英语听书《海底两万里》第320期 第23章 珊瑚王国(17)

 　　At least, I asked, the fishermen are well paid, aren't they? 至少，我问，这些采珠人可以得到足够的工资吧？

　　Hardly, professor. In Panama they make just $1.00 per week.  哪能说足够呢，教授。在巴拿马，他们每星期得一元。

　　In most places they earn only a penny for each oyster¹ that has a pearl², and they bring up so many that have none! 平常采到一个有珍珠的贝，他们才能得一分钱，何况他们采得的贝里面多数是没有珍珠的！

　　Only one penny to those poor people who make their employers rich! That's atrocious! 这些可怜人，使他们的东家发了财，自己只能在采封一颗有珠子的贝才得到一分钱！真可恨！

　　On that note, professor, Captain Nemo told me, you and your companions will visit the Mannar oysterbank, and if by chance some eager fisherman arrives early, well, we can watch him at work. 教授，就这样吧，尼摩船长对我说，您跟您的同伴们一同去参观马纳尔的礁石岩脉，如果有早来的采珠人已经在那里，那我们就看看他们采珍珠。

　　That suits me, captain. 船长，就这么办吧。

　　By the way, Professor Aronnax, you aren't afraid of sharks, are you? 请问一下，阿龙纳斯先生，您怕鲛鱼吗？

　　Sharks? I exclaimed. 鲛鱼吗？我喊。

　　This struck me as a pretty needless³ question, to say the least. 这个问题，至少对我来说，没有兴味。

　　Well? Captain Nemo went on. 怎样？尼摩船长立即又问。

　　I admit, captain, I'm not yet on very familiar terms with that genus of fish. 船长，我老实对您说，我没有习惯跟这鱼打交道。

　　We're used to them, the rest of us, Captain Nemo answered. And in time you will be too.  我们已经很习惯了，尼摩船长回答，过些时候，你们也会习惯的。

　　Anyhow, we'll be armed, and on our way we might hunt a man-eater or two. It's a fascinating sport. So, professor, I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early. 此外，我们是带着武器的，这样，我们或者可以猎得一条鲛鱼。那是很有兴味的打猎。那么，教授，明天，明天一清早再会吧。

　　This said in a carefree tone⁴, Captain Nemo left the lounge⁵. 尼摩船长语气从容地说了这话，他就离开了客厅。

　　If you're invited to hunt bears in the Swiss mountains, you might say: Oh good, I get to go bear hunting tomorrow!  我们要考虑一下，我自言自语他说，我们不要忙，到海底森林中打水獭，像我们在克利斯波岛树林中做的那样。

　　If you're invited to hunt lions on the Atlas⁶ plains or tigers in the jungles of India, you might say:  可以去。但是，跑到海底下去，准知道会不会碰到鲛鱼，那就不一样了！

　　Ha! Now's my chance to hunt lions and tigers! But if you're invited to hunt sharks in their native element, you might want to think it over before accepting. 我于是幻想着鲛鱼了，想到它阔大的；有一排一排尖科牙齿的牙床，一下就可以把人咬为两段，我腰上已经感到有点痛了。

1 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

2 pearl   

n.珍珠，珍珠母

参考例句：

• He bought his girlfriend a pearl necklace.他给他女朋友买了一条珍珠项链。
• The crane and the mother-of-pearl fight to death.鹬蚌相争。

3 needless   

adj.不必，无须，不必要的，无用的

参考例句：

• Needless to say,I agree.无须说，我是同意的。
• It is needless to add that you are in want of a second.你需要一个助手，那是不必说的。

4 tone   

n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强

参考例句：

• There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
• Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。

5 lounge   

n.休闲室，休息室，长沙发；v.闲荡，闲散地度过，混日子

参考例句：

• We had coffee in the lounge.我们在客厅里喝咖啡。
• Don't lounge away your working hours.不要消磨工作时间。

6 atlas   

n.地图册，图表集

参考例句：

• He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
• The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。