英语听书《白鲸记》第749期

 By the straits of Sunda, chiefly, vessels¹ bound to China from the west, emerge into the China seas. 船只驶向中国，主要就是从西循巽他海峡进入中国海。

Those narrow straits of Sunda divide Sumatra from Java; 那个狭小的巽他海峡，把苏门答腊与爪哇给隔开来；

and standing² midway in that vast rampart of islands, buttressed³ by that bold green promontory⁴, known to seamen⁵ as Java Head; 而拦在那两个壁垒似的大岛的中间，却被那个终年碧绿、水手们管它叫爪哇岬的突出的海岬撑住着；

they not a little correspond to the central gateway⁶ opening into some vast walled empire: 它很象通向一种城墙高筑的大帝国的大城门，

and considering the inexhaustible wealth of spices, and silks, and jewels, and gold, and ivory, 而且就那些取之不尽的财富，香料、丝绸、珠宝、黄金和象牙说来，

with which the thousand islands of that oriental sea are enriched, it seems a significant provision of nature, 东方大洋的无数岛屿，正是借这些东西而富裕起来的，这似乎就是得天独厚的重要物质，

that such treasures, by the very formation of the land, should at least bear the appearance, however ineffectual, 这样一些财宝，由于这种地理形势，至少就具有一种小心戒备的外表（不管是否有效），

of being guarded from the all-grasping western world. 免得遭受西方世界的巧取豪夺。

The shores of the Straits of Sunda  巽他海峡的沿海一带，

are unsupplied with those domineering fortresses⁷ which guard the entrances to the Mediterranean⁸, the Baltic, and the Propontis. 并没有设备许多象防守地中海，波罗的海，普罗蓬提斯海的入口那样的作威作福的要塞。

Unlike the Danes, these Orientals do not demand the obsequious⁹ homage¹⁰ of lowered top-sails from the endless procession of ships before the wind, 这些东方人，跟丹麦人不一样，他们并不要求那些顺风而来，行列无尽无止的船只，对他们放下中桅帆，以示谄媚的敬意，

which for centuries past, by night and by day, have passed between the islands of Sumatra and Java, freighted with the costliest¹¹ cargoes¹² of the east. 那些船只在过去几百年间，都已经不分昼夜，满载着东方最贵重的货物，穿过苏门答腊和爪哇间的许多岛屿了。

But while they freely waive¹³ a ceremonial like this, they do by no means renounce¹⁴ their claim to more solid tribute. 不过，他们虽然自愿放弃如此的礼仪，可决不会放弃更可靠的贡礼的要求。

1 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》

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 buttressed   

v.用扶壁支撑，加固( buttress的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court buttressed its decision. 法院支持自己的判决。 来自辞典例句
• The emotional appeal was buttressed with solid and specific policy details. 情感的感召有坚实的和详细的政策细节支持。 来自互联网

4 promontory   

n.海角；岬

参考例句：

• Genius is a promontory jutting out of the infinite.天才是茫茫大地突出的岬角。
• On the map that promontory looks like a nose,naughtily turned up.从地图上面，那个海角就像一只调皮地翘起来的鼻子。

5 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。

6 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

7 fortresses   

堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They will establish impregnable fortresses. 他们将建造坚不可摧的城堡。
• Indra smashed through Vritra ninety-nine fortresses, and then came upon the dragon. 因陀罗摧毁了维他的九十九座城堡，然后与维他交手。 来自神话部分

8 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

9 obsequious   

adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的

参考例句：

• He looked at the two ladies with an obsequious air.他看着两位太太,满脸谄媚的神情。
• He was obsequious to his superiors,but he didn't get any favor.他巴结上司，但没得到任何好处。

10 homage   

n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬

参考例句：

• We pay homage to the genius of Shakespeare.我们对莎士比亚的天才表示敬仰。
• The soldiers swore to pay their homage to the Queen.士兵们宣誓效忠于女王陛下。

11 costliest   

adj.昂贵的( costly的最高级 )；代价高的；引起困难的；造成损失的

参考例句：

• At 81 billion dollars, Katrina is the costliest natural disaster in American history. “卡特里娜”飓风造成了近810亿美圆的损失，是美国历史上最严重的自然灾难之一。 来自互联网
• Senator John Kerry has proposed a tax on the costliest health plans sold by insurance companies. 参议员约翰？克里(JohnKerry)已经提议对保险公司销售的高价值的保险计划征税。 来自互联网

12 cargoes   

n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负

参考例句：

• This ship embarked cargoes. 这艘船装载货物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The crew lashed cargoes of timber down. 全体船员将木材绑牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 waive   

vt.放弃，不坚持(规定、要求、权力等)

参考例句：

• I'll record to our habitat office waive our claim immediately.我立即写信给咱们的总公司提出放弃索赔。
• In view of the unusual circumstances,they agree to waive their requirement.鉴于特殊情况，他们同意放弃他们的要求。

14 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。