美国小学英语教材6:第68课 洋基快速船(7)

 Why, it cannot be done! he cried. Not even pirate ships, it seemed, could fly on such swift wings. 他大叫道为什么，这不可能，就连海盗船都没法有这样的速度。

There are favorable winds and chances for good luck on the eastern passage, but when your prow¹ is turned toward home again, 风向对速度有帮助，往东的路程很是幸运，但如果你准备回家，

when you are obliged to go southward to get the trade winds which blow for all ships alike, 你会往南走，你将遭受信风，这会影响所有船只，

then you will find that this is an ordinary ship, just like all the rest. We will equal our record or better it, 你会发现这就是普通的舰船，和其它的没有区别，我们的记录将和以前的持平或更高，

Humphrey replied obstinately², although, as I admit, the westward³ voyage is a longer and a more difficult one. 汉弗莱固执地回答道，尽管正如我说的，向西的路程要更长，而且更艰难。

But the West Wind, sir, is a ship not like other ships. 但先生“西风”和其它的舰船不一样。

The dark visitor shrugged⁴ his shoulders, slipped one sleek⁵ hand within his satin robe, and laid a handful of gold coins upon the table. 这名黝黑的访问者耸了耸肩，在他的绸缎长袍下，他把手中的一大把金币放在了桌子上。

A gift from my ruler to you, he said. But what for? Humphrey asked. 他说这是统治者给你们的礼物，汉弗莱问道做什么？

A mere⁶ token, sent with the message that the ruler of Tripoli begs you to be a little blind, 只是一个象征，代表了的黎波里统治者恳求你睁一只眼，闭一只眼，

if you should see a vessel⁷ of ours in pursuit of some French or British trading vessel. 如果你看到我们的舰船正在追逐法国或英国商船。

You Americans are so hasty and interfere⁸ so often in matters which do not concern you. 你们美国人太草率了，干预了许多不关你们的事。

We drive no bargains to be paid for in stolen coin, returned Humphrey hotly. Have you not learned once what America thinks of piracy⁹? 汉弗莱强烈地回答道，我们不用偷来的硬币来做交易，你们不知道我们美国人对隐私的看法吗？

America is far away, the minister answered dryly. News carries thither¹⁰ slowly, and as slowly comes back again. 这名大臣冷冰冰地回答道，美国很遥远，新闻传到这里要很长的时间，传回的消息也一样漫长。

It is twenty years since your country fought mine; we believe that America is ceasing to watch us. 你的国家攻打我们已过去20年了，我们相信美国已停止关注我们。

The Atlantic is a broad and windy sea. You do not know, the young officer replied slowly, 大西洋是一片宽阔，寒风凌冽的海洋，你不知道，这名年轻的官员缓慢地回答道，

that there is a wise man in my country, my comrade and dear friend, who has learned how to make the Atlantic a thousand miles less broad. 我们国家有一名有智慧的人，也是我的战友和朋友，他知道如何让大西洋缩短一千英里。

He built this ship with which we have shortened the voyage by four days and will, when we set sail again, lessen¹¹ it by more than that. 他建造的舰船把航行时间缩短了四天，当我们再次起航时，我们还可以大幅度缩减。

Your pirate vessels¹² are swift, but Yankee wits are swifter, and presently your vessels will bring back a tale, 你们的海盗船敏捷，但杨基人更敏捷，你们的舰船将带回一个传说，

for every seacoast will ring with it, that Jonathan Adams' ship, the West Wind, has crossed the ocean in eighteen days. 每一个港口都会知晓这个传说，那就是乔纳森·亚当斯的船“西风”用了18天就穿越了海洋。

 

 

1 prow   

n.(飞机)机头，船头

参考例句：

• The prow of the motor-boat cut through the water like a knife.汽艇的船头像一把刀子劈开水面向前行驶。
• He stands on the prow looking at the seadj.他站在船首看着大海。

2 obstinately   

ad.固执地，顽固地

参考例句：

• He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。
• Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。

3 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

4 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

6 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

7 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

8 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

9 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

10 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

11 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

12 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》