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The Legends of Niagara 尼加拉瓜瀑布的冒险传奇

 

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Few destinations hold the romance and mystery of these waterfalls  少有其他去处能和尼加拉瓜瀑布相比，因为这儿既浪漫，还蒙上神秘的面纱

 

The Formidable Falls  令人叹为观止的瀑布

 

Maybe it’s the thunderous music the roaring water creates, the majestic beauty of the mist that arises from its base, or its colorful history. Somehow Niagara Falls, actually made up of the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the comparatively tiny Bridal Veil Falls between them, has a mysterious ability to attract daredevils.

也许是因为湍急水流的震天价响之音，又或者是自底部上飘、宏伟壮观的雾气，抑或是多采多姿的历史，总之，事实上由马蹄瀑布、美国瀑布和相形之下非常小的新娘头纱瀑布汇集而成的尼加拉瓜瀑布，就是拥有某种神秘魅力，吸引着热爱冒险犯难的人前来一试。（译注：尼加拉瓜瀑布约有一万两千年历史，据信其命名源自于北美印第安语onguiaahraa，意思是雷鸣般的巨响，另有一说指源自十七世纪居住在当地的原住民Niagagarega部落。瀑布分布于美国纽约州和加拿大安大略省边境，美国瀑布和新娘头纱瀑布位于美国那一边，而马蹄瀑布则位于加拿大境内。）

 

The Niagara area is home to some of the most beautiful, rolling landscape in North America. This spot at the border between Canada and the United States holds a particular enchantment, including many to travel here for a relaxing holiday. But those who arrive expecting to have a picnic overlooking the falls and then perhaps visit the Butterfly Conservatory or Niagara Aquarium may be surprised by the sense of adventure Niagara will awaken.

北美一些最优美、地形起伏不平的风景就坐落在尼加拉瓜地区，这个位于加拿大和美国边境的景点，散发着某种特殊的魅力，引诱着人们络绎不绝地来此度个放松身心的假期。有些人想来这里一边野餐、一边俯瞰瀑布景观，或许之后还可以去造访蝴蝶温室或尼加拉瓜水族馆，不过，这些人可能会对尼加拉瓜唤醒人们冒险精神的能力感到惊讶。

 

Adventurous activities  冒险活动

 

It’s hard to choose among the exciting ways to experience the falls. The most popular is probably the Maid of the Mist boat tour. Climb aboard, don your souvenir poncho and hold on tight as you travel toward the 670-meter-wide Horseshoe Falls. Be warned: You will get drenched.

体验瀑布的刺激方式有很多，实在很难从中抉择，而其中最受欢迎的可能是搭乘雾中少女号之旅。不妨登上船，套上可以留作纪念的雨衣，抓紧轨杆，准备遨游六百七十公尺高的马蹄瀑布。要先提醒你：身上一定会淋湿的。

 

In New York state, you can take an elevator to the top of the Observation Tower for a bird’s-eye view of the American Falls. You can also go on the Cave of the Winds tour, climbing a wooden walkway to the Hurricane Deck, located a mere six meters from Bridal Falls.

如果人在纽约州，还可以搭电梯登上眺望塔顶端，俯瞰美国瀑布的景观。你也可以参加「风之穴」之旅，登上木板步道来到「飓风甲板」，这里距离新娘头纱瀑布只有六公尺而已。

 

If you’re visiting the Canadian side, an unforgettable option is to take the Journey Behind the Falls. Travel through tunnels first excavated in 1889 and view the immense curtain of falling water from behind. Or travel 70 meters down to the White Water Walk near the base of the Horseshoe Falls where you can view the Whirlpool Rapids, which travel at about 48 km per hour. This spot also features photos of some of the “stunters” who attempted to conquer Niagara in the past.

如果你是在加拿大的那一端，可以选择参加令人难忘的瀑布后方探索之旅，你会先进到在一八八九年开凿的隧道，并从瀑布后方欣赏到壮观的落水帘幕。或者，也可以再往下走七十公尺，来到马蹄瀑布的底部附近的「泉水步道」，在这儿可以观赏水流速度达每小时约四十八公里的「急流漩涡」，而「白水步道」的特色，则是可以看到一些过去尝试征服尼加拉瓜瀑布的「特技表演者」（译注：此指性喜冒险的人来到瀑布寻求挑战，被揶揄为表演特技者）的照片。

 

 

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Niagara [naɪˋægərə] n. （北美洲）尼加拉河

formidable [ˋfɔrmɪdəb!] adj. 难克服的; 难对付的; 令人钦佩的

thunderous [ˋθʌndərəs] adj. 像打雷的；轰隆轰隆响的

rolling [ˋrolɪŋ] adj. 起伏的; 汹涌的

enchantment [ɪnˋtʃæntmənt] n. 魅力，迷人之处

conservatory [kənˋsɝvə͵torɪ] n. 暖房

poncho [ˋpɑntʃo] n. 南美人的披风式外套 a piece of clothing made of a single piece of material, with a hole in the middle through which you put your head

bird’s-eye view 俯视, 鸟瞰

walkway [ˋwɔk͵we] n.【主美】走道；通道

excavate [ˋɛkskə͵vet] v. 挖掘（穴、洞等）；开凿

rapid [ˋræpɪd] n. 急流；急湍

stunter 特技表演者 a person who performs a difficult or unusual or dangerous feat; usually done to gain attention

stunt [stʌnt] n. 惊人的表演，绝技；惊险动作

 

 

 

 

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Attracted to Danger  深受危险所吸引

 

Some 100,000 people stood in awe as a band played the French national anthem. They were watching an amazing feat never before accomplished in history. The date was June 30, 1859, and Jean-Francois Gravelet, a well-known French tightrope walker, was attempting to walk across the Niagara Gorge on a rope two inches thick. Gravelet, better known by his stage name, Blondin, stepped onto the rope carrying his 35-foot balancing pole. The rope, strung 150 feet above the water, sagged in the middle, meaning that part of Blondin’s trip would be uphill. Observers were speechless as Blondin sure-footedly scampered across the rope, but many gasped audibly when he sat down on the rope halfway across. To their astonishment, he lowered a rope to the Maid of the Mist below, and brought back up a bottle of something to drink. Then he continued his trip across, taking a mere 15 minutes.

约有十万人充满敬畏地在四周围观，而乐队则演奏着法国国歌，他们正见证着史上首度惊人的壮举，当时是一八五九年六月三十日，著名的法国高空走钢索家尚－法朗索．葛哈福雷企图走在两吋粗的钢索上穿越尼加拉瓜峡谷。葛哈福雷的艺名布朗丁较为人熟知，他带着三十五呎长的平衡杆踏上钢索，而钢索则悬挂在水面上方一百五十呎处，但中间部份下陷，代表布朗丁会有一段路得往上走。旁观的群众目瞪口呆地看着布朗丁步履稳健地在钢索上弹跳行进，当他突然在钢索中途坐下来时，可以明显听到好多人都吓得倒抽一口气；而令大家更为惊讶的是，布朗丁开始把一条绳索朝下放到雾中少女号，然后拖回一瓶不知什么饮料来喝。之后他又继续未完的路程，全程只花了十五分钟。

 

Over the next 12 months he would continue to thrill spectators with more exciting and dangerous crossings. These included balancing a chair on the rope and standing on the chair, carrying his manager on his back, and crossing while shackled in chains. But Blondin was only one of many adventurous individuals to have encountered the falls in a unique way.

之后的十二个月内，他继续以更刺激、冒险的走钢索穿越表演，令观众叹为观止，其中包括了在钢索上平衡椅子、站在椅子上，把他的经理扛在肩上、以及被上桎梏的情况下进行穿越表演等。不过，布朗丁并非唯一挑战瀑布的冒险家，除了他之外，还有很多个人冒险家都陆续以自己独特的方式来挑战瀑布。

 

First daredevil  首位冒险犯难者

 

The first of the Niagara daredevils was Sam Patch, a mill worker from Rhode Island. In October of 1829, he announced he would dive 120 feet into the abyss from a platform fastened to the cliff of Goat Island between the two falls. Due to enormous newspaper publicity, a huge crowd gathered for the event. Patch first paused on the platform, then kissed the American flag in a patriotic gesture and leaped, feet first, arms straight by his sides. He hit the water at an estimated 60 miles per hour. When his head emerged from under the water, the hushed crowd went wild.

首开在尼加拉瓜瀑布冒险犯难先河的就是山姆．派区，这位来自罗得岛的纺织厂工人，在一八二九年十月宣布，将从两个瀑布间的葛特岛悬崖上延伸的平台一跃而下一百二十呎。由于当时报纸对此大肆报导，因而引来大批群众前来观看这项壮举。只见派区先是在平台上暂停片刻，之后充满爱国情操地亲吻美国国旗，然后就脚朝下、双手紧贴两侧地一跃而下。据估计，他是以每小时六十哩的速度碰触水面，而当他终于从水面上冒出头来的时候，原本噤不作声的群众突然一阵哗然。

 

 

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stand in awe 肃然起敬 to be overwhelmed with respect for someone or something

anthem [ˋænθəm] n.（对母校等的）颂歌；国歌

tightrope [ˋtaɪt͵rop] n. 绷紧的钢丝; 绷紧的绳索

string [strɪŋ] v.（用线，绳）缚，扎，挂

sag [sæg] v. 凹陷; 下垂; 下弯

sure-footedly [ˋʃurˋfutɪdlɪ] adv. 步履稳健地 confident and capable; unlikely to fall, slip, or stumble

gasp [gæsp] v.（因惊讶等）倒抽一口气[（+at/with/in）]

audibly [ˋɔdəblɪ] adv. 可听见地，听得见地

encounter [ɪnˋkaʊntɚ] v. 遭遇；迎战 to confront in battle

mill [mɪl] n. 工厂

abyss [əˋbɪs] n. 深渊；深坑；深处 a very deep hole that seems to have no bottom

hushed [hʌʃt] adj. 寂静的

 

 

 

 

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Queen of the Mist  雾之女王

 

This title was given to a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor who was motivated by the belief that “barreling” over the falls would make her rich and famous. Taylor’s escapade was even more unusual because she couldn’t swim. Craftsmen carefully built a 54-inch barrel for her. It was held together with iron hoops and cushions were placed on the inside to protect her body. Launched from the American side on October 24, 1901, Taylor went over the falls in 10 seconds and then drifted to the Canadian side. Rescuers pulled the barrel to shore and opened the lid. There sat Taylor, who had been knocked unconscious and was bleeding from a head wound. “Have I gone over the falls?” she asked, somewhat dazed. Later, Taylor would advise others against attempting her feat, saying, “I would sooner walk up to the mouth of a cannon, knowing it was going to blow me to bits, than make another trip over the fall.”

这项荣衔是由六十三岁的教师安妮．爱德森．泰勒所夺得，当时她一心认定「在桶子里」滚到瀑布水中，就可以令她一举成名、致富，而她的冒险行径之所以格外特别，是因为她本人甚至不会游泳。于是工匠精心为她打造了五十四吋的桶子，并以铁圈缠绕固定，里头又放置了垫枕以保护她的身体不致受到太大的碰撞。在一九０一年十月二十四日，泰勒进入桶中，十秒内滚落瀑布水中，并漂流到加拿大境内的水域，救难人员后来把桶子拖上岸，打开桶盖，结果发现坐在桶中的泰勒因为撞击而失去意识，头部伤口正淌血。「我成功越过了瀑布吗？」仍有点恍惚的她开口问道。但之后泰勒却力劝其他有意效法的人打消此意，并说：「我宁愿走到炮口前面，让自己被轰成碎片，也不愿再赴瀑布冒险。」

 

Guardian of the Niagara  尼加拉瓜的守护者

 

In August 1918, William “Red” Hill Sr. returned from the Great War. He had been wounded twice and his lungs were permanently damaged in gas attacks. He had just arrived home when something happened which restored his spirits and facilitated his physical recovery. On August 6, a huge steel sand scow broke loose from its tugboat upstream and drifted toward the falls. The two men on board were trapped and appeared destined for death. However, the scow became wedged on some rocks just above the brink of the falls. It was Red Hill who helped rescue the men. A gun was used to shoot a 500-foot rope from land to the scow. Hill then shimmied along the rope over the rapids to the scow and helped the men get back to shore. Awarded a medal for his effort, Hill became known as the “Guardian of Niagara.” The scow remains stranded above the falls to this day.

一九一八年八月，在一次世界大战参战的威廉．「雷德」．希尔返乡，二度受伤的他，肺部因为毒气攻击而永久受损，才刚返家的他，因为一次事件而重振精神，身体复原也因而加速。那是在八月六日发生的事件，当时一艘铲沙的大型平底船脱离了上游的拖船，在瀑布水域漂荡，船上的两个人因此受困，看似即将命丧黄泉。不过，平底船后来被卡在瀑布边缘的岩石间，就在紧要关头，雷德．希尔出手搭救，并开枪把五百呎长的绳子从岸边射到船上，他随后摇摇晃晃地攀爬在绳索上，越过湍急的水流，直到平底船上，并救出船上人员返回岸上。希尔不但因为他的英勇行为获颁奖章，还被誉为「尼加拉瓜的守护者」，而直到今日，当时那艘平底船仍然搁浅在瀑布上方。

 

－by Naomi Biesheuvel

 

 

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barrel [ˋbærəl] v. 将……装桶

hoop [hup] n. 箍; 箍状物；（孩子玩的）铁环

lid [lɪd] n. 盖子

dazed [dezd] adj. 晕眩的；茫然的

would sooner … than …宁可…，也不 would rather.. than ..

guardian [ˋgɑrdɪən] n. 保护者，守护者；管理员

sand scow 铲沙的大型平底船 a large, flat-bottomed boat with square ends, used to scrape sand from the bottom of a river

scow [skaʊ] n.【主美】敞舱平底驳船

tugboat [ˋtʌg͵bot] n. 拖船

wedge [wɛdʒ] v. 挤，插；卡住

shimmy [ˋʃɪmɪ] v. 优雅地移动

strand [strænd] n. 搁浅；处于困境

 

 

 

 

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daredevil [ˋdɛr͵dɛv!] n. 铤而走险的人 a person who does dangerous things and takes risks

don [dɑn] v. 穿上；披上；穿着 to put on a piece of clothing

drench [drɛntʃ] v. 使湿透，浸湿[H][（+to/with）] to make extremely wet

scamper [ˋskæmpɚ] v.（孩子等）跳跳蹦蹦; 冲，奔，闯 to run with small quick steps, in a playful or frightened way

shackle [ˋʃæk!] v. 给……带上镣铐; 束缚，羁绊 to restrain someone with a pair of metal rings connected by a chain, usually fastened to the person’s wrists or legs to prevent them from escaping

patriotic [͵petrɪˋɑtɪk] adj. 爱国的 showing love for and pride in one’s country

escapade [͵ɛskəˋped] n. 冒险行为; 恶作剧 an act or situation that is exciting because it shows behavior that is not controlled as it usually is

facilitate [fəˋsɪlə͵tet] v. 促进；帮助 to make something possible or easier

brink [brɪŋk] n.（悬崖，江河等的）边，边缘 the edge of a cliff or other high area

 

 

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