英语听书《白鲸记》第165期

 I shall ere long paint to you as well as one can without canvas, something like the true form of the whale as he actually appears to the eye of the whaleman when in his own absolute body the whale is moored¹ alongside the whale-ship so that he can be fairly stepped upon there.  长期以来，我一直有一个愿望，尤其是从我开始给诸位讲述“裴廓德号”的故事以后，就更强烈了。 

It may be worth while, therefore, previously² to advert³ to those curious imaginary portraits of him which even down to the present day confidently challenge the faith of the landsman.  这个愿望就是：给一只大鲸画像，画一个大鲸的真正的画像。 

It is time to set the world right in this matter, by proving such pictures of the whale all wrong.  然而这个愿望此时此刻却无法实现，因为船上既没有画布，我也没有画家的手笔。 

It may be that the primal⁴ source of all those pictorial⁵ delusions⁶ will be found among the oldest Hindoo, Egyptian, and Grecian sculptures. For ever since those inventive but unscrupulous times when on the marble panellings of temples, the pedestals of statues, and on shields, medallions, cups, and coins, the dolphin was drawn⁷ in scales of chain-armor like Saladin's, and a helmeted head like St.George's; ever since then has something of the same sort of license⁸ prevailed, not only in most popular pictures of the whale, but in many scientific presentations of him.  那我只能用嘴来画给大家听。 我会画得很仔细，很逼真，让所有捕鲸的人都确信它就是他们追杀至死，刚刚拖回船边的那头鲸。 只有赢得了捕鲸人的赞同，这被我用嘴画出来的东西才能被称为是鲸。 

1 moored   

adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London. 该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
• We shipped (the) oars and moored alongside the bank. 我们收起桨，把船泊在岸边。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 advert   

vi.注意，留意，言及；n.广告

参考例句：

• The advert featured a dolphin swimming around a goldfish bowl.该广告的內容为一条在金鱼缸里游动的海豚。
• Please advert to the contents below.I believe you won't be disappointed.敬请留意后面的内容。相信您一定不会失望的。

4 primal   

adj.原始的；最重要的

参考例句：

• Jealousy is a primal emotion.嫉妒是最原始的情感。
• Money was a primal necessity to them.对于他们，钱是主要的需要。

5 pictorial   

adj.绘画的；图片的；n．画报

参考例句：

• The had insisted on a full pictorial coverage of the event.他们坚持要对那一事件做详尽的图片报道。
• China Pictorial usually sells out soon after it hits the stands.《人民画报》往往一到报摊就销售一空。

6 delusions   

n.欺骗( delusion的名词复数 )；谬见；错觉；妄想

参考例句：

• the delusions of the mentally ill 精神病患者的妄想
• She wants to travel first-class: she must have delusions of grandeur. 她想坐头等舱旅行，她一定自以为很了不起。 来自辞典例句

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

8 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。