Into the Jungles of Peru 秘鲁丛林大冒险

 

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课文讲解

 

繁體中文譯本

 

The gigantic snake twisted angrily in my grip and its powerful muscles moved underneath its scaly skin. Though its head was safely out of reach, it was still more than a handful. How, I wondered, did I get myself into these situations?

巨蛇在我的手中愤怒地扭动，强而有力的肌肉在覆有鳞片的蛇皮下移动。尽管蛇头在安全距离之外，但这条蛇还是很难搞。我纳闷自己怎会陷入这种处境？

 

The trip had started innocently enough. Two friendly Israelis and I arranged the trip with a tall, broad Argentinian named Hector, who instantly inspired confidence. He warned us that the jungle might present unexpected challenges. We had no idea how serious he was.

我们以天真到可以的心情展开旅程。我和两名友善的以色列人请一位高大的阿根廷人安排行程。他名叫海克特，作风立即赢得我们的信任。他警告我们，丛林里可能会出现令人意外的挑战。我们不知道他是说真的，还是开玩笑。

 

After three hours of boating up the Amazon, we arrived at a small hut. Its owner was a local Native American who would be our guide for the trip. For the first day, we would stay near the river and try to fish for piranhas. The results were disappointing. Our guide and his young sons caught several smaller fish, but the piranhas never showed up.

搭船朝亚马孙河上游前进三小时后，我们抵达一间小屋。屋主是当地一名美洲原住民，将担任我们的向导。第一天，我们待在河流附近，试图钓到食人鱼。结果令人失望，向导和他年轻的儿子们钓到几条小鱼，但食人鱼从未出现。

 

“They’re here, but just not biting today,” said our guide with a disappointed shrug.

向导耸耸肩，失望地说：「牠们在这里，只是今天没吃鱼饵。」

 

“Well, if that’s the case,” grinned Hector, “we may as well go for a swim.” To our astonishment, he dove into the water. We were nervous, but followed him in. If we weren’t going to catch the piranhas, at least we could say we swam with them. Still, as we bedded down for the night, I felt a bit disappointed. I hoped the next day would yield something more exciting.

海克特笑说：「这样的话，我们不如下水游泳吧。」他跃入水中，此举令我们大吃一惊。我们有些紧张，但也跟着下水。如果我们钓不到食人鱼，至少可跟别人说，我们曾与食人鱼一起游泳。然而晚上就寝时，我还是难掩失望，只能期盼第二天会更精采。

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

gigantic [dʒaɪˋgæntɪk] adj. 巨大的，庞大的

innocently [ˋɪnəsəntlɪ] adv. 天真地

shrug [ʃrʌg] n. 耸肩

astonishment [əˋstɑnɪʃmənt] n. 惊讶；惊愕

yield [jild] v. 产生（效果，收益等）

 

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单词发音

 

grip [grɪp] n. 抓牢，紧握

scaly [ˋskelɪ] adj. 有鳞的，多鳞的

handful [ˋhændfəl] n.【口】难控制的人（或动物）

Israeli [ɪzˋrelɪ] n. 以色列人

broad [brɔd] adj. 宽阔的

Argentinian [͵ɑrdʒənˋtɪnɪən] n. 阿根廷人

the Amazon [ˋæmə͵zɑn] 南美洲之亚马孙河

piranha [pəˈrɑnə] n. 南美产的淡水水虎鱼俗称食人鱼

grin [grɪn] v. 露齿而笑

may as well 不妨, 倒不如

bed down 使〔人或牲畜〕安睡 go to bed

 

 

 

 

课文朗读

课文讲解

 

In the morning, we broke camp and began our trek deeper into the jungle. When we started to grow weary, Hector showed us a novel trick. As he hacked down a jungle vine with his knife, I was amazed to see a stream of pure water pour out. The vine was passed around, and we took turns drinking from this natural fountain.

我们早上拔营，展开深入丛林的长途跋涉。当我们开始感到疲惫时，海克特让我们见识一个新奇的妙招。他用刀砍断林间一条藤蔓，我惊讶地看见一股纯水涌出，藤蔓被传给每一个人，我们轮流饮用天然泉水。

 

We reached our next camp and waited for night to fall before starting our hike through the jungle. Hector stooped to the ground and picked up a spider the size of his hand. Just a minute later, I found a frog as tiny as my fingernail. The Amazon is an amazing place.

我们抵达下一个营地，等待夜幕低垂，再展开丛林跋涉。海克特弯下身，从地上抓起一只手掌般大的蜘蛛，才过一分钟，我就发现一只小如指甲的青蛙。亚马孙河真是神奇。

 

We continued through the jungle when Hector suddenly gave a shout. Reaching into the trees, he pulled out a furry white mammal and handed it to me. It was a sloth. Although unhappy to be held, the creature lazily tolerated our presence and waited to be put back in his tree. Our next discovery would not go as quietly.

我们继续穿越丛林，此时海克特突然大叫一声。他将手伸入树丛，拉出一只毛茸茸的白色哺乳类动物，将牠交给我，是一只树懒。尽管被抓着不太高兴，这只动物仍懒洋洋地忍受着我们，等着被放回树上。我们的下一个发现就没这么安静了。

 

In a clearing, we saw a massive anaconda, five meters long and as thick as a telephone pole. Hector charged into action and grabbed it by the head, while our guide motioned for me to join in. The animal struggled, but our combined power overcame him and we paused for photos with the hissing, spitting beast.

我们在林间空地看见一条巨大的蚺蛇，长达五公尺，粗如电线杆。海克特突然冲上前去，抓住蛇头，向导则示意我加入。尽管这只动物奋力挣扎，仍不敌我们的同心协力，我们停下来和这条嘶嘶吐信的巨兽合照。

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

weary [ˋwɪrɪ] adj. 疲倦的

stoop [stup] v. 屈身，弯腰

furry [ˋfɝɪ] adj. 覆盖着毛皮的; 毛茸茸的

charge into action 突然行动 to move quickly or run wildly into …

overcome [͵ovɚˋkʌm] v. 战胜；克服

 

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单词发音

 

trek [trɛk] n.（长途而辛苦的）旅行

hack [hæk] down 砍倒 to chop something down

vine [vaɪn] n. 藤，藤蔓（植物）

pass around 传递〔某物〕circulate, distribute

take turns 轮流 do something in turns

shout [ʃaʊt] n. 呼喊；喊叫声

sloth [sloθ] n. 树懒

clearing [ˋklɪrɪŋ] n.（森林中的）空地

anaconda [ænəˋkɑndə] n. 蟒蛇；巨蟒；森蚺

motion for someone to do something 用手势示意某人做某事 to give someone a hand signal to do something

motion [ˋmoʃən] v. 向……打手势；向……摇（或点）头示意

 

 

 

课文朗读

课文讲解

 

It was our last full day in the Amazon, and it would be a tough one. We found ourselves trudging waist-deep through a muddy swamp. Feeling a shape swim by me, I reached down and caught hold of something solid. I pulled it up, and was amazed to find a tiny caiman!

今天是我们在亚马孙河的最后一个整天，后来发现并不好过。我们艰困地走在水深及腰的泥泞沼泽。我感觉到身旁有东西游过，于是将手往下探，抓到硬硬的东西。我将它拉起来，惊讶地发现是一只小鳄鱼！

 

We left the swamp and moved to higher ground. Pushing my way through a bush, I stepped on something round and almost fell. There was a loud hiss, and I felt something slap against me. An angry large snake had sunk its jaws into my boot. My shouts summoned the others, and Hector ran to pull the animal off me. It was a boa constrictor two meters long. This, I was told, was also barely more than a baby.

我们离开沼泽区，转往高地，通过一处矮树丛时，我踩到一个圆圆的东西，差一点跌倒。我听到震耳的嘶嘶声，感觉到有东西拍打在我身上。一条愤怒的巨蛇张嘴咬住我的靴子。我的叫声召来其他人，海克特赶紧将这只动物扯离我。是一条二公尺长的大蟒蛇。他们告诉我，这条蛇也算是幼蛇。

 

While we were heading towards the waiting boat, the jungle had one more surprise for us. Another baby animal ran through the bushes by our feet. It was a coati, a cute, cat-like creature. Scooping him up, Hector shared some of his fruit with the grateful little animal. The two took an instant liking to each other, and the tough jungle explorer decided to bring him home as a present for his young son. After so many thrilling experiences, we were glad to leave the jungle on such a light-hearted note.

在去搭船的路上，丛林再度令我们吃惊，另一只幼兽穿越灌木丛时，经过我们的脚边。是一只南美浣熊，一种像猫的可爱动物。海克特把牠抱起来，分了些水果给这只感恩的小动物。他们两个很投缘，这位强悍的丛林探险家决定带牠回去，送给年幼的儿子当礼物。经历这么多刺激的体验后，我们很高兴离开丛林前，能有这么轻松的一段插曲。

 

−by Michael Karanicolas

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

trudge [trʌdʒ] v. 跋涉，步履艰难地走

swamp [swɑmp] n. 沼泽

summon [ˋsʌmən] v. 召唤

thrilling [ˋθrɪlɪŋ] adj. 令人兴奋的; 毛骨悚然的

light-hearted  轻松愉快的

 

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单词发音

 

waist-deep [ˋwestˋdip] adj. 齐腰深的

catch hold of something 抓住, 拿住, 握住  to grasp or seize someone or something

caiman [ˋkemən] n.（美洲热带所产之）鳄鱼

push through something  挤过, 穿过  to force to penetrate something

slap [slæp] v. 拍打

sink into something  (使)埋入;(把…)打入; (使)插入

pull something off someone 拉开  to tug or drag something off someone

boa constrictor [ˋboəkənˋstrɪktɚ] n. 大蟒蛇

coati [koˋɑtɪ] n. 长鼻浣熊

scoop [skup] up (敏捷地)抱起，拿起，捡起

take a liking to someone 对…有好感, 喜欢… to develop a fondness or a preference for someone

note [not] n. 调子; 感觉; 印象; 气氛

 

 

Peru, Amazon Rainforest