1-2 护身符和象征：钟

Charms and Symbols

Bell

 

In ancient times all over the world, it was believed that evil spirits could put up with just about anything except the clanging¹ of a bell. Over time, the bell itself, even when not ringing, came to be regarded as a powerful lucky symbol. Because it is suspended in a hanging position, it takes on the representation of all life suspended between heaven and earth. Its vault¹ like² shape has become a symbol of heaven.

 

Bells are used in Christian² churches as well as Hindu and Buddhist³ temples as a means of keeping evil away. The bell tolled⁴ at funerals is now explained as a signal to the living that a soul is passing to the other side and should be accompanied by prayers. But originally the tolling⁵ was intended to prevent evil forces from interfering⁶ with the soul’s heavenward journey.

 

Bells are often used as a warning of danger. Obviously, the fact they are easy to hear makes them perfect for the job. But just as important is the age old beliefs in most European countries that the sound of a bell can turn away an approaching storm, deflect⁷³ lightning or tame⁴ a tornado⁸⁵.

 

But why bells? Such things as gunpowder⁹ make more noise than bells, and the Chinese still routinely use it to frighten away harmful spirits. But after gunpowder was introduced into Europe, the English scientist Roger Bacon said he still thought bells were much better demon-chasers⁶. In a thirteenth-century scientific report, Bacon concluded that it wasn’t the sound of a bell in itself that had the power but the movement of the air caused by repeated tolling. In his opinion, it canceled out the turbulence¹⁰⁷ caused by mischief-making spirits.

 

注释：

1.clang [klAN] vt＆vi. （使）当当响

2.vault like [vC:lt5laik] adj. 像穹隆样的，拱顶状的

3.deflect [di5flekt] vt. 使转向；使偏斜

4.tame [teim] vt. 制服；驾驭

5.tornado [tC:5neidEu] n. 龙卷风；飓风

6.demon-chaser [5di:mEn5tFeisE] n. 驱逐恶魔之物

7.turbulence [5tbjulEns] n. 骚乱，骚动

 

护身符和象征

钟

 

  古时候，世界各地的人们相信邪恶的灵魂能够忍受一切，但就是不能忍受丁丁当当的钟声。渐渐地，即使不敲响，钟也被看作是一种有用的幸运象征。因为钟常被悬挂着，于是它代表了所有悬浮于天空和大地之间的生命。它的拱顶形状成为天空的象征。

　　在基督教教堂以及印度教和佛教的庙宇里，钟被用来驱走邪恶。在葬礼上鸣钟现在被解释为对生者发出一个信号：一个灵魂将要到另一个世界，需要祈祷者的陪伴。但最初鸣钟是为了防止灵魂在升向天堂的路上遭遇邪恶势力的干扰。

　　钟还经常用来警告危险。显然，钟最能胜任这项工作是因为容易让人听见。但另一同样重要的原因是，在许多欧洲国家有个非常古老的说法，即钟声能使即将来临的暴风雨移开，使闪电转向，使龙卷风驯服。

　　但是为什么非得用钟呢？一些如火药之类的东西比钟能发出更响的声音，中国人至今还习惯用火药制成的爆竹去吓走有害的幽灵。但是在火药被引进欧洲后，英国科学家罗杰·培根说，他还是认为钟是更好的驱魔武器。在一份13世纪的科学报告中，培根得出结论说,武器的威力并非出自钟的声音本身，而是出自不停击钟时空气的流动。在他看来，击钟引起的空气流动压住了捣乱的鬼魂造成的骚乱。

 

1 vault   

n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室

参考例句：

• The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
• The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

4 tolled   

鸣钟（toll的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Bells were tolled all over the country at the King's death. 全国为国王之死而鸣钟。
• The church bell tolled the hour. 教堂的钟声报时。

5 tolling   

[财]来料加工

参考例句：

• A remote bell is tolling. 远处的钟声响了。
• Indeed, the bells were tolling, the people were trooping into the handsome church. 真的，钟声响了，人们成群结队走进富丽堂皇的教堂。

6 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

7 deflect   

v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向

参考例句：

• Never let a little problem deflect you.决不要因一点小问题就半途而废。
• They decided to deflect from the original plan.他们决定改变原计划。

8 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

9 gunpowder   

n.火药

参考例句：

• Gunpowder was introduced into Europe during the first half of the 14th century.在14世纪上半叶，火药传入欧洲。
• This statement has a strong smell of gunpowder.这是一篇充满火药味的声明。

10 turbulence   

n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流

参考例句：

• The turbulence caused the plane to turn over.空气的激流导致飞机翻转。
• The world advances amidst turbulence.世界在动荡中前进。