美国小学英语教材6:第30课 山齿鹑家族(1)

 　　The Family of Bobwhite Clarence Hawkes 山齿鹑家族 克拉伦斯·霍克斯

　　When you have read this story, you will understand better why so many people love the out-of-doors and the study of wild life. 当你读了这个故事，你会更能体会为什么有那么多人喜爱户外，研究野生动物。

　　The Book of Nature is full of interesting facts. Clarence Hawkes here tells about the life of bobwhite, or the quail¹. 自然之书中有许多有趣的讲述，霍克斯向大家讲述山齿鹑，或者叫做鹑。

　　As you will learn, even a harmless bird like bobwhite lives a life of adventure and danger. 你会懂得即使是无害的山齿鹑也会经历探险般，危险的旅程。

　　Bobwhite in Springtime 春天的山齿鹑

　　Bobwhite was not a showy bird, although his suit was neat and quite jaunty². 山齿鹑不引人注目，尽管它是一副玲珑小巧，活蹦乱跳的样子。

　　His back and shoulders were grayish brown, while his undersides were lighter³. 它的后背和肩膀是浅灰棕色，下表面的颜色更浅。

　　The feathers on the top of his head stood up like a small pompadour, and under his throat was a white necktie. 头上的羽毛像庞帕多发型一样高耸，喉咙下面是一条白色的领结。

　　Such a dress would not attract the eyes of his enemies, hawks⁴, owls⁵, or men. 这样的装束是无法吸引天敌老鹰、猫头鹰或者是人类的注意的。

　　Bobwhite sat on the top of the gate one spring morning, whistling his merry call, 一个春天的早晨，山齿鹑矗立在门上，轻声细语地唱着欢乐的曲子，

　　bobwhite, bob, bob-bob-white, bobwhite, bob, bob-white. 布谷布谷，布谷布谷，布谷布谷，布谷。

　　Each time when he stopped whistling he hopped⁶ down on the top bar of the gateway⁷ and strutted⁹ back and forth¹⁰ like a turkey cock. 它每次停止歌唱时都会跳到门栏上，像一只雄火鸡一样趾高气昂地向前走，向后走。

　　First he would extend one wing to its full sweep, then the other, 它会首先展开一个翅膀，接着另外一个，

　　and finally spreading both wings and his funny short tail he would strut⁸ up and down as if to say, 之后挥着两个翅膀，她短小可爱的尾巴会上下扑腾，好似在说，

　　Now if you want to see a fine bird, just look at me. 如果你想看到一只美丽的小鸟，那就看我吧。

　　But bobwhite was whistling for something else besides good spirits this morning. He was whistling for a wife. 山齿鹑除了在清晨轻声歌唱，抖擞精神以外，它还在用歌声寻找妻子。

　　Presently down across the fields as though in answer to his calling came a clear white, white, white. 在下面的田野中好似有人在回应它的歌声，哇，哇，哇的声音非常清晰。

1 quail   

n.鹌鹑；vi.畏惧，颤抖

参考例句：

• Cowards always quail before the enemy.在敌人面前，胆小鬼们总是畏缩不前的。
• Quail eggs are very high in cholesterol.鹌鹑蛋胆固醇含量高。

2 jaunty   

adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意

参考例句：

• She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。
• The happy boy walked with jaunty steps.这个快乐的孩子以轻快活泼的步子走着。

3 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

4 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

5 owls   

n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• 'Clumsy fellows,'said I; 'they must still be drunk as owls.' “这些笨蛋，”我说，“他们大概还醉得像死猪一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The great majority of barn owls are reared in captivity. 大多数仓鸮都是笼养的。 来自辞典例句

6 hopped   

跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
• He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。

7 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

8 strut   

v.肿胀，鼓起；大摇大摆地走；炫耀；支撑；撑开；n.高视阔步；支柱，撑杆

参考例句：

• The circulation economy development needs the green science and technology innovation as the strut.循环经济的发展需要绿色科技创新生态化作为支撑。
• Now we'll strut arm and arm.这会儿咱们可以手挽着手儿，高视阔步地走了。

9 strutted   

趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The players strutted and posed for the cameras. 运动员昂首阔步，摆好姿势让记者拍照。
• Peacocks strutted on the lawn. 孔雀在草坪上神气活现地走来走去。

10 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。