英语听书《白鲸记》第680期

 Chapter 76 The Battering-Ram 第七十六章 破城槌

Ere quitting, for the nonce, the Sperm¹ Whale's head, 在离开这只抹香鲸头以前，

I would have you, as a sensible physiologist², simply—particularly remark its front aspect, in all its compacted collectedness. 我要请你暂时做个明达的生理学家，简单点说，请你特别注意一下它那非常稳静的脸相。

I would have you investigate it now  我现在请你

with the sole view of forming to yourself some unexaggerated, intelligent estimate of whatever battering-ram power may be lodged³ there. 按照你自己单独构思出来的不夸张、有理智的观点来审查它一下，估计这颗头颅里边究竟会有多大的破城槌的力量。

Here is a vital point; for you must either satisfactorily settle this matter with yourself, 这是个要点；因为你必须或者亲自称心如意地办妥这事情，

or for ever remain an infidel as to one of the most appalling⁴, 或者对这一件最为可怕，

but not the less true events, perhaps anywhere to be found in all recorded history. 但却完全是真实的，也许可以在各种典籍中获得证明的事情始终存有怀疑。

You observe that in the ordinary swimming position of the Sperm Whale, 在抹香鲸的一般游态中，你可以看到

the front of his head presents an almost wholly vertical⁵ plane to the water; 它那只头的正面和水面几乎完全垂直；

you observe that the lower part of that front slopes considerably⁶ backwards⁷, 你可以看到那正面的下端后倾得很厉害，

so as to furnish more of a retreat for the long socket⁸ which receives the boom-like lower jaw⁹; 因而那衔接着第二桅樯似的下巴的长长的承口，更缩了进去；

you observe that the mouth is entirely¹⁰ under the head, 你可以看到那只嘴巴全然长在头顶下，

much in the same way, indeed, as though your own mouth were entirely under your chin. 非常象你自己的嘴巴完全长在下巴上面一样。

Moreover you observe that the whale has no external nose; 而且，你还可以看到鲸的外部并没有鼻子；

and that what nose he has—his spout¹¹ hole—is on the top of his head; 也看到它仅有的鼻子——那喷水孔——就长在头顶心上；

you observe that his eyes and ears are at the sides of his head; nearly one third of his entire length from the front. 你可以看到它的耳朵、眼睛都是长在它头部的两边；远离正面几达它身长的三分之一。

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 physiologist   

n.生理学家

参考例句：

• Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs (1849-1936). （1849-1936）苏联生理学家，在狗身上观察到唾液条件反射，曾获1904年诺贝尔生理学-医学奖。
• The physiologist recently studied indicated that evening exercises beneficially. 生理学家新近研究表明，傍晚锻炼最为有益。

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 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

5 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

6 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

7 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

8 socket   

n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口

参考例句：

• He put the electric plug into the socket.他把电插头插入插座。
• The battery charger plugs into any mains socket.这个电池充电器可以插入任何类型的电源插座。

9 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

11 spout   

v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱

参考例句：

• Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。
• This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。