美国小学英语教材3:第177课 哥伦布和他的儿子迭戈(3)

 All the friars were interested in the map, 所有的修上都对地图感兴趣，

but Perez was even more eager than the others, for he had always liked to study maps. 但是佩雷斯显得比其他人对这计划更加期待，因为他一直喜欢研究地图。

"Columbus, you are right!" he suddenly cried. "I believe in your plan. 他突然大声说道：哥伦布，你说得对！我相信你的计划能成功。

I am sure you can prove that the world is round, 我确信你能证明地球是圆的，

and this very day I will send a messenger¹ to Queen Isabella, asking her to give you ships for your voyage²." 今天我就会派个信使去伊莎贝拉王后那里，让她给你航海用的船只。

In this way it came about that the Queen of Spain gave Columbus the help for which he had waited so long. 就这样，西班牙王后给了哥伦布等待多时的帮助。

Early one August morning in the year 1492 he set sail with three ships from Spain. 1492年8月的一个早晨，他带着三艘船从西班牙起航了。

Diego At The Palace 官殿里的选戈

Little Diego wanted to go on the great voyage, but his father told him that he was too young. 小迭戈也想加入这场伟大的航行，但是他的父亲说他太小不能去。

So the boy was taken to the palace of the King of Spain, where he was to stay until his father came home. 于是这个男孩被带到了西班牙王宫里，他将在那儿一直待到他父亲归来。

Often poor Diego was very unhappy, 可怜的迭戈经常闷闷不乐，

for almost everyone in Spain believed that Columbus would never come back from this strange voyage. 因为儿乎所有的西班牙人都认定，在这次不熟悉的航行中哥伦布将永远不会回来。

People called him "the foolish sailor," because he said that the world is round and that he could reach India by sailing³ west. 人们称哥伦布是“愚蠢的水手”，因为他说地球是圆的，他可以向西航行到达印度。

Very often the other boys in the palace would make fun of Diego. 王宫里的其他男孩经常取笑迭戈。

"Oh! Diego!" shouted one of these boys about seven months after Columbus had sailed away. 在哥伦布航行了大概七个月后，一个男孩喊道：噢！迭戈！

"What news today from the foolish sailor?" 那个愚蠢的水手今天有消息吗？

 

1 messenger   

n.报信者，先驱

参考例句：

• By the time the messenger reached him,the damage had been done.送信人赶到他那儿时，损失已经造成了。
• I'll order a special messenger to deliver the document.我会派专人把文件送去。

2 voyage   

n.航行，航海，航程，旅行，航空；vi./vt.航海，航行；渡过，飞过

参考例句：

• Life is compared to a voyage.人生好比航海。
• The December weather favoured our voyage.12月的天气使我们的航行顺利。

3 sailing   

n.航行，航海术，启航

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• The operation was plain sailing.手术进行得顺利。