英语听书《海底两万里》第355期 第23章 珊瑚王国(52)

 "Professor," he told me, "the simple logic¹ of the naturalist² led me to discover this passageway, and I alone am familiar with it.  “教授，使我发现这条只有我一人认识的海底地道的，是一个生物学家的简单推理。

I'd noted³ that in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean⁴ there exist a number of absolutely identical species of fish: eels⁵, butterfish, greenfish, bass⁶, jewelfish, flying fish.  我曾经注意到，在红海中和在地中海中有某一些完全相同的鱼类，比如蛇鱼，车鱼，绞车鱼，簇鱼，愚鱼，飞鱼。

Certain of this fact, I wondered if there weren't a connection between the two seas.  我确定了这事实，我就问，在这两、个海中间是不是有交通路线的存在。

If there were, its underground current had to go from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean simply because of their difference in level.  如果有交通路线存在，地下水流仅仅由于两海的水平面不同，必然要从红海流到地中海。

So I caught a large number of fish in the vicinity of Suez.  因此我在苏伊士附近打了很多鱼，

I slipped copper⁷ rings around their tails and tossed them back into the sea.  我把铜圈套在鱼尾上，然后把鱼放人海中。

A few months later off the coast of Syria, I recaptured a few specimens⁸ of my fish, adorned⁹ with their telltale rings.  几个月后，在叙利亚海岸，我找到了一些我从前放走的尾上有铜圈的鱼。

So this proved to me that some connection existed between the two seas.  因此两海之间有路可通的想法就得到了证明小我利用诺第留斯号去找寻这条通路，要于把它发现了，我也冒险走过去了。

I searched for it with my Nautilus, I discovered it, I ventured into it; and soon, professor, you also will have cleared my Arabic tunnel!" 教授。不久：您也要通过我的阿拉伯海底地道！”

1 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

2 naturalist   

n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)

参考例句：

• He was a printer by trade and naturalist by avocation.他从事印刷业，同时是个博物学爱好者。
• The naturalist told us many stories about birds.博物学家给我们讲述了许多有关鸟儿的故事。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

5 eels   

abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system）

参考例句：

• Eels have been on the feed in the Lower Thames. 鳗鱼在泰晤士河下游寻食。
• She bought some eels for dinner. 她买回一些鳗鱼做晚餐。

6 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

7 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

8 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 adorned   

[计]被修饰的

参考例句：

• The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
• And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。