英语听书《海底两万里》第296期 第22章 强逼睡眠(1)

 　　But the Nautilus wanted nothing to do with these nasty animals. Timor Island was visible for barely an instant at noon while the chief officer determined¹ his position.  但诺第留斯号跟这些怪难看的动物并没有什么交道可打。帝位岛也只是在中午，船副记录方位的时候，出现了一下。

　　I also caught only a glimpse of little Roti Island, part of this same group, whose women have a well-established reputation for beauty in the Malaysian marketplace. 同样，我也只望到了属于这群岛屿的罗地小岛，这岛上砌女人在马来亚市场上被公认为有名的美人。

　　After our position fix, the Nautilus's latitude² bearings were modulated³ to the southwest.  从这里起，诺第留斯号的方向，在纬度线上弯下来；向西南驶去。

　　Our prow⁴ pointed⁵ to the Indian Ocean. Where would Captain Nemo's fancies take us?  船头是向着印度洋。尼摩船长打算带我们到什么地方去呢？

　　Would he head up to the shores of Asia? Would he pull nearer to the beaches of Europe?  他又上溯回到亚洲侮岸去吗？他要走近欧洲海岸吗？

　　Unlikely choices for a man who avoided populated areas! So would he go down south?  他是要躲避有人居住的陆地吧，但从航行方向看，这也是不可能的。那么他要往南去吗？

　　Would he double the Cape⁶ of Good Hope, then Cape Horn, and push on to the Antarctic pole?  他要先过好望角，然后再过合恩角，向南极走去吗？

　　Finally, would he return to the seas of the Pacific, where his Nautilus could navigate⁷ freely and easily? Time would tell. 最后，他又要回到太平洋中来，他的诺第留斯号在太平洋中航行方便自由吗？那只有将来才能使我知道。

　　After cruising along the Cartier, Hibernia, Seringapatam, and Scott reefs, the solid element's last exertions⁸ against the liquid element,  既经走过了嘉地埃、依比尼亚、西林加巴当、斯各脱暗礁群，这是在海水中浮出的最后礁石了，

　　we were beyond all sight of shore by January 14.  1月14 日我们看不见陆地了。

　　The Nautilus slowed down in an odd manner, and very unpredictable in its ways, it sometimes swam in the midst of the waters, sometimes drifted on their surface. 诺第留斯号的速度特别缓慢，好像非常任性，有时在水中走，有时又浮出水面来。

　　During this phase of our voyage, Captain Nemo conducted interesting experiments on the different temperatures in various strata⁹ of the sea.  在这次航行当中，尼摩船长对于海中不同水层的各种温度，做了些很有兴味的实验。

　　Under ordinary conditions, such readings are obtained using some pretty complicated instruments whose findings are dubious¹⁰ to say the least,  在一般情况下，这些温度的记录是利用相当复杂的器械来进行，

　　whether they're thermometric sounding lines, whose glass often shatters under the water's pressure,  但不论是使用温度表来探测（因玻璃管时常被水的压力压碎），

　　or those devices based on the varying resistance of metals to electric currents.  或是使用通过电流的金属制成的仪器来探测，

　　The results so obtained can't be adequately double-checked.  所得的结果总还是不很可靠小因为这样取得的结果无法校正。

　　By contrast, Captain Nemo would seek the sea's temperature by going himself into its depths,  但尼摩船长就不同了，他自己亲身到海底下去探测各水层的温度，

　　and when he placed his thermometer in contact with the various layers of liquid, he found the sought-for degree immediately and with certainty. 他的温度表跟各水层相接触，马上很准确地将得到的度数告诉他。

1 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。

2 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

3 modulated   

已调整[制]的，被调的

参考例句：

• He carefully modulated his voice. 他小心地压低了声音。
• He had a plump face, lemur-like eyes, a quiet, subtle, modulated voice. 他有一张胖胖的脸，狐猴般的眼睛，以及安详、微妙和富于抑扬顿挫的嗓音。

4 prow   

n.(飞机)机头，船头

参考例句：

• The prow of the motor-boat cut through the water like a knife.汽艇的船头像一把刀子劈开水面向前行驶。
• He stands on the prow looking at the seadj.他站在船首看着大海。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

7 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

8 exertions   

n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使

参考例句：

• As long as they lived, exertions would not be necessary to her. 只要他们活着，是不需要她吃苦的。 来自辞典例句
• She failed to unlock the safe in spite of all her exertions. 她虽然费尽力气，仍未能将那保险箱的锁打开。 来自辞典例句

9 strata   

n.地层（复数）；社会阶层

参考例句：

• The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
• They represent all social strata.他们代表各个社会阶层。

10 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。