美国语文第六册 第110期:沃尔浦尔反驳皮特先生的演讲(2)

 and perhaps the gentleman may have contracted his habits of oratory¹ by conversing² more with those of his own age 绅士们也许通过与其说讲些符合自己年龄的话，

than with such as have more opportunities of acquiring knowledge, and more successful methods of communicating their sentiments. 不如说有更多的机会获得知识，互相交流情感这种更卓有成效的方式来约束自己的擅用长词和华丽辞藻的习惯。

If the heat of temper would permit him to attend to those whose age and long acquaintance with business 如果脾气的激动程度允许他听取那些他们的年龄和长期往来的旧交能

give them an indisputable right to deference³ and superiority, he would learn in time to reason, rather than declaim; 赋予他们一种不容置疑的遵从权利和优越感的意见，他将适时学会理性，而不是猛烈抨击；

and to prefer justness of argument and an accurate knowledge of facts, to sounding epithets⁴ and splendid superlatives, 他会更喜欢论点的正当性和对事实的精确了解，试探着使用词语和极好的最高级表达方式，

which may disturb the imagination for a moment, but leave no lasting⁵ impression upon the mind. 虽然一时间会在听者的想象中掀起波澜，但不会在心里留下持久的印象。

He would learn, that to accuse and prove are very different; 他会弄清楚谴责和证实是完全不同的，

and that reproaches, unsupported by evidence, affect only the character of him that utters them. 没有证据支持的谴责只会影响说这些话的人的品质。

Excursions of fancy and flights of oratory are indeed pardonable in young men, but in no other; 想象的远足和华丽辞藻的异想天开，诚然能为年轻人所谅解，除此之外别无其他。

and it would surely contribute more, even to the purpose for which some gentlemen appear to speak (that of depreciating⁶ the conduct of the administration), 可以肯定的是，这种做法会促进，甚至促使显然也有此意图的绅士一吐为快（贬低政府的职能），

to prove the inconveniences and injustice⁷ of this bill, than barely to assert them, 来证明这项议案的不便之处和不正当性，

with whatever magnificence of language, or appearance of zeal⁸, honesty, or compassion⁹. 而不是只不过用语言的所谓华丽，或真诚的外表或同情而对这些话表示支持。

 

1 oratory   

n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞

参考例句：

• I admire the oratory of some politicians.我佩服某些政治家的辩才。
• He dazzled the crowd with his oratory.他的雄辩口才使听众赞叹不已。

2 conversing   

v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 deference   

n.尊重，顺从；敬意

参考例句：

• Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗？
• The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。

4 epithets   

n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He insulted me, using rude epithets. 他用粗话诅咒我。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He cursed me, using a lot of rude epithets. 他用上许多粗鲁的修饰词来诅咒我。 来自辞典例句

5 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

6 depreciating   

v.贬值，跌价，减价( depreciate的现在分词 )；贬低，蔑视，轻视

参考例句：

• Explain how depreciating PP&E is an example of the matching principle. 解释房产、厂房、设备折旧如何体现了配比原则？ 来自互联网
• Explain how depreciating an example of the matching principle. 解释房产、房、备折旧如何体现了配比原则？ 来自互联网

7 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

8 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

9 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。