美国小学英语教材6:第201课 一名波兰小男孩的旅程(7)

As twilight¹ came on and deepened² into night, the great mass of people at the river's edge sang songs, the Polish national song and many others.

暮光来临，进入夜晚，河边的大量人群唱起了歌，波兰国歌等其它歌曲。

When at last the moon lifted up its bright face over the mud-flats to the east of the river, there went up a great shout.

最后，河东边的月光在泥滩上展开了皎洁的脸，人们尖叫起来。

Then there were merry struggles to get to the water's edge and launch³ the wreaths⁴. Those up on the top of the Wawel tossed⁵ theirs down,

人们欢快地奋力走到河边，敬献花圈，瓦维尔宫上面的人将花圈扔下来，

and these did not always fall into the river, but there were plenty of willing hands to take them up and throw them in.

这些花圈一般不会掉落到河中，但有很多乐于帮忙的人将它们捡起，并放入河中。

Many of those who had paper or muslin wreaths lighted them first and when they were burning brightly, set them afloat.

那些拥有纸花圈或细平布花圈的人会将它们点燃，当它们充分燃烧时，将它们仍入河中。

They were like red stars upon the moonlit water. They bobbed about in the river until their flames were put out,

在月光照亮的河中，这些花圈很像红色的星星，它们会在河中快速移动，直到火苗被扑灭，

or floated down its main currents, some flaming, some lying on the water's surface like great water-lilies.

或是流到干流中，一些在燃烧，一些躺在水面上很像水百合花。

GRANDFATHER MAKES HIS DECISION

爷爷做了决定

Meanwhile, amidst the crowd, Uncle Ludwik and Aunt Anni were wondering where their son Lothar could be.

同时在人群中，卢兹维克叔叔和安妮阿姨正在想他们的儿子洛塔尔去了哪里。

They had asked him to go with them to the Festival, but when the time had come to start for the river they could not find him.

他们让他和他们一起去花圈节，当河边活动开始时，他们找不到他了。

They were quite used to that, for Lothar could not be depended upon. Quite near them was Marya,

他们已经习惯了，洛塔尔靠不住，他们身边是玛利亚，

arm in arm with Grandfather, the two of them laughing like happy children together.

玛利亚和爷爷挽着胳膊，两个人乐起来像欢乐的儿童。

Near by, Ivor was pushing Grandmother in her old wheel chair.

附近，伊沃推着坐在老旧轮椅中的奶奶。

He had gone early to get her, knowing that the chair had a habit of moving on a slant⁶ instead of straight ahead.

他很早就去接她，知道她的轮椅不会直走而是斜着走。

And indeed it took a long time to reach the Wawel from the little house in a narrow street near the square where Grandfather and Grandmother lived.

确实，用了很长时间才从一条窄街的小房子中抵达瓦维尔宫，这条窄街靠近爷爷奶奶居住的广场。

1 twilight   

n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期

参考例句：

• Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
• Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。

2 deepened   

v.变深，加深( deepen的过去式和过去分词 )；加浓

参考例句：

• Their friendship soon deepened into love. 他们的友谊很快发展成为爱情。
• The gloom deepened as the election results came in. 选举结果陆续传来，失败的情绪越来越重。

3 launch   

vt.发动，推出；发射；n.发射，下水，投产

参考例句：

• The makers are about to launch out a new product.制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。
• Would it be wise to launch into this rough sea?在这样汹涌的大海中游泳明智吗？

4 wreaths   

n.花环( wreath的名词复数 )；花圈；（烟、云等的）圈状物；环状物

参考例句：

• Wreaths were laid at the martyr's tomb. 烈士墓前安放着花圈。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Wreaths are woven of wool, feathers, or even human hair. 还有人将羊毛、羽毛、甚至头发编织成花环。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗

5 tossed   

v.（轻轻或漫不经心地）扔( toss的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）摇荡；摇匀；（为…）掷硬币决定

参考例句：

• I tossed the book aside and got up. 我把书丢在一边，站了起来。
• He angrily tossed his tools and would work no longer. 他怒气冲冲地扔下工具不肯再干了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 slant   

v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向

参考例句：

• The lines are drawn on a slant.这些线条被画成斜线。
• The editorial had an antiunion slant.这篇社论有一种反工会的倾向。