英语听力：威廉·莎士比亚 12. England will remember

　　12 England will remember

　　Well，all that was thirty-three years ago．I'm an old man，and everyone is dying¹ around me．Anne Shakespeare died in 1623，and John Hall went about twelve years later，fighting the plague² Susanna's still alive，and Judith．She had three sons，but they all died．So there's no boy in the family to keep poor Will's name alive．Susanna's girl Elizabeth has had no children，and she's forty-one already…Susanna still comes to visit me sometimes，and we talk about the old days．

　　We live in sad times now；the Puritans cut King Charles's head off last January．But one day we'll have a king again．Then there'll be singing and dancing and plays．

　　You'll see．Oh yes．People won't forget William Shakespeare．In 400 years'time，the theatres will still be full．People will still laugh，and cry，over his plays．He was the finest poet that ever wrote in the English language．I think he knew that himself．There's some lines in one of his sonnets，I remember…

　　Not marble，nor the gilded³ monuments

　　Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme…

　　12 英国会永远记住

　　可这都是33年前的事了。我已是一个垂暮之年的老人，周围的人纷纷离我而去。1623年，安·莎士比亚去世，大约12年后，约翰·豪尔死于瘟疫，只有苏姗娜和珠迪丝尚健在。珠迪丝生过三个儿子，不幸都夭折了。所以这个家族是无人能将可怜的威尔的名字传下去。苏姗娜的女儿伊丽莎白已经41岁，依然没有一子半女。苏姗娜有时仍过来看我，和我谈谈过去的日子。

　　我们如今生活在动荡的年代。去年1月，清教徒把查理国王送上了断头台。但终有一天，我们又会有一位国王，到时又会歌舞升平，又可以看戏了。

　　你不久就可以看到的！哦，当然啦，人们不会忘记威廉·莎士比亚。400年后，剧院依然会爆满，观众依然会为他的戏剧欢笑或落泪。他是运用英语语言创作最杰出的诗人。我想这一点，他自己也清楚。我记得在他的十四行涛中曾写下这样的诗句……

　　没有大理石或王公们镀金的墓碑

　　能够和我这些有力的诗句比寿…… 

1 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

2 plague   

n.瘟疫，鼠疫，祸患，灾难；v.烦扰，使痛苦

参考例句：

• Plague was then prevailing in that city.当时瘟疫正在该城流行。
• The plague once could wipe out a village.鼠疫曾一度可以夺走整个村庄村民的生命。

3 gilded   

a.镀金的，富有的

参考例句：

• The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。
• "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们，这只不过是些镀金的铅饼！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡