英国语文第三册 第81期:方舟与鸽子第82期:大象的鼻子

Lesson 70 The Trunk Of The Elephant

第70课 大象的鼻子

The long trunk of the elephant is a wonderful example of design and skill.

大象的长鼻子是体现造物主的设计和技巧的绝妙例子。

The neck of four-footed animals is usually long, to enable them to reach their food without difficulty;

四足动物的脖子通常是很长的，为的是能够让它们不费力气地够得到食物，

but the elephant has a short neck, to enable him more easily to support the weight of his huge head and heavy tusks¹.

但大象的脖子很短，这样它就能更好地支撑自己头部和躯干的巨大重量。

The difficulty of getting food is admirably overcome by his long trunk.

而获取食物的困难则由它的长鼻子神奇化解了。

The trunk of the elephant is to him what the neck is to other animals.

大象的鼻子对于大象，就好像脖子对于其他动物一样重要。

It is also a nose to him, for at the end of it there is a hollow place like a cup,

同时，长鼻也是它的鼻子，因为鼻子的末端有一个像杯子一样中空的地方，

and in the bottom of the cup are two holes or nostrils², through which the animal smells and breathes.

而在杯子底部，有两个孔或者鼻孔，透过它们，大象就能嗅闻和呼吸了。

It is an arm and a hand too; so that it has been said that the elephant carries his nose in his hand;

同时，象鼻还是大象的胳膊和手，

and it might also have been said that he breathes by his hand.

据说大象还能用自己的脚掌呼吸。

How strange it would seem to us if we were to breathe through our hand!

这多么奇妙啊，就好像我们能用自己的手掌呼吸一样神奇！

At the end of the trunk, there is a curious part, about five inches long, which forms a finger.

象鼻的末端有个很奇怪的部分，它大约一米长，形成一个手指。

With this finger the animal can pick up a pin or the smallest piece of money from the ground;

用这手指，大象就能拾起地上的大头针或者是最小的钱币了：

he can select herbs and flowers, and take them one by one;

它能选择草木和花朵，然后逐一采摘；

he can untie³ knots; he can open and shut gates, by turning the keys or pushing back the bolts:

它能解开扣结；能扭动钥匙或推动门闩来开关门。

and with this finger an elephant has been taught to make regular marks like letters, with an instrument as small as a pen!

用这手指，一头大象能被驯化地比画出字母的样子，就好像使用笔一样！

The trunk of a full-grown elephant is about eight feet long.

成年大象的象鼻有大约二米长。

It can be made shorter or longer as the animal chooses, and can be moved with great ease in every possible direction.

大象可以伸缩象鼻的长短，并能轻易地向各个方向移动。

It has such prodigious⁴ strength that he can knock down a man with it, and pull up trees of moderate size by the roots.

它力道很大，以至于可以推倒一个成年人，并能连根拔起一棵中等大小的树木。

1 tusks   

n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头

参考例句：

• The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。
• Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa. 非洲的一些地区则使用象牙、猴尾和盐。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

2 nostrils   

鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。
• The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

3 untie   

vt.解开，松开；解放

参考例句：

• It's just impossible to untie the knot.It's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
• Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头，好吗？

4 prodigious   

adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。
• He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。