英语听书《白鲸记》第382期

 Strictly speaking, this horn is but a lengthened¹ tusk², growing out from the jaw³ in a line a little depressed⁴ from the horizontal.  严格地说,这只角不过是一只打从嘴里稍微向下生出来的伸长的牙齿而已。

But it is only found on the sinister⁵ side, which has an ill effect, giving its owner something analogous⁶ to the aspect of a clumsy left-handed man.  但是,它只是生在左边,因此,它就有了一种不佳的后果,使得它的主人的相貌有点象是一个笨拙地使用左手的人。

What precise purpose this ivory horn or lance answers, it would be hard to say.  这种牙角或者枪矛究竟有什么真正的用场,那倒很难置答。

It does not seem to be used like the blade of the sword-fish and bill-fish; though some sailors tell me that the Narwhale employs it for a rake in turning over the bottom of the sea for food.  它似乎不象剑鱼和镰鱼的峰背那样派得来用场;不过,有些水手对我说,独角鲸在翻耙海底找寻食物的时候,是把它当做耙子用的。

Charley Coffin⁷ said it was used for an ice-piercer; for the Narwhale, rising to the surface of the Polar Sea, and finding it sheeted with ice, thrusts his horn up, and so breaks through.  查利科芬却说那是被当做冰锥子用的;因为当独角鲸冲出北极洋面,发现上面罩着冰块的时候,就把它那只角往上一冲,把冰块给戳穿了。

But you cannot prove either of these surmises⁸ to be correct.  但是,这些揣测究竟是哪一种对,却无法证实。

My own opinion is, that however this one-sided horn may really be used by the Narwhale-however that may be-it would certainly be very convenient to him for a folder⁹ in reading pamphlets.  我的意见是,不管独角鲸究竟把这只独角派什么用场...不管是怎么样...有一点可以肯定的是,它在看书的时候,一定可以十分方便地把它做裁纸刀用。

The Narwhale I have heard called the Tusked¹⁰ whale, the Horned whale, and the Unicorn¹¹ whale.  我听说有人把独角鲸叫做牙鲸。角鲸和一角鲸。

He is certainly a curious example of the Unicornism to be found in almost every kingdom of animated¹² nature.  它简直应该算是一切生物界中所能找到的一角派的有趣的范例。

From certain cloistered¹³ old authors I have gathered that this same sea-unicorn's horn was in ancient days regarded as the great antidote¹⁴ against poison, and as such, preparations of it brought immense prices.  我从一些隐居的老作家那边搜集到一些材料,据说这种海上的独角生物的角,在古代是被当做抗毒的灵剂的,因此,它的制剂售价很高。

It was also distilled¹⁵ to a volatile¹⁶ salts for fainting ladies the same way that the horns of the male deer are manufactured into hartshorn.  它也被蒸馏成一种挥发盐,供昏厥的贵妇当嗅盐用,一如雄鹿角被制成鹿角精。

1 lengthened   

（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The afternoon shadows lengthened. 下午影子渐渐变长了。
• He wanted to have his coat lengthened a bit. 他要把上衣放长一些。

2 tusk   

n.獠牙，长牙，象牙

参考例句：

• The wild boar had its tusk sunk deeply into a tree and howled desperately.野猪的獠牙陷在了树里，绝望地嗥叫着。
• A huge tusk decorated the wall of his study.他书房的墙上装饰着一支巨大的象牙。

3 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

4 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。

5 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

6 analogous   

adj.相似的；类似的

参考例句：

• The two situations are roughly analogous.两种情況大致相似。
• The company is in a position closely analogous to that of its main rival.该公司与主要竞争对手的处境极为相似。

7 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

8 surmises   

v.臆测，推断( surmise的第三人称单数 )；揣测；猜想

参考例句：

• The detective is completely correct in his surmises. 这个侦探所推测的完全正确。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As the reader probably surmises, a variety of interest tables exists. 正如读者可能推测的那样，存在着各种各样的利息表。 来自辞典例句

9 folder   

n.纸夹，文件夹

参考例句：

• Peter returned the plan and charts to their folder.彼得把这份计划和表格放回文件夹中。
• He draws the document from its folder.他把文件从硬纸夹里抽出来。

10 tusked   

adj.有獠牙的，有长牙的

参考例句：

• Bogy,brown eyes regarding me,panted happily,pink tongue peeking from tusked20 jaws. 博吉那双棕色眼睛看着我，高兴地喘着粗气，张开长着獠牙的嘴，吐出粉红的舌头。 来自互联网

11 unicorn   

n.(传说中的)独角兽

参考例句：

• The unicorn is an imaginary beast.独角兽是幻想出来的动物。
• I believe unicorn was once living in the world.我相信独角兽曾经生活在这个世界。

12 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

13 cloistered   

adj.隐居的，躲开尘世纷争的v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the cloistered world of the university 与世隔绝的大学
• She cloistered herself in the office. 她呆在办公室里好像与世隔绝一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 antidote   

n.解毒药，解毒剂

参考例句：

• There is no known antidote for this poison.这种毒药没有解药。
• Chinese physicians used it as an antidote for snake poison.中医师用它来解蛇毒。

15 distilled   

adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华

参考例句：

• The televised interview was distilled from 16 hours of film. 那次电视采访是从16个小时的影片中选出的精华。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gasoline is distilled from crude oil. 汽油是从原油中提炼出来的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。