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VOA慢速英语2017 风中奇缘

时间:2017-11-12 15:39来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

The True Story of Pocahontas

Pocahontas is one of the most famous figures in American history. Many books and films portray1 her as a beautiful American Indian “princess” who made sacrifices to serve British colonial interests. These stories also suggest that she saved England’s first Virginia settlers from death and starvation.

波卡洪塔斯(Pocahontas)是美国历史上最著名的人物之一。很多书籍和电影都将她描绘为一位美丽的印第安公主,为英国殖民利益作出了牺牲。这些故事还暗示她拯救了英格兰第一批弗吉尼亚殖民者,让他们避免了死亡和饥饿。

Most likely none of that is true.

这些很有可能都不是真实的。

Pocahontas was the daughter of Pamunkey Chief Wahunsenaca. He was leader of an alliance of about thirty Algonquian tribes and bands in Virginia when the British arrived in 1607.

波卡洪塔斯是帕芒基部落酋长Wahunsenaca的女儿。值1607年英国抵达之际,Wahunsenaca是弗吉尼亚30多个阿尔冈基人部族联盟的首领。

This did not make her a “princess” however. Royalty2 was a European idea. Her family called her Matoaka, “flower between two streams.” This likely referred to their home between Virginia’s Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers.

然而,这并不能使波卡洪塔斯成为公主,因为皇室是一种欧洲概念。她的家人称她为Matoaka,意思是两条溪流之间的花儿。这可能代表着他们家住在马特波尼河和帕芒基河之间。

Tradition has said that her father also called her “Pocahontas.” This has several possible meanings, including “wanton” to “mischievous3.” The name suggests she had a lively personality.

传说她的父亲也称她为Pocahontas,这个词有多种意思,包括“爱嬉戏的”和“调皮的。”这个名字表明她性格活泼。

Little is known of Pocahontas’ childhood. Linwood “Little Bear” Custalow was a member of the Mattaponi tribe, an ally of Wahunsenaca’s. Dr. Linwood’s book, The True Story of Pocahontas, the Other Side of History reports about Mattaponi oral history. It says Matoakoa married a young Potowomac fighter named Kocoum when she was about 14. They had a child called Little Kocoum, who was raised among the Mattaponi. The book also says that the English murdered the older Kocoum.

人们对波卡洪塔斯的儿时知之甚少。林伍德·卡斯塔洛(Linwood "Little Bear" Custalow)是马特波尼部落的成员,该部落是Wahunsenaca的盟友。林伍德博士在《历史另一面:真实的波卡洪塔斯》一书中报道了马特波尼部落的口述历史,书中称波卡洪塔斯14岁时跟Potowomac部族一位年轻战士Kocoum结了婚。他们生了一个小孩,取名叫Little Kocoum,这个小孩在马特波尼部落长大。这本书还称英国人谋杀了老Kocoum。

Pocahontas’s imprisonment4

波卡洪塔斯被囚

In 1613, the English took Pocahontas and imprisoned5 her because they thought it would help influence negotiations6 with her father. They kept her for a year at the settlement of Jamestown.

1613年,英国人把波卡洪塔斯囚禁了起来,因为他们认为这样能影响到跟她父亲的谈判。他们把她在詹姆斯顿殖民地关押了一年。

?At some point during her imprisonment, Pocahontas was declared a Christian7 and her British captors gave her a new name: Rebecca. The Mattaponi say at one point the English settlers permitted her sister to visit her. During that visit Pocahontas told her sister that she had been raped8.

波卡洪塔斯在被囚的某个时期宣布皈依基督教,绑架她的英国人给她取了一个新的名字:丽贝卡。马特波尼族人称,英国殖民者有一次允许她的妹妹去探访她。在那次探访期间,波卡洪塔斯告诉她妹妹,她被强奸了。

During her time at Jamestown, a British farmer named John Rolfe took an interest in her. The details of their relationship are not clear. In his writings, Rolfe said that he loved Pocahontas but also recognized that a marriage alliance between Britain and Virginia tribes would be helpful.

波卡洪塔斯在詹姆斯顿期间,一位名为约翰·罗尔夫(John Rolfe)的英国农民对她产生了兴趣。他们关系的细节并不清楚。罗尔夫在文字表述中写道,他爱着波卡洪塔斯,但是也坦诚英国和弗吉尼亚部落之间的婚姻联盟会有帮助。

Rolfe married Pocahontas in 1614, and she gave birth to a son, Thomas. The Mattaponi say her father did not attend the wedding. However he gave her a necklace made of pearls harvested from Virginia's coastal9 waters as a gift.

罗尔夫于1614年跟波卡洪塔斯结了婚,她还生下了一个孩子,取名为托马斯。马特波尼族人说,她的父亲没有参加婚礼。然而他送给了波卡洪塔斯一串产自弗吉尼亚沿海水域的珍珠做成的项链作为礼物。

Pocahontas later traveled to England with Rolfe and Thomas to help bring attention to the new Virginia colony. She was presented to the Queen as Virginia’s first Christian. Historical records say she was well-received.

波卡洪塔斯随后跟罗尔夫和托马斯前往英格兰,帮助引发人们对新弗吉尼亚殖民地的关注。她被作为弗吉尼亚第一位基督徒介绍给女王。历史纪录称她受到了欢迎。

However, Pocahontas became sick, and later died before she and Rolfe could return to Virginia. She was buried at St. George’s Church in the Kent town of Gravesend on March 21, 1617. A memorial statue for Pocahontas stands there today.

然而波卡洪塔斯病了,并且在她和罗尔夫能够返回弗吉尼亚之前去世。1617年3月21日,她被葬在肯特郡格莱乌赞得镇的圣乔治教堂。今天那里立起了一座波卡洪塔斯的纪念雕像。

Famous for an unclear story

以一段不明故事而闻名

Pocahontas is most famous for an event that likely never happened: Saving British explorer Captain John Smith from death by Chief Wahunsenaca in 1607.

波卡洪塔斯最著名的是一段可能从未发生过的事件:1607年拯救英国探险家约翰·史密斯上尉免遭Wahunsenaca酋长的毒手。

Smith claimed that he had been taken prisoner by a group of fighters, who brought him before Chief Wahunsenaca. Smith said they were ready to kill him with a club. But, he wrote, Pocahontas threw herself down on top of the prisoner, which saved his life.

史密斯声称他曾被一群士兵俘虏,这些人将他带到Wahunsenaca酋长面前。史密斯说,他们准备将他乱棍打死。但是他写道,波卡洪塔斯趴到了她身上,救了他的命。

Today, the Mattaponi say it could not have happened. They say such behavior would not have been consistent with Virginia Native culture or custom. Non-Native researchers also suspect the truth of this story, taking note that even in his own time, people saw Smith as a liar10 who had an inflated11 sense of his own importance.

今天,马特波尼族人表示这不可能发生。他们表示,这样的行为跟弗吉尼亚本土文化或习俗不一致。非本土的研究人员也怀疑这个故事的真相,提出即使是在他的时代,人们也将史密斯视为一个夸大自身重要性的骗子。

I’m Phil Dierking.

Words in This Story

alliance - n. a union between people, groups, countries, etc.?

baptize - v. to officially make someone a member of a specified12 Christian church through the ceremony of baptism?

exaggerate - v. to think of or describe something as larger or greater than it really is?

mischievous - adj. causing or tending to cause annoyance13 or minor14 harm or damage?

oral - adj. of or relating to the mouth?

pearl - n. a hard, shiny, white ball that is formed inside the shell of an oyster15 and that is often used as jewelry16?

royalty - n. members of a royal family?

wanton - adj. showing no thought or care for the rights, feelings, or safety of others


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 portray mPLxy     
v.描写,描述;画(人物、景象等)
参考例句:
  • It is difficult to portray feelings in words.感情很难用言语来描写。
  • Can you portray the best and worst aspects of this job?您能描述一下这份工作最好与最坏的方面吗?
2 royalty iX6xN     
n.皇家,皇族
参考例句:
  • She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
  • I waited on tables,and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生, 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。
3 mischievous mischievous     
adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的
参考例句:
  • He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。
  • A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。
4 imprisonment I9Uxk     
n.关押,监禁,坐牢
参考例句:
  • His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
  • He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。
5 imprisoned bc7d0bcdd0951055b819cfd008ef0d8d     
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁,合并执行。
  • They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。
6 negotiations af4b5f3e98e178dd3c4bac64b625ecd0     
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过
参考例句:
  • negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
  • Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
7 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
8 raped 7a6e3e7dd30eb1e3b61716af0e54d4a2     
v.以暴力夺取,强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 );强奸
参考例句:
  • A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
  • We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致,不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句
9 coastal WWiyh     
adj.海岸的,沿海的,沿岸的
参考例句:
  • The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
10 liar V1ixD     
n.说谎的人
参考例句:
  • I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了,一个又偷又骗的家伙!
  • She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。
11 inflated Mqwz2K     
adj.(价格)飞涨的;(通货)膨胀的;言过其实的;充了气的v.使充气(于轮胎、气球等)( inflate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)膨胀;(使)通货膨胀;物价上涨
参考例句:
  • He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
  • They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 specified ZhezwZ     
adj.特定的
参考例句:
  • The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
  • It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。
13 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼
参考例句:
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气?
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
14 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
15 oyster w44z6     
n.牡蛎;沉默寡言的人
参考例句:
  • I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎,它味道真美。
  • I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时,我发现我相当喜欢吃。
16 jewelry 0auz1     
n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
参考例句:
  • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
  • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
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