美国语文第六册 第189期:新英格兰清教徒先辈的品格(1)

One of the most prominent features which distinguished¹ our forefathers², was their determined³ resistance to oppression.

我们的先辈最突出的特征之一，就是他们坚定地反抗压迫。

They seemed born and brought up for the high and special purpose of showing to the world that the civil and religious rights of man,

他们似乎天生就是为了向世界表明崇高和特别的目标，即人的公民和宗教权利，

the rights of self-government, of conscience, and independent thought — are not merely things to be talked of and woven into theories,

自制、良知和独立思想的权利——不只是挂在嘴上和理论上的事情，

but to be adopted with the whole strength and ardor⁴ of the mind, and felt in the profoundest recesses⁵ of the heart,

而是凭着全部力量和内心的激情付诸实施，感知内心最深切的隐秘情感，

and carried out into the general life, and made the foundation of practical usefulness, and visible beauty, and true nobility.

并在普通生活中加以运用，为进行有益的实践，有形的美和真正的崇高奠定了基础。

Liberty, with them, was an object of too serious desire and stern resolve to be personified, allegorized, and enshrined.

自由之于他们，是一个非常真诚地渴望的目标，并坚定地决心使之成为人格化、寓言化和奉为圭臬的东西。

They made no goddess of it, as the ancients did; they had no time nor inclination⁶ for such trifling⁷;

他们并没有像古人那样将其神化；他们没有将时间浪费在无聊的事情上；

they felt that liberty was the simple birthright of every human creature; they called it so; they claimed it as such;

他们觉得自由是每个人类生命朴素的生命之光；他们也是这么呼唤自由的。他们也是这样主张的。

they reverenced⁸ and held it fast as the unalienable gift of the Creator, which was not to be surrendered to power, nor sold for wages.

他们对自由表示应有的尊敬，并坚信它是造物主不能让与和不可剥夺的礼物，既不会向权力低头，也不会为了既得利益而出卖。

It was theirs, as men; without it, they did not esteem⁹ themselves men;

同其他人一样，自由也是他们固有的权利。没有自由，他们不会得到尊重。

more than any other privilege or possession, it was essential to their happiness, for it was essential to their original nature;

与任何其他权益或所有权相比，自由才是幸福的根本，因为对于他们的本性而言自由是最基本的要素。

1 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

2 forefathers   

n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left. 它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 ardor   

n.热情，狂热

参考例句：

• His political ardor led him into many arguments.他的政治狂热使他多次卷入争论中。
• He took up his pursuit with ardor.他满腔热忱地从事工作。

5 recesses   

n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭

参考例句：

• I could see the inmost recesses. 我能看见最深处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I had continually pushed my doubts to the darker recesses of my mind. 我一直把怀疑深深地隐藏在心中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

7 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

8 reverenced   

v.尊敬，崇敬( reverence的过去式和过去分词 )；敬礼

参考例句：

• The name of Albert Einstein is still reverenced by the scientists all over the world. 爱因斯坦的名字仍然受到世界各地科学家的崇敬。 来自互联网
• For it is always necessary to be loved, but not always necessary to be reverenced. 一个人总是能得到必要的爱，却不总是能得到必要的尊敬。 来自互联网

9 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。