动物农场Animal Farm 第4章(3)

 　　As the human beings approached the farm buildings, Snowball launched his first attack.

　　当这伙人接近庄园的窝棚时，斯诺鲍发动第一次攻击。

　　All the pigeons, to the number of thirty-five, flew to and fro over the men's heads and muted upon them from mid-air.

　　所有的鸽子，大概有三十五只左右，在这伙人头上盘旋，从半空中向他们一齐拉屎。

　　And while the men were dealing¹ with this, the geese, who had been hiding behind the hedge, rushed out and pecked viciously at the calves³ of their legs.

　　趁着他们应付鸽子的“空袭”，早已藏在树篱后的一群鹅冲了出来，使劲地啄他们的腿肚子。

　　However, this was only a light skirmishing maneuver⁴, intended to create a little disorder⁵, and the men easily drove the geese off with their sticks.

　　而这还只是些小打小闹的计策，只不过制造点小混乱罢了。这帮人用棍棒毫不费力就把鹅赶跑了。

　　Snowball now launched his second line of attack.

　　斯诺鲍接着发动第二次攻击。

　　Muriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep, with Snowball at the head of them, rushed forward and prodded⁶ and butted⁷ the men from every side,

　　穆丽尔、本杰明和所有的羊，随着打头的斯诺鲍冲向前去，从各个方向对这伙人又戳又顶，

　　while Benjamin turned around and lashed⁸ at them with his small hoofs⁹.

　　而本杰明则回头用他的小蹄子对他们尥起蹶子来。

　　But once again the men, with their sticks and their hobnailed boots, were too strong for them.

　　可是，对动物们来说，这帮拎着棍棒、靴子上又带着钉子的人还是太厉害了。

　　And suddenly, at a squeal¹⁰ from Snowball, which was the signal for retreat, all the animals turned and fled through the gateway¹¹ into the yard.

　　突然，从斯诺鲍那里发出一声尖叫，这是退兵的信号，所有的动物转身从门口退回院子内。

　　The men gave a shout of triumph.

　　那些人发出得意的呼叫。

　　They saw, as they imagined, their enemies in flight, and they rushed after them in disorder.

　　正象他们所想象的那样，他们看到仇敌们溃不成军，于是就毫无秩序的追击着。

　　This was just what Snowball had intended.

　　这正是斯诺鲍所期望的。

　　As soon as they were well inside the yard, the three horses, the three cows, and the rest of the pigs,

　　等他们完全进入院子后，三匹马，三头牛以及其余埋伏在牛棚里的猪，

　　who had been lying in ambush¹² in the cowshed, suddenly emerged in their rear, cutting them off.

　　突然出现在他们身后，切断了他们的退路。

　　Snowball now gave the signal for the charge.

　　这时，斯诺鲍发出了进攻的信号。

　　He himself dashed straight for Jones.

　　他自己径直向琼斯冲出。

　　Jones saw him coming, raised his gun and fired.

　　琼斯看见他冲过来，举起枪就开了火。

　　The pellets scored bloody¹³ streaks¹⁴ along Snowball's back, and a sheep dropped dead.

　　弹粒擦过斯诺鲍背部，刻下了一道血痕，一只羊中弹伤亡。

　　Without halting for an instant, Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs.

　　当时迟,那时快，斯诺鲍凭他那两百多磅体重猛地扑向琼斯的腿。

　　Jones was hurled¹⁵ into a pile of dung and his gun flew out of his hands.

　　琼斯一下子被推到粪堆上，枪也从手中甩了出去。

　　But the most terrifying spectacle of all was Boxer¹⁶, rearing up on his hind² legs and striking out with his great iron-shod hoofs like a stallion.

　　而最为惊心动魄的情景还在鲍克瑟那儿，他就像一匹没有阉割的种马，竟靠后腿直立起来，用他那巨大的钉着铁掌的蹄子猛打一气。

　　His very first blow took a stable-lad from Foxwood on the skull¹⁷ and stretched him lifeless in the mud.

　　他第一下就击中了一个福克斯伍德庄园的马夫的脑壳，打得他倒在泥坑里断了气。

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

3 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

5 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

6 prodded   

v.刺，戳( prod的过去式和过去分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳

参考例句：

• She prodded him in the ribs to wake him up. 她用手指杵他的肋部把他叫醒。
• He prodded at the plate of fish with his fork. 他拿叉子戳弄着那盘鱼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 butted   

对接的

参考例句：

• Two goats butted each other. 两只山羊用角顶架。
• He butted against a tree in the dark. 他黑暗中撞上了一棵树。

8 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
• The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

10 squeal   

v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音

参考例句：

• The children gave a squeal of fright.孩子们发出惊吓的尖叫声。
• There was a squeal of brakes as the car suddenly stopped.小汽车突然停下来时，车闸发出尖叫声。

11 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

12 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

13 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

14 streaks   

n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• streaks of grey in her hair 她头上的绺绺白发
• Bacon has streaks of fat and streaks of lean. 咸肉中有几层肥的和几层瘦的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

15 hurled   

v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
• The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

17 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。