美国语文第六册 第200期:乘坐扫雪机(3)

A great breaker rises right in the way.

一台很大的断路器横亘在道中央。

The monster, with you in it, works its way up and feels of it. It is packed like a ledge¹ of marble.

这个庞然大物从里面看，把道路往上拱起，好像能触摸到似的。整个断路器就像大理石突出的狭长部分。

Three whistles! The machine backs away and keeps backing, as a gymnast runs astern to get sea room and momentum² for a big jump;

接着传来三声鸣笛！这台机器为了让出地方而后退，一直后退，就像一名体操运动员向后退以便腾出空间做大跳跃动作，

as a giant swings aloft a heavy sledge³, that it may come down with a heavy blow.

也似一位巨人向上托着很重的狭长物体，然后突然向下猛甩。

One whistle! You have come to a halt. Three pairs of whistles one after the other! and then, putting on all steam, you make for the drift.

又一声鸣笛！人们应该停下脚步。三声鸣笛此起彼伏。接下来，蒸汽动力全部启动，人们冲向堆积物。

The superintendent⁴ locks the door, you do not quite understand why, and in a second the battle begins.

那位监管人员锁上门，人们不明白是怎么回事，刹那间这场战争又重新开始了。

The machine rocks and creaks in all its joints⁵. There comes a tremendous shock.

这台机器的所有连接处都来回摆动，发出嘎嘎响声，令人不胜恐惧。

The cabin is as dark as midnight. The clouds of flying snow put out the day.

驾驶室漆黑一片。漫天飞舞的雪花形成的云团好像把整个天空都覆盖住了。

The labored⁶ breathing of the locomotives behind you, the clouds of smoke and steam that wrap you up as in a mantle⁷,

人们身后的机车费力地喘着粗气，烟雾和蒸汽组成的云团像披风一样裹着你，

the noonday eclipse of the sun, the surging of the ship, the rattling⁸ of chains,

中午的太阳暗淡无光，船只踏着波浪，锁链和木材发出吱吱嘎嘎的响声，

the creak of timbers as if the craft were aground and the sea getting out of its bed to whelm you altogether,

仿佛船搁浅了，海水漫过堤岸，就要淹没你们似的。

the doubt as to what will come, all combine to make a scene of strange excitement for a landlubber.

这个疑虑好像就要变成现实——所有这一切形成奇特的一幕，令不习水性的“旱鸭子”惶恐不已。

1 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 sledge   

n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往

参考例句：

• The sledge gained momentum as it ran down the hill.雪橇从山上下冲时的动力越来越大。
• The sledge slid across the snow as lightly as a boat on the water.雪橇在雪原上轻巧地滑行，就象船在水上行驶一样。

4 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

5 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

6 labored   

adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
• They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

7 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

8 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。