Gospel of Doubt 2

But planning time was over now. It was 11:50 pm.

We had 10 minutes left, and my pastor called us out of the pews and down to the altar because he wanted to be praying when midnight struck.

ps:我们还有10分钟，我的牧师叫我们离开长椅，走到祭坛前，因为他想在午夜来临时祈祷。

minutes分钟; 分; 一会儿; 一会儿的工夫; 时刻; 将写进会议记录; minute的第三人称单数和复数

pastor牧师

out of从…里面；离开; 从…的状态中; 越出…之外

pews教堂长椅; pew的复数

down to一直到

altar圣坛，祭坛，祭台

wanted受通缉的; 要; 想要; 希望; 需要; 需要…在场; want的过去分词和过去式

praying祈祷; 祷告; 企盼; 祈望; pray的现在分词

midnight午夜; 子夜

struck撞; 碰; 撞击; 碰撞; 打; 击; 击打，踢; strike的过去分词和过去式

So every faction of the congregation took its place.

ps:所以会众的每一个派别都有了自己的位置。

every每一个，每个; 所有可能的; 完全可能的; 每，每逢，每隔

faction派系，派别，小集团; 派系斗争; 内讧; 纪实与虚构相结合的电影

congregation会众; 教堂会众

took携带; 拿走; 取走; 运走; 带去; 引领; 使达到，把…推向，把…带到; take的过去式

place位置; 地点; 场所; 地方; 城镇; 有某用途的建筑; 放置，安放; 使处于某位置; 安置; 安顿; 以某种态度对待

The choir stayed in the choir stand, the deacons and their wives -- or the Baptist Bourgeoisie as I like to call them --took the first position in front of the altar.

ps:唱诗班呆在唱诗班的看台上，执事和他们的妻子，或者我喜欢叫他们的浸礼资产阶级，在祭坛前占据了第一位。

choir唱诗班; 合唱团，歌唱队; 唱经楼，唱诗席

stayed停留; 待; 保持; 继续是; 暂住; 逗留; stay的过去分词和过去式

stand站立; 立; 直立; 站起来; 起立; 使直立; 竖放; 使站立; 态度; 立场; 观点; 保卫; 捍卫; 维护; 抵抗; 货摊; 售货亭

deacons执事，会吏; 助祭; deacon的复数

Baptist浸礼会教徒

took携带; 拿走; 取走; 运走; 带去; 引领; 使达到，把…推向，把…带到; take的过去式

in front of在…前面

altar圣坛，祭坛，祭台

You see, in America, even the Second Coming of Christ has a VIP section.

And right behind the Baptist Bourgeoisie were the elderly , these men and women whose young backs had been bent under hot suns in the cotton fields of East Texas, and whose skin seemed to be burnt a creaseless noble brown, just like the clay of East Texas, and whose hopes and dreams for what life might become outside of East Texas had sometimes been bent and broken even further than their backs.

ps:就在浸礼派资产阶级的后面，有一些老人，他们年轻的脊背在东德克萨斯州的棉田里被烈日晒得弯弯曲曲，他们的皮肤像东德克萨斯州的泥土一样被烧成了没有皱纹的高贵褐色，他们对东德克萨斯州以外的生活的希望和梦想有时甚至比他们的背影还要渺茫和破碎

Baptist浸礼会教徒

bent弯曲的; 驼背的，弯腰的; 不诚实的; 不正派的; 天赋，爱好; 倾斜，偏向; 弯曲; 把…弄弯; bend的过去分词和过去式

suns太阳; 日; 太阳的光和热; 阳光; 日光; 恒星; 晒太阳; sun的第三人称单数和复数

noble崇高的; 品质高尚的; 宏伟的; 壮丽的; 贵族的; 高贵的; 出身高贵的人; 贵族成员

creaseless折痕

Yes, these men and women were the stars of the show for me.

They had waited their whole lives for this moment, just as their medieval predecessors had longed for the end of the world, and just as my grandmother waited for the Oprah Winfrey Show to come on Channel 8 every day at 4 o'clock.

ps:他们一辈子都在等待这一刻，就像中世纪的前辈们渴望世界末日一样，就像我的祖母每天4点都在等待奥普拉·温弗里的节目在第8频道播出一样。

for this为此

just as正像; 正在…的时候

predecessors前任; 原先的东西; 被替代的事物; predecessor的复数

longed渴望; long的过去分词和过去式; longe的过去分词和过去式

end of结尾; 为某事物的结尾; 末尾

grandmother祖母; 奶奶; 外婆

come on来吧; 快点儿; 加把劲; 开始; 进展; 进步; 开始工作，开始运转; 到来

every day每日

o'clock…点钟

And as she made her way to the altar, I snuck right in behind her,because I knew for sure that my grandmother was going to heaven.

ps:当她走向祭坛的时候，我偷偷溜到她身后，因为我确信我的祖母会上天堂。

her她; 她的

altar圣坛，祭坛，祭台

snuck美国英语中 sneak 的过去式和过去分词之一

right in【体】好球

behind在…的后面; 在…的背面; 落后于; 支持; 赞成; 在后面较远处; 留在原地; 拖欠; 积压; 义同bottom，委婉说法，即屁股

knew知道; 知悉; 了解; 认识到; 懂得; 意识到; 确信; 确知; 肯定; know的过去式

for sure确实

grandmother祖母; 奶奶; 外婆

going离去; 去; 离开; 进展速度; 难度; 地面状况; 常去…的; 走; 移动，旅行，行走; go的现在分词

heaven天堂; 天国; 极乐之地; 极乐; 天空

And I thought that if I held on to her hand during this prayer, I might go right on with her.

So I held on and I closed my eyes to listen, to wait.

And the prayers got louder.

And the shouts of response to the call of the prayer went up higher even still.

ps:祷告的呼喊声更高了。

shouts大声说; 叫; 嚷; 斥责; 怒骂; 呼叫; 喊叫; 请人喝饮料; 呼喊，喊叫声; 轮到某人请客; shout的第三人称单数和复数

response to对…的反应

prayer祷告，祈祷; 祈祷文; 经文; 祈祷

went up上升; 上大学; 腾贵; 烧起来

higher高等级的; 级别较高的; 较重要的; 在高处; 向高处; 高; 大; 音调高; high的比较级

even甚至，连，即使; 甚至更，愈加，还; 甚至可以说，其实，实际上; 平滑的; 平的; 平坦的; 变化不大的，均匀的，平稳的; 相等的; 均等的; 平; 相等; 变平

still还; 还是; 仍然; 依旧; 但; 不过; 还要，更; 静止的; 平静的; 安静的; 寂静的; 无风的; 不含碳

And the organ rolled on in to add the dirge. 

ps:风琴奏起了挽歌

rolled翻滚，滚动; 原地转圈，原地打转; 翻身，翻转; roll的过去分词和过去式

add增加; 加添; 加; 补充说; 继续说

dirge哀歌; 挽歌; 惨兮兮的歌曲

And the heat came on to add to the sweat.

ps:天气热得出汗。

heat热; 温度; 炎热天气; 高温，热的环境; 加热; 变热; 变暖

came来; 来到; 到达，抵达; 来做; 来取; 来拿; come的过去式

on to到…之上; 向…之上; 到，上; 朝向，转向

add to增加，是对…的增添，加强

sweat汗; 出汗; 流汗; 一身汗; 繁重的工作; 艰苦的劳动; 累活儿; 艰苦努力; 渗出水分，结水珠; 辛苦地干

And my hand gripped firmer, so I wouldn't be the one left in the field.

ps:我的手握得更紧了，所以我不会是那个留在地里的人。

hand手; 用…手的; 用…只手的; 帮助; 协助; 交; 递; 给

gripped紧握; 紧抓; 使感兴趣; 使激动; 吸引住的注意; 对…产生强有力的影响; grip的过去分词和过去式

firmer稳固地; 坚固的; 坚硬的; 结实的; 坚定的; 确定的; 坚决的; 牢固的; 稳固的; firm的比较级

the one【电影】救世主; 平行歼灭战

left左边的; 左边; 左方; 左; 左边的第一条路; 左转弯; 离开; 离开居住地点; 遗弃; 丢弃; leave的过去分词和过去式; 向左; 在左边

in the field在实地;在野外

My eyes clenched tighter so I wouldn't see the wheat being separated from the chaff.

ps:我的眼睛紧闭着，这样我就看不见麦子和谷壳分开了。

eyes眼睛; 有…眼睛的; 有…只眼的; 视力; 眼力; 注视; 审视; 细看; eye的第三人称单数和复数

clenched捏紧，攥紧，咬紧; 握紧; 抓牢; 攥住; clench的过去分词和过去式

tighter紧紧地; 牢固地; 牢固的; 紧的; 不松动的; 难解开的; 紧身的; 紧贴的; 严密的; 严格的; 严厉的; tight的比较级

see看见; 见到; 看出; 看得见; 看; 有视力; 观看; 主教教区; 主教权限; 牧座

wheat小麦

being存在; 生存; 生物; 思想感情; 身心; are的现在分词; be的现在分词

chaff谷壳; 糠; 麦秸，干草; 开玩笑，取笑，打趣

And then a voice rang out above us: "Amen."

ps:然后一个声音在我们头顶响起：“阿门。”

And then然后

voice嗓音; 说话声; 歌唱声; 有…嗓音的; 嗓音…的; 发言权; 发表意见的权利; 影响; 表示，表达，吐露; 发浊音; 发嗓音

rang包围; 环绕; 给…戴上金属环; 绕…画圆; 把…圈起来; 给…打电话; 发出铃声; 发出钟声，响起铃声; ring的过去式

out出来; 不在家; 不在工作地点; 外出; 出去; 离开边缘; 回避的方法; 托词; 出路; 揭露，公布

above在…上面; 超过，多于，大于; 超过，胜过; 在上面; 在较高处; 超过，更多，更大; 上文; 前文; 前文述及的; 上述的

Amen阿门

Questions：

1.What does Gerald suggest by in America even the Second Coming of Christ has a VIP section?

 American society is obsessed with class and social status.

2.The idiom" separate the wheat from the chaff" means...

to sort out something valueable from something worthless.

3.Gerald believed that if he held onto his grandmother's hand as she prayed...

 he would go to heaven.

Fill in the blanks:

 It was 11:50 pm.We had 10 minutes left, and my pastor called us out of the pews and down to the altar because he wanted to be praying when midnight struck.So every faction of the congregation took its place.The choir stayed in the choir stand, the deacons and their wives -- or the Baptist Bourgeoisie as I like to call them --took the first position in front of the altar.You see, in America, even the Second Coming of Christ has a VIP section.

It was over.

I looked at the clock.

It was after midnight.

I looked at the elder believers, whose savior had not come, who were too proud to show any signs of disappointment, who had believed too much and for too long to start doubting now.

ps:我看了看那些年长的信徒，他们的救世主没有来，他们太骄傲了，没有表现出任何失望的迹象，他们太相信了，太久了，现在开始怀疑。

looked看; 瞧; 寻找; 寻求; 注意; 留心; 留神; look的过去分词和过去式

elder年纪较长的; 年长者; 年龄大的一个; 长者; 长辈; 元老; 比…年长的人; 长老

believers信徒; believer的复数

savior救世主; 拯救者

proud骄傲的; 自豪的; 得意的; 满足的; 引以为荣的; 令人自豪的; 傲慢的; 骄傲自大的; 细看;钻研;凝视

signs迹象; 征兆; 预兆; 招牌; 标牌; 指示牌; 标志; 示意的动作; 手势; 签; 署; 签字; 签署; 和…签约; 示意; 打手势; sign的第三人称单数和复数

disappointment失望; 沮丧; 扫兴; 使人失望的人; 令人扫兴的人

believed相信; 认为真实; 把当真; 认为有可能; 认定; 看作; believe的过去分词和过去式

too much过分

too long太长，太久

But I was upset on their behalf.

ps:但我为他们感到难过。

upset使烦恼; 使心烦意乱; 使生气; 打乱; 搅乱; 使不适; 难过; 不高兴; 失望; 沮丧; 肠胃不适; 腹泻; 混乱，困扰，麻烦; 意外的结果; 爆冷门; 肠胃病

their他们的; 她们的; 它们的; 在提及性别不详的人时，用以代替his或her

behalf代表，利益

They had been duped, hoodwinked, bamboozled, and I had gone right along with them.

ps:他们上当受骗，被蒙蔽，被愚弄，我也跟着他们走了。

They他们; 她们; 它们; 用以代替he或she，指性别不详的人; 人们，人人，众人

been曾经到过; are的过去分词; be的过去分词

duped诈骗; 哄骗; 欺骗; dupe的过去分词和过去式

hoodwinked欺诈，欺骗; hoodwink的过去分词和过去式

bamboozled迷惑; 哄骗，欺骗; bamboozle的过去分词和过去式

gone用完了; 用光了; 走了; 离开了; 不在; 不复存在; 一去不复返; 晚于; 已过; 去; 走; 移动，旅行，行走; go的过去分词

them他们; 她们; 它们; 指性别不详的人时，用以代替him或her

I had prayed their prayers, I had yielded not to temptation as best I could.

ps:我已经为他们祈祷，我已经尽我所能不受诱惑。

prayed祈祷; 祷告; 企盼; 祈望; pray的过去分词和过去式

their他们的; 她们的; 它们的; 在提及性别不详的人时，用以代替his或her

prayers祷告，祈祷; 祈祷文; 经文; 祈祷; prayer的复数

yielded出产; 产生; 提供; 屈服; 让步; 放弃; 缴出; yield的过去分词和过去式

not(构成动词be、do和have及情态动词can或must等的否定形式，常缩略为n't)不，没有; 不; (用于hope、expect、believe等动词后，作为否定的回答)不

temptation引诱; 诱惑; 煽诱人的事物

best最好的; 最出色的; 最优秀的; 最愉快的; 最幸福的; 最合适的; 最恰当的; 最; 最高程度地; 最出色地; 最高标准地; 最适合地; 最恰当地; 最好的事物; 最高标准; 最合乎要求的事物; 打败; 胜过; good的最高级; well的最高级

could用于can的过去时; 能，可以; 能; 把装罐保存; 让…卷铺盖走人; 炒…的鱿鱼; can的过去

I had dipped my head not once, but twice in that snot-inducing baptism pool.

ps:我在那个流鼻涕的洗礼池里浸了两次头，不是一次。

dipped蘸; 浸; 下降，下沉; 把远光调为近光; dip的过去分词和过去式

head头; 头部; 头脑; 脑筋; 一头长，一头高; 朝行进; 领导; 主管; 位于排行之首; 排在前头

not(构成动词be、do和have及情态动词can或must等的否定形式，常缩略为n't)不，没有; 不; (用于hope、expect、believe等动词后，作为否定的回答)不

once仅一次; 一次; 曾; 曾经; (用于否定句、疑问句和if后)曾，根本; 一…就; 一旦; 当…时候

twice两次; 两遍; 两倍

in that因为;原因是

baptism洗礼，浸礼

pool水坑，水塘，池塘; 一滩; 一小片; 共用的资源; 集中资源

I had believed.

Now what?

I got home just in time to turn on the television and watch Peter Jennings announce the new millennium as it rolled in around the world.

It struck me that it would have been strange anyway, for Jesus to come back again and again based on the different time zones.

And this made me feel even more ridiculous -- hurt, really.

But there on that night, I did not stop believing.

I just believed a new thing: that it was possible not to believe.

It was possible the answers I had were wrong, that the questions themselves were wrong.

And now, where there was once a mountain of certitude, there was, running right down to its foundation, a spring of doubt, a spring that promised rivers.

ps;现在，曾经有一座山的确有一座山，它正奔向它的地基，一个怀疑的泉源，一条预示着河流的泉水。

certitude确信; 确定; 确实的事

running跑; 跑步; 管理; 操纵; 操作; 走私; 偷运; (置于数字和year、day或time等名词后，表示同样的事一再重复)连续; 活的，流淌的，流动的; 持久的; 连续不断的; 奔跑; 做跑步运动; run的现在分词

right down非常，无限

foundation地基; 房基; 基础; 基本原理; 根据; 基金会

spring春天; 春季; 弹簧; 发条; 弹性; 弹力; 跳; 跃; 蹦; 突然猛烈地移动; 突如其来地做; 冷不防地问; 突然说

doubt疑惑; 疑问; 不确定; 不相信; 无把握; 不能肯定; 认为…未必可能; 怀疑; 不信任

promised许诺; 承诺; 答应; 保证; 使很可能; 预示; promise的过去分词和过去式

rivers河; 江; 涌流; river的复数

I can trace the whole drama of my life back to that night in that church when my savior did not come for me; when the thing I believed most certainly turned out to be, if not a lie, then not quite the truth.

ps:我可以追溯到我生命中的整个戏剧性，追溯到那天晚上，在教堂里，我的救世主没有来救我；当我最确信的事情，如果不是谎言，那就不完全是事实。

drama戏; 剧; 戏剧文学; 戏剧艺术; 戏剧; 戏剧性事件; 戏剧性情节

my life我的生活; 我的生命; 情深到来生

in that因为;原因是

savior救世主; 拯救者

did not没有; 未; 的缩写

come for上门找，带走

believed相信; 认为真实; 把当真; 认为有可能; 认定; 看作; believe的过去分词和过去式

turned out…装束的; …打扮的

if not要是不;即使不

And even though most of you prepared for Y2K in a very different way.

I'm convinced that you are here because some part of you has done the same thing that I have done since the dawn of this new century, since my mother left and my father stayed away and my Lord refused to come.

ps:我确信你在这里，是因为自从我的母亲离开，我的父亲不在，我的主不肯来，你们中的一些人做了和我在新世纪初一样的事情。

convinced坚信; 深信; 确信; 坚信不移的; 有坚定信仰的; 使确信; 使相信; 使信服; 说服，劝说; convince的过去分词和过去式

part of部分

done完毕; 了结; 结束; 煮熟; 熟了; 合乎礼仪; 合乎规矩; 得体; 行，好; 做，干，办; 做; 行动; 表现; 进展，进行; do的过去分词

have done现在完成时; 所做的每一件事; 表示做了不必做的事

dawn黎明; 拂晓; 破晓; 开端; 曙光; 萌芽; 开始; 变得明朗; 开始清楚

century100年; 百年; 世纪; 100分

father父亲; 爸爸; 祖先; 创始人; 奠基者; 先驱; 鼻祖; 成为…的父亲; 做…的父亲; 创立; 创造，发明

stayed停留; 待; 保持; 继续是; 暂住; 逗留; stay的过去分词和过去式

refused拒绝; 回绝; 推却; 拒绝给; refuse的过去分词和过去式

And I held out my hand, reaching for something to believe in.

Questions:

1.How did he believe change after the night of the church?

he started to look for something new to believe in.

2.Why does Gerad say that the elderly in his church were duped?

They believed in something that wasn't true.

3.Why did Gerald tell his church story at the beginning of the talk?

to show the first time his beliefs changed.

4.What would have been strange if Jesus had actually come back? 

He would have had to come back several times.

Put the sentences into correct order:

I got home just in time to turn on the television and watch Peter Jennings announce the new millennium as it rolled in around the world.It struck me that it would have been strange anyway, for Jesus to come back again and again based on the different time zones.And this made me feel even more ridiculous -- hurt, really.But there on that night, I did not stop believing.I just believed a new thing: that it was possible not to believe.

Read  and repeat the sentences:

1.My eyes clenched tighter so I wouldn't see the wheat being separated from the chaff.

2.It was possible the answers I had were wrong, that the questions themselves were wrong.

3.I looked at the elder believers who were too proud to show any signs of disappointment.

4. it would have been strange for Jesus to come back again and again based on the different time zones.