英语听书《海底两万里》第21期 第2章 正与反(10)

 　　But, as it always happens, just when a decision had been made to chase the monster, the monster put in no further appearances.

　　事情往往就是这样，等人们决定要追赶这怪物的时候。怪物再也不出现了。

　　For two months nobody heard a word about it. Not a single ship encountered it.

　　在两个月的时间内，谁都没有得到怪物的消息，也没有海船碰见它。

　　Apparently¹ the unicorn² had gotten wise to these plots being woven around it.

　　好像这条海麒麟已经得到了人们准备进攻它的情报。

　　People were constantly babbling³ about the creature, even via the Atlantic Cable!

　　因为大家说得大多了，甚至于用大西洋的海底电线来说！

　　Accordingly, the wags claimed that this slippery rascal⁴ had waylaid⁵ some passing telegram and was making the most of it.

　　所以，喜欢说笑话的人说，这个精灵的东西一定在中途偷听了电报，现在它启己有了防备。

　　So the frigate⁶ was equipped for a far-off voyage and armed with fearsome fishing gear, but nobody knew where to steer⁷ it.

　　不再随便出来。因此，这艘用作远征而且装有强大打鱼机的二级战舰,现在不知道向哪里开才好。

　　And impatience⁸ grew until, on June 2, word came that the Tampico, a steamer on the San Francisco line sailing from California to Shanghai, had sighted the animal again, three weeks before in the northerly seas of the Pacific.

　　大家越来越不耐烦了，忽然，7月2日，旧金山轮船公司从加利福尼亚开往上海的一只汽船唐比葛号，三星期前在太平洋北部的海面上又看见了这个东西。

　　This news caused intense excitement. Not even a 24-hour breather was granted to Commander Farragut. His provisions were loaded on board.

　　这消息引起了极大的骚动。

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 unicorn   

n.(传说中的)独角兽

参考例句：

• The unicorn is an imaginary beast.独角兽是幻想出来的动物。
• I believe unicorn was once living in the world.我相信独角兽曾经生活在这个世界。

3 babbling   

n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密

参考例句：

• I could hear the sound of a babbling brook. 我听得见小溪潺潺的流水声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Infamy was babbling around her in the public market-place. 在公共市场上，她周围泛滥着对她丑行的种种议论。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

4 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

5 waylaid   

v.拦截，拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I got waylaid on my way here. 我在来这里的路上遭到了拦路抢劫。
• He was waylaid by thieves. 他在路上被抢了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 frigate   

n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰

参考例句：

• An enemy frigate bore down on the sloop.一艘敌驱逐舰向这只护航舰逼过来。
• I declare we could fight frigate.我敢说我们简直可以和一艘战舰交战。

7 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。

8 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。