英语听书《海底两万里》第423期 第26章 大头鲸和长须鲸(4)

 Near eleven o'clock in the morning, while on the surface of the ocean, the Nautilus fell in with a herd¹ of baleen² whales.  早上十一点左右，诺第留斯号在大洋面上，

This encounter didn't surprise me, because I knew these animals were being hunted so relentlessly³ that they took refuge in the ocean basins of the high latitudes⁴. 航行在成群的鲸鱼中间一这个遭遇并不使我惊异，因为我知道这些动物受人过度的追击，都躲到两极边缘、高纬度的海水中来

In the maritime⁵ world and in the realm of geographic⁶ exploration, whales have played a major role.  一鲸鱼类在海上事业方面所起的作用，对于地理上发现的影响是很重大的。

This is the animal that first dragged the Basques in its wake, then Asturian Spaniards, Englishmen, and Dutchmen, emboldening⁷ them against the ocean's perils⁸, and leading them to the ends of the earth. Baleen whales like to frequent the southernmost and northernmost seas.  鲸鱼类，首先吸引着已斯克人、其次亚斯豆里人、又其次英国人和荷兰人，追随在它后面，使他们不怕大洋的危险，带领他们从地球这一极端到那一极端。

We were seated on the platform next to a tranquil⁹ sea.  我们坐在平台上，海上风平浪静。

The month of March, since it's the equivalent of October in these latitudes, was giving us some fine autumn days.  是的，这些纬度地区正给我们带来美丽的秋天。

It was the Canadian-on this topic he was never mistaken--who sighted a baleen whale on the eastern horizon.  是那个加拿大人—他不能搞错—指出东方天边有一条鲸鱼、注意地看一下，

If you looked carefully, you could see its blackish back alternately rise and fall above the waves, five miles from the Nautilus. 我们看见它的灰黑色的脊背在距离诺第留斯号五海里的海面上，不停地浮起来、沉下去。

Wow! Ned Land exclaimed. If I were on board a whaler, there's an encounter that would be great fun!  “啊！尼德·兰喊道：如果我是在一般捕鲸船上，现在慨是使我痛快的一次遭遇！

That's one big animal!  那是一条身躯巨大的鲸鱼！

Look how high its blowholes are spouting¹⁰ all that air and steam!  请看它的鼻孔有多大的气力，喷出了混有气体的水柱！

Damnation! Why am I chained to this hunk of sheet iron! 真可恨！我为什么被绑在这块钢板上呢！

1 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

2 baleen   

n.鲸须

参考例句：

• Other baleen whales have splash guards too,but not like this.一些须鲸物种头顶也有护住喷水孔的构造，但并不长成这样。
• Baleen whales often appear in this region. Be careful!这一带经常有须鲸出没，要注意安全啊。

3 relentlessly   

adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断

参考例句：

• The African sun beat relentlessly down on his aching head. 非洲的太阳无情地照射在他那发痛的头上。
• He pursued her relentlessly, refusing to take 'no' for an answer. 他锲而不舍地追求她，拒不接受“不”的回答。

4 latitudes   

纬度

参考例句：

• Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
• It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。

5 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

6 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 emboldening   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的现在分词 )

参考例句：

8 perils   

极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境）

参考例句：

• The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
• With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难？

9 tranquil   

adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的

参考例句：

• The boy disturbed the tranquil surface of the pond with a stick. 那男孩用棍子打破了平静的池面。
• The tranquil beauty of the village scenery is unique. 这乡村景色的宁静是绝无仅有的。

10 spouting   

n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水

参考例句：

• He's always spouting off about the behaviour of young people today. 他总是没完没了地数落如今年轻人的行为。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blood was spouting from the deep cut in his arm. 血从他胳膊上深深的伤口里涌出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》