-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Lesson 9 The Most Dangerous Game
1) “General,” said Rainsford firmly, “I wish to leave this island at once.”
2) The General raised his eyebrows1. He seemed hurt.
3) “I wish to go today,” said Rainsford. He saw the dead black eyes of the General on him, studying him. General Zaroff’s face suddenly brightened. He filled Rainsford’s glass.
4) “Tonight,” said the General, “We will hunt——You and I. ”
5) “No, General,” said Rainsford. “I will not hunt.”
6) The General shrugged2 his shoulders. “As you wish, my friend. The choice rests entirely3 with you. But may I venture to suggest that you’ll find my idea of sport more interesting than Ivan’s?”
7) He nodded toward the corner where the giant stood, his thick arms crossed on his hogshead of a chest.
8) “You don’t mean——” cried Rainsford.
9) “My dear fellow,” said the General. “Have I not told you that I always mean what I say about hunting?”
10) The General raised his glass, but Rainsford sat staring at him.
11) “You will find the game worth playing,” the General said enthusiastically. “Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina5 against mine, Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh? ”
12) “And if I win——” began Rainsford huskily.
13) “I’ll cheerfully acknowledge my defeat that if I do not find you by midnight of the third day,” said the General. “My boat will place you on the mainland near a town.” He sipped6 his wine and then in a businesslike air, he went on, “Ivan will supply you with hunting clothes, food and knife. I suggest you wear moccasins; they leave a poorer trail. I suggest too that you avoid the big swamp at the southeast corner of the island. We call it Death Swamp. There’s quicksand there. One foolish fellow tried it. The deplorable part of it was that Lazarus followed him. He was the finest hound in my pack. Well, I must beg you to excuse me now. I always takes a little nap after lunch. You’ll hardly have time for that, I’m afraid. You’ll want to start, no doubt. I shall not follow until dusk. Hunting at night is so much more exciting than by day, don’t you think? Au revoir, Mr. Rainsford ”
14) General Zaroff, with a deep courtly bow, strolled from the room.
15) Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for two hours. “I must keep my nerve. I must keep my nerve,” he said through tight teeth.
16) He had not been entirely clear-headed when the chateau7 gates snapped shut behind him. His whole idea at first was to put distance between himself and General Zaroff. He had plunged8 along, spurred on by a sharp feeling of panic. But now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation.
17) He saw that straight flight was futile9; inevitably10 it would bring him face to face with the sea. He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operation, clearly, must take place within that frame.
18) “I’ll give him a trail to follow,” muttered Rainsford, and he struck off the rude path he had been following into the trackless wilderness11. He executed a series of intricate loops; he doubled on his trail again and again, recalling all the lore12 of the fox hunt or the dodges13 of the fox. Night found him legweary, with hands and face lashed14 by the branches, on a thickly wooden bridge. He knew it would be insane to blunder on through the dark, even if he had the strength. “I have played the fox,” he thought, “now I must play the cat.” A big tree with a thick trunk and outspread branches was nearby, and taking care to leave not the slightest mark, he climbed up into the crotch, and stretching out on one of the broad limbs, after a fashion, rested. Rest brought him new confidence and almost a feeling of security. Even so zealous15 a hunter as General Zaroff could not trace him there, he told himself; only the devil himself could follow that complicated trail through the jungle after dark, but perhaps the General was a devil——
19) The night crawled slowly like a wounded snake, and sleep did not visit Rainsford although the silence of a dead world was on the jungle. Toward morning when a dingy16 gray was varnishing17 the sky, the cry of some startled bird focused Rainsford’s attention in that direction. Something was coming through the bush, slowly, carefully, by the same winding18 way Rainsford had come. He flattened19 himself down on the limb, and through a screen of the leaves, saw it was a man.
20) It was General Zaroff. He made his way along with his eys fixed20 in utmost concentration on the ground. He paused, almost beneath the tree, dropped his knees, and studied the ground. Rainsford’s impulse was to hurl21 himself down like a panther but he saw the General’s right hand held by something metallic——a small automatic pistol.
21) The hunter shook his head several times, as if puzzled. Then he straightened up and took out a cigarette. Rainsford held his breath. The General’s eyes were now travelling inch by inch up the tree. Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring. But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his face. Very deliberately22 he blew a smoke ring into the air, and then turned and walked carelessly away.
22) The pent-up air burst from Rainsford’s lungs. His first thought made him feel sick and numb23. The General could follow an extremely difficult trail through the woods at night; he must have uncanny powers; only by the merest chance had the Cossack failed to see his quarry24.
23) Rainsford’s second thought was even more terrible. It sent a shudder25 of cold horror through his whole being. Why had the general smiled? Why had he turned back?
24) The truth was clear: the general was playing with him. He was saving him for another day’s sport! The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouth. It was then that Rainsford knew the full meaning of horror.
25) “I will not lose my nerve. I will not.”
26) He slid down from the tree and struck off again into the woods. He forced himself to think. 300 yards away he stopped where a huge dead tree leaned precariously26 on a smaller, living one. Throwing off his sack of food, he began to work. The job was soon finished, and he threw himself down behind a fallen log a hundred feet away. He did not have to wait long. The cat was coming again to play with the mouse.
27) Following the trail with the sureness of a bloodhound came the general. Nothing escaped the searching eyes, no crushed blade of the grass, no bent27 twig28, no mark in the moss29. So intent was the Cossack on his stalking that he was upon the thing Rainsford had made before he saw it. His foot touched the protruding30 bout4 that was a trigger. He sensed the danger and leaped back with the agility31 of an ape. But he was not quite quick enough; the dead tree, delicately adjusted to rest on the cut living one, crushed down and struck him on the shoulder; but for his alertness, he would have been smashed beneath it. He staggered, but he did not fall. He stood there, rubbing his shoulder, and Rainsford heard his mocking laugh ring through the jungle.
28) “Rainsford,” called the general, “if you are within sound of my voice, as I suppose you are, Let’s me congratulate you. Not many men know how to make a Malay man-catcher. You are proving interesting, Mr. Rainsford. I’m going back to have my wound dressed. But I shall be back. I shall be back.”
29) When the general had gone, Rainsford took up his flight again. It was flight now, a desperate, hopeless flight carried him on for several hours. Dusk came, then darkness, and still he pressed on. The ground grew softer; the vegetation denser32; and insects bit him savagely33. Then as he stepped forward, his foot sank into the ooze34. He tried to wrench35 it back, but the muck sucked back viciously at his foot as if it were a giant leech36. With a violent effort, he tore his foot free. He knew where he was now. Death Swamp.
30) The soft earth gave him an idea, and he began to dig. He had dug himself in when he was in France when a second’s delay meant death. That had been a placid37 pastime compared to his digging now. The pit grew deeper. When it was above his shoulders, he climbed out and from hard saplings cut stakes and sharpened them to a fine point. These he planted in the bottom of the pit with the points sticking up. Then he covered the mouth of the pit with weeds and branches.
31) He crouched39 behind a lightning-charred tree and waited. Soon he heard the padding sound of feet on the soft earth, and the night breeze brought him the perfume of the general’s cigarette. It seemed that the general was coming with unusual swiftness. Rainsford lived a year in a minute. Then he left an impulse to cry out with joy, for he heard the sharp scream of pain as the cover of the pit gave away and the pointed40 stakes found their mark. He leapt up from his concealment41, but he cowered42 back. Three feet from the pit a man was standing43, with an electric torch in his hand.
32) “You’ve done well. Rainsford,” the voice of the general called. “Your Burmese tiger pit has claimed one of my best dogs. Again you score. I’m going home for a rest now. Thank you for a most amusing evening.”
33) At daybreak Rainsford was awakened44 by a sound that made him know that he had new things to learn about fear. It was a distant sound, but he knew it. It was the baying of a pack of hounds.
34) Rainsford knew he could do one of two things. He could stay where he was and wait. That was suicide. He could flee. That was postponing45 the inevitable46. For a moment he stood there, thinking. An idea that held a wild chance came to him and, tightening47 his belt, he headed away from the swamp.
35) The baying of the hounds drew nearer and nearer. On a bridge Rainsford climbed a tree. About a quarter of a mile away, he could see the bush moving. Straining his eyes, he saw the lean figure of the general; just ahead of him he made out another figure; it was the giant Ivan; Rainsford knew that he must be holding the pack in the leash48.
36) They would be on him any minute now. His mind worked frantically49. He thought of a native trick he had learned in Uganda. He slid down the tree. He caught hold of a spring young sapling and to it he fastened his hunting knife, with the blade pointed down the trail; with a bit of wild grapevine he tied back the sapling. Then he ran for his life. The hounds raised their voices as the hit the fresh scent50.
37) The baying of the hounds stopped abruptly51, and Rainsford’s heart stopped too. He shinned excitedly up a tree and looked back. His pursuers had stopped. But the hope that was in his brain dead, for he saw in the shallow valley that General Zaroff was still on his feet. But Ivan was not. The knife, driven by the recoil52 of the spring tree has not wholly failed.
38) Rainsford had hardly tumbled to the ground when the pack took up the cry again. “Nerve, nerve, nerve!” he panted, as he dashed along. A blue gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on towards the gap. He reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove38 he could see the gloomy gray stone of the chateau. Twenty feet below him the sea rumbled53 and hissed54. Rainsford hesitated. He heard the hounds. Then he leaped far out into the sea.
39) When the general and his pack reached the place by the sea, the Cossack stopped for some minutes he stood regarding the blue green expanse of water. He shrugged his shoulders. Then he sat down, took a drink of brandy form a silver flask55, lit a perfumed cigarette, and hummed a bit from “Madame Butterfly”. General Zaroff had an exceedingly good dinner that evening. Two slight annoyances56 kept him from his perfect enjoyment57. One was the thought that it would be difficult to replace Ivan; the other was that his quarry had escaped. In his library, hr read for a while. There was a little moonlight, so , before turning on his light, he went to the window and looked down at the courtyard.He could see the great hounds, and he called: “ Better luck another time, “ to them. Then he switched on the light.
40) A man, who had been hiding in the curtains of the bed, was standing there.
41) “Rainsford!” screamed the general. “How in God’s name did you get there?”
42) “Swam,” said Rainsford. “I found it quicker than walking through the jungle.”
43) The general sucked in his breath and smiled. “I congratulate you.” he said. “You have won the game.”
44) Rainsford did not smile. “I am still a beast at bay,” he said, in a low hoarse58 voice. “Get ready, General Zaroff.”
45) The general made one of the deepest bows. “I see,” he said. “Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford…”
46) He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided59.
收听单词发音 |
1
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
shrugged
|
|
| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
bout
|
|
| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
stamina
|
|
| n.体力；精力；耐力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
sipped
|
|
| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
chateau
|
|
| n.城堡，别墅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
futile
|
|
| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
inevitably
|
|
| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
wilderness
|
|
| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
lore
|
|
| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
dodges
|
|
| n.闪躲( dodge的名词复数 )；躲避；伎俩；妙计v.闪躲( dodge的第三人称单数 )；回避 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
zealous
|
|
| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
dingy
|
|
| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
varnishing
|
|
| 在（某物）上涂清漆( varnish的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
flattened
|
|
| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
hurl
|
|
| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
numb
|
|
| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
quarry
|
|
| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
shudder
|
|
| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
precariously
|
|
| adv.不安全地；危险地；碰机会地；不稳定地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
twig
|
|
| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
protruding
|
|
| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
agility
|
|
| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
denser
|
|
| adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
savagely
|
|
| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
ooze
|
|
| n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
wrench
|
|
| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
leech
|
|
| n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
placid
|
|
| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
cove
|
|
| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
concealment
|
|
| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
cowered
|
|
| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
postponing
|
|
| v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
inevitable
|
|
| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
tightening
|
|
| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
leash
|
|
| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
frantically
|
|
| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
scent
|
|
| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
recoil
|
|
| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
rumbled
|
|
| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
hissed
|
|
| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
flask
|
|
| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
annoyances
|
|
| n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 )；烦恼；打扰；使人烦恼的事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
购买
在百度中搜索