美国小学英语教材5:第68课 荒原:野生动物保护区(2)

 There is a valley in southern Pennsylvania which shows that whatever man gives up wild life takes. 宾夕法尼亚州南部的一个山谷表明，无论人们放弃什么野生动物，都要付出代价。

In this valley, some eighteen miles long and two miles wide, almost all the land up to the foot of the mountain was years ago cultivated. 这个山谷大约十八英里长，两英里宽，几乎所有的土地到山脚下都是多年前开垦的。

But one after another the hillside farms and the creek¹-bottom pastures have been deserted². 但是，山坡上的农场和爬山倒海的牧场一个接一个地荒芜了。

People have moved to the towns. 人们已经搬到城镇去了。

In this whole valley now there are not more than eight or ten homes. 在整个山谷里，现在只有八到十户人家。

Nature, in her quiet, joyous³ way, has re-taken land that in pioneer days was taken from her and from the Indians. 大自然以她平静、欢乐的方式重新夺回了拓荒者时代从她和印第安人手中夺走的土地。

Wild things have helped to recapture their home of pioneer days. 野生动物帮助他们夺回了拓荒者的家园。

Here in a deserted orchard⁴, where a few apple trees still are bearing, deer munch⁵ the fallen fruit. 在一个荒芜的果园里，几棵苹果树还在结果，鹿在津津有味地嚼着落下的果实。

In this old upland field where some volunteer buckwheat has sprung up, wild turkeys feed. 在这片自愿种植荞麦的古老高地上，野火鸡在觅食。

Beside a pathway leading from a deserted mountain home down to the spring, ruffed grouse⁶ can be seen. 在一条从荒山人家通往泉水的小路旁，可以看到松鸡。

Along the creek in the shellbark hickory trees which farm boys used to raid for nuts, gray squirrels now gather their winter supply of food. 在农场男孩们过去常去采摘坚果的山核桃林中的小溪边，灰色的松鼠们现在正在收集过冬的食物。

In the creek itself wade⁷ migrating ducks on their way to the South for the winter. 在小溪里，迁徙的鸭子正跋涉着去南方过冬。

 

1 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

3 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

4 orchard   

n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场

参考例句：

• My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
• Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。

5 munch   

v.用力嚼，大声咀嚼

参考例句：

• We watched her munch through two packets of peanuts.我们看她津津有味地嚼了两包花生米。
• Getting them to munch on vegetable dishes was more difficult.使他们吃素菜就比较困难了。

6 grouse   

n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦

参考例句：

• They're shooting grouse up on the moors.他们在荒野射猎松鸡。
• If you don't agree with me,please forget my grouse.如果你的看法不同，请不必介意我的牢骚之言。

7 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。