Lynn Hunt

∷嚴(yán)蕓 選 安妮 注

“It isn’t enough to be a good writer,” Clarence Sligar routinely told his third-period journalism class of eighthand ninth-graders. “A top-notch2. top-notch: 一流的，拔尖的。reporter must also be determined, persistent, and curious.”

And daring, I discovered.

It was February 1964. For weeks we’d heard the Beatles were coming to Miami to appear live onThe Ed Sullivan Show.3. live: 現(xiàn)場(chǎng)直播的；The Ed Sullivan Show:《埃德·沙利文秀》，從1948年開始播放到1971年（共計(jì)23年），是美國(guó)電視史上播放時(shí)間最久的綜藝節(jié)目之一，并曾邀請(qǐng)過如貓王、披頭士樂隊(duì)等知名藝人上過節(jié)目。For weeks, the Miami Springs Junior High newspaper staff had been buzzing about4. buzz about: 津津樂道，熱烈地議論。how and where to try for an interview.

Exuding con fidence and pride, Mr. Sligar went to the principal to ask that his team be allowed to leave school early on Feb. 13, the day the Fab Four would arrive at nearby Miami International Airport.5. exude: 發(fā)散，顯露；Fab Four: 披頭士樂隊(duì)的昵稱。I was selected to land6. land: 〈口〉贏得，弄到。an interview, accompanied by a photographer.

填海移山的決心和執(zhí)著，以及那刨根問底的好奇心，是成為出類拔萃的記者所應(yīng)具備的基本素質(zhì)。但是，我的一次意外經(jīng)歷告訴我：獲得成功，還需要多一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)的義無(wú)反顧。那年，我十三歲……

Armed with permission slips from our parents and press badges, Kenny and I set out.7. be armed with: 裝備著；permission slip: 請(qǐng)假條；press badge: 記者證；set out: 出發(fā)，動(dòng)身。A classmate’s mom had to drop us off. We were met by throngs of journalists, hapless passengers,and more than 7,000 surging Beatles fans.8. 我們見到了大群的記者、毫無(wú)頭緒的普通旅客和七千多名披頭士粉絲，現(xiàn)場(chǎng)人頭涌動(dòng)。throng: 聚集的人群，一大群人；hapless: 運(yùn)氣不好的，倒霉的；surging: 浪涌的，席卷的。

Twenty minutes of inspired maneuvers got us through the crowds of Beatles admirers to the end of a carpeted corridor.9. maneuver: 計(jì)謀，策略；carpeted:覆蓋了地毯的。A frazzled guard at the VIP gate glanced curiously at the badges pinned to our shirts, and then unhooked the chain for us to pass.10. frazzled: 疲憊的，筋疲力盡的；pin:釘住，壓住；unhook: 解開……的鉤子，把……從鉤上取下。

The scene outside was unnerving11. unnerving: 使人緊張不安的。. Hundreds of fans dotted12. dot: 散布于，（星星點(diǎn)點(diǎn)地）布滿。the airport roof; scores of others were mashed against the interior concourse glass.13. mash: 搗爛，搗碎，此處用來(lái)形容披頭士粉絲擁擠的場(chǎng)景；interior:室內(nèi)的，內(nèi)部的；concourse: （飛機(jī)場(chǎng)或火車站內(nèi)的）大廳。Each plane appearing on the horizon set off waves of screams that grew more intense as the band’s plane tarried.14. 地平線上出現(xiàn)的每一架飛機(jī)都會(huì)引起陣陣尖叫聲。由于樂隊(duì)乘坐的飛機(jī)航班延遲，尖叫聲變得愈發(fā)焦急不安。tarry: 延遲，耽擱。Patience began to melt in the hot afternoon sun.

Mercifully, a man with a bullhorn announced that National Airlines Flight 11 from New York had landed.15. mercifully: 仁慈地，幸運(yùn)地；bullhorn:手提式擴(kuò)音器。To con firm the arrival, Kenny and I navigated crablike through the crowd.16. navigate: 〈口〉行進(jìn)，行走；crablike:似蟹的，橫行的。

Within minutes, the Beatles’ jet was less than 50 yards from where we stood.

Ordinary passengers deplaned to the hoots and cheers of the massive welcoming crowd.17. deplane: 下飛機(jī)，離機(jī)；hoot: 大叫，喊叫。Several unknowns prolonged the agony by pausing at the top of the steps to wave and blow kisses.18. prolong: 延長(zhǎng)，拖延；agony: 苦惱，極大的痛苦。At last a real mop top appeared,setting the concourse reeling with delirium.19. 最后，一位真正的披頭士樂隊(duì)成員出現(xiàn)了，整個(gè)機(jī)場(chǎng)大廳都陷入了極度瘋狂之中。mop top: 一種男士發(fā)型，是20世紀(jì)60年代時(shí)披頭士樂隊(duì)四位成員的標(biāo)志性頭型；reel: 搖晃，搖擺；delirium: 極度興奮，發(fā)狂。The throng lunged forward as the Beatles descended the silver jetway.20. lunge: 猛向前沖，前撲；descent: 向下走，下降；jetway: 航空旅客橋，伸縮式登機(jī)舷橋。Police locked arms and shoved back against the crowd.21. lock: 使……緊密相連，使……相交；shove:猛推，推搡。

Girls on the roof screeched and fell to their knees in helpless ecstasy.22. screech: 發(fā)出尖銳的聲音，尖聲喊叫；ecstasy: 狂喜，歡天喜地。Behind us the first of about a dozen windows and glass doors shattered from the press of the mob.23. shatter: 把……打碎，使……粉碎；mob: 烏合之眾，亂民，此處用來(lái)借代狂熱的粉絲。

Beatlemania24. Beatlemania: 披頭士熱，指20世紀(jì)60年代對(duì)披頭士樂隊(duì)的狂熱情緒。had arrived.

Police formed a human barricade as John, Paul,George, and Ringo sprinted across the tarmac to a waiting limousine.25. barricade: 障礙物，擋墻；sprint: （尤指短距離）沖刺，全速奔跑；tarmac:（機(jī)場(chǎng)跑道、停車場(chǎng)等的）柏油碎石路；limousine: 豪華轎車。I had only an instant to make a move. I ducked under the cops’ outstretched arms and bolted for the idling limo.26. duck:（為躲閃或躲避打擊）忽地低下頭，忽地彎下身；bolt: 猛沖，突然移動(dòng)；idling: 空載的。I glanced back to see Kenny sprawled on the ground,groping for his camera.27. sprawl: 笨拙地爬，掙扎著爬行；grope: 摸索，探索。

The last Beatle pulled his legs into the car and slammed28. slam: 砰地關(guān)上（門、窗等），使勁地關(guān)。the door. I was too late. Tears of fear and disappointment pricked29. prick: （眼淚、水滴等）以點(diǎn)狀出現(xiàn)。the back of my eyes. The police I’d just outrun were only steps away. I grabbed the door handle and knocked desperately on the glass.

Suddenly, the window slid down. Eyeing my press badge,John leaned out and banished30. banish: 趕走，驅(qū)逐。my pursuers with a wave of his hand.

The police stepped away, and I pulled out my list of questions. “How do you like America?” I promptly forgot the answer, then stumbled over my next inquiry.31. promptly: 敏捷地，迅速地；stumble: 結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地說話；inquiry: 問題，疑問。John answered patiently; Paul and Ringo jumped in with silly remarks and giggles.32. jump in: 跳進(jìn)，參加；giggle: 傻笑，咯咯地笑。It was hard to say who was having the more memorable experience.

Then the limo started to move. I trotted alongside, still clutching the door handle until the limo began to pick up speed and I had to let go.33. trot: 慢跑，小步跑；clutch: 緊握，抓住。John blew me a kiss. The window slid shut. The interview was over.

Kenny rushed to my side and we hugged, not believing what had just happened. How had a risk-averse, goody-twoshoes like me worked up the gumption to get the story—scooping all the professional press that day?34. risk-averse: 風(fēng)險(xiǎn)規(guī)避的，不愿承擔(dān)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的；goody-two-shoes: 單純善良的少女；gumption: 勇氣，魄力；scoop:搶先發(fā)布（獨(dú)家新聞），搶先獲得（新聞材料）。

Only years later did I realize that it was the thought of disappointing beloved Mr.Sligar that had urged me on.

Back on the tarmac, a group of fans surrounded me and asked for my autograph35. autograph: 親筆簽名。. At 13, I felt I’d hit the big time.

When the limo was no more than a speck36. speck: 斑點(diǎn)，小點(diǎn)兒。on the horizon, fans and reporters wandered away. Turning to take a last look, I whispered, “John, I love you!”

I hope he heard me.