英语听书《白鲸记》第50期

 Look now at the wondrous¹ traditional story of how this island was settled by the red-men.  最早定居于这块不毛之地的是红种人。

Thus goes the legend.  关于此，还有一段传说呢。 

In olden times an eagle swooped² down upon the New England coast, and carried off an infant Indian in his talons³.  说是很早很早以前，在新英格兰的海岸上，一只鹰突然冲了下来，叼走了一个印第安婴儿。 

With loud lament⁴ the parents saw their child borne out of sight over the wide waters.  婴儿的父母悲痛欲绝地看着老鹰叼着孩子消失在大海上，

They resolved to follow in the same direction. Setting out in their canoes, after a perilous⁵ passage they discovered the island,  他们毫不犹豫地划起独木舟追了上去。 经过千难万险，他们追到了这个岛上。

and there they found an empty ivory casket,the poor little Indian's skeleton.  在岛上他们发现了那个婴儿的一小堆儿白骨！ 

What wonder, then, that these Nantucketers, born on a beach, should take to the sea for a livelihood⁶!  他们就是南塔开特人的祖先。

They first caught crabs⁷ and quohogs in the sand;  他们先是在海滩上捕蟹捉蛤，

grown bolder, they waded⁸ out with nets for mackerel; more experienced, they pushed off in boats and captured cod⁹;  在浅水区拉网捕鱼，然后划上小艇到深海区作业，

and at last, launching a navy of great ships on the sea, explored this watery¹⁰ world;  后来造了大船，开始了大洋上的巡弋。 

put an incessant¹¹ belt of circumnavigations round it; peeped in at Behring's Straits;  不停的环球航行从此拉开帷幕，而在白令海峡也有了他们的身影;

and in all seasons and all oceans declared everlasting¹² war with the mightiest¹³ animated¹⁴ mass that has survived the flood;most monstrous¹⁵ and most mountainous!  他们一年四季漂泊在海上，同那些洪荒时代遗留下来的巨大水兽做着不屈不挠的斗争。 

That Himmalehan, salt-sea Mastodon, clothed with such portentousness¹⁶ of unconscious power,  庞然巨物等统统都不是他们的对手,

that his very panics are more to be dreaded¹⁷ than his most fearless and malicious¹⁸ assaults! 他们所面临的危机有时候甚至比这些无畏和恶意的攻击更可怕!

1 wondrous   

adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地

参考例句：

• The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
• We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

2 swooped   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。
• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

3 talons   

n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部

参考例句：

• The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样，可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
• The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句

4 lament   

n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹

参考例句：

• Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。
• We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。

5 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

6 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

7 crabs   

n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 waded   

（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
• He waded into the water to push the boat out. 他蹚进水里把船推出来。

9 cod   

n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗

参考例句：

• They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。
• Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。

10 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

11 incessant   

adj.不停的，连续的

参考例句：

• We have had incessant snowfall since yesterday afternoon.从昨天下午开始就持续不断地下雪。
• She is tired of his incessant demands for affection.她厌倦了他对感情的不断索取。

12 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

13 mightiest   

adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的

参考例句：

• \"If thou fearest to leave me in our cottage, thou mightiest take me along with thee. “要是你害怕把我一个人留在咱们的小屋里，你可以带我一块儿去那儿嘛。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
• Silent though is, after all, the mightiest agent in human affairs. 确实，沉默毕竟是人类事件中最强大的代理人。 来自互联网

14 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

15 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

16 portentousness   

Portentousness

参考例句：

17 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

18 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。