我们的房子周围到处都是动物,有两头鹿、三只兔子、七只鸡、一只火鸡、两只豚鼠和一只乌龟。但我最喜爱的是一只叫乔吉的白腹长尾猴,她是我的宠物。她来到我家的时候才七天大,当时她的妈妈已经被猎人捕杀了。我还记得用奶瓶给她喂奶的情景。那时的她只有小猫一般大,我把她放在背心裙的口袋里,带她逛遍了整个小镇。
I guess it was Georgie who got me climbing. I followed her up every tree in our village. When I was 8, just before we left Africa, Georgie was killed by a snakebite. I think about her during my climbing competitions. As silly as it sounds, Georgie taught me a lot about climbing. I guess she taught me to be fearless.
我想是乔吉让我开始攀岩的。我跟着她爬上了村里的每一棵树。就在我八岁要离开非洲的时候,乔吉被毒蛇咬死了。每当我参加攀岩比赛时,我都会想起她。虽然这样说很傻,但是乔吉教会我许多关于攀岩的事情。我想,是她让我学会了无所畏惧,勇往直前。
Queen of the Mountain 山之女王
But I'm not feeling so fearless now. Not as I hang suspended24) from the side of El Capitan, with the wind beating against my body.
但我现在没办法做到毫不畏惧。此刻的我正悬挂在埃尔卡皮坦岩壁上,狂风不断拍打着我的身体。
The weather changes as you climb up a mountain. You start out in the baking sun, wearing little more than a tank top25) and shorts. Then, you climb another pitch26)—100 feet and suddenly the wind picks up. You quickly pull on sweat pants27) and a fleece28) shirt. You carry you clothes and food and gear29) on your back as you climb. Dinner is usually just a mashed30) bagel31) with peanut butter. And my bed is a two-foot-wide ledge32). I sleep tied to the mountain but, one morning, I woke up with my legs dangling33) off the side of the ledge. 
天气会随着攀登高度的增加而不断变化。出发时还是烈日当头,只穿着背心短裤就行。当爬到一定高度——100英尺的时候,狂风骤起,就得赶紧穿上运动长裤和羊毛衬衫。攀岩者登山时都会背上衣服、食物和其他装备。晚餐一般是捣成糊状、混和了花生酱的贝果面包。而我的床只是一个两英尺宽的岩架。一般我会靠着山睡,但是有一天早上醒来时,我发现自己的双腿竟悬吊在岩架边上。
The Final Stretch 最后一搏
Come on, Tori, I tell myself. Think less, climb more. My hands are cut from the rock's sharp edges. Bruises34) and scratches35) run down my legs. Every muscle in my body aches. But in three-and-a-half-days—half a day ahead of schedule—I pull myself to the top of mountain. My dad is waiting for me. I fall into his arms. I'm dog-tired36), but I have never felt such a sense of accomplishment37). I did it! Me, Tori Allen, the youngest female to ever summit El Capitan!
加油,托里,我对自己说。少想,多爬。我的双手被尖峰利石割破,我的双腿布满了擦伤划痕,我身上的每一块肌肉都酸痛至极。但三天半之后——比预定日期提前了半天——我爬上了山顶。爸爸在山顶等我,我投入了他的怀抱。虽然筋疲力尽,但我却感受到了前所未有的成就感。我做到了!我,托里·艾伦,成了成功登顶埃尔卡皮坦岩的最年轻的女性!
Climbers who make it to the top of El Capitan sign a guest book and place a stone on large rock pile. Tossing my stone on that pile was one of the happiest moments of my life.
登上埃尔卡皮坦顶峰的攀岩者会在留名簿上签名,然后在大石堆上扔一块石头。扔石头的那一刻是我此生最幸福的时刻之一。
Work and School 工作与学习
Climbing is a huge part of my life right now. I train four times a week. And I compete so much that I have to get special permission to e-mail my homework.
现在,攀岩占据了我生活的很大部分。我每周训练四次。因为参加的比赛太多,我不得不申请获得特许通过电子邮件提交作业。
I like high school, but it's a real scene. It's all who-is-hanging-out-with-who. I have always been cool hanging out with the guys. In fact, I'm the only girl on the boys' track team38). I love to pole vault39), but schools in Indiana don't offer girls' pole-vaulting. So I just joined the boys' team.
我喜欢高中,但是高中只是一场生活秀,关乎的只是你与谁一起玩。我总是跟男孩子玩在一起。其实,我是男子田径队里唯一的一个女生。我喜欢撑杆跳,但是印第安纳州的学校并没有女子撑杆跳项目,所以我加入了男子田径队。
I won't climb forever. I'd love to go to the Olympics. They don't have rock climbing yet, so I'm focusing on pole-vaulting. I want to go to college and have a family and be a kindergarten teacher. My parents have always encouraged me to follow my dreams. And that's what I tell other young girls: Don't give up. If I can make it to the top of the mountain, you can too.
我不会一辈子都攀岩。我想参加奥运会,但现在奥运会还没有攀岩这个项目,所以我将目光瞄准了撑杆跳。我想读大学,结婚生子,当一名幼儿园教师。我的父母总是鼓励我追求自己的梦想。这也是我想要告诉其他年轻女孩的:别放弃。如果我能登上顶峰,那么你们也一定能做到。
1. gust [^Qst] n. (雨、声、烟、火等的)一阵突发
2. El Capitan: 埃尔卡皮坦岩壁,海拔约九百米,位于美国约塞米蒂国家公园内,约塞米蒂谷之北,是世界上攀岩者最喜欢挑战的地方之一。
3. Yosemite [jEu5semItI] n. (美国加利福尼亚州中部)约塞米蒂国家公园
4. callus [5kAlEs] vi. 结硬皮,生老茧
5. slender [5slendE(r)] adj. 纤细的,细长的
6. a whole lot: [用于强调]许多
7. X Game: 极限运动
8. race up: 向上奔,冲上
9. DJ: disk jockey的缩略, <口> (广播或电视台的)流行音乐唱片播音员
10. territory [5terItErI] n. (活动、知识、思想等的)范围,领域
11. padding [5pAdIN] n. (软性的)垫料,衬料
12. pound [paund] vi. 连续重击
13. for dear life: (或for one's life) 拼命地
14. dumb luck: 不费多少心思和力气得来的好运,不应得的好运
15. ballerina [7bAlE5ri:nE] n. (尤指演主角或独舞的)芭蕾舞女演员
16. figure skater: 花样滑冰运动员
17. stumble [5stQmbl] vi. 偶然遇到,碰巧找到(on, upon, onto, across)
18. astound [E5staund] vt. 使震惊;使惊骇,使大惊
19. missionary [5mIFEnErI] n. 传教士
20. cement [sI5ment] n. 水泥
21. property [5prCpEtI] n. (包括工地上所建房屋在内的)地产,房地产;花园住宅
22. guinea pig: 【动】豚鼠,天竺鼠
23. kitten [5kItEn] n. 小猫;幼小动物(如小兔等)
24. suspend [sE5spend] vt. 悬,挂,吊
25. tank top: (紧身的)短背心
26. pitch [pItF] n. (鹰扑向猎物等的)高度;<喻>程度,强度;极点,顶点
27. sweat pants: [复] n. <主美> (尤指运动员运动前后保暖穿的)宽松长运动裤
28. fleece [fli:s] n. 羊毛制的覆盖物,柔软的覆盖物
29. gear [^IE(r)] n. 工具,用具;设备,装置
30. mash [mAF] vt. 把……捣成糊状
31. bagel [5beI^El] n. <美> 硬面包圈,贝果面包
32. ledge [ledV] n. 岩架,岩石突出部,岩脊
33. dangle [5dAN^l] vi. 垂着摆动,悬荡;
34. bruise [bru:z] n. (人体跌、碰后产生的)青肿,挫伤
35. scratch [skrAtF] n. 划痕,刮痕,擦痕
36. dog-tired [5dC^5taIEd] adj. <口> 极度疲乏的,累极了的
37. accomplishment [E5kCmplIFmEnt] n. 成就;成绩
38. track team: 田径队
39. pole vault: 【体】撑杆跳高(项目)