去年我有过一次有趣的经历。
I had an amusing experience last year.
离开法国南部的一个小村庄之后，我驱车前往下一个城镇。
After I had left a small village in the south of France, I drove on to the next town.
在途中，一个年轻男子向我挥手示意。
On the way, a young man waved to me.
我停下车，他请求我让他搭便车。
I stopped and he asked me for a lift.
他一上车，我就用法语向他道了声早安，他也用同一种语言回答了我。
As soon as he had got into the car, I said good morning to him in French and he replied in the same language.
除了几个单词之外，我根本不懂任何法语。
Apart from a few words, I do not know any French at all.
旅途中，我们两个人谁也没有说话。
Neither of us spoke during the journey.
我几乎就要到达那个小镇了，这时那个年轻人突然开口，说得非常缓慢：'你会说英语吗？'
I had nearly reached the town, when the young man suddenly said, very slowly, 'Do you speak English?'
正如我很快得知的那样，他自己就是英国人！
As I soon learnt, he was English himself!