Genghis Khan 成吉思汗 - 1

In 1162, deep in the heart of Asia, a child was born. He was clutching a blood clot(血块), a sign from heaven that he was destined¹ to be a great warrior². His life was to become a legend, his name---Genghis Khan.

Many believe his story is simple, that he was the incarnation of evil, a brutal³ barbarian⁴ who butchered millions. But the real character of Genghis Khan is far more intriguing⁵. How did this illiterate⁶ outcast turn the feuding⁷ tribes of Mongolia into a powerful nation and how did he transform the Mongol hordes⁸ into a ruthless and disciplined fighting machine, an army with revolutionary tactics and ingenious weapons that ultimately stood poised⁹ to conquer Europe. And why on his deathbed, did he believe his divine mission remained unfulfilled?

Soon I will know death, but I will never know my destiny.

Shortly after his death, his heirs gathered their memories into an epic¹⁰ account of his life. They called it the Secret History of the Mongols(蒙古秘史). Evidence from Chinese and Persian sources, the work of leading scholars and the Secret History allow this to be the most complete television portrait of Genghis Khan ever made. The characters are all real historical figures and the words of Genghis Khan are rooted in the great speeches of the Secret History. This is the story of how that tiny fist turned to iron and came to rule the largest land empire ever known to man.

In 1215, the Mongol warrior Genghis Khan led his army to Beijing, capital of Northern China. After fighting his way across Asia, the city stood before him. But Beijing was protected by formidable defenses. Surrounding it was a wall 12 meters high and 30 kilometers long. Behind the wall was one of the world's most advanced armies. First, Genghis Khan besieged¹¹ the city. Then he ordered an audacious attack. He forced enemy prisoners to fill his front lines. He built new weapons to attack the city's defenses. Finally, having endured the Chinese arrows and bombs, he commanded his Mongol warriors¹² to scale the walls. Genghis Khan sensed victory was within his grasp. Beijing was fighting for its life.

A poor nomad¹³ from the remote Mongol steppe, Genghis Khan had made an extraordinary journey. The boy, who would become Genghis Khan, was called Temujin(铁木真). He was the son of a tribal¹⁴ warrior chief. When he was only nine years old, he received news that was to change his life.

incarnation: the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form

butcher: kill,slaughter

disciplined: showing a controlled form of behaviour

deathbed: the bed where someone is dying or has died

on his deathbed: while he lay dying, right before he died

1 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

2 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

3 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

4 barbarian   

n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的

参考例句：

• There is a barbarian tribe living in this forest.有一个原始部落居住在这个林区。
• The walled city was attacked by barbarian hordes.那座有城墙的城市遭到野蛮部落的袭击。

5 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

7 feuding   

vi.长期不和（feud的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Riccardo and Cafiero had been feuding so openly that the whole town knew about it. 里卡多和卡菲埃罗一直公开地闹别扭，全城的人都知道此事。 来自辞典例句
• The two families have been feuding with each other for many generations. 这两个家族有好多代的世仇了。 来自互联网

8 hordes   

n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落

参考例句：

• There are always hordes of tourists here in the summer. 夏天这里总有成群结队的游客。
• Hordes of journalists jostled for position outside the conference hall. 大群记者在会堂外争抢位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

10 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

11 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

12 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

13 nomad   

n.游牧部落的人，流浪者，游牧民

参考例句：

• He was indeed a nomad of no nationality.他的确是个无国籍的游民。
• The nomad life is rough and hazardous.游牧生活艰苦又危险。

14 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。