英语听书《白鲸记》第535期

 　　the men tossed their hats off to it, 大家都扔掉帽子加紧抽，

　　and ere long that peculiar¹ gasping² of the lungs was heard which denotes the fullest tension of life's utmost energies. 不久，就听到大家的肺部发出那种特殊的喘气声，说明大家都非常紧张地使出了最大的力气。

　　"Quitting the pump at last, with the rest of his band, the Lakeman went forward all panting, and sat himself down on the windlass; “最后，这个湖上人跟大家一起放下帮浦，呼噜噜地喘着气向前走去，坐在绞车上；

　　his face fiery³ red, his eyes bloodshot, and wiping the profuse⁴ sweat from his brow. 他面孔赤红，眼睛布满血丝，抹着额头上流个不停的汗水。

　　Now what cozening fiend it was, gentlemen,  当时不知是什么神差鬼遣，诸位先生，

　　that possessed⁵ Radney to meddle⁶ with such a man in that corporeally⁷ exasperated⁸ state, I know not; but so it happened. 才弄得拉德尼去惹动这样一个身心交瘁的人，这我可不知道；可是，事情确就这样闹起来了。

　　Intolerably striding along the deck, the mate commanded him to get a broom and sweep down the planks⁹, and also a shovel¹⁰, 这个大副难堪地在甲板上踩来踩去，他命令斯蒂尔基尔特去拿一把扫帚来扫船板，还要他拿一把铲子，

　　and remove some offensive matters consequent upon allowing a pig to run at large. 把由于让一条猪随便走来走去而遗留下来的难闻的东西给铲掉。

　　Now, gentlemen, sweeping¹¹ a ship's deck at sea is a piece of household work which in all times but raging gales¹² is regularly attended to every evening;  “说起来，诸位先生，扫甲板，在海上可是一件日常工作，除了刮大风，本来每天晚上都要这样做。

　　it has been known to be done in the case of ships actually foundering¹³ at the time. 据说甚至在船只实际上已快要下沉的时候也要这样做。

　　Such, gentlemen, is the inflexibility¹⁴ of sea-usages and the instinctive¹⁵ love of neatness in seamen¹⁶;  这个呀，诸位先生，就是海上的不变的习俗，也是水手们天生爱好整洁的习惯；

　　some of whom would not willingly drown without first washing their faces.  其中有些人如果不先洗脸是不会心甘情愿地让溺死的。

　　But in all vessels¹⁷ this broom business is the prescriptive province of the boys, if boys there be aboard." 不过，这种打扫的差使，在所有的船只中，如果船上有小厮的话，向来都是小厮们的份内事。

1 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

2 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

3 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

4 profuse   

adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的

参考例句：

• The hostess is profuse in her hospitality.女主人招待得十分周到。
• There was a profuse crop of hair impending over the top of his face.一大绺头发垂在他额头上。

5 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

6 meddle   

v.干预，干涉，插手

参考例句：

• I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
• Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

7 corporeally   

adv.肉体上，物质上

参考例句：

8 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

9 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

10 shovel   

n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出

参考例句：

• He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
• He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。

11 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

12 gales   

龙猫

参考例句：

• I could hear gales of laughter coming from downstairs. 我能听到来自楼下的阵阵笑声。
• This was greeted with gales of laughter from the audience. 观众对此报以阵阵笑声。

13 foundering   

v.创始人( founder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lifeboat soon got abreast of the foundering ship. 救生艇很快就赶到了那艘正在下沉的船旁。 来自互联网
• With global climate-change negotiations foundering, the prospects of raising cash for REDD that way look poor. 由于就全球气候变化的谈判破裂，通过这种方式来为REDD集资前景堪忧。 来自互联网

14 inflexibility   

n.不屈性，顽固，不变性；不可弯曲；非挠性；刚性

参考例句：

• One basic advantage of organization planning is avoidance of organizational inflexibility. 组织规划的一个基本优点就是可避免组织缺乏弹性。 来自辞典例句
• Allenda was brought down by his own incompetence and inflexibility. 阿连德之所以倒台，是由于他自己的无能和固执。 来自辞典例句

15 instinctive   

adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的

参考例句：

• He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
• Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

16 seamen   

n.海员

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

17 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》