美国语文第四册 第84期:马(1)

　　Well, boys, I am glad to see you again. 啊，孩子们，很高兴再次见到大家。

　　Since I last saw you I have made quite a tour, and at some future time will describe to you what I have seen. 自从上次见到你们之后，我去旅游了一段时间，将来给你们讲讲我看到了些什么。

　　I promised at this meeting, however, to tell you something about animals, and I propose to begin with the horse. 不管怎么说，我答应过这次见面会给你们讲关于动物的事，我建议从马开始讲起。

　　But I know that you like stories better than lecturing, 我知道你们喜欢听故事，不喜欢听课，

　　so I will proceed at once to tell you some which I have gathered for you. 所以我马上来给你们讲讲搜集到的故事。

　　We never feel tired of listening to you, Uncle Thomas. 托马斯叔叔，听您讲故事我们从来不感到疲倦。

　　We know you always have something curious to tell us. 我们知道您总会讲些奇特的事情。

　　Well then, Frank, to begin at once with the horse. 好吧，弗兰克，这就开始讲马的故事了。

　　In several parts of the world there are to be found large herds² of wild horses. 在世界上很多地方都发现了大群的野马。

　　In South America the immense plains are inhabited by them, 它们有些生活在南美洲广袤的平原上，

　　and it is said that ten thousand are sometimes found in a single herd¹. 说有时一个马群就有1万匹之多。

　　These herds are always preceded by a leader, who directs their motions; 马群都由一个领头的马带队，它来指挥大家的行动。

　　and such is the regularity³ with which they perform their movements, 这就是马匹们行动的秩序性，

　　that it seems as if they could hardly be surpassed by the best trained cavalry⁴. 看起来经过最优秀培训的骑兵也很难能超越它们。

　　It is extremely dangerous for travelers to meet a herd of this description. 对旅行者来说，遇到这样的一群马匹是非常危险的。

　　When they are unaccustomed to the sight of such a mass of creatures, 当他们还不习惯于眼前这么一大群的生物时，

　　they can not help feeling greatly alarmed at their rapid and apparently⁵ irresistible⁶ approach. 会不禁被它们快速且显然不可抗拒的行动方式吓住。

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 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

3 regularity   

n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐

参考例句：

• The idea is to maintain the regularity of the heartbeat.问题就是要维持心跳的规律性。
• He exercised with a regularity that amazed us.他锻炼的规律程度令我们非常惊讶。

4 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。