英语听书《白鲸记》第192期

 On one side stood a long, low, shelf-like table covered with cracked glass cases, filled with dusty rarities gathered from this wide world's remotest nooks.  堂屋的一边,摆有一只又低又长的.架子似的桌子,上面尽是许多破裂的玻璃容器,也塞满一些从这个辽阔世界的冷角落里搜罗来的，尘封的奇珍异物。

Projecting from the further angle of the room stands a dark-looking den-the bar-a rude attempt at a right whale's head.  在堂屋的远角里,有一间突出的昏黑的幽室...酒吧...粗具一只露脊鲸头的形状，就算它象个鲸头吧。

Be that how it may, there stands the vast arched bone of the whale's jaw¹, so wide, a coach might almost drive beneath it.  那边还有一大块拱形的鲸下巴骨,那么宽阔,简直连一辆四轮大马车也跑得过去。

Within are shabby shelves, ranged round with old decanters, bottles, flasks²; and in those jaws³ of swift destruction,  里边有许多腌菜的架子,放满了许多破旧的圆酒瓶,普通瓶子,长颈瓶子;就在这只迅速致人死命的大嘴巴里,有一个衰弱的小老头子,

like another cursed Jonah (by which name indeed they called him), bustles⁴ a little withered⁵ old man, who, for their money, dearly sells the sailors deliriums and death. 活象再世的被诅咒的约拿(人们确是这么叫他的)在忙碌着,他拿了水手们的钱,却把抖颤性酒疯和死亡高价地卖给他们。

Abominable⁶ are the tumblers into which he pours his poison.  可恶的是他那些装酒的大杯子。

Though true cylinders⁷ without-within, the villanous green goggling⁸ glasses deceitfully tapered⁹ downwards¹⁰ to a cheating bottom.  外表上虽然的确是圆筒体,可是,那些讨厌的绿色玻璃杯子却在中间狡诈地往下逐渐缩小,变成一种骗人的杯底。

1 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

2 flasks   

n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The juggler juggled three flasks. 这个玩杂耍的人可同时抛接三个瓶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The meat in all of the open flasks putrefied. 所有开口瓶中的肉都腐烂了。 来自辞典例句

3 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

4 bustles   

热闹( bustle的名词复数 )； （女裙后部的）衬垫； 撑架

参考例句：

• She bustles about cooking breakfast in a most officious manner. 她为准备早餐忙得团团转。
• Everyone bustles during rush hours. 上下班时间每个人都忙忙碌碌的。

5 withered   

adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。
• The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。

6 abominable   

adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的

参考例句：

• Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
• The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

7 cylinders   

n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物

参考例句：

• They are working on all cylinders to get the job finished. 他们正在竭尽全力争取把这工作干完。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That jeep has four cylinders. 那辆吉普车有4个汽缸。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 goggling   

v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

9 tapered   

adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The tail tapered to a rounded tip. 尾部越来越细，最后成了个圆尖。
• The organization tapered off in about half a year. 那个组织大约半年内就逐渐消失了。

10 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。