英语听书《海底两万里》第342期 第23章 珊瑚王国(39)

 　　Then the Nautilus drew near the beaches of Africa, where the sea is considerably¹ deeper.  随后，诺第留斯号走近非洲海岸，这一带的海就深得多了。

　　There, through the open panels and in a midwater of crystal clarity, our ship enabled us to study wonderful bushes of shining coral and huge chunks² of rock wrapped in splendid green furs of algae³ and fucus.  这里，在水晶一般清澈的海水中间，从打开的嵌板，我可以细细看那色彩鲜明的珊瑚的奇妙丛林，那披上海带和黑角莱的华美青绿毛皮的一片片宽大岩石。

　　What an indescribable sight, and what a variety of settings and scenery where these reefs and volcanic⁴ islands leveled off by the Libyan coast!  与利比亚海岸相接的这些火山的暗礁和小岛，铺排成地毯一般，景色变化无穷，真是无法形容，无法描写！

　　But soon the Nautilus hugged the eastern shore where these tree forms appeared in all their glory.  但是，海底这些丛生的枝状动物表现得最美丽的地方；还是在诺第留斯号就要驶到的东部的海岸附近。

　　This was off the coast of Tihama, and there such zoophyte displays not only flourished below sea level but they also fashioned picturesque⁶ networks that unreeled as high as ten fathoms⁷ above it;  那是在铁哈马海岸一带，因为在这一带海岸，不单海面下有一层一层的花一般的植虫动物，而且这些植虫动物在二十米水深左右满是组成五色斑烂的图象花纹，但水底下的比接近水面的一层变化更多，

　　the latter were more whimsical but less colorful than the former, which kept their bloom thanks to the moist vitality⁸ of the waters. 颜色较为黯淡，因为近水面的一层受海水的湿润，保持着鲜艳的颜色。

　　How many delightful⁹ hours I spent in this way at the lounge window!  我这样在客厅的玻璃窗户边，不知道度过了多少惬意进人的时间！

　　How many new specimens¹⁰ of underwater flora¹¹ and fauna¹² I marveled at beneath the light of our electric beacon¹³!  我在我们的电光探照灯下，不知道欣赏了多少海底下的新品种动植物！

　　Mushroom-shaped fungus¹⁴ coral, some slate-colored sea anemone¹⁵ including the species Thalassianthus aster⁵ among others,  有伞形菌；有石板色的多须峭；特别是晶形峭；有管珊瑚，

　　organ-pipe coral arranged like flutes¹⁶ and just begging for a puff¹⁷ from the god Pan, shells unique to this sea that dwell in madreporic cavities and whose bases are twisted into squat¹⁸ spirals,  像笛子一般，等着潘神来吹，有这一带海中特产的贝壳，附生在造礁珊瑚的空洞中，下部有，很短的螺丝纹环绕，

　　and finally a thousand samples of a polypary I hadn't observed until then: the common sponge. 最后有成千成万的那种水媳类，那些就是我还没有看到过的普通海绵。

1 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

2 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？

3 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

4 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

5 aster   

n.紫菀属植物

参考例句：

• This white aster is magnificent.这棵白色的紫苑是壮丽的。
• Every aster in my hand goes home loaded with a thought.我手中捧着朵朵翠菊，随我归乡带着一片情思。

6 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

7 fathoms   

英寻( fathom的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The harbour is four fathoms deep. 港深为四英寻。
• One bait was down forty fathoms. 有个鱼饵下沉到四十英寻的深处。

8 vitality   

n.活力，生命力，效力

参考例句：

• He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

9 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

10 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 flora   

n.(某一地区的)植物群

参考例句：

• The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
• All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。

12 fauna   

n.(一个地区或时代的)所有动物，动物区系

参考例句：

• This National Park is an area with unique fauna and flora.该国家公园区域内具有独特的动物种群和植物种群。
• Fauna is a biological notion means all the animal life in a particular region or period. 动物群是一个生物学的概念，指的是一个特定时期或者地区的所有动物。

13 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

14 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

15 anemone   

n.海葵

参考例句：

• Do you want this anemone to sting you?你想让这个海葵刺疼你吗？
• The bodies of the hydra and sea anemone can produce buds.水螅和海葵的身体能产生芽。

16 flutes   

长笛( flute的名词复数 )； 细长香槟杯（形似长笛）

参考例句：

• The melody is then taken up by the flutes. 接着由长笛奏主旋律。
• These flutes have 6open holes and a lovely bright sound. 笛子有6个吹气孔，奏出的声音响亮清脆。

17 puff   

n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气

参考例句：

• He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
• They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

18 squat   

v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的

参考例句：

• For this exercise you need to get into a squat.在这次练习中你需要蹲下来。
• He is a squat man.他是一个矮胖的男人。