tar [tR], leather ['leDq], frequently ['frJkwqntlI]
Then came the dumpsters with their fresh loads of gravel, followed by the spreaders and rollers. After them the big tankers would arrive, the ones with the wide sprayer attachments on the backs and their smell of hot tar, so like melting shoe-leather. And when the fresh asphalt had dried, along would come the lining machine, the driver under his big canvas parasol looking back frequently to make sure the broken yellow line was perfectly straight, unaware that he was passing over a fog-gray Cadillac with three people inside, unaware that down in the darkness there was a ruby ring and a gold Rolex that might still be marking off the hours.
One of those heavy vehicles (одна из тех тяжелых машин) would almost surely have collapsed an ordinary Cadillac (почти наверняка продавила бы обычный «Кадиллак»); there would have been a lurch (машина бы накренилась: «образовался бы крен»), a crunch (/раздался/ треск), and then a bunch of men digging to see what (и затем бригада рабочих стала бы раскапывать, чтобы увидеть, что) — or who (или кого) — they had found (они нашли; to find). But it really was more tank than car (но это был скорее танк, чем машина), and Dolan's very carefulness has so far kept anyone from finding him (и сама осторожность Долана до сих пор не позволила никому найти его).
Sooner or later the Cadillac will collapse of course (рано или поздно «Кадиллак» провалится, конечно), probably under the weight of a passing semi (возможно, под весом проезжающего полуприцепа), and the next vehicle along will see a big broken dent in the westbound lane (и следующая за ним машина увидит большую ломаную вмятину на дороге, ведущей на запад), and the Highway Department will be notified (и дорожное управление будет уведомлено), and there will be another RPAV (и проведут еще одно «ОБДП»). But if there aren't Highway Department workers right there to see what happens (но если не окажется работников дорожного управления прямо там, чтобы увидеть, что случилось), to observe that the heavy weight of a passing truck (чтобы заметить, что большой: «тяжелый» вес проезжающего грузовика) has caused some hollow object under the road to collapse (послужил причиной того, что какой-то полый предмет под дорогой сломался), I think they will assume the 'marsh-hole' (я думаю, они предположат, что «болотная яма») (that is what they call them (так они это называют)) has been caused by either frost (образовалась либо в результате мороза), or a collapsed salt-dome (либо обрушившегося соляного купола), or possibly a desert temblor (или, возможно, /в результате/ землетрясения в пустыне). They will repair it and life will go on (они починят ее, и жизнь пойдет своим чередом = жизнь продолжится).
notify ['nqutIfaI], hollow ['hOlqu], temblor ["tem'blL]
One of those heavy vehicles would almost surely have collapsed an ordinary Cadillac; there would have been a lurch, a crunch, and then a bunch of men digging to see what — or who — they had found. But it really was more tank than car, and Dolan's very carefulness has so far kept anyone from finding him.
Sooner or later the Cadillac will collapse of course, probably under the weight of a passing semi, and the next vehicle along will see a big broken dent in the westbound lane, and the Highway Department will be notified, and there will be another RPAV. But if there aren't Highway Department workers right there to see what happens, to observe that the heavy weight of a passing truck has caused some hollow object under the road to collapse, I think they will assume the 'marsh-hole' (that is what they call them) has been caused by either frost, or a collapsed salt-dome, or possibly a desert temblor. They will repair it and life will go on.
He was reported missing (его объявили пропавшим) — Dolan (Долана).
A few tears were shed (было пролито несколько слез).
A columnist in the Las Vegas Sun (корреспондент /газеты/ «Лас-Вегас Сан») suggested that he might be playing dominos (предположил, что он, наверное, играет в домино) or shooting pool somewhere with Jimmy Hoffa (или в бильярд, где-нибудь с Джимми Хоффой; Jimmy Hoffa — Джимми Хоффа, бывший лидер лейбористской партиии преступник, так же широкоизвестен вследствие таинственных обстоятельств, сопутствующих его загадочному исчезновению и предположительной смерти).
Perhaps that is not so far from the truth (возможно, это не так уж и далеко от правды).
I'm fine (у меня все хорошо).
My back is pretty much okay again (моя спина снова практически в порядке). I'm under strict orders not to lift anything which weighs over thirty pounds without help (мне строго запретили поднимать грузы тяжелее тридцати фунтов без /посторонней/ помощи), but I've got a good bunch of third-graders this year (но у меня в этом году отличная группа третьеклассников), and all the help I could want (и мне /оказывают/ любую помощь, какую мне нужно).
columnist ['kOlqmnIst], ['kRlqmnIst], domino ['dOmInqu]
He was reported missing — Dolan.
A few tears were shed.
A columnist in the Las Vegas Sun suggested that he might be playing dominos or shooting pool somewhere with Jimmy Hoffa.
Perhaps that is not so far from the truth.
I'm fine.
My back is pretty much okay again. I'm under strict orders not to lift anything which weighs over thirty pounds without help, but I've got a good bunch of third-graders this year, and all the help I could want.
I've driven back and forth over that stretch of road several times (я проехал несколько раз взад и вперед по тому отрезку дороги) in my new Acura automobile (на своем новом автомобиле «Акура»). Once I even stopped (один раз я даже остановился), got out, and (вышел и) (after checking in both directions to make sure the road was deserted (после того, как проверил дорогу в обоих направлениях, чтобы быть уверенным, что она пустынна)) took a piss on what I was pretty sure was the spot (помочился туда, где, я уверен, было то самое место). But I couldn't produce much of a flow (но я не смог выпустить полноценную струю), even though my kidneys felt full (хотя я чувствовал, что мои почки были наполнены), and when I drove on I kept checking the rearview mirror (и когда я поехал, я не переставал оглядываться в зеркало заднего вида): I had this funny idea (мне пришла в голову смешная идея), you see (понимаете), that he was going to rise up from the back seat (что он поднимется с заднего сиденья), his skin charred to a cinnamon color (его кожа потемнела и стала коричневой: «его кожа обуглилась до цвета корицы») and stretched over his skull like the skin of a mummy (и была натянута на его черепе, как кожа мумии), his hair full of sand (его волосы полны песка), his eyes and his Rolex watch glittering (его глаза и его часы «Ролекс» блестят).
That was the last time I was on 71, actually (фактически, это был последний раз, когда я проезжал по шоссе 71). Now I take the Interstate when I need to head west (теперь я езжу по федеральной автостраде, если мне нужно направляться на запад).
And Elizabeth (а Элизабет)? Like Dolan, she has fallen silent (как и Долан, она замолчала). I find that is a relief (я почувствовал от этого облегчение).
produce ['prOdjHs], cinnamon ['sInqmqn], mummy ['mAmI]
I've driven back and forth over that stretch of road several times in my new Acura automobile. Once I even stopped, got out, and (after checking in both directions to make sure the road was deserted) took a piss on what I was pretty sure was the spot. But I couldn't produce much of a flow, even though my kidneys felt full, and when I drove on I kept checking the rearview mirror: I had this funny idea, you see, that he was going to rise up from the back seat, his skin charred to a cinnamon color and stretched over his skull like the skin of a mummy, his hair full of sand, his eyes and his Rolex watch glittering.
That was the last time I was on 71, actually. Now I take the Interstate when I need to head west.
And Elizabeth? Like Dolan, she has fallen silent. I find that is a relief.
[1] Температура по Фаренгейту, что соответствует 47 градусам по Цельсию.
