美国小学英语教材5:第241课 祖母的那不勒斯之旅(10)

Home again over the four lovely miles, the Bernado children passed by great houses behind handsome wrought-iron gates; by stone walls over which April had thrown cascades¹ of blossoming vines; by broad meadows carpeted with flowers; by stone pines and dark, pointed² cypresses³; across little streams over the round arches of ancient bridges; and at last reached the farm.

伯纳多家的孩子们又回到了四英里外可爱的家，他们经过漂亮的锻铁大门后面的大房子；经过四月的石墙上，一串串盛开的藤蔓；经过铺满鲜花的宽阔草地上；经过石松和黑而尖的柏树；跨过小溪，跨过古老桥梁的圆拱；终于到了农场。

Now their work began in earnest. The silkworm eggs, which all winter had been kept in a cool place, now were put in a warm place to hatch, which they did in a few days. At this Tino hurried off to the hill and brought back a basketful of the youngest and tenderest of the mulberry leaves. At once the tiny jaws⁴ began to eat, and the worms grew so fast that one could almost see them growing. Could their skins stand the strain? No, they couldn’t. Twice they shed their too-tight skins, but not for long were the new ones loose and baggy⁵; the little gluttons⁶ soon filled them up. The sound of their many little mouths chewing was like the sound of scratching on silk.

现在他们的工作正式开始了。蚕卵整个冬天都放在凉爽的地方，现在却被放在温暖的地方孵化，几天就孵化出来了。听到这里，蒂诺急忙跑到山上，带回了一篮子最嫩最嫩的桑叶。小嘴巴立刻开始吃东西，虫子长得很快，几乎可以看到它们在生长。它们的皮肤能承受这种压力吗？不，他们不能。有两次，它们的皮都掉得太紧了，但没过多久，新的皮又松又下垂；这些贪吃的小家伙很快就把他们吃饱了。它们的许多小嘴咀嚼的声音就像抓挠丝绸的声音。

1 cascades   

倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西

参考例句：

• The river fell in a series of cascades down towards the lake. 河形成阶梯状瀑布泻入湖中。
• Turning into the sun, he began the long, winding drive through the Cascades. 现在他朝着太阳驶去，开始了穿越喀斯喀特山脉的漫长而曲折的路程。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦

2 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

3 cypresses   

n.柏属植物，柏树( cypress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Green and luxuriant are the pines and cypresses. 苍松翠柏郁郁葱葱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Before them stood a grove of tall cypresses. 前面是一个大坝子，种了许多株高大的松树。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

4 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

5 baggy   

adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的

参考例句：

• My T-shirt went all baggy in the wash.我的T恤越洗越大了。
• Baggy pants are meant to be stylish,not offensive.松松垮垮的裤子意味着时髦，而不是无礼。

6 gluttons   

贪食者( glutton的名词复数 )； 贪图者； 酷爱…的人； 狼獾

参考例句：

• NIV for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. [和合]因为好酒贪食的，必致贫穷；好17睡觉的，必穿破烂衣服。