英国语文第三册 第24期:老虎的故事

 　　LESSON 23 Stories of tigers 第二十三课 老虎的故事

　　Some years ago, a number of English officers in India went out to hunt.  几年前,许多在印度的英国军官出去打猎。

　　On their way home after their day's sport, they found in the jungle a little tiger kitten, not more than a fortnight old. 有一天在他们打猎后回家的路上,他们发现在丛林中一只不超过两周的小老虎崽。

　　They took it with them; and when they reached their tent, the little tiger was provided with a tiny dog-collar and chain,  他们带着它,当他们到达他们的帐篷时,提供的小老虎是一个很小的狗项圈和连锁,

　　and tied to the tent-pole, round which it played and frisked to the delight of all who saw it. 和与搭帐篷的支柱,它打着转玩,高兴的看着所有看到它的人。

　　Just as it was growing dark, however, about two hours after the capture, the people in the tent were checked,  但是天越来越暗，在捕捉后大约两小时，帐篷里的人进行了检查，

　　in the midst of their mirth, by a sound that caused the bravest heart among them to quail¹. 在他们的欢乐之中，由声音引起的让最勇敢的心畏缩。

　　It was the roar of a tiger! In an instant the little kitten became every inch a tiger,  这是一只老虎的咆哮!瞬间小小猫成为每一寸一只老虎,

　　and strained at its chain with all its baby strength, while it replied with a loud wail² to the terrible voice outside.  用幼崽所有的力量反抗者链锁,虽然它一声哀号道外面的可怕的声音。

　　The company in the tent were panic-struck, there was something so sudden and so wild in the roar. 在帐篷里的同伴们被疯狂的咆哮吓得惊慌失措。

　　Suddenly there leaped into the centre of the tent a huge tigress!  突然帐篷的中心有一个巨大的母老虎跳了近来!

　　Without noticing a single man there, she caught her kitten by the neck. 没有注意到一个人在那里,她抓住了小虎崽的脖子。

　　She snapped, by one jerk, the chain which bound it; and, turning to the tent door, dashed off at full speed.  她咔嚓一声折断绑着幼崽的锁链,转向帐篷的门,全速跑了。

　　One cannot be sorry that not a gun was levelled at the brave mother as she bore her young one off in triumph. 没有一个人会遗憾,没用枪瞄准那勇敢的妈妈,因为她勇敢的救出她年轻的宝宝。

1 quail   

n.鹌鹑；vi.畏惧，颤抖

参考例句：

• Cowards always quail before the enemy.在敌人面前，胆小鬼们总是畏缩不前的。
• Quail eggs are very high in cholesterol.鹌鹑蛋胆固醇含量高。

2 wail   

vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸

参考例句：

• Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
• One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。