英语听书《白鲸记》第743期

 Such is the subtle elasticity¹ of the organ I treat of, that whether wielded² in sport, or in earnest, or in anger, 这就是我要谈的那个有微妙的伸缩力的器官，不管它在挥舞时是开玩笑，或是一本正经，还是发脾气，

whatever be the mood it be in, its flexions are invariably marked by exceeding grace. 总之不管它的情绪怎样，它那柔韧灵活的动作总有一种非常优雅的特色。

Therein no fairy's arm can transcend³ it. 在这方面说来，是连仙人的臂膀也望尘莫及的。

Five great motions are peculiar⁴ to it. 尾巴特具五大作用。

First, when used as a fin⁵ for progression; Second, when used as a mace⁶ in battle; 第一，前进时作鳍用；第二，战斗时用作钉头锤；

Third, in sweeping⁷; Fourth, in lobtailing; Fifth, in peaking flukes. 第三，摇尾；第四，甩动尾巴；第五，竖起裂片。

First: Being horizontal in its position, the Leviathan's tail acts in a different manner from the tails of all other sea creatures. 第一，大鲸的尾巴因为是平式的，它的动作不同于其它一切海兽的尾巴。

It never wriggles⁸. In man or fish, wriggling⁹ is a sign of inferiority.  它从来不扭动。就人类或者鱼类说来，扭动尾巴就是卑劣的标志。

To the whale his tail is the sole means of propulsion. 可是，对于大鲸说来，它的尾巴是发挥推进力的主要手段。

Scroll-wise coiled forwards beneath the body, 它象卷轴一般在它身体下面向前一卷，

and then rapidly sprung backwards¹⁰, it is this which gives that singular darting¹¹, leaping motion to the monster when furiously swimming. 接着就迅速往后一撒，正是这种动作使这种巨兽在狂奔猛游时有种奇妙的一冲一跃的姿势。

His side-fins only serve to steer¹² by. 它两边的鳍只是作为把舵之用的。

Second: It is a little significant, that while one sperm¹³ whale only fights another sperm whale with his head and jaw¹⁴, 第二，稍微有点特色的是，只有在一条抹香鲸跟另外一条抹香鲸争斗的时候，它们才使用头和嘴，

nevertheless, in his conflicts with man, he chiefly and contemptuously uses his tail. 可是，在跟人类作战的时候，它主要是傲慢地用它的尾巴。

In striking at a boat, he swiftly curves away his flukes from it, and the blow is only inflicted¹⁵ by the recoil¹⁶.  在攻击一只小艇的时候，它迅捷地把裂片打艇身一撒，可是等它一缩回来，那个打击才叫厉害。

1 elasticity   

n.弹性，伸缩力

参考例句：

• The skin eventually loses its elasticity.皮肤最终会失去弹性。
• Every sort of spring has a definite elasticity.每一种弹簧都有一定的弹性。

2 wielded   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的过去式和过去分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The bad eggs wielded power, while the good people were oppressed. 坏人当道，好人受气
• He was nominally the leader, but others actually wielded the power. 名义上他是领导者，但实际上是别人掌握实权。

3 transcend   

vt.超出，超越(理性等)的范围

参考例句：

• We can't transcend the limitations of the ego.我们无法超越自我的局限性。
• Everyone knows that the speed of airplanes transcend that of ships.人人都知道飞机的速度快于轮船的速度。

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

6 mace   

n.狼牙棒，豆蔻干皮

参考例句：

• The sword and mace were favourite weapons for hand-to-hand fighting.剑和狼牙棒是肉搏战的最佳武器。
• She put some mace into the meat.她往肉里加了一些肉豆蔻干皮。

7 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

8 wriggles   

n.蠕动，扭动( wriggle的名词复数 )v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的第三人称单数 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）

参考例句：

• Each tail piece wriggles to wholly confuse and distract an attacker. 但是与其他的蜥蜴不同，玻璃蜥蜴的尾巴会逐段的散成碎片，每段碎片都在扭动，以迷惑攻击者，分散其注意力。 来自互联网
• No turning back. He wriggles into the pipe and starts crawling, plastic bag dragging behind. 没有回头路，安迪钻进下水管开始爬行，塑料袋拖在后面。 来自互联网

9 wriggling   

v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕

参考例句：

• The baby was wriggling around on my lap. 婴儿在我大腿上扭来扭去。
• Something that looks like a gray snake is wriggling out. 有一种看来象是灰蛇的东西蠕动着出来了。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

11 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

12 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

13 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。

14 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。

15 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

16 recoil   

vi.退却，退缩，畏缩

参考例句：

• Most people would recoil at the sight of the snake.许多人看见蛇都会向后退缩。
• Revenge may recoil upon the person who takes it.报复者常会受到报应。