ESL 001

Let me tell you a little about myself.

我来简单介绍一下我自己。

I was born and raised in Minnesota and I’m a native of the city of Saint Paul.

我在明尼苏达州出生长大，是圣保罗市土生土长的人。

I grew up there with my parents and my eight brothers and two sisters.

我和父母以及八个兄弟、两个姐妹在那里长大。

I’m the eleventh child so you could say I’m the baby of the family, but I swear I wasn’t spoiled.

我是家里第十一个孩子，所以可以说我是家里最小的，不过我发誓，爸妈可没宠坏我。

That’s right, I’m part of a big family, probably the biggest family in the neighborhood, perhaps the biggest family in the state!

没错，我们家是个大家庭，可能是附近最大的家庭，说不定还是全州最大的家庭呢！

I had a happy childhood, for the most part.

总的来说，我的童年是快乐的。

My father and mother didn’t have a lot of money, but because they both worked hard, we never felt deprived.

我父母没什么钱，但因为两人都努力工作，我们从没觉得缺过什么。

I wasn’t much interested in sports, like my brothers were.

我不像哥哥们那样热衷运动。

I enjoyed reading and listening to music while growing up.

成长过程中，我喜欢读书和听音乐。

I went to grade school near my house, and then to high school about two miles away from our home.

我在家附近的小学念书，后来上了离家约两英里的高中。

After graduating from high school, I went on to the University of Minnesota for my bachelor’s degree.

高中毕业后，我接着进了明尼苏达大学，攻读学士学位。

It took me a while to learn the ropes at the university, but I finally graduated about six years later.

我花了一段时间才摸熟大学里的门道，不过六年后我总算毕业了。

Better late than never, as my father used to say.

正如我父亲常说的：晚做总比不做好。

I then went to Mexico for a couple of years to teach English and to study Spanish.

之后我去了墨西哥，待了两三年，一边教英语，一边学西班牙语。

When I returned, I decided to become a teacher, so I went back to school to get my master’s degree.

回来以后，我决定当老师，于是又回到学校去读硕士学位。

After teaching high school for a few years, I was offered a job in California, so I moved to Los Angeles in 1991.

教了几年高中后，有人给我一份加州的工作，于是 1991 年我搬到了洛杉矶。

After working here for a few years, I went back to school—(again!)—to get my Ph.D.

在这里工作几年后，我（又一次！）回到学校，去读博士。

I was starting to become a professional student.

我当时都快成“职业学生”了。

Well, I completed my Ph.D. in four years and then taught at the university for several years.

嗯，我用四年读完了博士，然后在那所大学教了几年书。

Now, I work at a small research organization here in Los Angeles.

现在，我在洛杉矶一家小型研究机构工作。

I am happily married, and I still enjoy reading and listening to music, and of course, creating ESLPod.com lessons.

我婚姻美满，如今仍然喜欢读书、听音乐，当然啦，还有编写 ESLPod.com 的课程。