賴世雄讀英語笑話學英語之動物王國(2):當然,凡事總有例外(雙語)
Unit 2 Of Course There Are Limitations 當然,凡事總有例外
A musician had taken to heart the old saying,"Music hath charms to soothe savage beast,"and traveled to the darkest corner of Africa in an effort to prove it.
一位音樂家牢記一句格言在心:“音樂有安撫野獸心靈的魅力。”為了證實這句話,他前往非洲最深處的內陸叢林旅游。
No sooner had he begun to play his violin in a jungle clearing than it was full of savage beasts,swaying in rhythm and tapping their paws to the delightful sounds.
在叢林的一塊空地上,他一拉起小提琴,四處就擠滿了各種猛獸,跟著旋律,拍著腳掌,手舞足蹈起來。
Sunddenly,however,a huge lion emerged from the jungle,pounced on the violinist and made a hearty meal of him.
可是叢林里突然跑出一頭大獅子,撲向小提琴家,把他當作盛餐吃掉了。
The other animals cried out in dismay,"Hey!We were enjoying that."
其他野獸大失所望,說道:“我們正在欣賞音樂哩!”
"Eh?"said the lion,cupping its hand to its ear.
“呃?”獅子彎曲手掌成杯子狀靠著耳朵說道。
英語知識點解說:
1.musician n. 音樂家
2.take...to heart 將……牢記在心,奉為信念
例:Don't take the boss' criticism to heart;he's just in a bad mood.
(不要把老板的批評放在心上,他只是心情不好。)
3.saying n. 常言,格言
Well goes an old saying,"..." 俗話說得好:“……”
=As an old saying goes,"..."
例:As an old saying goes,"Waste not,want not."
(有句古語說得好:“不浪費就不虞缺乏。”)
4.bath vt. 有(是 has 的古語用法,尤其出現在古詩中)
5.charm n. 魅力;魔力 & vt. 使著迷
be charmed with... 迷上……
=be fascinated with/by...
=be enthralled with/by...
例:I would take a strong man,or a blind one,to resist the girl's charms.
(要抗拒這女孩子的魅力需要一位意志力很強的人,或是一位眼睛瞎的盲人才行。)
You'd better forget that girl,you've become charmed with her.
(你最好忘了那個女孩,你已經迷上她了。)
6.soothe vt. 撫慰
soothing a. 安慰的;使緩和的
例:Nothing is more soothing than a warm bath.
(熱水澡最能松弛我們疲憊的身體。)
7.savage a. 野蠻的 & n. 野蠻人
8.best n. 動物;獸
9.in an effort to... 盡力……
=in an endeavor to...
例:In an effort to impress his girlfriend, Jake bought a powerful motorcycle.
(為了要引起女朋友的注意,杰克買了一輛大馬力的摩托車。)
10.no sooner had+ 主語+過去分詞+ than 引導的過去式從句
... 就……
例:No sooner had she seen him than she burst out crying.
=As soon as she saw him, she burst out crying.
(她一看到他就痛哭失聲。)
11.violin n. 小提琴
表示演奏樂器時,樂器名稱之前要加定冠詞 the 或所有格:
play the violin 拉小提琴
play the piano 彈鋼琴
play the trumpet 吹喇叭
但用于運動項目及游戲時則不加定冠詞 the :
play baseball 打棒球
play basketball 打籃球
play hide-and-seek 玩捉迷藏
12.jungle n. 熱帶叢林
forest n. 森林(指一大片的林木)
woods n. 樹林(指小面積的樹林)
rain forest 雨林
例:Tarzan was raised by apes in the jungle.
(泰山被叢林里的猩猩扶養長大。)
The hermit built himself a tiny cottage in the woods.
(這位隱居者在樹林里親手蓋了一間茅屋。)
13.clearing n. (森林中的)空地
14.sway vt. & vi. 搖動;動搖
例:The palm trees swayed in the evening breeze.
(棕櫚樹在向晚的微風中搖曳。)
15.rhythm n. 節奏,韻律
rhythmic a. 有節奏的
例:Reggae music has a unique rhythm.
(雷蓋音樂有特殊的韻律。)
The monks' rhythmic chanting had a hypnotic effect.
(那些和尚有節奏的誦經有催眠作用。)
16.tap vt. 輕敲;輕打
17.paw n. (動物的)腳爪
18.delight n. 欣喜
take delight in... 喜歡……
delightful a. 愉快的
例:Peter takes delight in singing.
(彼得喜歡唱歌。)
What a delightful perfume you're wearing!
(你身上的香水聞起來真舒服。)
19.to the delightful sounds 隨著愉快的音樂
表示“隨著……起舞/敲奏”的介詞用 to,不要用 with。
Let's dance with the music. (×)
(咱們抱著音樂跳舞吧。)
Let's dance to the music. (○)
(咱們隨著音樂起舞吧。)
20.emerge vi. 出現
emerge from... 由……出現
例:Under the judge's careful questioning, the truth gradually emerged.
(在法官仔細的詢問下,真相終于大白。)
The mole rarely emerges from his tunnels.
(土撥鼠很少爬出它的洞穴。)
21.pounce vi. & n. 急襲;猛撲
22.violinist n. 小提琴家
23.hearty a. 豐盛的(一餐)
a hearty meal 開懷的大吃一餐
24.dismay n. 驚慌,不安;絕望
in dismay 驚慌中;絕望中
25. cup vt. 把 彎曲成杯子狀
本文中,那頭大獅子大概是重聽吧!因此需要把手彎曲成杯狀聽外界的聲音。亦正因此緣故,獅子聽不到音樂,因為它把音樂家吃掉了。
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