When Mara’s aunt moved into a smaller flat, Mara agreed to prepare the old family house for a new tenant.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉的姑妈搬进一套较小的公寓后，玛拉答应把家里的旧房子收拾好，准备租给一位新房客。
Reading 06：让一座旧房子重新运转——逐句中英对照翻译
淡黄色表示本篇首次学习单元。无论中文是否展开，任何英文单词都可以随时点击，查看有道释义和发音；展开中文后，英文生词与下方词义标签还会联动高亮。
正文
The house had stood empty for nine months.
查看中文与词汇对应
这座房子已经空置了九个月。
It offered an opportunity for renewal, but dust had begun to blur the mirrors, a hedge obscured the front window, and damp air gave every room a dull smell.
查看中文与词汇对应
这提供了一个让房子焕然一新的机会，但灰尘已经使镜面变得模糊，树篱挡住了前窗，潮湿的空气还让每个房间都带着一股沉闷的气味。
Mara imagined that one energetic weekend would restore everything.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉原以为，只要干劲十足地忙上一个周末，就能让一切恢复原状。
Her brother Joel, who worked in building maintenance, warned that the job required more than enthusiasm.
查看中文与词汇对应
她的哥哥乔尔从事建筑维护工作；他提醒她，这项工作需要的不只是热情。
They began on Friday evening with an inspection rather than a broom.
查看中文与词汇对应
星期五晚上，他们首先进行检查，而不是马上拿起扫帚打扫。
Joel divided the property into sections: safety, water, heat, sanitation, furniture, storage, and the courtyard.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔把整座房屋分成几个检查部分：安全、供水、供暖、卫生、家具、储物和庭院。
“If we rush from one mess to another,” he said, “we will not know whether the house is fit to live in.”
查看中文与词汇对应
“如果我们只是从一处混乱急匆匆地赶到另一处，”他说，“我们就无法判断这座房子是否适合居住。”
Their count revealed fourteen urgent tasks and twenty-seven minor ones.
查看中文与词汇对应
经过清点，他们发现有十四项紧急任务和二十七项次要任务。
It was time they chose an order.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们早该决定处理这些任务的先后顺序了。
The narrow entrance led into a living room with a sofa, two armchairs, a bookcase, a desk, and an ungainly sectional unit.
查看中文与词汇对应
狭窄的入口通向客厅，里面有一张沙发、两把扶手椅、一个书柜、一张书桌和一套笨重难看的组合家具。
One chair needed repair.
查看中文与词汇对应
其中一把椅子需要修理。
A faded carpet covered the floor, while a rug lay against the hearth.
查看中文与词汇对应
一张褪色的地毯铺在地板上，壁炉前还放着一块小地毯。
The curtains were intact but dusty.
查看中文与词汇对应
窗帘完好无损，但积满了灰尘。
One lamp worked; another had a loose fitting.
查看中文与词汇对应
一盏灯还能使用，另一盏灯的连接部件已经松动。
A porcelain vase stood on a cabinet as if somebody had polished it that morning.
查看中文与词汇对应
一个瓷花瓶摆在柜子上，看起来仿佛那天早晨刚有人擦亮过一样。
The adjoining dining room contained a long table and six chairs.
查看中文与词汇对应
相邻的餐厅里摆着一张长桌和六把椅子。
A jug, several plates, and a knife set lay inside a chest.
查看中文与词汇对应
一个水壶、几个盘子和一套餐刀放在一只大箱子里。
Beyond it was a sitting room that the family called the parlor.
查看中文与词汇对应
再往里是一间起居室，家里人把它称为客厅。
It had never been a ballroom or gallery, but Mara’s aunt had used it as a music room.
查看中文与词汇对应
它从来不是什么舞厅或画廊，不过玛拉的姑妈过去把它当作音乐室使用。
Her violin and compact loom remained.
查看中文与词汇对应
她的小提琴和一台小型织布机仍留在那里。
Mara decided to retain both: a home could preserve meaningful objects without becoming a crowded showroom.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉决定把两样东西都保留下来：一个家可以保存有意义的物品，而不必变成拥挤的陈列室。
The kitchen required less sentiment and more caution.
查看中文与词汇对应
处理厨房时不需要太多怀旧情绪，却需要更加谨慎。
The refrigerator had stopped working, the oven was greasy, and the stove was covered with old ash.
查看中文与词汇对应
冰箱已经停止运作，烤箱油腻不堪，炉灶上还覆盖着陈旧的灰烬。
Under the sink, a pipe had leaked into the cabinet.
查看中文与词汇对应
水槽下面的一根管道曾经漏水，水流进了橱柜。
Water had saturated a rag and weakened a wooden shelf until its edge became jagged.
查看中文与词汇对应
水把一块抹布完全浸透，也使一块木搁板变得脆弱，直到它的边缘变得参差不齐。
Not until Joel touched the timber did Mara realize that the board was partly rotten.
查看中文与词汇对应
直到乔尔用手碰了那块木料，玛拉才意识到木板已经部分腐烂。
He removed it carefully and put up a temporary barrier so that nobody would reach into the unsafe compartment.
查看中文与词汇对应
他小心地把木板拆下来，并设置了一道临时屏障，以免有人把手伸进这个不安全的隔层。
They opened every window to freshen the air.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们打开所有窗户，让空气变得清新。
Mara emptied the pantry and separated wholesome food from anything unfit to eat.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉清空食品储藏室，把健康可食用的食物和不宜食用的东西分开。
Flour could mingle with sugar through split packages, and an ancient jar held something impossible to identify.
查看中文与词汇对应
面粉可能会从破裂的包装中漏出来，同糖混在一起；一个放了很久的罐子里还装着无法辨认的东西。
She threw spoiled contents away, washed the containers, and waited for the surface to dry before she could replenish the pantry.
查看中文与词汇对应
她扔掉变质的内容物，清洗容器，并等表面干燥后再重新补充储藏室里的食物。
Cleaning the refrigerator was separate.
查看中文与词汇对应
清洁冰箱则是另一项独立的工作。
Joel disconnected the unit while Mara removed each tray and filter.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔切断冰箱的电源，同时玛拉把每个托盘和过滤器拆下来。
Warm water helped loosen the dirt without saturating electrical parts.
查看中文与词汇对应
温水有助于使污垢松脱，同时不会把电气部件浸湿。
She used a mild sanitary cleaner rather than a harsh mixture.
查看中文与词汇对应
她使用温和的卫生清洁剂，而不是刺激性很强的混合清洁液。
A replacement handle was unobtainable, but Joel repaired the old one with a clamp and two screws.
查看中文与词汇对应
替换用的把手买不到，但乔尔用一个夹具和两颗螺丝修好了旧把手。
The result was plain yet durable.
查看中文与词汇对应
修复后的样子虽然朴素，却很耐用。
In the bathroom, condensation had darkened the ceiling.
查看中文与词汇对应
浴室里的冷凝水已经使天花板变黑。
The toilet worked, but water continued to run after each use.
查看中文与词汇对应
马桶可以使用，但每次使用后水仍会不停地流。
Mara could tighten a loose fixture, replace the shower curtain, purify surfaces, and clear the drain.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉可以拧紧松动的固定装置、更换浴帘、清洁消毒表面，并疏通排水口。
She asked Joel to clarify which repairs required a plumber.
查看中文与词汇对应
她请乔尔说明哪些维修工作必须由水管工处理。
She should not override a valve merely because an online video made the procedure look simple.
查看中文与词汇对应
她不应该仅仅因为网络视频让操作过程看起来很简单，就擅自强行操控阀门。
The plumber arrived on Saturday morning.
查看中文与词汇对应
水管工在星期六早晨到达。
He examined the pipe manifold, used equipment to purge trapped air, and replaced a corroded section.
查看中文与词汇对应
他检查了管道歧管，使用设备排出困在其中的空气，并更换了一段被腐蚀的管道。
Green oxide had formed around one joint.
查看中文与词汇对应
一个接头周围已经形成了绿色的氧化物。
The copper was still malleable, but the seal no longer held pressure.
查看中文与词汇对应
铜管仍然具有延展性，但密封处已经无法承受压力。
Steam condenses when warm air meets a cold surface; painting over the mark would conceal the symptom and perpetuate the cause.
查看中文与词汇对应
暖空气遇到冰冷表面时，水蒸气会凝结；直接在痕迹上刷漆只会掩盖表面症状，并让根本原因继续存在。
Upstairs, the main bedroom contained a wardrobe, a narrow closet, and a chest of drawers.
查看中文与词汇对应
楼上的主卧室里有一个衣柜、一间狭窄的壁橱和一个五斗柜。
The family used to stow clothes wherever space remained.
查看中文与词汇对应
这家人过去总是哪里还有空间，就把衣服塞到哪里。
Mara sorted them into four groups: retain, wash, mend, or donate.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉把衣服分成四类：保留、清洗、修补或捐赠。
She used a needle to stitch a torn pocket and stopped to untie several belts.
查看中文与词汇对应
她用针缝好一个破损的口袋，又停下来解开几条缠在一起的腰带。
A ragged coat was beyond repair, but a loose button took only a minute to secure.
查看中文与词汇对应
一件破烂的外套已经无法修复，但缝牢一颗松动的纽扣只需要一分钟。
The smaller bedroom had once belonged to Mara’s cousin.
查看中文与词汇对应
那间较小的卧室以前属于玛拉的表亲。
A toy train sat in the middle of the floor, and posters covered the walls.
查看中文与词汇对应
一列玩具火车放在地板中央，墙上贴满了海报。
Behind an armchair, Mara found a crutch that nobody had used for years.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉在一把扶手椅后面发现了一根多年无人使用的拐杖。
The room also contained a horn, a box of camping equipment, and an unloaded antique rifle locked inside a cabinet.
查看中文与词汇对应
房间里还有一只号角、一箱露营装备，以及一把没有装弹、锁在柜子里的古董步枪。
Joel did not treat the weapon as an ordinary household object.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔没有把这件武器当作普通家居物品处理。
He left it locked, contacted the legal owner, and arranged safe removal by a licensed specialist.
查看中文与词汇对应
他让步枪继续保持上锁状态，联系其合法所有者，并安排持有执照的专业人员把它安全移走。
Storage caused the greatest organizational problem.
查看中文与词汇对应
储物是房屋整理中最大的问题。
The house had a closet under the stair, a garage, a shed, and a loft.
查看中文与词汇对应
房子里有楼梯下的壁橱、车库、棚屋和阁楼。
Each was full, yet the family could seldom find anything.
查看中文与词汇对应
每个地方都堆得满满的，可是这家人却很少能找到需要的东西。
Boxes bore obscure labels such as “useful” or “maybe.”
查看中文与词汇对应
箱子上贴着“有用”或“也许要留”之类含糊不清的标签。
Mara suggested that each label identify its contents and destination.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉建议每张标签都应明确写出箱内物品及其应当送往的位置。
She also cleared the entrance keyhole and kept heavy boxes beyond a child’s reach.
查看中文与词汇对应
她还清理了入口处的锁眼，并把沉重的箱子放到儿童够不到的地方。
They worked from the doorway inward.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们从门口开始，逐步向房间内部整理。
Tools went to the garage; seasonal clothes went into sealed containers; documents went to the desk; and cleaning supplies went into a high cabinet.
查看中文与词汇对应
工具放进车库，季节性衣物装入密封容器，文件放到书桌处，清洁用品则放进高处的柜子。
Joel fitted shelves inside the closet and used wall anchors strong enough to sustain the expected weight.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔在壁橱里安装搁板，并使用强度足以承受预计重量的墙体锚栓。
When one bracket sat slightly skew, he loosened it, adjusted the angle, and tightened it again.
查看中文与词汇对应
当一个托架略微歪斜时，他先把它拧松，调整角度，然后再次拧紧。
A shelf that looked level was not necessarily secure.
查看中文与词汇对应
看起来水平的搁板不一定真的牢固。
Several objects required a more thoughtful decision.
查看中文与词汇对应
有几件物品需要更加审慎地决定如何处理。
A tarnished silver clasp belonged to Mara’s grandmother.
查看中文与词汇对应
一个已经失去光泽的银搭扣属于玛拉的祖母。
A chipped porcelain bowl had little financial value but carried a family story.
查看中文与词汇对应
一个有缺口的瓷碗虽然没有多少经济价值，却承载着一段家族故事。
A plain mat was useful, whereas a decorative rug had become impossible to clean.
查看中文与词汇对应
一块朴素的垫子仍然实用，而一张装饰性地毯已经无法清洗干净。
Mara did not ask whether every object was precious.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉并没有追问每件物品是否珍贵。
She asked whether it was used, loved, safe, or realistically repairable.
查看中文与词汇对应
她所考虑的是：它是否仍在使用、是否受到珍爱、是否安全，以及是否确实能够修复。
This rule prevented both careless disposal and endless conservation of rubbish.
查看中文与词汇对应
这条原则既防止了草率丢弃物品，也避免了没完没了地保存垃圾。
In the loft, the work became painstaking.
查看中文与词汇对应
到了阁楼，工作变得格外费力细致。
The roof sloped sharply, and standing between the beams could make a person dizzy.
查看中文与词汇对应
屋顶倾斜得很厉害，站在横梁之间可能会让人感到头晕。
Joel used a lamp to illuminate hollow spaces.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔用一盏灯照亮中空的隐蔽空间。
Mara found curtains, a broken fan, a toy, and a lost album.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉找到了窗帘、一台坏掉的风扇、一个玩具和一本遗失的相册。
Dust could blur the photographs, but the pages remained intact.
查看中文与词汇对应
灰尘可能会使照片变得模糊，但相册的页面仍然完好。
She placed it somewhere safe rather than cleaning it with water.
查看中文与词汇对应
她把相册放到安全的地方，而没有用水清洗它。
They also discovered a serious defect.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们还发现了一处严重的缺陷。
One roof tile had shifted, allowing rain to enter near a beam.
查看中文与词汇对应
一块屋瓦发生了移位，使雨水能够从一根横梁附近渗入。
The water seemed to vanish, but a stain marked its path.
查看中文与词汇对应
雨水看起来仿佛消失了，但一道水渍标出了它流过的路径。
Joel refused a makeshift repair.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔拒绝采用临时凑合的修补办法。
He enclosed the damp area and called a roofer, who used a hoist to lift materials and restore the tile before the next storm.
查看中文与词汇对应
他把潮湿区域围起来，并叫来一名屋顶工；屋顶工使用起重设备吊起材料，在下一场暴风雨到来之前把屋瓦修复好。
The furnace made an ominous noise when they tested it.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们测试暖炉时，暖炉发出了不祥的声响。
Mara wanted to switch it off and begin taking it apart, but Joel stopped her.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉想把它关掉并开始拆卸，但乔尔制止了她。
The instruction fixed to the unit stated that only trained personnel should open the chamber.
查看中文与词汇对应
固定在设备上的说明写明，只有受过训练的人员才能打开炉腔。
A heating technician cleaned the internal filter, replaced a worn component, and confirmed that the exhaust path was clear.
查看中文与词汇对应
一名供暖技术人员清洁了内部过滤器，更换了磨损的部件，并确认排气通道畅通无阻。
She also checked the smoke alarm and the fire extinguisher.
查看中文与词汇对应
她还检查了烟雾报警器和灭火器。
Household confidence, she said, should come from maintenance rather than from ignoring risk.
查看中文与词汇对应
她说，对家庭安全的信心应该来自维护，而不是来自对风险的忽视。
After the essential repairs, they turned to the walls.
查看中文与词汇对应
完成必要的维修后，他们开始处理墙壁。
A crack near the stair was shallow.
查看中文与词汇对应
楼梯附近有一道很浅的裂缝。
Joel used a tool to widen it so that fresh gypsum could fill it, then smoothed the dry surface.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔用工具把裂缝扩大，以便填入新的石膏，随后把干燥后的表面磨平。
A narrow opening could retain loose material; removing the weak edge allowed the new filling to anchor against something solid.
查看中文与词汇对应
狭窄的裂口可能会把松散材料留在里面；去掉脆弱的边缘，才能让新的填充材料牢牢附着在坚实的部分上。
The garage demanded an overhaul of its own.
查看中文与词汇对应
车库本身也需要一次彻底整修。
An ax, a lever, a broom, and several garden tools lay across the floor.
查看中文与词汇对应
一把斧头、一根撬杆、一把扫帚和几件园艺工具横放在地板上。
Empty paint tins occupied the workbench, and an old vacuum cleaner blocked the exit.
查看中文与词汇对应
空油漆罐占据着工作台，一台旧吸尘器还挡住了出口。
Joel tested the vacuum, mended its cable, and replaced its filter.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔测试了吸尘器，修好电线，并更换了过滤器。
Mara hung the tools on a board, secured each clamp, and kept sharp blades away from the doorway.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉把工具挂在一块板上，固定好每个夹具，并让锋利的刀刃远离门口。
The repaired vacuum then removed years of dust from the carpet and sofa.
查看中文与词汇对应
修好的吸尘器随后清除了地毯和沙发上积了多年的灰尘。
Outside, branches from the hedge almost reached the mailbox.
查看中文与词汇对应
屋外，树篱的枝条几乎已经伸到了邮箱。
Mara cut them back without trying to tame the hedge into a perfect wall.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉把枝条剪短，却没有试图把树篱修整成一堵完美的墙。
In the courtyard, Joel used a narrow tool to dredge a blocked drain while Mara cleared the patio.
查看中文与词汇对应
在庭院里，乔尔用一件细长工具疏通堵塞的排水管，同时玛拉清理露台。
They used a spade to excavate beside the pipe and found a root pressing against it.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们用铁锹挖开管道旁边的泥土，发现一条树根正挤压着管道。
They redirected the root, and water began to flow again.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们改变了树根生长的方向，水又开始流动起来。
The shed and a neighboring barn adjoin at the boundary.
查看中文与词汇对应
棚屋和邻居家的谷仓在边界处相连。
A rotten fence post had caused part of the enclosure to lean.
查看中文与词汇对应
一根腐烂的篱笆柱使部分围栏发生倾斜。
The two households set a new post and added a brace to strengthen the gate.
查看中文与词汇对应
两户人家共同立起一根新柱子，并加上一根支撑杆来加固大门。
They preserved a variegated plant while removing weeds from its furrow.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们清除沟槽里的杂草，同时保留了一株带有斑纹叶片的植物。
The work improved both properties without creating a dispute.
查看中文与词汇对应
这些工作改善了两处房产，而且没有引发争执。
By Sunday afternoon, the house looked lighter but not new.
查看中文与词汇对应
到星期天下午，房子看起来明亮了许多，但并没有变得像新房一样。
Mara washed the final floor, replaced the curtains, and placed the clean vase on the dining-room table.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉清洗了最后一处地板，换好窗帘，并把干净的花瓶放到餐桌上。
Joel put the repaired lamp beside an armchair and returned the bookcase to the wall.
查看中文与词汇对应
乔尔把修好的灯放在扶手椅旁边，又把书柜移回墙边。
They left enough free space for a tenant to bring personal belongings.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们留下了足够的空余空间，让房客可以带来自己的个人物品。
A room could be warm and homely without being full.
查看中文与词汇对应
一个房间即使没有塞满东西，也可以显得温暖而舒适。
Mara’s aunt visited before they finished.
查看中文与词汇对应
在他们完工之前，玛拉的姑妈前来探望。
She had been homesick for the familiar rooms and was anxious that the clear-out might obliterate her past.
查看中文与词汇对应
她一直思念这些熟悉的房间，也担心这次彻底清理会抹去自己的过去。
Instead, she found the album, violin, loom, and several family objects carefully preserved.
查看中文与词汇对应
然而，她看到相册、小提琴、织布机和几件家庭物品都被仔细地保存了下来。
She also saw that broken fittings, contaminated food, and unsafe rubbish had gone.
查看中文与词汇对应
她也看到损坏的配件、受污染的食物和不安全的垃圾都已经被清除。
“You kept the life of the house,” she said, “but you removed what prevented someone from living here.”
查看中文与词汇对应
“你们保留了这座房子的生命，”她说，“同时也清除了那些妨碍人们在这里生活的东西。”
The final task was to establish an upkeep plan.
查看中文与词汇对应
最后一项任务是制定一份日常维护计划。
The tenant would check the alarm monthly, clean filters regularly, keep ventilation openings clear, and report leaks promptly.
查看中文与词汇对应
房客每月需要检查报警器，定期清洁过滤器，保持通风口畅通，并及时报告漏水情况。
The hedge and drain would receive seasonal attention.
查看中文与词汇对应
树篱和排水管则需要按季节进行维护。
These duties were not herculean when performed in time.
查看中文与词汇对应
只要及时完成，这些任务并不是什么极其艰巨的工作。
Neglect made them larger.
查看中文与词汇对应
忽视只会让这些问题变得更严重。
A five-minute inspection could prevent a painful accident or an expensive repair.
查看中文与词汇对应
五分钟的检查就可能防止一次令人痛苦的事故或一项昂贵的维修。
Mara revised her original idea of household order.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉修正了自己原先对家庭秩序的理解。
She had pictured a single glorious transformation in which dirt vanished and every object found a perfect place.
查看中文与词汇对应
她原本想象的是一次辉煌彻底的改造：污垢全部消失，每件物品都找到完美的位置。
The actual process was quieter.
查看中文与词汇对应
实际的过程却平静得多。
They had inspected, counted, cleaned, repaired, labelled, tested, and asked for help.
查看中文与词汇对应
他们进行了检查、清点、清洁、修理、贴标签和测试，也在需要时寻求了帮助。
Some decisions were immediate; others remained open.
查看中文与词汇对应
有些决定可以立即作出，另一些则仍然没有定论。
The aim was not to make the house pure or flawless.
查看中文与词汇对应
目标并不是让房子变得绝对洁净或毫无瑕疵。
It was to make it safe, sanitary, workable, and easy to maintain.
查看中文与词汇对应
而是要让它安全、卫生、能够正常使用，并且便于维护。
On Monday morning, light entered through the cleared window.
查看中文与词汇对应
星期一早晨，阳光透过已经清理干净的窗户照了进来。
The house no longer smelled damp, and the furnace ran quietly.
查看中文与词汇对应
房子里不再有潮湿的气味，暖炉也安静地运转着。
Mara could sit in the repaired armchair and look around.
查看中文与词汇对应
玛拉可以坐在修好的扶手椅上，环顾四周。
There would always be another chore, but accumulated delay no longer controlled the home.
查看中文与词汇对应
家里永远还会有下一件杂务，但长期累积的拖延已经无法再控制这个家。
Its rooms could now be used, cared for, and changed without another desperate overhaul.
查看中文与词汇对应
现在，这些房间可以被正常使用、得到照料并逐步改变，而不必再经历一次仓促而绝望的彻底整修。