英语听书《海底两万里》第347期 第23章 珊瑚王国(44)

 　　Indeed, the captain replied with a smile, and in this respect, the moderns aren't much farther along than the ancients.  是的，船长带着微笑回答，关于这一点，近代人并没有比古代入进步。

　　It took many centuries to discover the mechanical power of steam!  发明蒸汽力是要好几千百年的时间呢！

　　Who knows whether we'll see a second Nautilus within the next 100 years!  谁知道在一百年后，是否将有第二只诺第留斯号出现呢！

　　Progress is slow, Professor Aronnax. 啊龙纳斯先生，进步是很慢的呢。

　　It's true, I replied. Your ship is a century ahead of its time, perhaps several centuries. It would be most unfortunate if such a secret were to die with its inventor! 真的，我回答，您的船比它的时代进步了一世纪，或者好几世纪。这样一个秘密要跟它的发明人一同消逝，是多么不幸，尼摩船长并不回答我的话。

　　Captain Nemo did not reply. After some minutes of silence: 静默了几分钟后，我问：

　　We were discussing, he said, the views of ancient historians on the dangers of navigating¹ this Red Sea? 船长，您好像是特别研究过这海，您可以让我知道红海这名字的来源吗？

　　True, I replied. But weren't their fears exaggerated? 当然愿意知道。阿龙纳斯先生，关于这问题有很多的解释。您愿意知道一个十四世纪的史学家的意见吗？

　　Yes and no, Professor Aronnax, answered Captain Nemo, who seemed to know his Red Sea by heart.  这位空想家认为红海这个名字是在以色列人走过这海之后才有的，

　　To a modern ship, well rigged, solidly constructed, and in control of its course thanks to obedient steam, some conditions are no longer hazardous² that offered all sorts of dangers to the vessels³ of the ancients.  当时法老军队追赶他们到海上，海听到摩西的声音就涌上来，把法老军队淹没了：为表示这种神奇，变成为鲜红的海，自后除了红海的称呼再不能叫它别的名字了。

　　Picture those early navigators venturing forth⁴ in sailboats built from planks⁵ lashed⁶ together with palm-tree ropes, caulked⁷ with powdered resin⁸, and coated with dogfish grease.  尼摩船长，我回答，这是诗人的解释，我不能满足。

　　They didn't even have instruments for taking their bearings, they went by guesswork in the midst of currents they barely knew.  所以我要问问您个人的意见。阿龙纳斯先生，照我的意思，我们要把红海名字看作为希伯来语爱德龙一词的转译，

　　Under such conditions, shipwrecks⁹ had to be numerous.  古代的人所以称它这个名字，是由于这海的水有一种特殊颜色。

　　But nowadays steamers providing service between Suez and the South Seas have nothing to fear from the fury of this gulf¹⁰, despite the contrary winds of its monsoons¹¹.  可是，直到目前，我看见的都是清澈的水波，没有什么特殊颜色。

　　Their captains and passengers no longer prepare for departure with sacrifices to placate¹² the gods, and after returning, they don't traipse in wreaths and gold ribbons to say thanks at the local temple. 当然，不过您走进这海湾的内部时，您就会看到这奇异现象。我回想起从前看过的多尔湾，完全红色，好像血湖一样。

1 navigating   

v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃

参考例句：

• These can also be very useful when navigating time-based documents, such as video and audio. 它对于和时间有关的文档非常有用，比如视频和音频文档。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Vehicles slowed to a crawl on city roads, navigating slushy snow. 汽车在市区路上行驶缓慢，穿越泥泞的雪地。 来自互联网

2 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

3 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

6 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 caulked   

v.堵（船的）缝( caulk的过去式和过去分词 )；泥…的缝；填塞；使不漏水

参考例句：

• Caulk a pipe joint; caulked the cracks between the boards with mud. 堵住水管接头的缝隙；填塞木板和泥之间的''。'缝'。''。 来自互联网
• Caulked all around the window frame. 窗框已经发黄了。 来自互联网

8 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。

9 shipwrecks   

海难，船只失事( shipwreck的名词复数 )； 沉船

参考例句：

• Shipwrecks are apropos of nothing. 船只失事总是来得出人意料。
• There are many shipwrecks in these waters. 在这些海域多海难事件。

10 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

11 monsoons   

n.（南亚、尤指印度洋的）季风( monsoon的名词复数 )；（与季风相伴的）雨季；（南亚地区的）雨季

参考例句：

• In Ban-gladesh, the monsoons have started. 在孟加拉，雨季已经开始了。 来自辞典例句
• The coastline significantly influences the monsoons in two other respects. 海岸线在另外两个方面大大地影响季风。 来自辞典例句

12 placate   

v.抚慰，平息(愤怒)

参考例句：

• He never attempts to placate his enemy.他从不企图与敌人和解。
• Even a written apology failed to placate the indignant hostess.甚至一纸书面道歉都没能安抚这个怒气冲冲的女主人。