英语听书《海底两万里》第92期 第7章 一种从未见过的鱼(15)

 　　Just then, as if to take my side in the argument, a bubbling began astern of this strange submersible

　　这时候，好像是为了要证明我的论据是对的，这个奇异东西的后面沸腾起来，

　　whose drive mechanism¹ was obviously a propeller-and the boat started to move.

　　它现在开行了，推动它的分明是那推进器。

　　We barely had time to hang on to its topside, which emerged about eighty centimeters above water.

　　我们赶快紧紧把住它那浮出水面约八十厘米的上层。

　　Fortunately its speed was not excessive.

　　还算运气，它的速度并不十分快。

　　So long as it navigates² horizontally, Ned Land muttered, I've no complaints.

　　它如果就这样在水平面上行驶，我倒一点不在乎，尼德·兰低声说，

　　But if it gets the urge to dive, I wouldn't give 2.00 for my hide!

　　但是，如果它忽然异想天开沉到水底下去，那我的性命就靠不住了！

　　The Canadian might have quoted a much lower price.

　　加拿大人说得一点不错。

　　So it was imperative³ to make contact with whatever beings were confined inside the plating of this machine.

　　所以，最要紧的是赶快想办法跟里面的人取得联系。

　　I searched its surface for an opening or a hatch, a manhole,

　　我想在它上层找到一个开口，一块盖板，用专门术语来说，找到一个人孔；

　　to use the official term; but the lines of rivets⁴ had been firmly driven into the sheet-iron joins and were straight and uniform.

　　但一行行的螺丝钉很清楚、很均匀，把钢板衔接得十分结实，无缝可寻。

1 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

2 navigates   

v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的第三人称单数 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃

参考例句：

• Dolpins also navigates by some kind of echo system. 原来海豚也是借助某种回声系统寻向的。 来自辞典例句
• Navigates in menus, lists, choice screens and into edited texts. 可以操纵菜单、列表、屏幕选项和进入编辑文本。 来自互联网

3 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

4 rivets   

铆钉( rivet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Straighten the rivets, please. 请把那铆钉铆直。
• Instead of rivets there came an invasion, an infliction, and a visitation. 但是铆钉并没有运来，来的却是骚扰、混乱和视察。