英语听书《海底两万里》第501期 第31章 章鱼(9)

 Aristotle put the dimensions of one squid at five cubits, or 3.1 meters. 亚历士多德曾经确证过一条长3.1米的枪乌贼。

Our fishermen frequently see specimens¹ over 1.8 meters long.  我们现在的渔夫也经常看到一些长超过1.8米的枪乌贼。

The museums in Trieste and Montpellier have preserved some devilfish carcasses measuring two meters.  特里艾斯特和蒙特普利的博物馆，里就收藏着一些长2米的章鱼骨胳。

Besides, according to the calculations of naturalists², one of these animpas only six feet long would have tentacles³ as long as twenty-seven. 此外，按博物学家的推算，一只这样的动物，长只有6英尺，它的触须就可能长达27英尺。

Which is enough to make a fearsome monster." 这就足以让它成为可怕的怪物。”

Does anybody fish for 'em nowadays? the Canadian asked. “现在有人捕捉过吗？”加拿大人问。

If they don't fish for them, sailors at least sight them.  “即使没人捕捉过，水手至少也会看过。

A friend of mine, Captain Paul Bos of Le Havre, 我的一个朋友，哈夫尔港的保罗·保斯船长，

has often sworn to me that he encountered one of these monsters of colossal⁴ size in the seas of the East Indies. 他经常向我肯定说他在印度海里碰到一只身体巨大的怪物。

But the most astonishing event, which proves that these gigantic animals undeniably exist, took place a few years ago in 1861. 但最令人吃惊、最让人不能否认这种怪物存在的事实，是发生在几年前1861年。”

What event was that? Ned Land asked. “什么事实？”尼德·兰问。

Just this. In 1861, to the northeast of Tenerife and fairly near the latitude⁵ where we are right now,  “是这样。1861年，在特内里夫岛东北方，与我们现在所处差不多的纬度上，

the crew of the gunboat Alecto spotted⁶ a monstrous⁷ squid swimming in their waters. 护卫舰‘阿利敦号’船上的一个船员看到了一只巨大的枪乌贼在海水中游动，

Commander Bouguer approached the animal and attacked it with blows from harpoons⁸ and blasts from rifles,  他用鱼叉和枪去打它，

but without much success because bullets and harpoons crossed its soft flesh as if it were semiliquid jelly. 但没什么大用，因为鱼叉和子弹穿进它软绵绵的肉里，就像穿进松软的果冻中一样。

 

1 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》

2 naturalists   

n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者

参考例句：

• Naturalists differ much in determining what characters are of generic value. 自然学者对于不同性状决定生物的属的含义上，各有各的见解。 来自辞典例句
• This fact has led naturalists to believe that the Isthmus was formerly open. 使许多自然学者相信这个地蛱在以前原是开通的。 来自辞典例句

3 tentacles   

n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛

参考例句：

• Tentacles of fear closed around her body. 恐惧的阴影笼罩着她。
• Many molluscs have tentacles. 很多软体动物有触角。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

5 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。

6 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

7 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

8 harpoons   

n.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的名词复数 )v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Greenpeace hopes to position its boats between the harpoons and the whales. 绿色和平希望他们的船能开到港口与鲸鱼群之间的地方。 来自互联网
• NIV Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? 7[和合]你能用倒钩枪扎满它的皮，能用鱼叉叉满它的头吗？ 来自互联网