【跟着英剧练发音】A Histry Of Britain - 8

 Many of those towers still survive, though none are as daunting¹ as the great stone stockade² on Arran, off Ireland's west coast. And they didn't just spring up around the edges of the British islands. All over the mainland, too. The great hill forts of the Iron Age remain visible in terraced contours at places like Danebury and Maiden³ Castle. Lofty seats of power for the tribal⁴ chiefs, they were defended by rings of earthworks, timber palisades and ramparts. Behind those daunting walls, this was not a world in panicky retreat. The Iron Age Britain into which the Romans eventually crashed with such alarming force was a dynamic, expanding society. From their workshops came the spectacular metalwork with which the elite⁵ decorated their bodies. Armlets, pins and brooches and ornamental⁶ shields like this, the so-called Battersea Shield. Or the astonishing stylised bronze horses, endearingly melancholy⁷ in expression, like so many Eeyores resigned to a bad day in battle.

译文：

很多石塔虽得以幸存，却无一能如坐落在爱尔兰西海岸阿蓝岛上的大围栏般巍然屹立，石塔不仅在不列颠诸岛的边缘涌现，同样分布在本土。铁器时代的山地堡垒至今仍有部分，幸存于高地间，诸如Danebury与处女堡。部落首领至高无上的宝座，由环状的土方工程与木质的栅栏壁垒层层守卫着，固若金汤的城池，让城内的人得以安居乐业。铁器时代不列颠在遭受罗马帝国铁蹄荼毒之前，曾经活力迸发扩张迅速。工场生产的精美金属制品,成了精英们最好的装饰。无论护臂、插脚、护胸，还是这装饰精美的巴特西盾牌。还有这精美绝伦的青铜马，表达着令人爱怜的愁思，就像一群战场受挫的小驴屹耳。

1 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

2 stockade   

n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护

参考例句：

• I had not gone a hundred yards when I reached the stockade.我跑了不到一百码，就到了栅栏前。
• A heavy stockade around the cabin protected the pioneer from attack.小屋周围的厚厚的栅栏保护拓荒者免受攻击。

3 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

4 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

5 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

6 ornamental   

adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物

参考例句：

• The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。
• The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。

7 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。