2020年高考（全国卷）英语听力 长对话

A big dog celebrates a big birthday this year. Clifford, the Big Red Dog, first appeared 50 years ago, along with Emily Elizabeth, the little girl who loves him. Today we have Norman Bridwell, to talk with NPR's reporter on his dog's 50th birthday. So, Norman, tell us how it all started.

今年有一只大狗举办了一场大型生日派对。大红狗克利福德第一次出现是在50年前，和他一起出现的还有一个爱着他的小姑娘艾米丽·伊丽莎白。今天我们请到了诺曼·布里德维尔，他和NPR的记者就他狗狗的50岁生日进行了谈话。诺曼，跟我们说说这一切是怎么开始的。

Well,it was 1962 and I was struggling, not very successful artist in New York. My wife suggested that I try my hand in painting for children's books. So I did ten paintings and took them to publishers. I was turned down everywhere, except one publisher, where a young woman told me I wasn't very good. So if I wanted to paint for a book, I needed to write one on my own.

嗯，那是在1962年，我的生活很潦倒，是纽约的一名不怎么成功的艺术家。我的妻子建议我尝试为儿童读物画画。所以我画了几幅画，并把它们拿给出版商。结果四处碰壁，只有一家出版社接受了我的画，那里的一名年轻女士告诉我我不是很优秀，所以如果我想为一本书画画，我需要自己写一本书。

So you did?

所以你写了吗？

Umm,the woman pointed to a painting l'd done, about a little girl with a big red dog. And she said "maybe that's the story". And I went home. And over that weekend, I wrote the story Clifford the Big Red Dog, and was shocked when it was accepted for publication because I'd never written anything before.

嗯，女人指着我画的一幅画，画上画的是一个带着一条大红狗的小女孩。她说“或许就是这个故事”，之后我就回家了。就在那个周末，我写了《大红狗的克利福德》，当它被接受出版时我感到很震惊，因为我以前从来没有写过任何东西。

I see. How wonderful!

我明白了，太美好了！

Yes,it was. My wife was also at shock when she did realize it wasn't a dream. But it was just luck.

嗯，是的。当我妻子意识到这不是梦时她也很震惊，但这只是运气。

But that luck turned into 90 Clifford books that have sold 126 million copies in 13 languages.

但就是这种运气造就了90本克利福德图书，它被翻译成13种语言，出售了1.26亿册。