美国语文第四册 第142期:鸟类趣闻(2)

 　　At the end of a lane, flanked on one side by a quickset hedge, on the other by a wild common, what was called the copse commenced; 小路的一边是简易的栅栏，另外一边是片空地，小路的尽头就是小树林了。

　　but before I arrived near the spot I heard a loud and tremendous cackling, and met two young, long-legged pullets, running with both wings and feet toward home. 可是还没到小树林，就听到了咯咯的尖叫声，两只小母鸡，张着翅膀，朝家的方向奔跑。

　　Jock pricked¹ up his sharp ears, and would have set off at full gallop² to the copse; 泽克马上立起了尖耳朵，朝小树林就要跑过去，

　　but I restrained him, hastening onward³, however, at the top of my speed, thinking I had as good a right to see what was the matter as Jock. 我拉住了他以最快的速度向那个方向跑去，我想我和泽克一样有权看一看究竟发生了什么。

　　Poor Yarico! An impertinent fox cub⁴ had attempted to carry off one of her children; 可怜的雅丽克！一只莽撞的小狐狸试图叼走她的一个孩子；

　　but she had managed to get them behind her in the hedge, and venturing boldly forth⁵ had placed herself in front, and positively⁶ kept the impudent⁷ animal at bay. 她设法把小鸡挡在身后的栅栏里，雅丽克冒着危险冲在前面，无礼的小狐狸明显被逼到了死胡同。

　　His desire for plunder⁸ had prevented his noticing our approach, and Jock soon made him feel the superiority of an Englishmastiff over a cub fox. 小狐狸一心做强盗，没注意到靠近的我们，泽克很快就让他感到了英国马士提夫獒犬的优势地位。

　　The most interesting portion of my tale is to come. 我就要讲到最有趣的地方了。

　　Yarico not only never afterward⁹ ventured to the copse, but formed a strong friendship for the dog which had preserved her family. 雅丽克此后不仅不再冒险去小树林了，而且还和保护了她一家的马士提夫獒犬结下了深厚的友谊。

　　Whenever he appeared in the yard, she would run to meet him, prating¹⁰ and clucking all the time,  不论泽克什么时候出现在鸡场，她都会跑去迎接他，咯咯地叫个不停，

　　and impeding¹¹ his progress by walking between his legs, to his no small annoyance¹². 还会走在泽克的两腿之间，给他造成了不小的烦恼。

　　If any other dog entered the yard, she would fly at him most furiously, thinking, perhaps, that he would injure her chickens; 如果别的狗进了鸡场，她会猛冲过去，担心她的孩子受到伤害；

　　but she evidently considered Jock her especial protector, and treated him accordingly. 可她显然觉得泽克是她的保护者，因此对泽克非常亲热。

1 pricked   

刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

2 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

3 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

4 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

5 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。

6 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

7 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

8 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

9 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

10 prating   

v.（古时用语）唠叨，啰唆( prate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Listen to him prating on about nothing. 听他瞎唠叨。 来自辞典例句
• He is always prating about her wealthy relations, if anybody cared. 他总是对别人炫耀她的阔亲戚，好像别人对此感兴趣似的。 来自互联网

11 impeding   

a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的

参考例句：

• Fallen rock is impeding the progress of rescue workers. 坠落的石头阻滞了救援人员的救援进程。
• Is there sufficient room for the kiosk and kiosk traffic without impeding other user traffic? 该环境下是否有足够的空间来摆放信息亭？信息亭是否会妨碍交通或者行走？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

12 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。