英语听书《白鲸记》第675期

 As in general shape the noble Sperm¹ Whale's head may be compared to a Roman war-chariot (especially in front, where it is so broadly rounded); 因为就总的形状说来，那只高贵的抹香鲸头也许可以跟古罗马的战车相媲美（尤其是它那只真是又大又圆的面孔）；

so, at a broad view, the Right Whale's head bears a rather inelegant resemblance to a gigantic galliot-toed shoe. 所以，概括地看来，那只露脊鲸头，倒有几分粗具一只狭长的大鞋子的样子。

Two hundred years ago an old Dutch voyager likened its shape to that of a shoemaker's last. 两百年前，有个荷兰的老航海家把它的样子比拟作一只鞋匠的鞋型。

And in this same last or shoe, that old woman of the nursery tale with the swarming² brood, might very comfortably be lodged³, she and all her progeny⁴. 就在这一只鞋型或者鞋子里，童话里那个有着丰隆的儿女的老妇和她所有的子孙也许可以住得十分舒服呢。

But as you come nearer to this great head it begins to assume different aspects, according to your point of view. 但是，当你再朝这只大头走近一点，根据你的观点的不同，它就有各种不同的外形。

If you stand on its summit and look at these two f-shaped spout-holes, 如果你站在它的头顶上，对这两只f型的喷水孔望一望，

you would take the whole head for an enormous bass⁵ viol, and these spiracles, the apertures⁶ in its soundingboard. 你就会把整个头当成一只低音大提琴，而那些个喷孔，就是大提琴的声板上的壁孔。

Then, again, if you fix your eye upon this strange, crested⁷, comblike incrustation on the top of the mass, 接着，如果你再定睛望着那大头顶上的奇特。隆起。鸡冠形的覆盖物，

this green, barnacled thing, which the Greenlanders call the "crown," and the Southern fishers the "bonnet⁸" of the Right Whale; 这种碧绿而缠来缠去的东西，格陵兰人管它叫"王冠"，南海的渔人却管它叫露脊鲸的"帽子"。

fixing your eyes solely⁹ on this, you would take the head for the trunk of some huge oak, with a bird's nest in its crotch. 你只要把眼睛紧瞪在这件东西上，你就会把这只大头当成一棵大橡树的树干，树桠上还筑有一只鸟窠。

At any rate, when you watch those live crabs that nestle here on this bonnet, such an idea will be almost sure to occur to you;  总之，当你看到蹲在这顶帽子上的那些活蟹的时候，包准你几乎就会有这样的想法；

1 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

2 swarming   

密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
• The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

3 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 progeny   

n.后代，子孙；结果

参考例句：

• His numerous progeny are scattered all over the country.他为数众多的后代散布在全国各地。
• He was surrounded by his numerous progeny.众多的子孙簇拥着他。

5 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

6 apertures   

n.孔( aperture的名词复数 )；隙缝；（照相机的）光圈；孔径

参考例句：

• These apertures restrict the amount of light that can reach the detector. 这些光阑将会限制到达探测器的光线的总量。 来自互联网
• The virtual anode formation time and propagation velocity at different pressure with different apertures are investigated. 比较了在不同气压和空心阴极孔径下虚阳极的形成时间和扩展速度。 来自互联网

7 crested   

adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点

参考例句：

• a great crested grebe 凤头䴙䴘
• The stately mansion crested the hill. 庄严的大厦位于山顶。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 bonnet   

n.无边女帽；童帽

参考例句：

• The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。
• She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

9 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。