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Ben became interested in Mongolia early in life.
本从小就对蒙古国产生了浓厚的兴趣。
When he was 9 years old, he read a book about Marco Polo, about how Marco Polo traveled with his uncles on the ultimate business trip to the Mongol Empire at its height.
9岁的时候，他读了一本有关马可·波罗的书，这本书讲述了马克·波罗跟随叔叔踏上经商之旅并最终抵达正处于鼎盛时期的蒙古帝国的故事。
Marco Polo’s trip lasted almost a quarter of a century, during which he grew up, mastered Mongolian, gained the confidence of the Mongol emperor, and then eventually returned home with fantastic tales of strange lands and stranger people.
马克·波罗的旅程持续了将近四分之一个世纪，期间他长大成人，掌握了蒙古语，还取得了蒙古皇帝的信任，最后带着异国土地和异国人民的奇妙故事，回到了家乡。
The story of Marco Polo fascinated Ben.
马可·波罗的故事让本心驰神往。
Ben tried to save money from his first job delivering newspapers with an eye toward a $3,000-trip to Mongolia.
本一心想用3000美元去一趟蒙古，于是他决心通过自己的第一份工作——送报纸——把钱省下来。
But in those days, it would take him years to have the money ready.
但那个年代，要凑够这么一笔钱需要他花上数年的时间。
So he continued to read about Mongolia in the meantime, but spent most of his teenage years in the Arab world, where he learned the language and became interested in journalism.
于是他一边工作，一边继续阅读有关蒙古国的书籍，但他的青少年时期大部分时间是在阿拉伯国家度过的，他在那儿学会了阿拉伯语，并对新闻工作产生了兴趣。
He took courses in classical and modern Mongolian while studying for his master's degree and found it very difficult.
他在攻读硕士学位期间选择了古典蒙古语和现代蒙古语课程，发现非常难学。
But he still wants to visit Mongolia,
但他依然想去蒙古，
"in the spring or summer," he said, "Mongolian winters, when temperatures drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius, are not for me."
"春天或夏天吧，" 他说，"蒙古一到冬天温度就降会到零下30度，不适合我。"
"The price today with an upscale company is reasonable," Ben said,
"如今高端旅游公司的价格比较合理，"本说，
"Compared to the $3,000 it was back in 1971, today the same trip is around $5,000, which, though still a large sum, is, in terms of inflation, a good bargain."
"与1971年的3000美元相比，现在去一趟蒙古需要5000美元左右，尽管仍然是笔大钱，但考虑到通货膨胀，就很划算了。"
