英语名篇诵读 古老的农舍

The Old Cottages

古老的农舍

Helen Allingham & Stewart Dick(海伦·阿林厄姆　斯图尔特·迪克)

And these little villages and hamlets are planted all over England, sometimes close

together, sometimes more widely spread, but seldom more than a mile or two apart.

There is nothing obtrusive¹ about the old cottages. They do not dominate the landscape,

but are content to be part of it, and to pass unnoticed unless one looks specially² for their homely³

beauties. The modern house, on the other hand, makes a bid for your notice. It is built on high

ground, commands a wide range of country, and is seen from far and wide. But the old cottage

prefers to nestle snugly⁴ in shady valleys. The trees grow closely about it in an intimate, familiar

way, and at a little distance only the wreath of curling smoke tells of its presence.

Indeed the old cottage has always been something so very close and so familiar to us, that its

charms have been almost entirely⁵ overlooked, and it is only of recent years, when fast falling into

decay, that it has formed a theme for pen and pencil.  The life that the old cottage typifies is now

a thing of the past, and is daily fading more and more into the distance.  Our point of view has

changed. We no longer see the old homely life from within, but from the outside. But the

commonplace of yesterday becomes the poetry of today, such a glamour⁶ does the magician

Time cast over things, and the old life becomes ever more and more attractive as it slips away

from us, and we watch it disappear with regretful and kindly⁷ eyes.

这些古老的农舍遍布英国各地，有时几个村庄连成一片，有时又分散在田野间，但很

少有相隔一两英里的。

这些古老的农舍丝毫不引人注目，从不独占风光，能点缀周围的风景就十分满足。它

们平时不为人注意，只有当人们在欣赏质朴无华的美时才会关注它们。而另一方面，现代

的房子建在高地上，俯瞰一大片乡野，远远近近都看得见，千方百计招惹人们的注目，吸

引人们的眼球。但是古老的农舍宁肯偎依在郁郁葱葱的山谷中，被树木亲密地环抱着，在

稍远的地方，只有看到升起的缕缕烟圈，才知道它们的存在。

的确，一直以来，古老的农舍近在身边，司空见惯，其魅力我们几乎熟视无睹；只到

近年，古老的农舍在迅速崩塌，这些成了作家和画家的主题。古老的农舍所代表的生活已

成为过往，正一天天离我们远去。我们的观念变了。我们不再用心灵去感受那古老纯朴的

生活，而是只看其外表。然而，昔日平凡的事物成了今天诗歌的主题，更显时间魔术师的

迷人魅力。那古老的生活正悄然离我们而去，也越发美好动人，令人留恋，我们也只能带

着无限惋惜，友好地目送着它从视野中消逝。

1 obtrusive   

adj.显眼的；冒失的

参考例句：

• These heaters are less obtrusive and are easy to store away in the summer.这些加热器没那么碍眼，夏天收起来也很方便。
• The factory is an obtrusive eyesore.这工厂很刺眼。

2 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

3 homely   

adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的

参考例句：

• We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
• Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？

4 snugly   

adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地

参考例句：

• Jamie was snugly wrapped in a white woolen scarf. 杰米围着一条白色羊毛围巾舒适而暖和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The farmyard was snugly sheltered with buildings on three sides. 这个农家院三面都有楼房，遮得很严实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。

7 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。