美国小学英语教材5:第171课 为朋友而勇敢(12)

Long before he expected it, the snow-covered bulk of a stone wall seemed to leap out of the blinding snow curtain and rush toward him. Almost too late he jumped, and soaring through the air struck the slope again a good thirty feet beyond.

早在他预料到之前，一堵被雪覆盖的石墙似乎从眩目的雪幕中跳出来，冲向他。几乎来不及了，他跳了起来，在三十英尺外的山坡上又一次冲上了天空。

He tried to figure where he was coming out and what hindrances¹ he might yet encounter, but the effort was useless. But the lightning speed at which he was traveling made thought almost impossible. Again, with the same terrible swiftness the final barrier loomed² ahead. He leaped, and, at the very take-off, a gasp³ of horror was jolted⁴ from his lips by the sight of a two-horse sledge⁵ moving along the road directly in his path!

他想弄清楚自己从哪里出来，还会遇到什么障碍，可是这一切都无济于事。但他以闪电般的速度行进，这几乎使人无法想象。最后一道障碍又以同样可怕的速度逼近了。他跳了起来，刚一起飞，看见一辆两匹马拉的雪橇正沿着他的道路向前移动，吓得他直喘气。

It was all over in a flash. Helpless to avoid the collision, Paul nevertheless twisted his body toward the left. The next instant he landed badly, his feet shot out from under him, and he fell backward with a stunning⁶ crash.

一切都在一瞬间结束了。保罗无法避免碰撞，但还是把身体向左扭去。接着，他重重地摔了一跤，两只脚从身下伸出来，他向后一倒，发出一声惊人的撞击声。

His first knowledge was of two strange faces bending over him and of hands lifting him from where he lay half buried in the snow. For a moment he was too dazed to speak or even to remember. Then, with a rush of immense relief, he realized what had happened, and gaining speech, he blurted⁷ out the story of Bill Hedges’ injury and the need for help.

他最初知道的是有两张陌生的脸俯在他身上，还有两只手把他从半埋在雪里的地方举了起来。他一时发呆，说不出话来，甚至想不起来了。然后，他如释重负，意识到发生了什么事，他说话了，脱口而出比尔·赫奇斯受伤和需要帮助的事情。

1 hindrances   

阻碍者( hindrance的名词复数 )； 障碍物； 受到妨碍的状态

参考例句：

• She also speaks out against the traditional hindrances to freedom. 她甚至大声疾呼，反对那些阻挡自由的、统礼教的绊脚石。
• When this stage is reached then the hindrances and karma are overcome. 唯此状态达到后，则超越阻碍和因果。

2 loomed   

v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
• The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 gasp   

n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说

参考例句：

• She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
• The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

4 jolted   

（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。

5 sledge   

n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往

参考例句：

• The sledge gained momentum as it ran down the hill.雪橇从山上下冲时的动力越来越大。
• The sledge slid across the snow as lightly as a boat on the water.雪橇在雪原上轻巧地滑行，就象船在水上行驶一样。

6 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

7 blurted   

v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止，她已脱口而出。
• He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相，说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》