美国小学英语教材6:第6课 摄像机猎象记(4)

 　　With most game, the larger the herd¹ the less chance there is of getting a good picture, for they stampede too easily. 对于大多数动物而言，群体越庞大，获得好图像的概率就越小，因为它们很容易因受惊而集体奔逃。

　　But with elephants the opposite is true; a single elephant is always on the alert², but a herd is usually more careless. 但是对于象群来说却正好相反：一头象永远处于保持警惕的状态，而象群却非常随意。

　　I once had to shoot a charging elephant to save my life. 有一次，为了保命，我不得不开枪射击一头狂奔而来的大象。

　　He was mortally wounded, and I prepared to shoot again to save him from suffering; 它受了致命伤，随后我准备再开一枪，结束它的痛苦。

　　but before I could raise my gun, two of his companions came on either side of him as if to support him, 但当我举起枪的时候，它的两个同伴从两侧跑了出来，似乎是来救援的，

　　and he tottered³ away into the forest. This incident shows how loyal elephants are to members of their tribe⁴. 然后我看到这头大象踉跄着进了森林。这充分体现了大象对它的族群成员的绝对忠诚。

　　I have seen a mother elephant punish her toto with her trunk, push it into line when it was staggering⁵ with weariness⁶, 我亲眼看到过一头幼象因为困倦蹒跚而行的时候，一头母象用鼻子惩罚它，迫使它走直线；

　　and squirt mud over it when it was crying from the heat. 我也见过幼象因为温度太高而哭泣时母象把泥巴浇在它身上的情形。

　　Generally they are very patient with their totos, but when punishment is needed, it is given. 一般来说，母象对自己的孩子很有耐心，但该惩罚的时候，它们也会照做不误。

　　Boculy, the elephant guid “象导”鲍可利

　　We were fortunate to have employed Boculy for our elephant guide. 我们很幸运能找到鲍可利做我们的“象导”。

　　I believe he knows more about elephants than anyone in the world. 我相信他比世界上任何一个人都了解大象。

　　Boculy is a very important person in his own land. 在这片大陆上，鲍可利是一个非常重要的人。

　　Somewhere in the wilds he has a thousand cattle and two hundred fifty camels 在大草原的某个地方，他养了1000头牛和250只骆驼，

　　which some of his wandering tribe tend for him when he is on safari⁷ with the white men. 当他与白人外出旅行的时候，他便让他所在的游牧部落的族人为他放养。

　　He knows all the languages of the plains and the desert, 他通晓平原和沙漠上的所有语言，

　　and in some curious way he can get aid from any of these people when we need it. 并且当我们需要帮助的时候，他总能以某种奇妙的方式向这些部落中的任何一个寻求帮助。

　　There is a mystery in his wise old face, and his knowledge of wild animals is indeed remarkable⁸. 他苍老而智慧的脸上始终带着一丝神秘，他对野生动物的语言也十分了解。

1 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

2 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

3 tottered   

v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠

参考例句：

• The pile of books tottered then fell. 这堆书晃了几下，然后就倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wounded soldier tottered to his feet. 伤员摇摇晃晃地站了起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 tribe   

n.部落，种族，一伙人

参考例句：

• This is a subject tribe.这是个受他人统治的部落。
• Many of the tribe's customs and rituals are as old as the hills.这部落的许多风俗、仪式都极其古老。

5 staggering   

a.惊人的

参考例句：

• Why is that man staggering about the room like that? 那人为什么那样摇摇晃晃地在屋里走来走去？
• Profits have shot up by a staggering 25%. 利润惊人地攀升了25%。

6 weariness   

n.疲倦

参考例句：

• I detected a faint note of weariness in his voice. 我从他的声音中察觉出一丝倦意。
• His eyes were half closing in weariness. 他疲倦得眼睛都快睜不开了。

7 safari   

n.远征旅行(探险、考察)；探险队，狩猎队

参考例句：

• When we go on safari we like to cook on an open fire.我们远行狩猎时，喜欢露天生火做饭。
• They went on safari searching for the rare black rhinoceros.他们进行探险旅行，搜寻那稀有的黑犀牛。

8 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。