英语听书《海底两万里》第439期 第26章 大头鲸和长须鲸(20)

 Equipped with picks, some ten men climbed onto the Nautilus's sides and cracked loose the ice around the ship's lower plating, which was soon set free.  十来个船员走到诺第留斯号两旁，他们拿着尖镐，凿开船身周围的冰，船身不久就松开。

This operation was swiftly executed because the fresh ice was still thin.We all reentered the interior.  这种工作很迅速地做好，因为新结的冰还是相当的保我们全体回到船中。

The main ballast tanks were filled with the water that hadn't yet congealed¹ at our line of flotation.  通常使用的储水池装满了浮标线周围的自由海水。

The Nautilus submerged without delay. 诺第留斯号不久就潜下去。

I took a seat in the lounge with Conseil.  我跟康塞尔到客厅坐下。

Through the open window we stared at the lower strata² of this southernmost ocean.  通过打开的玻璃，我们可以看到南冰洋中的下层。

The thermometer rose again.  温度表上升。

The needle on the pressure gauge³ swerved⁴ over its dial. 压力表的针在表盘上移动。

About 300 meters down, just as Captain Nemo had predicted, we cruised beneath the undulating surface of the Ice Bank.  到了三百米左右，像尼摩船长所说过的一样，我们就浮在冰山下层的波纹水面上了。

But the Nautilus sank deeper still.  但诺第留斯号再往下沉，

It reached a depth of 800 meters.  它直到深八百米的水层。

At the surface this water gave a temperature of -12 degrees centigrade, but now it gave no more than -10 degrees.  水的温度，刚才在上面是十二度，现在不超过十一度，

Two degrees had already been gained.  那就是说我们已经争取了两度。

Thanks to its heating equipment, the Nautilus's temperature, needless to say, stayed at a much higher degree.  不用说，诺第留斯号的温度因为有它的热气机管，保持着很高的温度。

Every maneuver⁵ was accomplished⁶ with extraordinary precision. 船的这些动作都特别准确地完成。

With all due respect to master, Conseil told me, we'll pass it by. 请先生原谅我说一句，康塞尔对我说，我们一定可以过去。

I fully⁷ expect to! I replied in a tone of deep conviction. 我也是这样想！我带着深信不疑的语气回答。

Now in open water, the Nautilus took a direct course to the pole without veering⁸ from the 52nd meridian⁹.  在这自由通行的海底下，诺第留斯号不离开西经52度，沿着向南极的路线一直驶去。

From 67 degrees 30'to 90 degrees, twenty-two and a half degrees of latitude¹⁰ were left to cross, in other words, slightly more than 500 leagues.  从67度30分到90度，还要走过22度半的纬度，就是说，还要走五百多里。

1 congealed   

v.使凝结，冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 )；（指血）凝结

参考例句：

• The cold remains of supper had congealed on the plate. 晚餐剩下的冷饭菜已经凝结在盘子上了。
• The oil at last is congealed into a white fat. 那油最终凝结成了一种白色的油脂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 strata   

n.地层（复数）；社会阶层

参考例句：

• The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
• They represent all social strata.他们代表各个社会阶层。

3 gauge   

v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器

参考例句：

• Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
• It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。

4 swerved   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
• The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

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 veering   

n.改变的；犹豫的；顺时针方向转向；特指使船尾转向上风来改变航向v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的现在分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• Anyone veering too close to the convoys risks being shot. 任何人改变方向，过于接近车队就有遭枪击的风险。 来自互联网
• The little boat kept veering from its course in such a turbulent river. 小船在这湍急的河中总是改变方向。 来自互联网

9 meridian   

adj.子午线的；全盛期的

参考例句：

• All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。
• He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

10 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。