英语听书《白鲸记》第701期

 Now, of course, this canal is filled with much the same strangely fibrous substance—the spinal¹ cord—as the brain; 这根脊管自然也跟头脑一样，有着极其相似的奇特的纤维质——脊柱纤维质；

and directly communicates with the brain. 而且直接通向头脑。

And what is still more, for many feet after emerging from the brain's cavity, 此外这种脊柱纤维质，从脑窝里向外露出好多英尺后，

the spinal cord remains² of an undecreasing girth, almost equal to that of the brain. 还有一根象没有缩短的肚带似的东西，大小几乎跟头脑一样。

Under all these circumstances, would it be unreasonable³ to survey and map out the whale's spine⁴ phrenologically? 根据这种情形说来，凭骨相学的见地来探测出大鲸的脊骨，难道不是很合情理么？

For, viewed in this light, the wonderful comparative smallness of his brain proper  因为，从这个角度来观察，它那正式的头脑之相当小得出奇，

is more than compensated⁵ by the wonderful comparative magnitude of his spinal cord. 是远非那又大得相当出奇的脊柱纤维质所能弥补的。

But leaving this hint to operate as it may with the phrenologists, 但是，这种分析，还是让骨相学家们去做吧，

I would merely assume the spinal theory for a moment, in reference to the Sperm⁶ Whale's hump. 我不过是暂时借用这种脊骨理论，来说一说抹香鲸的背峰而已。

This august hump, if I mistake not, rises over one of the larger vertebrae, and is, therefore, in some sort, the outer convex mould of it. 这一个威风凛凛的背峰，如果我没有弄错的话，它是通过一根较大的脊骨耸出来的，因此，它有点象是这根脊骨的外部的凸出物。

From its relative situation then, I should call this high hump the organ of firmness or indomitableness in the Sperm Whale. 于是，从它的相关的情况看来，我将管这只高高的背峰叫做抹香鲸的坚定的或者是不屈不挠的器官。

And that the great monster is indomitable, you will yet have reason to know. 至于这只巨兽之所以是不屈不挠的，以后你还可以得到相信的根据。

1 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

4 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

5 compensated   

补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款）

参考例句：

• The marvelous acting compensated for the play's weak script. 本剧的精彩表演弥补了剧本的不足。
• I compensated his loss with money. 我赔偿他经济损失。

6 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。