英语听书《海底两万里》第260期 第20章 托列斯海峡(8)

 　　Under my eyes I had the excellent charts of the Torres Strait that had been surveyed and drawn¹ up by the hydrographic engineer Vincendon Dumoulin and Sublieutenant (now Admiral) Coupvent-Desbois, who were part of Dumont d'Urville's general staff during his final voyage to circumnavigate the globe.  我面前是很详尽的托列斯海峡地图，这图由水力工程师，从前是古往·德波亚号的海军少尉，现在是海军上将的文生唐·杜日兰所编制，他在杜蒙·居维尔的最后一次环球航行期间，曾是参谋人员之。

　　These, along with the efforts of Captain King, are the best charts for untangling the snarl² of this narrow passageway, and I consulted them with scrupulous³ care. 这地图跟金船长制的都是最完善的地图，可以把它当作良好的向导来避免危险，通过这狭窄的水道，我很小心地查看这些地图。

　　Around the Nautilus the sea was boiling furiously.  在诺第留斯号周围，海水汹涌湃澎，翻滚沸腾。

　　A stream of waves, bearing from southeast to northwest at a speed of two and a half miles per hour, broke over heads of coral emerging here and there. 海浪从东南奔向西北, 以两海里半的速度冲在处处露出尖峰的珊瑚礁上。

　　That's one rough sea! Ned Land told me. 真是凶恶的海！尼德·兰对我说。

　　Abominable⁴ indeed, I replied, and hardly suitable for a craft like the Nautilus. 对，是可憎恨的海，我回答，像诺第留斯号这样的船都不好应付呢。

　　That damned captain, the Canadian went on, must really be sure of his course,  那位怪船长，加拿大人又说，一定是十分熟悉他走的航路,

　　because if these clumps⁵ of coral so much as brush us, they'll rip our hull⁶ into a thousand pieces! 因为我看见有一堆对珊瑚礁石,一不小心,触上了可就幢的粉碎。

　　The situation was indeed dangerous, but as if by magic, the Nautilus seemed to glide⁷ right down the middle of these rampaging reefs.  对，我们所处的情形十分危险，但诺第留斯号好像有了魔法、在这些凶险的暗礁中间安然滑过去。

　　It didn't follow the exact course of the Zealous⁸ and the new Astrolabe, which had proved so ill-fated for Captain Dumont d'Urville.  它并不沿着浑天仪号和热心女号所走的航线驶去，那是使杜蒙·居维尔受到过厉害打击的。

　　It went more to the north, hugged the Murray Islands, and returned to the southwest near Cumberland Passage.  它从北边一点走，沿着莫利岛，再回到西南方，向甘伯兰海道驶去。

　　I thought it was about to charge wholeheartedly into this opening,  我以为它分明是要走这海道了，

　　but it went up to the northwest, through a large number of little-known islands and islets, and steered⁹ toward Tound Island and the Bad Channel. 但忽然它又回向西北方，穿过许多人不知道的小岛和岛屿，驶往通提岛和凶险的水道。

1 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

2 snarl   

v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮

参考例句：

• At the seaside we could hear the snarl of the waves.在海边我们可以听见波涛的咆哮。
• The traffic was all in a snarl near the accident.事故发生处附近交通一片混乱。

3 scrupulous   

adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的

参考例句：

• She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。
• Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

4 abominable   

adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的

参考例句：

• Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
• The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

5 clumps   

n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声

参考例句：

• These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了，剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 hull   

n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳

参考例句：

• The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。
• The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。

7 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

8 zealous   

adj.狂热的，热心的

参考例句：

• She made zealous efforts to clean up the classroom.她非常热心地努力清扫教室。
• She is a zealous supporter of our cause.她是我们事业的热心支持者。

9 steered   

v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导

参考例句：

• He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
• The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》