12 Life on a desert island

Most of us have formed an unrealistic picture of life on a desert island.

我们许多人对于荒岛生活有一种不切实际的想法。

We sometimes imagine a desert island to be a sort of paradise where the sun always shines.

我们有时想像荒岛是阳光终日普照的天堂。

Life there is simple and good. Ripe fruit falls from the trees and you never have to work.

在那里，生活简单又美好。成熟的水果从树上掉下来,人们根本无需劳动。

The other side of the picture is quite the opposite. Life on a desert island is wretched.

另一种想法恰恰相反,认为荒岛生活很可怕。

You either starve to death or live like Robinson Crusoe, waiting for a boat which never comes.

要么饿死,要么像鲁滨孙那样,天天盼船来,却总不见船影。

Perhaps there is an element of truth in both these pictures, but few of us have had the opportunity to find out.

也许,这两种想像都有可信之处。但很少有人能有机会去弄个究竟。