英国语文第三册 第70期:帆布船(下)

 II.They soon found that their boat leaked very much, and that it needed constant labour to bale it.  （二）他们很快发现船漏的很厉害，不断地需要劳动力把裂缝捆起来。

Before they had been three days afloat, their stock of bread was spoiled by the salt water;  他们在海上漂了还不到三天，储存的面包就已经被海水毁掉了，

and the fresh water had become stale, and hardly fit for drinking. 水也有霉味了，不能再喝了。

There was scarcely any wind to help them; and the labour of rowing with rude oars², under a broiling³ sun,  几乎没有风帮助他们，在酷热的太阳下，用粗糙的桨划船的劳力

soon began to tell upon the strongest arms and the stoutest⁴ hearts amongst them. 很快开始显示出他们之中最强的臂力和坚强的心。

The island of Minorca was the place to which they had tried to steer⁵ their course,  他们试图登上米诺卡岛，

by the help of a pocket-compass during the day, and of the stars by night. 依靠白天袖珍罗盘和晚上星星的帮助。

Five days had gone, nor were there any signs of land.  五天过去了，没有任何关于这个岛的迹象。

On every side the glittering waters stretched away as far as they could see. Famine stared them in the face. 四面八方的闪亮的水向看不见尽头的远方延伸。他们的脸上尽显饥饿。

It is no wonder that hope died out in their hearts. They threw down their oars in despair.  毫无疑问他们内心已没有希望。他们绝望的扔下了船桨。

They crouched⁶ down in the bottom of the boat, their ghastly faces showing that the end was not far off. 在船的底层蹲了下来。惨白的脸上显示出结局已经不远了。

Will Adams, their leader, was the last to give in.  Will Adams他们的首领，是最后一个放弃的人，

His hand still nervously⁷ grasped the tiller, and his eye was bent⁸ eagerly towards the horizon. 他的手始终紧张的抓着舵柄，眼睛热切的盯着地平线。

Suddenly he called out, "Cheer up, lads! we have one chance more.  突然他大叫道，“小伙子们，快起来，我们的机会来了。

Do you see that dark speck⁹ in the shining waters ahead? I am much mistaken if it is not a turtle." 你们看到前面闪闪发光的水面上的黑点了吗？我没猜错的话那是一只海龟。

Silently every man seized his oar¹, and settled to his work. They rowed very quietly towards the creature,  每个人都安静的拿起了船桨，开始工作，他们悄悄地向海龟划去，

and seized it before it was aware of their approach.  在它意识到他们靠近之前抓住了它。

At once they cut off its head, fed upon its flesh, and drank its blood. 然后立刻砍掉了它的头，吃了它的肉，喝了它的血。

Hope revived in their hearts, as they found their strength returning. They plied¹⁰ their oars with all their might;  他们内心又充满了希望，浑身恢复了力量。他们用尽全力的划动着船桨，

and ere many hours had passed, the eagle eye of Adams descried¹¹ a thin gray line stretching along between sea and sky. 当很多小时过去之后，Adams如鹰一般锐利的双眼看到了在海天之间出现了一条细细的灰色的线。

Before night, they felt sure that it was land;  在夜幕来临前，他们确定了那是陆地，

and morning showed them the rugged¹² mountains of Minorca distinctly against the sky.  早上又确定靠近天际的是米诺卡山脉。

By ten o'clock that night they had landed; and "gave thanks unto Him who had brought them unto the haven¹³ where they would be." 那天晚上十点他们登陆了，然后他们感谢上帝把他们带到这个避风港。

The Spaniards supplied them with food, and treated them with the greatest kindness.  西班牙人提供给他们吃的，热情的招待他们。

In due time they were sent to England in one of the King's ships.  在合适的时候用一艘国王的船把他们送到了英国。

The canvas boat was placed as a memorial in the great church in Minorca,  那艘帆布船作为纪念陈列在米诺卡岛的教堂里，

where its ribs¹⁴ and skeleton were seen by a traveller more than one hundred years afterwards. 它的骨架在一百多年以后被一位旅客看到过。

1 oar   

n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行

参考例句：

• The sailors oar slowly across the river.水手们慢慢地划过河去。
• The blade of the oar was bitten off by a shark.浆叶被一条鲨鱼咬掉了。

2 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 broiling   

adj.酷热的，炽热的，似烧的v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的现在分词 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙）

参考例句：

• They lay broiling in the sun. 他们躺在太阳底下几乎要晒熟了。
• I'm broiling in this hot sun. 在太阳底下，我感到热极了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 stoutest   

粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的

参考例句：

• The screams of the wounded and dying were something to instil fear into the stoutest heart. 受伤者垂死者的尖叫，令最勇敢的人都胆战心惊。

5 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

6 crouched   

v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
• The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身，准备猛扑。

7 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

8 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

9 speck   

n.微粒，小污点，小斑点

参考例句：

• I have not a speck of interest in it.我对它没有任何兴趣。
• The sky is clear and bright without a speck of cloud.天空晴朗，一星星云彩也没有。

10 plied   

v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意

参考例句：

• They plied me with questions about my visit to England. 他们不断地询问我的英国之行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They plied us with tea and cakes. 他们一个劲儿地让我们喝茶、吃糕饼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 descried   

adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的

参考例句：

• He descried an island far away on the horizon. 他看到遥远的地平线上有个岛屿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At length we descried a light and a roof. 终于，我们远远看见了一点灯光，一所孤舍。 来自辞典例句

12 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

13 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

14 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。