Knock, Knock
The door-to door solicit or walked to the next door. He knew the people in this neighborhood were snobs but he was confident that he could sell a wrench and socket set or water soluble soap to anyone if it was required. He was the best and he could sniff out a sale a mile away. His skill in sales and sociology were not to be sneezed at. And even though his company always solicited him to train new salesmen, he said no! He wasn’t one for solidarity. He always went solo.
But this had been a rough day and the solitude was beginning to get to him. At the last house a woman had snatched the door handle away from him and slammed it in his face. As he was walked away he heard her snort and say to her husband that she hated solicitors. He usually dealt well with refusal, but he was sober today, unlike most other, and almost sobbed as he walked away.
Now at the next door he put on a sociable face and determined to sneak a sale at this next home no matter what. When this woman opened the door with a sneer on her face he felt even more solitary than before. But after commenting on the wonderful smell that he sniffed coming out the door the woman smiled and invited him in. As he walked past her husband snoring on the couch he held back a sneeze. The woman had cats, and he was allergic to cats. Oh well, he thought, at least he would have a sale. And with that thought his mood began to brighten.
译文——敲门，敲门
那位走家串户的推销员向下一户人家走去。他知道这个地方的人是势利小人，但是他自信他能在必要的时候卖给任何一个人一把扳手、一套插座或者一块水溶性肥皂。他是最好的推销员，从一英里外他就能嗅出一桩买卖，他的推销技巧和社会学知识不可轻视。尽管公司总是请求他培训新的推销员，但他都没有同意。他不是个能和别人团结一致的人，他总是天马行空、独来独往。
但是这一天过得可真不容易，单独一人开始使他感到有点沮丧。在最后一户人家，一个女人从他手里把门把手夺了过去并砰地一声把门关上了。他离开的时候还听到她哼着鼻子对丈夫说她讨厌推销员。一般来说他很会处理别人的拒绝，但今天他有些严肃，这跟大多数时候不太一样，离开的时候他几乎哭了。
现在到了另外一家，他装出一付友好的样子，决心无论如何要在这一家偷偷地做成一笔生意。当这家女主人打开门、脸上露出讥笑的表情时，他更加感到了一种孤独。闻到门里传来一股味儿，他说这味道可真好闻，说完之后女主人笑了并请他进了屋。经过他那在沙发上打着鼾的丈夫时，他忍着没有把喷嚏打出来。她家养了许多猫，而他对猫有些过敏。谢天谢地，他想，至少可以做一笔买卖了。想到这里他的心情开始愉快起来。
snatch
vt.1.多，夺走
2.一下子拉，一把抓住
3.抓住机会做，抽空做
vi.(at)一把抓住
n.片断
sneak
vi.偷偷地走，溜
vt.偷偷地做（或拿、吃）
sneer
vt.(at)嗤笑，嘲笑，讥笑
n.嗤笑，嘲笑
sneeze
vt.打喷嚏，发喷嚏声
n.喷嚏
not to be sneezed at
值得考虑，不可轻视
sniff
v.1.（哧哧地）以鼻吸气，用力吸入
2.嗅，闻
n.1.吸气（声）
2.嗅，闻
sniff out
发觉，发现
snob
n.1.势利小人
2.自命不凡的人，自以为有学问的人
snore
vi.打鼾
n.鼾声
snort
v.哼着鼻子说，轻蔑（或气愤）地哼
n.喷鼻息，鼻息声
sob
vi.呜咽，啜泣，抽噎
vt.呜咽着说，哭诉
n.呜咽（声），啜泣（声）
sober
a.1.未醉的，有节制的
2.严肃的，持重的
3.（颜色等）素淡的，暗淡的
v.(up)（使）醒酒，（使）清醒
sociable]
a.好交际的，友好的，合群的
sociology
n.社会学
socket
n.插座，管座，插口
solicit
vi.1.勾引，勾搭
2.请求，恳求，乞求
vt.1.请求，恳求，乞求
2.招揽（生意）
solicitor
n.1.请求者
2.掮客，推销员
3.初级律师，事务律师
solidarity
n.团结一致
solitary
n.1.单独的，独自的
2.单个的，唯一的
3.孤独的，隐居的
solitude
n.单独，独居，隐居
solo
a.单独的，单独进行的
ad.独自地，单独地
n.独奏（曲），独唱（曲），独舞
soluble
a.1.可溶的
2.可解决的
Knock, Knock
The door-to door solicit or walked to the next door. He knew the people in this neighborhood were snobs but he was confident that he could sell a wrench and socket set or water soluble soap to anyone if it was required. He was the best and he could sniff out a sale a mile away. His skill in sales and sociology were not to be sneezed at. And even though his company always solicited him to train new salesmen, he said no! He wasn’t one for solidarity. He always went solo.
But this had been a rough day and the solitude was beginning to get to him. At the last house a woman had snatched the door handle away from him and slammed it in his face. As he was walked away he heard her snort and say to her husband that she hated solicitors. He usually dealt well with refusal, but he was sober today, unlike most other, and almost sobbed as he walked away.
Now at the next door he put on a sociable face and determined to sneak a sale at this next home no matter what. When this woman opened the door with a sneer on her face he felt even more solitary than before. But after commenting on the wonderful smell that he sniffed coming out the door the woman smiled and invited him in. As he walked past her husband snoring on the couch he held back a sneeze. The woman had cats, and he was allergic to cats. Oh well, he thought, at least he would have a sale. And with that thought his mood began to brighten.