【跟着英剧练发音】A Histry Of Britain - 4

 Necessities? Well, at the centre, a hearth¹, around which they warmed themselves and cooked their food. A stone tank in which to keep live fish bait. And since we know that some of these houses had drains underneath² them, they must also, believe it or not, have had indoor toilets. Luxuries? Well, the orthopaedically correct stone bed may not seem particularly luxurious³, but the addition of layers of heather and straw would certainly have softened⁴ the sleeping surface and would actually have made this bed seem rather snug⁵. At the centre of it all, though, was this spectacular dresser on which our house-proud neolithic⁶ villagers would have set out all of their most precious stuff. Fine bone and ivory necklaces, beautifully rolled and carved stone objects, everything designed to make a grand interior statement. Given the rudimentary nature of their tools, it would have taken the villagers countless⁷ man-hours to build not just these domestic dwellings⁸, but also the great circles of stone where they would have gathered to worship.

 

译文：

何为必需品呢？比如说中央的炉床，用来取暖和做饭，用来保存活鱼饵的石质水槽。我们知道有些房屋已然拥有了地下排水沟，那么无论你相信与否，它们也有了室内卫生间。奢饰品又为何物呢？一张中规中矩的石床，或许算不得极尽奢华，但在上面铺上这石楠丛与稻草，却能使床面变得柔软舒适，让普通的石床摇身变为精致典雅的卧榻。放置在一切陈设中心的，是美轮美奂的梳妆台。讲究的新石器时期屋主，将所有家珍在此悉数摆出。精美的骨头和象牙项链，与精雕细琢的石器，无不衬托着室内的奢华与气魄。以当时落后原始的工具，定花费了数不尽的人力与时间。不仅建造了这些民宅，还有那些他们围起来的，供以祭祀膜拜的巨石圈。

1 hearth   

n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面

参考例句：

• She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。
• She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

2 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

3 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

4 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

5 snug   

adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房

参考例句：

• He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
• She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。

6 neolithic   

adj.新石器时代的

参考例句：

• Cattle were first domesticated in Neolithic times.新石器时代有人开始驯养牛。
• The monument was Stone Age or Neolithic.该纪念碑是属于石器时代或新石器时代的。

7 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

8 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》