美国语文第四册 第179期:白兰地酒河浅滩(1)

 　　The black, dreary¹ night, seemed interminable. 漆黑单调的夜似乎没有止境。

　　He could only guess, here and there, at a landmark²,  所经过的地方，他只能通过路标作出推测，

　　and was forced to rely more upon Roger's instinct of the road than upon the guidance of his senses. 甚至更多地依靠罗杰的本能来认路。

　　Toward midnight, as he judged, by the solitary³ crow of a cock, the rain almost entirely⁴ ceased. 临近半夜，他听到了一声鸡鸣，心想雨快停了。

　　The wind began to blow sharp and keen, and the hard vault⁵ of the sky to lift a little. 寒风刺骨，天空开阔了一点。

　　He fancied that the hills on his right had fallen away, and that the horizon was suddenly depressed⁶ towards the north. 他感到右侧的山峦变远了，地平线也向北方移动。

　　Roger's feet began to splash in constantly deepening water, and presently a roar, distinct from that of the wind, filled the air. 罗杰的蹄子在深水里溅起水花，突然，和四周的风声完全不同的咆哮声传来。

　　It was the Brandywine. 这里是白兰地酒河。

　　The stream had overflowed⁷ its broad meadow bottoms, and was running high and fierce beyond its main channel. 河水已经漫过宽广的低洼地带，漫过了主河道。

　　The turbid⁸ waters made a dim, dusky gleam around him; soon the fences disappeared, and the flood reached to his horse's body. 四周浑浊的水闪烁着暗淡的光；围栏很快就看不见了，水涨到了马的身体。

　　But he knew that the ford⁹ could be distinguished¹⁰ by the break in the fringe of timber; 但他知道还是可以通过围栏的缝隙分辨出浅滩来。

　　moreover, that the creek¹¹ bank was a little higher than the meadows behind it, and so far, at least, he might venture. 此外，河岸比低洼处高，他可以涉险过去。他可以涉险过去。

　　The ford was not more than twenty yards across, and he could trust Roger to swim that distance. 浅滩只有二十码宽，罗杰一定能游过去。

　　The faithful animal pressed bravely on, but Gilbert soon noticed that he seemed at fault. 忠实的罗杰奋力地向前游，可是吉尔伯特很快注意到他似乎犯了错误。

　　The swift water had forced him out of the road, and he stopped from time to time, as if anxious and uneasy. 迅速上涨的河水迫使他离开了公路，必须不时停下来，显得急迫和不安。

　　The timber could now be discerned, only a short distance in advance, and in a few minutes they would gain the bank. 可以看到，围栏就在前方不远，几分钟后就能到河岸了。

1 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

2 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

3 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

4 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。

5 vault   

n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室

参考例句：

• The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
• The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。

6 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

7 overflowed   

溢出的

参考例句：

• Plates overflowed with party food. 聚会上的食物碟满盘盈。
• A great throng packed out the theater and overflowed into the corridors. 一大群人坐满剧院并且还有人涌到了走廊上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 turbid   

adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的

参考例句：

• He found himself content to watch idly the sluggish flow of the turbid stream.他心安理得地懒洋洋地望着混浊的河水缓缓流着。
• The lake's water is turbid.这个湖里的水混浊。

9 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

10 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

11 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。