美国语文第六册 第10期:风暴(2)

 　　Again, greater darkness enveloped¹ the trembling earth. 颤抖的大地又一次披上了更幽深的黑暗的外衣。

　　Anon, the heavens were rent with lightning, which nothing could have quenched² but the descending³ deluge⁴. 不久之后，天空划过一道道闪电，暴雨倾盆而下。

　　Cataracts⁶ poured down from the lowering firmament⁷. 从乌云压得很低的苍穹，大瀑布一般的雨向大地倾泻。

　　For an instant, the horses dashed madly forward; beast and rider blinded and stifled⁸ by the gushing⁹ rain, and gasping¹⁰ for breath. 顷刻间，马儿发疯似的向前猛冲，不论马儿还是骑马的行路人都被瓢泼大雨遮挡住了视线，气都喘不上来了。

　　Shelter was nowhere. The quivering beasts reared, and snorted, and sank upon their knees, dismounting their riders. 瑟瑟发抖的马儿向后倒退着，发出很响的鼻息，双膝颤抖着向下堆着，将骑手掀下马来。

　　He had scarcely spoken, when there burst forth¹¹ a terrific noise, they knew not what;  当爆出骇人的声响时，他一言不发，人们不晓得怎么会这样。他们不清楚是怎么回事，

　　a rush, they could not understand; a vibration¹² which shook them on their horses. 只是匆忙赶路。一阵地动山摇，他们在马上直摇晃。

　　Every terror sank before the roar of the cataract⁵. 在听到大瀑布的轰鸣声之前，所有的恐惧都沉在每个人的心底。

　　It seemed that the mighty¹³ mountain, unable to support its weight of waters, shook to the foundation. 仿佛巍峨的高山也无法负担山洪的重压似的，连它的根部也在摇晃。

　　A lake had burst upon its summit, and the cataract became a falling ocean. 湖水倾泛，大瀑布汇成了海洋。

　　The source of the great deep appeared to be discharging itself over the range of mountains; the great gray peak tottered¹⁴ on its foundation! 最深处的水源似乎流向各山脉，远处隐约可见的峰顶好像也晃了起来！

　　It shook!—it fell! and buried in its ruins the castle, the village, and the bridge! 它在摇晃！摇摇欲坠！城堡、村庄和桥梁夷为平地了！

1 enveloped   

v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。
• Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 quenched   

解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却

参考例句：

• He quenched his thirst with a long drink of cold water. 他喝了好多冷水解渴。
• I quenched my thirst with a glass of cold beer. 我喝了一杯冰啤酒解渴。

3 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

4 deluge   

n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥

参考例句：

• This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.雨大的时候，这条小溪能变作洪流。
• I got caught in the deluge on the way home.我在回家的路上遇到倾盆大雨。

5 cataract   

n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障

参考例句：

• He is an elderly gentleman who had had a cataract operation.他是一位曾经动过白内障手术的老人。
• The way is blocked by the tall cataract.高悬的大瀑布挡住了去路。

6 cataracts   

n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障

参考例句：

• The rotor cataracts water over the top of the machines. 回转轮将水从机器顶上注入。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Cataracts of rain flooded the streets. 倾盆大雨弄得街道淹水。 来自辞典例句

7 firmament   

n.苍穹；最高层

参考例句：

• There are no stars in the firmament.天空没有一颗星星。
• He was rich,and a rising star in the political firmament.他十分富有，并且是政治高层一颗冉冉升起的新星。

8 stifled   

（使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵

参考例句：

• The gas stifled them. 煤气使他们窒息。
• The rebellion was stifled. 叛乱被镇压了。

9 gushing   

adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• blood gushing from a wound 从伤口冒出的血
• The young mother was gushing over a baby. 那位年轻的母亲正喋喋不休地和婴儿说话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

11 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。

12 vibration   

n.颤动，振动；摆动

参考例句：

• There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
• The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。

13 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

14 tottered   

v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠

参考例句：

• The pile of books tottered then fell. 这堆书晃了几下，然后就倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wounded soldier tottered to his feet. 伤员摇摇晃晃地站了起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》