英语听书《海底两万里》第8期 第1章 飞走的暗礁(8)

 　　No one is unaware¹ of the name of that famous English shipowner, Cunard.

　　英国著名的船主苟纳尔的名字是没有一个人不知道。

　　In 1840 this shrewd industrialist² founded a postal³ service between Liverpool and Halifax,

　　这位精明的企业家早在1840年就创办了一家邮船公司，开辟了从利物浦到哈利法克斯的航线，

　　featuring three wooden ships with 400-horsepower paddle wheels and a burden of 1,162 metric tons.

　　当时只有三艘四百匹马力、载重一千一百六十二吨的明轮木船。

　　Eight years later, the company's assets were increased by four 650-horsepower ships at 1,820 metric tons,

　　八年以后，公司扩大了，共有四艘六百五十匹马力、载重一千八百二十吨的船。

　　and in two more years, by two other vessels⁴ of still greater power and tonnage.

　　再过两年，又添了两艘马力和载重量更大的船，

　　In 1853 the Cunard Co., whose mail-carrying charter had just been renewed,

　　1853年，苟纳尔公司继续取得装运政府邮件的特权，

　　successively added to its assets the Arabia, the Persia, the China, the Scotia, the Java, and the Russia,

　　一连添造了阿拉伯号、波斯号、中国号、斯备脱亚号、爪哇号、俄罗斯号，

　　all ships of top speed and, after the Great Eastern, the biggest ever to plow⁵ the seas.

　　这些都是头等的快船，而且是最宽大的，除了大东方号外，在海上航行的船没有能跟它们相比的。

　　So in 1867 this company owned twelve ships, eight with paddle wheels and four with propellers⁶.

　　到1867年，这家公司一共有十二艘船～八艘明轮的，四艘暗轮的。

　　If I give these highly condensed details,

　　我所以要把上面的情形简单地介绍一下，

　　it is so everyone can fully⁷ understand the importance of this maritime⁸ transportation company, known the world over for its shrewd management.

　　是要大家知道这家海运公司的重要性。它由于经营得法，是全世界都闻名的。

　　No transoceanic navigational undertaking⁹ has been conducted with more ability, no business dealings have been crowned with greater success.

　　任何航海企业，没有比这公司搞得更精明，经营得更成功的了。

1 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

2 industrialist   

n.工业家，实业家

参考例句：

• The industrialist's son was kidnapped.这名实业家的儿子被绑架了。
• Mr.Smith was a wealthy industrialist,but he was not satisfied with life.史密斯先生是位富有的企业家，可他对生活感到不满意。

3 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

4 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 plow   

n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough

参考例句：

• At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
• We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。

6 propellers   

n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The water was thrashing and churning about under the propellers. 水在螺旋桨下面打旋、翻滚。 来自辞典例句
• The ship's propellers churned the waves to foam. 轮船的推进器将海浪搅出泡沫。 来自辞典例句

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

9 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。