英语听书《白鲸记》第384期

 BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER V. (Thrasher).This gentleman is famous for his tail which he uses for a ferule in thrashing his foes¹.  第二篇(八开型)　第五章(长尾鲸)这位仁兄是以它的尾巴著名的,它用尾巴来作鞭打它的敌人的竹板之用。

He mounts the Folio whale's back, and as he swims, he works his passage by flogging him; as some schoolmasters get along in the world by a similar process.  它攀到对开鲸的背上,于是在它游着的时候,它便鞭着对开鲸前进;跟人间的小学教师所采取的方法一样。长尾鲸比之海豚鲸还更弄不清楚。

Still less is known of the Thrasher than of the Killer². Both are outlaws³, even in the lawless seas. 总之,即使在无法无天的海洋上,这两种东西仍该算是歹徒。

Thus ends BOOK II. (Octavo), and begins BOOK III, (Duodecimo.) 第二篇(八开型)就到此为止,这里开始第三篇(十二开型)了。

DUODECIMOES.--These include the smaller whales. I. The Huzza Porpoise⁴. II. The Algerine Porpoise. III. The Mealy-mouthed Porpoise. 十二开型,包括一些较小的鲸在内。(１)乌拉鲸;(２)海盗鲸;(３)粉嘴鲸。

To those who have not chanced specially⁵ to study the subject, it may possibly seem strange, that fishes not commonly exceeding four or five feet should be marshalled among WHALES-a word, which, in the popular sense, always conveys an idea of hugeness.  在那些不大专门研究这门学问的人看来,也许会觉得奇怪,以为一般身长并不超过四五英尺的鱼,竟然也高踞大鲸之列...鲸,这名称,在通常的意义上,总是带有硕大无朋的意思。

But the creatures set down above as Duodecimoes are infallibly whales, by the terms of my definition of what a whale is--i.e. a spouting⁶ fish, with a horizontal tail. 但是,上列称为十二开型的这些动物却确确实实都是鲸,这是根据我给鲸所下的定义而来的...即凡是会喷水,又是平尾的鱼都是鲸。

BOOK III. (Duodecimo), CHAPTER 1. (Huzza Porpoise).--This is the common porpoise found almost all over the globe.  第三篇(十二开型)　第一章(乌拉鲸)...这是一种几乎在世界各处都可见到的普通的小鲸。

The name is of my own bestowal⁷; for there are more than one sort of porpoises⁸, and something must be done to distinguish them.  这名字是我个人所赐予的;因为小鲸种类繁多,总得设法对它们加以区别才是。我之所以这样称它,是因为它始终是成群结队。

I call him thus, because he always swims in hilarious⁹ shoals, which upon the broad sea keep tossing themselves to heaven like caps in a Fourth-of-July crowd.  嘻嘻哈哈地出游,虽然辽阔的海洋却不断地把它们直往天上抛,有如七月四日的人潮抛出来的帽子。

1 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

2 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

3 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

4 porpoise   

n.鼠海豚

参考例句：

• What is the difference between a dolphin and porpoise?海豚和和鼠海豚有什么区别？
• Mexico strives to save endangered porpoise.墨西哥努力拯救濒危的鼠海豚。

5 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

6 spouting   

n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水

参考例句：

• He's always spouting off about the behaviour of young people today. 他总是没完没了地数落如今年轻人的行为。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blood was spouting from the deep cut in his arm. 血从他胳膊上深深的伤口里涌出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 bestowal   

赠与，给与； 贮存

参考例句：

• The years of ineffectual service count big in the bestowal of rewards. 几年徒劳无益的服务，在论功行赏时就大有关系。
• Just because of the bestowal and self-confidence, we become stronger and more courageous. 只因感恩与自信，让我们变得更加果敢与坚强。

8 porpoises   

n.鼠海豚( porpoise的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A shoal of porpoises are well on the feed. 一群海豚正在吞食。 来自辞典例句
• In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress. 1928年有人把这些海豚象海狸那样把一床浸泡了水的褥垫推上岸时的情景拍摄了下来。 来自辞典例句

9 hilarious   

adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed

参考例句：

• The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine.在他们又拿来更多的酒之后，派对变得更加热闹起来。
• We stop laughing because the show was so hilarious.我们笑个不停，因为那个节目太搞笑了。