英语听书《白鲸记》第581期

 　　But it was only the sound they made as they parted the brit which at all reminded one of mowers. 不过，只在它们吃小鱼而发出声音来时，才使人想到刈草人。

　　Seen from the mast-heads, especially when they paused and were stationary¹ for a while,  如果从桅顶上一眼望去，尤其是在它们停下来，歇一会儿的时候，

　　their vast black forms looked more like lifeless masses of rock than anything else. 它们的巨大的黑身躯，越看越象是一堆呆石块了。

　　And as in the great hunting countries of India, 而且，象在印度那种大狩猎区一样，

　　the stranger at a distance will sometimes pass on the plains recumbent elephants without knowing them to be such, 外来客在经过平原时，虽然有时老远就看到那些躺着的大象，却不知道它们原来就是大象，

　　taking them for bare, blackened elevations² of the soil;  只当它们是个光秃秃的黑土堆；

　　even so, often, for him, who for the first time beholds³ this species of the leviathans on the sea.  同样的，初次看到这种海里的大海兽的人，也往往是这般情况。

　　And even when recognized at last, their immense magnitude renders it very hard really to believe  即使最后弄明白了，可它们那巨大的身躯还是难以教人置信：

　　that such bulky masses of overgrowth can possibly be instinct, in all parts, with the same sort of life that lives in a dog or a horse.  这样长得又笨又大的东西，从各方面说来，究竟能否跟一条狗和一匹马那样富有生气。

　　Indeed. in other respects, you can hardly regard any creatures of the deep with the same feelings that you do those of the shore. 不错，在其它一些方面说来，你可不能用看陆上生物的那种眼光来看海里的任何生物。

　　For though some old naturalists⁴ have maintained that all creatures of the land are of their kind in the sea; 因为，虽说有若干老博物学家认为，海陆各种生物都是一样的；

　　and though taking a broad general view of the thing, this may very well be;  虽说就广泛的一般见地说来，这说法也许很对；

　　yet coming to specialties⁵, where, for example, does the ocean furnish any fish that in disposition⁶ answers to the sagacious kindness of the dog? 然而，说到特性方面，比如说，在癖性方面说来，海洋中可有一种鱼跟狗一样具有敏锐的感觉吗？

　　The accursed shark alone can in any generic⁷ respect be said to bear comparative analogy to him. 就一般情况说来，只有那种可恶的鲨鱼，才可以说是具有跟狗相似的癖性。

1 stationary   

adj.固定的，静止不动的

参考例句：

• A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。
• Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。

2 elevations   

（水平或数量）提高( elevation的名词复数 )； 高地； 海拔； 提升

参考例句：

• Weight of the crust changes as elevations are eroded and materials are deposited elsewhere. 当高地受到侵蚀，物质沉积到别的地方时，地壳的重量就改变。
• All deck elevations are on the top of structural beams. 所有甲板标高线均指结构梁顶线。

3 beholds   

v.看，注视( behold的第三人称单数 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• He who beholds the gods against their will, shall atone for it by a heavy penalty. 谁违背神的意志看见了神，就要受到重罚以赎罪。 来自辞典例句
• All mankind has gazed on it; Man beholds it from afar. 25?所行的，万人都看见；世人都从远处观看。 来自互联网

4 naturalists   

n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者

参考例句：

• Naturalists differ much in determining what characters are of generic value. 自然学者对于不同性状决定生物的属的含义上，各有各的见解。 来自辞典例句
• This fact has led naturalists to believe that the Isthmus was formerly open. 使许多自然学者相信这个地蛱在以前原是开通的。 来自辞典例句

5 specialties   

n.专门，特性，特别；专业( specialty的名词复数 )；特性；特制品；盖印的契约

参考例句：

• Great Books are popular, not pedantic. They are not written by specialists about specialties for specialists. 名著绝不引经据典，艰深难懂，而是通俗易读。它们不是专家为专业人员撰写的专业书籍。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• Brain drains may represent a substantial reduction in some labor force skills and specialties. 智力外流可能表示某种劳动力技能和特长大量减少。 来自辞典例句

6 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

7 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。