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King Arthur Rocks! 阿瑟王传奇

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课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

When we think of the fascinating story of King Arthur, images of knights, wizards, and the Holy Grail usually come to mind, though little is known about the history behind the myth. The mighty king, who claimed the throne by pulling a sword from a stone, is featured in the BBC series, “In search of Myths and Heroes.” The series looks at the legend of Arthur through the ages. We see how the mythical figure has changed over time, how different cultures have interpreted his story, and how King Arthur became one of British’s most enduring legends.

当我们想到阿瑟王精彩故事时，脑中通常会出现骑士、巫师及圣杯，尽管我们对这个神话故事背后的历史所知有限。这个因拔出石中剑而得到王位的伟大国王，是BBC系列《神话与英雄大观》中的主角。这个系列探讨各个年代的阿瑟王传奇。我们看到这个神话角色如何随着时间演变、不同文化如何诠释阿瑟王的故事，并且了解阿瑟王如何成为英国流传最悠久的传奇故事。

Rarely can we tell the exact time a myth was created, but in the case of King Arthur, it is possible to do just that. In 1129, a young Welsh churchman, named Geoffrey of Monmouth, distinguished himself as the first great storyteller behind the Arthur myth. Geoffrey traveled around the country, piecing together the oral folktales about the king to create his own version of Arthur. The story of a young king determined to defend his people originated from the native Celts of Britain. The Celts had been oppressed by Anglo-Saxon invaders and needed an inspirational figure to give them hope in their struggle. Geoffrey developed upon this version of Arthur, fashioning him into a symbolic hero battling against injustice.

我们很少能够知道神话开始的确切时间，但就阿瑟王传奇来说，却有可能做到。在1129年，蒙茅斯郡一位名叫乔佛瑞的年轻韦尔斯教士，以身为第一位讲述阿瑟王神话故事的伟大说书人而闻名。乔佛瑞在国内四处旅行，将口耳相传的民间故事拼凑在一起，创造了自己的阿瑟王版本。这个决心保卫子民的年轻国王，他的故事源自英国当地的克尔特族。克尔特族一直受到盎格鲁萨克逊入侵者的压迫，因此需要一个鼓舞人心的人物，能在他们奋斗时带来希望。乔佛瑞以这个版本的阿瑟王为基础加以发展，将他塑造成对抗不公正的英雄人物代表。

Vocabulary

单词发音

fascinating [ˋfæsn͵etɪŋ] adj. 有极大吸引力的﹐迷人的

series [ˋsiriz] n. 连续发生的同类事件; 系列

interpret [ɪnˋtɝprɪt] v. 诠释

distinguish [dɪˋstɪŋgwɪʃ] v. 使..杰出；使..显出特色

inspirational [͵ɪnspəˋreʃən!] adj. 鼓舞人心的

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单词发音

Holy Grail [grel] n.（传说耶稣在最后晚餐中用的）圣杯，圣盘; 【喻】终极目标；最终梦想

myth [mɪθ] n. 神话

claim [klem] v. 取得，获得，赢得(纪录、冠军或奖励)

throne [θron] n. 王权，君权；王位

mythical [ˋmɪθɪkəl] adj. 神话的

enduring [ɪnˋdjʊrɪŋ] adj. 持久的；耐久的

churchman [ˋtʃɝtʃmən] n. 教士；牧师

folktale [ˋfok͵tel] n. 民间故事，传说

oppress [əˋprɛs] v. 压迫；压制

Anglo-Saxon [ˋæŋgloˋsæksn] adj. 盎格鲁撒克逊人的

invader [ɪnˋvedɚ] n. 入侵者，侵略者

fashion [ˋfæʃən] v. 把……塑造成[（+from/out of/into）]

课文朗读

课文讲解

The Arthur legend then crossed the seas to France. The French wife of King Henry II hired poets to write fresh myths about Arthur, creating a new hero of chivalry and honor. This Arthur was portrayed as a kind of superman character, who slayed monsters and saved maidens. One of the key figures in the re-creation of Arthur was Chrétien de Troyes. He integrated the tale of the Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank at the last supper, into Arthurian myth, and no story has grasped the imagination of the public more. The Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail still remains central to the plots of novels and movies such as “The Da Vinci Code.”

阿瑟王的故事后来跨海传到法国。亨利二世的王后延聘诗人为阿瑟王撰写新的神话，创造出一个代表骑士精神及荣誉的英雄。这个版本的阿瑟王被描述成超人般的人物，杀死怪兽并拯救少女。在阿瑟王传奇再造的过程中，有一个重要人物叫克礼唐．德．托洛伊。他将圣杯（耶稣基督在最后的晚餐里用的杯子）故事融入阿瑟王传奇当中，从此再也没有其他故事比它更能紧抓大众的想象力。这类阿瑟王寻找圣杯的故事依旧是当今小说、电影，如《达文西密码》的主要情节。

References to Arthur continued to spring up throughout history. When Queen Victoria rose to power, the legend of the king was revived yet again. At this time, Arthur represented the merits and virtues of the monarchy. Arthur has remained close to the hearts of the people of Britain, as well as to lovers of the classic tale that has spread throughout the world. The myth of King Arthur will live on in our imaginations for years to come.

阿瑟王的故事在历史上一再被提及。维多利亚女王掌权时，阿瑟王传奇再次流行。在这个时期，阿瑟王代表君主制度的优点及美德。对英国人民以及喜欢这个广为流传的经典故事的人而言，阿瑟王一直深受他们喜爱。在未来，阿瑟王传奇将继续活在大家的想象里！

−by Claire Tyrrel

Vocabulary

单词发音

portray [porˋtre] v. 把……描绘成[（+as）]

slay [sle] v. 【书】杀死

plot [plɑt] n.（小说，戏剧等的）情节

revive [rɪˋvaɪv] v. 重新流行

virtue [ˋvɝtʃu] n. 美德

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单词发音

chivalry [ˋʃɪv!rɪ] n.（中世纪）骑士精神

maiden [ˋmedn] n. 少女，处女

integrate [ˋɪntə͵gret] v. 使成一体

quest [kwɛst] n. 寻找；追求

spring up (突然)出现, to appear or develop suddenly; to sprout, as with a seedling

rise to power 获得权力 the act of attaining or gaining access to a new office or right or position (especially the throne)

merit [ˋmɛrɪt] n. 长处，优点

monarchy [ˋmɑnɚkɪ] n. 君主政治

live on 继续活着, 活下去 continue to live

Reading Questions

1.  What does the BBC series claim about King Arthur?

A. He is a mythical figure who has transformed over time.

B. He was a real person who saved Britain.

C. He is the creation of one person’s imagination.

D. He is a figure seldom remembered by the British people.

2.  Which of the following is NOT true about the King Arthur myth?

A. A Welsh churchman collected different stories about him.

B. Geoffrey’s tales were based on stories passed down by word of mouth.

C. It is based on 12th century documents discovered in a church.

D. The stories which provided inspiration originated with the Celts of Britain.

3.  What happened to the legend after it crossed over to France?

A. The story became less popular and disappeared into history.

B. King Arthur was portrayed as a fearless super human figure.

C. The French claimed their land to be Arthur’s birthplace.

D. King Arthur was based on a figure from the Bible.

4.  What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this article?

A. To prove that King Arthur is merely a literary creation.

B. To show how a classic story can be adapted for novels and movies.

C. To explain the complex relationship between Britain and France in the Middle Ages.

D. To show how a story can be used to reflect the needs of the time.

In Search Of Myths and Heroes - King Arthur

 Answer