block me.I22）weaved one way and then the other，not really sure what I was doing.23）Avoiding blocks wasn’t something I could practice by myself.

Suddenly， I was under the basket.If I could make the24）shot， we’d win the game.I closed my eyes and imagined I was practicing in my25）driveway.No crowd.No other team...Just me and the26）hoop.I jumped and released the ball.

“Please make it，” I said.“Please make it.”

27）Swish！ The crowd cheered.I’d done it！I’d won the game！ Then I heard the laughter.Just a few28）chuckles at first but soon everyone was laughing.I looked around.What was so funny？

They were all looking at me.I looked down.My borrowed shorts were around my ankles.My face turned red as I29）scrambled to pull them up.My team30）gathered around me， blocking out the laughing crowd， as they congratulated me.Even Lee31）limped onto the court.

“Good job， little bro，” he said.“You won the game.That’s all that matters.”

He was right， I did win the game.But more important， I32）proved I could do it.If I wanted something bad enough， all I had to do was practice.I just wish I could have done it with my pants on.

8） version ［＇v????n］ n.版本

9） glare ［gle?］ v.怒目而視，瞪眼

10） rack up 獲勝，擊倒

11） beat the pants off <口>遠遠勝過

12） trip ［trIp］ v.絆倒，失足

13） part ［pα?t］ v.分散，分別

14） twist ［twIst］ v.扭傷

15） take one’s place 取代某人的位置

16） recreation ［rekrI＇eI?n］ n.娛樂，消遣

17） swallow ［＇sw?l??］ v.（表示緊張）咽下口水

18） mess up 搞砸，陷入困境

19） grab ［gr?b］ v.抓住，掠奪

20） dribble ［＇drIbl］n.（籃、足球等）帶（球），運（球）

21） block ［bl?k］ v.阻擋，封鎖

22） weave ［wi?v］ v.迂回前進

23） avoid ［?＇v?Id］ v.避免，避開

24） shot ［??t］ n.（球）上籃，投籃，射門

25） driveway ［＇draIvweI］ n.車道

26） hoop ［hu?p］ n.籃圈

27） swish ［swI?］ n.嗖嗖聲， 颯颯聲， 咻咻聲

28） chuckle ［t??kl］ n.咯咯的笑聲

29） scramble ［＇skr?mbl］ v.急忙做某事，倉促行動

30） gather ［＇g?e?］ v.聚集

31） limp ［lImp］ v.跛行，一瘸一拐地走

32） prove ［pru?v］ v.證明

“快走，羅布。”媽媽邊走上樓邊大聲喊著。“我們要遲到了。”

“我們沒時間了。”我的哥哥李喊道。

我翻了翻白眼。我能想象出李正站在樓梯下，一邊看著手表，一邊用腳輕踏地板的急樣。他從來不遲到。

“我馬上就來。”我喊道。但這不太可能。我的籃球短褲找不到了。

有人沖上了樓梯。房門打開了，李邁進了我的房間。他用厭惡的眼神掃視了一下臟亂的房間。“到底是怎么回事？”他質(zhì)問道。

“我找不到我的短褲。”

“我們沒時間找了。”他說道。“我有多余的，借給你。”

“你的短褲太大了。”但這時他已經(jīng)從自己房里拿了短褲出來。

我聳聳肩。這并不要緊。無論我在家里多么努力地練習(xí)，教練都不會讓我上場的。李是明星隊員，而我只是候補球員。事實便是如此。我穿上短褲，趕忙走下樓去。

當(dāng)我們趕到賽場時，隊里的其他球員已經(jīng)開始在場上熱身了。教練一邊看著手表一邊用腳輕踏地面，看起來儼然一個成熟版本的李。

“都怪羅布。”李說完便趕緊加入熱身隊伍。我往長凳上坐的時候，教練瞪了我一眼。

上半場的比賽如期進行著。李連續(xù)投籃并接連得分。我們隊的得分遠遠超過了對手。

下半場開始，我們隊卻開始出了差錯。山姆，我們隊里最厲害的球員之一，錯過了一次絕佳的投籃機會。李手上的球也被奪走了。對手逐漸趕上我們。

突然李被狠狠地絆倒了。他沒有馬上站起來。球員們和教練圍了上去。當(dāng)隊員散去時，教練扶著李坐到了長凳上。我注意到他的右腳沒有受力。

“你還好嗎？”我問他。

“還好。”李回答道，“只是崴到腳踝了。”

教練環(huán)顧四周，視線在人群中搜索著。他嘆了一口氣。“這樣吧，羅布。”他說道。“你是我們唯一的候補球員。你來代替李。”

我心跳加快。我可不能代替李。我之所以成為球員只是因為公園暨文娛部命令教練要允許每個報名的人都加入球隊。我之前從未打過一場真正的比賽。

“去吧，羅布。”教練指著球場。“上去吧！”

我猛咽了一口氣然后走上場去。“請不要讓我搞砸了。”我想。我跟著隊員們從場的一邊跑到了另外一邊。

對手又進了幾個球。分?jǐn)?shù)追得很緊，而比賽只剩下最后幾分鐘了。此時對方的最佳球員正控球朝我的方向跑來。他恰恰在我面前失手丟了球。

“搶球，羅布！”坐在長凳上的李沖我喊道。

我抓住了球，并試圖把球傳出去。可身邊沒有我們的隊友。

“試試投籃！”李大聲喊道。

我集中精神運球，跑過球場。我不想搞砸。這是向教練證明我一直有在練習(xí)的絕佳機會。對手球員試圖截住我。我左右運球，并沒意識到自己正在做什么。突破防守并不是我能單獨練習(xí)的。

我一下子就來到了籃球框下。如果我能夠投中，那么我們將獲得勝利。我閉上眼睛，想象自己是在車道上練習(xí)。沒有觀眾。沒有對手……只有我和籃圈。我躍了起來，把球投了出去。

“一定要投中。”我默念道。“一定要投中。”

嗖！觀眾歡呼起來。我做到了！我贏得了比賽！接著我聽到場邊傳來了笑聲，開始是“咯咯”的幾聲，緊接著是全場大笑。我向四周看了看。到底是什么這么好笑？

他們都盯著我看。我往下一看，借來的褲子已經(jīng)滑落到了腳踝處。我趕緊把褲子拉上來，臉紅得發(fā)熱。隊員們圍繞著我，向我道賀，同時擋開了大笑人群的目光。李也一瘸一拐地走上場來。

“做得好，弟弟。”他說道。“你讓我們贏得了比賽。這才是最重要的。”

他說得對，我確實做到了。但更重要的是，我證明了自己可以做到。如果非常渴望達到某個目標(biāo)，就需要認(rèn)真努力的練習(xí)。我只是希望成功的時候，還好好地穿著褲子。