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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
How they toiled1 and sweated to get the hay in!
收割牧草时,他们干得多卖力!
But their efforts were rewarded, for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had hoped.
但他们的汗水并没有白流,因为这次丰收比他们先前期望的还要大。
Sometimes the work was hard; the implements2 had been designed for human beings and not for animals.
这些活时常很艰难:农具是为人而不是为动物设计的。
And it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing3 on his hind4 legs.
没有一个动物能摆弄那些需要靠两条后腿站着才能使用的器械,这是一个很大的缺陷。
But the pigs were so clever that they could think of a way round every difficulty.
但是,猪确实聪明,他们能想出排除每个困难的办法。
As for the horses, they knew every inch of the field, and in fact understood the business of mowing5 and raking far better than Jones and his men had ever done.
至于马呢,他们这些田地了如指掌,实际上,他们比琼斯及其伙计们对刈草和耕地精通得多。
The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others.
猪其实并不干活,只是指导和监督其他动物。
With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership.
他们凭着非凡的学识,很自然地承担了领导工作。
Boxer6 and Clover would harness themselves to the cutter or the horse-rake (no bits or reins7 were needed in these days, of course)
鲍克瑟和克拉弗情愿自己套上割草机或者马拉耙机(当然,这时候根本不会用嚼子或者缰绳),
and tramp steadily8 round and round the field with a pig walking behind and calling out "Gee9 up, comrade!" or "Whoa back, comrade!" as the case might be.
迈着沉稳的步伐,坚定地一圈一圈地行进,猪在其身后跟着,根据不同情况,要么吆喝一声“吁、吁,同志!”要么就是“喔、喔,同志!”
在搬运和堆积牧草时,每个动物无不尽力服从指挥。
Even the ducks and hens toiled to and fro all day in the sun, carrying tiny wisps of hay in their beaks11.
就连鸭子和鸡也整天在大太阳下,辛苦地用嘴巴衔上一小撮牧草来来回回忙个不停。
In the end they finished the harvest in two days' less time than it had usually taken Jones and his men.
最后,他们完成了收获,比琼斯那伙人过去干的活的时间提前了整整两天!
Moreover, it was the biggest harvest that the farm had ever seen.
更了不起的是,这是一个庄园里前所未有的大丰收。
There was no wastage whatever; the hens and ducks with their sharp eyes had gathered up the very last stalk.
没有半点遗落;鸡和鸭子凭他们敏锐的眼光竟连非常细小的草梗草叶也没有放过。
And not an animal on the farm had stolen so much as a mouthful.
也没有一个动物偷吃哪怕一口牧草。
All through that summer the work of the farm went like clockwork.
整个夏季,庄园里的工作象时钟一样运行得有条有理。
The animals were happy as they had never conceived it possible to be.
动物也都幸福愉快,而这一切,是他们从前连想都不敢想的。
Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure, now that it was truly their own food,
而今,既然所有食物都出自他们自己劳作,自己生产,而不是吝啬的主人施舍的嗟来之食,
因而他们吃的是自己所有的食物,每嚼一口都是一种无比的享受。
With the worthless parasitical14 human beings gone, there was more for everyone to eat.
随着寄生的人的离去,每一个动物便有了更多的食物。
There was more leisure too, inexperienced though the animals were.
尽管他们还没有什么经验,但他们也有了更多的闲暇。
They met with many difficulties.
他们遇到过不少麻烦。
点击收听单词发音
1 toiled | |
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉 | |
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2 implements | |
n.工具( implement的名词复数 );家具;手段;[法律]履行(契约等)v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 );执行;贯彻;使生效 | |
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3 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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4 hind | |
adj.后面的,后部的 | |
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5 mowing | |
n.割草,一次收割量,牧草地v.刈,割( mow的现在分词 ) | |
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6 boxer | |
n.制箱者,拳击手 | |
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7 reins | |
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
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8 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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9 gee | |
n.马;int.向右!前进!,惊讶时所发声音;v.向右转 | |
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10 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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11 beaks | |
n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 );鹰钩嘴;尖鼻子;掌权者 | |
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12 doled | |
救济物( dole的过去式和过去分词 ); 失业救济金 | |
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13 grudging | |
adj.勉强的,吝啬的 | |
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14 parasitical | |
adj. 寄生的(符加的) | |
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