美国语文第四册 第46期:鹰

 　　The eagle seems to enjoy a kind of supremacy¹ over the rest of the inhabitants of the air. 鹰似乎比飞在空中的其他动物拥有更至高无上的地位。

　　Such is the loftiness of his flight, that he often soars in the sky beyond the reach of the naked eye, 包括它的飞行高度——它能够在空中翱翔到肉眼看不到的高度，

　　and such is his strength that he has been known to carry away children in his talons². 还有它的力量——据说它可以用爪子提起小孩。

　　But many of the noble qualities imputed³ to him are rather fanciful than true. 但是它被赋予的很多卓越品质都是想象出来的，并不是事实。

　　He has been described as showing a lofty independence, 在人们的描述中，它表现出很高傲的自主性。

　　which makes him disdain⁴ to feed on anything that is not slain⁵ by his own strength. 这使它不屑于进食非它自己力量杀死的猎物。

　　But Alexander Wilson, the great naturalist⁶, says that he has seen an eagle feasting on the carcass of a horse. 但伟大的博物学家亚历山大.威尔森说他曾看到一只鹰把一匹马的残骸当大餐。

　　The eagle lives to a great age. 鹰可以活到很大年纪。

　　One at Vienna is stated to have died after a confinement⁷ of one hundred and four years. 一只生活在维也纳的鹰据说在被饲养了104年后离世。

　　There are several species of the eagle. 鹰分为很多种类。

　　The golden eagle, which is one of the largest, is nearly four feet from the point of the beak⁸ to the end of the tail. 金鹰，即鹫，是最大的之一，从鸟喙的顶点到尾部几乎有四英尺长。

　　He is found in most parts of Europe, and is also met with in America. 它生活在欧洲大部分地区，同样也出现在美国。

　　High rocks and ruined and lonely towers are the places which he chooses for his abode⁹. 高高的岩石或者废弃、荒凉的高塔是它自己选择的栖身之所。

　　His nest is composed of sticks and rushes. 它的窝一般由木棍和灯芯草制成。

　　The tail feathers are highly valued as ornaments¹⁰ by the American Indians. 鹫尾部的羽毛非常名贵，因为美洲的印第安人用它们做装饰品。

　　The most interesting species is the bald eagle, as this is an American bird, and the adopted emblem¹¹ of our country. 最有趣的种类要数秃鹰了，因为它是一种美国鸟，并且已经被当作了美国的象征。

　　He lives chiefly upon fish, and is found in the neighborhood of the sea, 它主要以鱼类为食，栖息在美国附近的海域，

　　and along the shores and cliffs of our large lakes and rivers. 以及大河、大湖的海岸边和岩石上。

　　According to the description given by Wilson, he depends, in procuring¹² his food, chiefly upon the labors¹³ of others. 根据威尔森给出的描述，秃鹰获取食物主要依靠其他鸟类的劳动。

　　He watches the fishhawk as he dives into the sea for his prey¹⁴, and darting¹⁵ down upon him as he rises, 当鱼鹰扎进海里捕食猎物时，秃鹰会在一边旁观。等鱼鹰一出水面，秃鹰就会冲撞它，

　　forces him to relinquish¹⁶ his victim, and then seizes it before it again reaches the water. 迫使它放弃猎物，然后在猎物返回水面前把它抓住。

　　One of the most notable species is the harpy eagle. 其中最引人注目的是哈比鹰。

　　This is said to be bold and strong, and to attack beasts, and even man himself. 据说它非常大胆，非常强壮，会袭击野兽甚至人类。

　　He is fierce, quarrelsome, and sullen¹⁷, living alone in the deepest forests. 同时它也异常凶猛、好斗，总是非常阴郁而沉默，独自生活在森林深处。

　　He is found chiefly in South America. 主要栖息在南美地区。

1 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

2 talons   

n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部

参考例句：

• The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样，可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
• The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句

3 imputed   

v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They imputed the accident to the driver's carelessness. 他们把这次车祸归咎于司机的疏忽。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He imputed the failure of his marriage to his wife's shortcomings. 他把婚姻的失败归咎于妻子的缺点。 来自辞典例句

4 disdain   

n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑

参考例句：

• Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
• A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。

5 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

6 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。

7 confinement   

n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限

参考例句：

• He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
• The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

8 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

9 abode   

n.住处，住所

参考例句：

• It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫，才好不容易打听到他的住处。
• Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍！

10 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 emblem   

n.象征，标志；徽章

参考例句：

• Her shirt has the company emblem on it.她的衬衫印有公司的标记。
• The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.鹰是力量和勇气的象征。

12 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

13 labors   

v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
• Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句

14 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

15 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

16 relinquish   

v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手

参考例句：

• He was forced to relinquish control of the company.他被迫放弃公司的掌控权。
• They will never voluntarily relinquish their independence.他们绝对不会自动放弃独立。

17 sullen   

adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的

参考例句：

• He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
• Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。