美国小学英语教材6:第72课 闪烁的翅膀(2)

 After three hundred yards of climbing, the panting little beast was pulled to a sudden turn. 爬了三百码后，这个气喘吁吁的小马突然被拉了个急转弯。

He looked around inquiringly. Nothing doing. Let's get on back. Dad's counting on me to help with the work on the ranch¹ for a while! 他好奇地环顾四周。什么都没干。我们回去吧。爸爸还指望我帮他干一会儿牧场的活呢!

Clint's jaw² squared, and soon his determined³ arm was jerking a fallen fence post into place. 克林特的下巴绷得紧紧的，不一会儿，他就坚定的用手臂把一根倒下的篱笆柱子拉回原位。

The sun was ready to slide over behind the highest peak when Clint's alert ear caught a far droning sound. 当克林特警觉的耳朵听到远处嗡嗡的声音时，太阳正准备从最高峰的后面滑过去。

Louder it swelled⁴, and louder. His gaze leaped toward the oncoming roar and met the glint of wings that far outshone the eagle's in bigness and might. 声音越来越大。他的目光投向了即将飞来的飞机，并与它翅膀的闪光相碰触，机翼的光芒远远盖过了老鹰的巨大的身体和力量。

Proudly the great man-bird curved through the ridge⁵ of the West Range, 一架伟大的飞机骄傲地在西方山脉的山脊上盘旋，

swooped⁶ then to a steady whir as though to graze the boy's upturned head, and drove into the lower horizon, straight and swift and beautiful. 然后俯冲下来，发出一声稳定的呼呼声，仿佛是要抚摩男孩仰起的头，然后又飞到了较低的地平线处，真是笔直、敏捷又美丽。

It was the nearest Clint had ever been to an airplane. 这是克林特离飞机最近的一次。

He thrilled at the sight, the sound, and the power of it. His fingers tingled⁷ to get hold of the throbbing⁸ motor. 他看到这情景，听到这声音，感受到这声音的力量，整个人激动得发抖。他的手指感到刺痛，想抓住跳动的马达。

Wings, that's what he wanted. Yes, wings! He, too, would fly with the sureness of an eagle, with the daring of a mail pilot! 翅膀，这就是他想要的。是的，翅膀!他也会像鹰一样自信地飞翔，像邮政飞行员一样勇敢!

"Dad," he said that evening as he waited to get his father's attention, “爸爸，”那天晚上，他在等待一个时间来引起父亲的注意，

"I've decided⁹, now I have finished high school, that I'm going to be a mail pilot. An air school's what I want, not a regular college." “现在我已经高中毕业了，我已经决定，我要成为一名邮政飞行员。我想上航空学校，而不是普通的大学。”

"Are you sure?" The boy nodded. “你确定吗？”男孩点了点头。

"Very well, Son. You may never be a Lindbergh. But character is what counts in flying, in ranching¹⁰, or what not." “很好，儿子。你可能永远不会成为林德伯格。但是在飞行中，在牧场中，或者别的什么地方，品格才是最重要的。”

Joyfully¹¹ Clint jumped to his feet. "Oh, Dad! When can I start？ 克林特高兴地跳了起来。“噢，爸爸！我什么时候可以开始？

"That's the question," replied his father. "I haven't the money to help you, but I'll pay you wages just as I do the other hands on the ranch. “这就是问题所在，”父亲回答说。“我没有钱帮你，但我会付给你工钱，就像我给农场里的其他人付钱一样。”

Then it will be your job to save money for your training in aviation." 那么你就可以通过工作为你的航空训练攒钱。”

 

1 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

2 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 swelled   

增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
• After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

5 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

6 swooped   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。
• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

7 tingled   

v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My cheeks tingled with the cold. 我的脸颊冻得有点刺痛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The crowd tingled with excitement. 群众大为兴奋。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 throbbing   

a. 跳动的,悸动的

参考例句：

• My heart is throbbing and I'm shaking. 我的心在猛烈跳动，身子在不住颤抖。
• There was a throbbing in her temples. 她的太阳穴直跳。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 ranching   

adj.放牧的

参考例句：

• They cleared large tracts of forest for farming, logging and ranching. 他们清除了大片的森林以经营农耕、采伐与畜牧。
• This is a trade center in a ranching and oil-producing region. 这是一个牧场与产油区的贸易中心。

11 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。