英语听书《海底两万里》第51期 第5章 冒险活动(6)

 　　Now, professor, you know even better than I that nature doesn't violate good sense,

　　并且，教授，您比我更了解，自然造物，决不自相矛盾，

　　and she wouldn't give some naturally slow animal the ability to move swiftly if it hadn't a need to use that talent.

　　它决不使天性迟缓的动物，有快速走动的能力，因为这种能力对它并无必要。

　　So if the beast does exist, it's already long gone!

　　所以，这种动物如果存在的话，它早就跑远了！

　　I had no reply to this. Obviously we were just groping blindly.

　　听了他这话，我没法回答。很明显，我们确实是盲目地行动着。

　　But how else could we go about it? All the same, our chances were automatically pretty limited.

　　可是，又有什么办法呢？我们的机会很有限，

　　Yet everyone still felt confident of success, and not a sailor on board would have bet against the narwhale appearing, and soon.

　　不过，对于事情的成功，还没有人加以怀疑，船上没有一名水手敢打赌，说没有独角鲸，说它不会出现。

　　On July 20 we cut the Tropic of Capricorn at longitude¹ 105 degrees, and by the 27th of the same month, we had cleared the equator on the 110th meridian².

　　7月20日南回归线正交在经度105度，同月27日我们穿过了在西经110度上的赤道线。

　　These bearings determined³, the frigate⁴ took a more decisive westward⁵ heading and tackled the seas of the central Pacific.

　　此后，船便一直向西行驶，驶进太平洋的中部海中。

1 longitude   

n.经线，经度

参考例句：

• The city is at longitude 21°east.这个城市位于东经21度。
• He noted the latitude and longitude,then made a mark on the admiralty chart.他记下纬度和经度，然后在航海图上做了个标记。

2 meridian   

adj.子午线的；全盛期的

参考例句：

• All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。
• He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 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。

5 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。