一位不为油价左右的美国人

KDFW: Ooooh, son.

KDFW: He saddles up everyday and hits the open range.

Egon Settle: There you go.

KDFW: Which in this case is one of the busiest commercial districts in North Texas

Egon Settle: I've got a horse. This is Texas. I'll ride my horse if I have to.

KDFW: Egon Settle mounts up as a way to battle mounting fuel prices.

Egon Settle: Gas will never control me.

KDFW: Five weeks' trotting¹ around Arlington on Free Fallen and he’s already saved nearly 500 dollars in gas.

Egon Settle: I have a lot of people that, recently, they'll pull over. They'll come and shake my hand and say, "I appreciate what you're doing, the statement that you're making."

KDFW: This hair stylist uses the horse mainly for errands, ten miles a day, usually to the bank, or even to grab a bite to eat.

Egon Settle: To go, a curly fry...

KDFW: And with gas prices these days, the idea is catching² on.

Unidentified Male: Oh, (inaudible) painful at a pump right now. I think not only me but everyone complain(s) about that, dude.

KDFW: You're gonna get yourself a horse?

Unidentified Male: Ah. I think so.

KDFW: Next time you are at the pump, getting gas, are you gonna think about the horse?

Unidentified Female: I am thinking about getting my bike out actually.

Egon Settle: Come on. Come on.

KDFW: When he's not galloping³ across town, Free Fallen is usually making a friend, or munching⁴ on a bale of hay and chaseing it with a five-gallon bucket of water. At an average cost of 3 dollars per day, Settle says he's got the best deal going. He admits he still loves to drive his truck, but he says even that doesn't fill his need for a steed.

1 trotting   

小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• The riders came trotting down the lane. 这骑手骑着马在小路上慢跑。
• Alan took the reins and the small horse started trotting. 艾伦抓住缰绳，小马开始慢跑起来。

2 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

3 galloping   

adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The horse started galloping the moment I gave it a good dig. 我猛戳了马一下，它就奔驰起来了。
• Japan is galloping ahead in the race to develop new technology. 日本在发展新技术的竞争中进展迅速，日新月异。

4 munching   

v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was munching an apple. 他在津津有味地嚼着苹果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Munching the apple as he was, he had an eye for all her movements. 他虽然啃着苹果，但却很留神地监视着她的每一个动作。 来自辞典例句