走遍全世界47: 美国革命

The American Revolution was not a revolution in the sense of a radical¹ or total change.

美国革命其实并不算是一场革命，因为它并未导致完全的和彻底的变化。

It was not a sudden and violent overturning of the political and social framework, such as later occurred in France and Russia, when both were already independent nations.

这次革命并不是对政治和社会框架的一次突然和猛烈的颠覆——像后来在已经是独立国家的法国和俄国所爆发的革命那样。

Significant changes were ushered² in, but they were not breathtaking. What happened was accelerated evolution rather than outright³ revolution. During the conflict itself people went on working and praying, marrying and playing. Most of them were not seriously disturbed by the actual fighting, and many of the more isolated⁴ communities scarcely knew that a war was on.

革命带来了重大的变化，但并非翻天覆地，所发生的只是进化的加速，而不是一场彻底的革命；在冲突期间，人们仍然上班、做礼拜、结婚、玩耍。多数人并没有受到实际战斗的严重影响。在许多较闭塞的社区对这场战争几乎一无所知。

America's War of Independence heralded⁶ the birth of three modern nations. One was Canada, which received its first large influx⁷ of English-speaking population from the thousands of loyalists who fled there from the United States. Another was Australia, which became a penal⁸ colony now that America was no longer available for prisoners and debtors⁹. The third newcomer-the United States-based itself squarely on republican principles. Yet even the political overturn was not so revolutionary as one might suppose.

美国独立战争宣布了三个现代国家的诞生，其中一个是加拿大。加拿大的第一大批讲英语的流入人口来自于成千上万英王的效忠者，这些人从美国逃到了加拿大。另一个国家是澳大利亚，因为美国不再是容纳罪犯和欠债者的国度了，澳大利亚就变成了一个惩治罪犯的殖民地（注：独立战争前，英国政府将罪犯流放到美国）。第三个国家就是美国，它完全建立在共和原则基础上。即使政治上的颠覆也不如人们可能想象的那样具有革命性。

In some states, notably¹⁰ Connecticut and Rhode Island, the war largely ratified¹¹ a colonial self-rule already existing. British officials, everywhere ousted¹², were replaced by a home-grown governing class, which promptly¹³ sought a local substitute for king and Parliament.

在一些州，特别是康涅狄格和罗德岛，战争基本上只是承认了已经存在的殖民地的自治。四处被驱逐的英国官员都被本土的统治阶级所替代，这个统治阶级迅速地以地方权力机关的形式来替代国王和议会。

英语词汇整理：

1. radical adj. 激进的，彻底的，基本的 n. 激进分子

eg: The country needs a period of calm without more surges of radical change.
这个国家需要一段平静的时期，不再有重大变化所引发的动荡。

短语：
free radical [化]自由基；游离基
sulfate radical 硫酸根
radical operation 根治手术

2. accelerate v. （使）加快，（使）增速

eg: Growth will accelerate to 2.9 percent next year.
增长明年将加快到2.9%。

词语用法：
accelerate的意思是“(使)加快; (使)加速”,可指(使)某事比预期的更快或更早发生,也可指(使)车辆或人加快速度。可用作及物动词,也可用作不及物动词。用作及物动词时,其宾语可以是具体名词,也可以是抽象名词,可用于被动结构。

3. disturb vt. 打扰，妨碍；使不安，使烦恼；弄乱

eg: I am sorry to disturb you.
很抱歉我妨碍到你了。

短语：
disturb in one's sleep 打扰某人睡眠
disturb with 用……搅动
disturb about 对……感到担忧
disturb at work 打扰某人工作

4. scarcely adv. 几乎不，简直不，刚刚，决不

eg: I can scarcely hear.
我几乎什么也听不见。

短语：
scarcely any 几乎没有
scarcely ever 几乎从不，极少
scarcely less 简直一样(简直相等)……

5. herald⁵ vt. 预示……的来临；宣布，欢呼 n. 信使；预兆

eg: One falling leaf heralds¹⁴ the coming of autumn.
一片落叶预示着秋天的来临。

The returning of the swallows are the heralds of the spring.   
燕子归来预示着春天的来临。

短语：
international herald tribune 国际前锋论坛报
sydney morning herald 悉尼先驱晨报

6. loyalist n. （对统治者）效忠者

eg: Party loyalists responded as they always do, waving flags and carrying placards.
党的忠诚支持者们一如既往地以挥舞旗帜和高举海报作为回应。

短语：
loyalist force 效忠派
Loyalist College 皇家学院；皇家理工学院

7. squarely adv. 成方形地，成直角地，直接地，坚定地

eg: The responsibility lies squarely with them.
责任直接在于他们。

短语：
hit squarely 命中，击中

8. revolutionary adj. 革命的 n.革命者

eg: A revolutionary's life used to be beset¹⁵ with dangers and hardships.
一个革命者的生活中往往充满危险和艰难。

短语：
revolutionary leader 革命领袖
revolutionary committee 革命委员会

9. ratify¹⁶ vt. 正式批准，使正式生效

eg: The parliaments of Australia and Indonesia have yet to ratify the treaty.
澳大利亚和印度尼西亚议会还未批准该条约。

短语：
ratify anaccord 签署协议
ratify the arrest 批准逮捕
ratify and admire 认可与赞美

10. substitute n. 代用品，代替者 v. 代替，代以（for）；替代

eg: Water is not a proper substitute for wine.
水不是酒的适当代用品。

短语：
substitute for 用……代替……，(使)代替……
substitute as 代替为……
substitute by/with 用……代替……

佳句采摘：
It was not a sudden violent overturning of the political and social framework, such as later occurred in France and Russia, when both were already independent nations.
这次革命并不是对政治和社会框架的一次突然和猛烈的颠覆——像后来在已经是独立国家的法国和俄国所爆发的革命那样。
 

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

4 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

5 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

6 heralded   

v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The singing of the birds heralded in the day. 鸟鸣报晓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King. 嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

8 penal   

adj.刑罚的；刑法上的

参考例句：

• I hope you're familiar with penal code.我希望你们熟悉本州法律规则。
• He underwent nineteen years of penal servitude for theft.他因犯了大窃案受过十九年的苦刑。

9 debtors   

n.债务人，借方( debtor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Never in a debtors' prison? 从没有因债务坐过牢么？ 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

10 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

11 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

12 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

13 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

14 heralds   

n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The song of birds heralds the approach of spring. 百鸟齐鸣报春到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountain. 山雨欲来风满楼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 beset   

v.镶嵌；困扰，包围

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

16 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。