英语听力：探索发现 2012-08-29 爱尔兰的故事 Story Of Ireland—20

 The Vikings who would eventually descend¹ on Ireland had their ancestral roots here in Norway. From these fjords, they created a maritime² empire that stretched from the shores of America in the west to central Russia in the east. 

 

The Viking world of the 7th and 8th centuries was in a state of flux³. Warrior⁴ clans⁵ fought for control of the best land. Land meant wealth and power, but there was too little to go around. 

 

In an early Norse poem, a mother says to her son, get thee a ship and go out on the seas, and kill men. They are lines which reflect a society where a man’s worth was defined by his skill with the sword.

 

What kind of a society did these Viking warlords inhabit?

 

Competition was actually the key element in this society--who would travel the furthest and who was the bravest in battle, who could eat the most and who drank the most.

 

What is the principle dynamic that’s driving them out of these fjords towards Ireland?

 

It was important for the local chieftains to be able to give good gifts to their followers⁶, their friends or throw big parties. And there was not enough wealth in Norway. So I think one of the main reasons that they left for Ireland was just to plunder⁷ some Irish monasteries⁸ and churches and steal the goods. 

 

The Irish in popular memory tend to see the Vikings as rapists, pillagers and killers⁹. Is that something you’d go along with?

 

Partly yes, but you have to look at the Vikings that they can actually change shapes over the night--one day they are actually killers, the next day they are actually traders, and on the 3rd day they are cattlemen, and the 4th day, they are settlers.

1 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

2 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

3 flux   

n.流动；不断的改变

参考例句：

• The market is in a constant state of flux.市场行情在不断变化。
• In most reactors,there is a significant flux of fast neutrons.在大部分反应堆中都有一定强度的快中子流。

4 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

5 clans   

宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派

参考例句：

• There are many clans in European countries. 欧洲国家有很多党派。
• The women were the great power among the clans [gentes], as everywhere else. 妇女在克兰〈氏族〉里，乃至一般在任何地方，都有很大的势力。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

7 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

8 monasteries   

修道院( monastery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In ancient China, there were lots of monasteries. 在古时候，中国有许多寺院。
• The Negev became a religious center with many monasteries and churches. 内格夫成为许多庙宇和教堂的宗教中心。

9 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。