B3U1T1 Notes from a Small Island
文本细读
商务英语综合教程
My first sight of England was on a foggy March night in 1973 when I arrived on the midnight ferry from Calais. For twenty minutes, the terminal area was aswarm with activity as cars and lorries poured forth, customs people did their duties, and everyone made for the London road. Then abruptly all was silence and I wandered through sleeping, low-lit streets threaded with fog, just like in a Bulldog Drummond movie. It was rather wonderful having an English town all to myself.
My first sight of England was on a foggy March night in 1973 when I arrived on the midnight ferry from Calais.
- fist sight of ... 看到……的第一眼
- foggy:多雾的、雾蒙蒙的
- midnight ferry:午夜的渡船
- Calais:(法国城市)加来(与英国多佛尔隔海峡相望。虽然丘吉尔将它形容为“经过的旅行者最多,而停留下来游览的人最少”的地方)
For twenty minutes, the terminal area was aswarm with activity as cars and lorries poured forth, customs people did their duties, and everyone made for the London road.
- terminal area:终点(站)区域
- be aswarm with ...:be filled or overrun, as with moving objects or beings; be teeming with 充满了,挤满了 例句:The playground was aswarm with children.
- activity: [U] (a) being active or lively 活动性; 活力. (b) busy or energetic action 繁忙的或充满活力的活动: The house has been full of activity all day. 房子里整天都很热闹.
- lorry:large strong motor vehicle for transporting goods, soldiers, etc by road 卡车
- pour forth:Syn. pour out: to come out in a crowd; <旧>成群地涌来 Orders for goods poured forth. 订单不断涌来 | to (cause to) emerge in a stream <旧>(使大量地或不断地流出或涌出:Tears poured forth as she watched the sad scene.
- customs: government department that collects these taxes 海关 [attrib 作定语] a customs officer, search, check 海关官员﹑ 检查﹑ 查验 * customs duty, formalities, etc 海关税﹑ 手续等
- make for: to go towards, move in the direction 走向……;向……前进
Then abruptly all was silence and I wandered through sleeping, low-lit streets threaded with fog, just like in a Bulldog Drummond movie.
- abruptly: suddenly
- low-lit: lit是light的过去式 灯光昏暗的
- thread:动词 to occur here and there throughout; pervade | be threaded with fog 弥漫着雾气
- Bulldog Drummond 是 H. C. McNeile 笔下的虚构角色,他经历了很多冒险。以这个人物为主角的小说有十多部,后来改为了电影。
以下是其中一个电影中的剧照:
It was rather wonderful having an English town all to myself.
- rather:to a certain extent; fairly 在一定程度上; 颇. (a) (used before adjs and advs 用於形容词和副词之前): We're having rather cold weather for June. 在六月里, 这样的天气未免有点冷. * The book is rather long. 这本书有点长.
- have ... all to myself ……都全部归我自己 这句话说明当作者走出了terminal area之后,街道上就鲜见到人了,就好像整个English town中只有作者一人一样
The only mildly dismaying thing was that all the hotels and guesthouses appeared to be shut up for the night. I walked as far as the rail station, thinking I’d catch a train to London, but the station, too, was dark and shuttered. I was standing wondering what to do when I noticed a grey light of television filling an upstairs window of a guesthouse across the road. Hooray, I thought, someone awake, and hastened across, planning humble apologies to the kindly owner for the lateness of my arrival and imagining a cheery conversation which included the line, “Oh, but I couldn’t possibly ask you to feed me at this hour. No, honestly – well, if you’re quite sure it’s no trouble, then perhaps just a roast beef sandwich and a large dill pickle with perhaps some potato salad and a bottle of beer.” The front path was pitch dark and in my eagerness and unfamiliarity with British doorways, I tripped on a step, crashing face-first into the door and sending half a dozen empty milk bottles clattering. Almost immediately the upstairs window opened.
“Who’s that?” came a sharp voice.
I stepped back, rubbing my nose, and peered up at a silhouette with hair curlers. “Hello, I’m looking for a room,” I said.
“We’re shut.”
“Oh.” But what about my supper?
“Try the Churchill. On the front.”
“On the front of what?” I asked, but the window was already banging closed.
The only mildly dismaying thing was that all the hotels and guesthouses appeared to be shut up for the night.
- mildly:slightly 例句: * The drug is only mildly addictive. * I felt mildly depressed.
- dismaying:to cause to feel dismay 令人感到气馁、灰心、沮丧的
I walked as far as the rail station, thinking I’d catch a train to London, but the station, too, was dark and shuttered.
- as far as ... 远到……、远至……
- shutter:[Tn esp passive 尤用於被动语态] close the shutters of (a building); provide with shutters 关闭(建筑物)的窗板; 装上窗板: The house was empty and shuttered. 这所房子是空的, 窗板都关上了.
I was standing wondering what to do when I noticed a grey light of television filling an upstairs window of a guesthouse across the road.
- wonder:ask oneself 自问; 自忖: I wonder who he is. 我不知道他究竟是谁. * I wonder whether they will arrive on time. 我也不知道他们能不能准时到.
- across:on the other side of (sth) 在(某物)的另一边: We shall soon be across the Channel. 我们不久即将渡过英吉利海峡了. * He shouted to me from across the room. 他从房间的另一边向我喊. * My house is just across the street. 我的房子就在马路对面.
Hooray, I thought, someone awake, and hastened across, planning humble apologies to the kindly owner for the lateness of my arrival and imagining a cheery conversation which included the line, “Oh, but I couldn’t possibly ask you to feed me at this hour. No, honestly – well, if you’re quite sure it’s no trouble, then perhaps just a roast beef sandwich and a large dill pickle with perhaps some potato salad and a bottle of beer.”
- hooray:太棒了、万岁,感叹词
- hasten:move or act with speed; hurry 急忙; 赶快: He hastened (away) to the office. 他急急忙忙到办公室去了。
- humble:(of a person or his words or actions) having or showing a low or modest opinion of one's own importance; not proud (指人或其言行)谦虚的: my humble apologies 鄙人的道歉
- kindly:形容词 kind or friendly in character, manner or appearance 亲切的; 和蔼的; 友好的; 仁慈的; 慈爱的: a kindly man, voice, smile 慈祥的人﹑ 声音﹑ 微笑 * give sbsome kindly advice 给某人以友好的劝告.
- cheery: lively and cheerful; genial 喜气洋洋的; 兴高采烈的; 亲切的: a cheery smile, greeting, wave 喜气洋洋的微笑﹑ 致意﹑ 招手
- the line: row of words on a page of writing or in print 字行 这里指的是后面引号之间的那几行对话
- Oh, but I couldn’t possibly ask you to feed me at this hour. 噢,但我是不会在这个时候要您给我准备吃的的。(作者在臆想是否这样一说,小宾馆的主人就会很热心的去准备饭菜。)
- No,honestly。不,真的。(作者可能认为宾馆主人会说类似于:你肯定饿了。这种话,所以他想象自己会这样回答。)
- well, if you’re quite sure it’s no trouble 好吧,如果你确定这不太麻烦的话(作者想象宾馆主人太热心了,会说“不麻烦不麻烦,我给您去准备吃的。”)
- then perhaps just a roast beef sandwich and a large dill pickle with perhaps some potato salad and a bottle of beer (作者确实饿了,想吃很多东西)roast beef sandwich 烤牛肉三明治;dill pickle 腌黄瓜;[食品] 加小茴香叶的泡菜
The front path was pitch dark and in my eagerness and unfamiliarity with British doorways, I tripped on a step, crashing face-first into the door and sending half a dozen empty milk bottles clattering.
- pitch dark:extremely dark: * a moonless pitch-black night
- British doorway:英国的门前有台阶(作者对这一点并不熟悉)
- trip:~ (over/up) catch one's foot on sth and stumble or fall 绊; 绊倒: She tripped (over the cat) and fell. 她(让猫)绊了一跤. * Be careful you don't trip (up) on the mat. 小心别在地蓆上绊倒了.
- crash:~ (sth) (into sth) (cause sth to) have a collision (使某物)猛撞: The plane crashed (into the mountain). 飞机撞毁(在山上)了. * He crashed his car (into a wall). 他把汽车撞(到墙上)了.
- face-first:with the face foremost 例如:hit the wall face-first
- half a dozen: 半打、六个
- clatter:(cause sth to) make a clatter (使某物)发出连续嗒嗒声: Don't clatter your knives and forks. 不要将刀叉相碰出声.
I stepped back, rubbing my nose, and peered up at a silhouette with hair curlers.
- rub:~ (sth) (with sth) (cause sth to) press against (a surface) with a to-and-fro sliding movement (用某物)擦, 磨, 揉, 搓(另一物): He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 他抚摩着下巴, 陷入沉思.
- peer:~ (at sth/sb) look closely or carefully, esp as if unable to see well 仔细看(尤指似因看不清)
- silhouette:dark outline of sb/sth seen against a light background 黑色轮廓; 侧影
- hair curler:卷发器、卷发夹
“Try the Churchill. On the front.”
“On the front of what?” I asked, but the window was already banging closed.
- bang:strike (sth) deliberately and violently, often in order to make a loud noise 故意猛砸(常为产生巨响): He was banging on the door with his fist. 他用拳头砸门. * I banged the door. 我砰的一声关上了门. * She banged her fist on the table. 她用拳头猛捶桌子.
The Churchill was sumptuous and well lit and appeared ready to receive visitors. Through a window I could see people in suits in a bar, looking elegant and suave, like characters from a Noel Coward play. I hesitated in the shadows, feeling like a street urchin. I was socially and sartorially ill-suited for such an establishment and anyway it was clearly beyond my meager budget. Only the previous day, I had handed over an exceptionally plump wad of colorful francs to a beady-eyed Picardy hotelier in payment for one night in a lumpy bed and a plate of mysterious chasseur containing the bones of assorted small animals, much of which had to be secreted away in a large napkin in order not to appear impolite, and had determined thenceforth to be more cautious with expenditures. So I turned reluctantly from the Churchill’s beckoning warmth and trudged off into the darkness.
The Churchill was sumptuous and well lit and appeared ready to receive visitors.
- sumptuous:looking expensive and splendid 华贵的; 豪华的; 奢华的: a sumptuous feast 盛宴 * sumptuous clothes 华贵的服装
- well-lit:灯火通明的、灯光明亮的 反义:low-lit
- receive: allow sb to enter, eg as a guest, member, etc; admit sb 接待(如客人﹑ 成员等); 接纳或承认某人: rooms (eg in a hotel) ready to receive their new occupants 准备接待新房客的房间(如旅馆的)
Through a window I could see people in suits in a bar, looking elegant and suave, like characters from a Noel Coward play.
- in suits: 穿着西装、穿着套装
- suave:(usu of a man) having self-confidence and smooth sophisticated manners (通常指男子)自信而老於世故的
- character:角色、人物
- Noel Coward:Noel Coward是一名演员。看看这名演员的模样,就知道作者看到bar中人们的感觉了
I hesitated in the shadows, feeling like a street urchin.
- hesitate:be slow to speak or act because one feels uncertain or unwilling; pause in doubt 犹豫; 踌躇; 迟疑; (因有疑虑而)停顿
- street urchin: ragged or dirty child who is homeless and lives in poverty 街头流浪儿 (作者认为自己穿着有点寒酸,在那些优雅事故的人物面前,像是街头的流浪儿)
I was socially and sartorially ill-suited for such an establishment and anyway it was clearly beyond my meager budget.
- sartorial:of (usu men's) clothes or a way of dressing 服装的; (通常指)男式服装的; 衣着的: sartorial elegance 衣着的大方雅致
- ill-suited:不合适的
- establishment: (fml or joc 文或谑) (premises of a) business organization or large institution 商业机构或大型机关(的房屋建筑): an educational establishment (文中,establishment指的是Churchill宾馆)
- beyond ...:超出
- meager:(of amounts or numbers) very small or not enough: a meagre salary | meager budget:寒酸的预算、微薄的预算
Only the previous day, I had handed over an exceptionally plump wad of colorful francs to a beady-eyed Picardy hotelier in payment for one night in a lumpy bed and a plate of mysterious chasseur containing the bones of assorted small animals, much of which had to be secreted away in a large napkin in order not to appear impolite, and had determined thenceforth to be more cautious with expenditures.
- hand over:If you hand something over to someone, you pass it to them. 例句:He also handed over a letter of apology from the Prime Minister.
- exceptionally:extremely
- plump:well-rounded and full in form 胖乎乎的,丰满的
- wad:(文件或钞票的)卷, 沓, 捆: He pulled a wad of 10 notes out of his pocket. 他从衣袋里掏出一沓面额10英镑的钱
- franc:法郎
- beady-eyed:目光锐利的;眼睛如珠的
- picardy:皮卡第(法国北部旧省)
- hotelier:a manager or owner of a hotel
- in payment for ... 用于支付……
- lumpy:凹凸不平的;高低不平的
- chasseur:穿制服的仆人,男仆、侍者
- assorted:of different sorts; mixed 各种各样的; 混杂的; 什锦的: a tin of assorted biscuits 一罐什锦饼乾
- secrete:put or keep (sth) in a secret place; hide 隐藏(某物); 藏匿: money secreted in a drawer 藏在抽屉里的钱
- napkin:(布的或纸的)餐巾
- thenceforth:from that time forward; thereafter, after that
- be cautious with: be careful with
- expenditure: action of spending or using 花费; 使用: the expenditure of money on weapons 购置武器的开支 * expenditure of energy on a project 在一项目上耗费的精力
So I turned reluctantly from the Churchill’s beckoning warmth and trudged off into the darkness.
- turn from: to (cause to) move away from (someone or something) (使)离开(某人或某物)*At last he turned from me and wlaked away. 他终于离我而去。
- beckon:~ (to) sb (to do sth) make a gesture to sb with the hand, arm or head, usu to make him come nearer or to follow (以手、臂或头部的动作)召唤某人(通常为使之走近或跟随自己): She beckoned (to) me (to follow). 她招手要我跟着她. * (fig 比喻) City life beckons (ie attracts) many a country boy. 都市生活吸引着许许多多的乡村子弟.
- trudge:walk slowly or with difficulty because one is tired, on a long journey, etc (因疲惫﹑ 走长路等)缓慢或吃力地走: trudging (along) through the deep snow 在深雪中慢慢地走
Further along Marine Parade stood a shelter, open to the elements but roofed, and I decided that this was as good as I was going to get. With my backpack for a pillow, I lay down and drew my jacket tight around me. The bench was slatted and hard and studded with big roundheaded bolts that made reclining in comfort an impossibility — doubtless their intention. I lay for a long time listening to the sea washing over the shingle below, and eventually dropped off to a long, cold night of mumbled dreams in which I found myself being pursued over Arctic ice floes by a beady-eyed Frenchman with a catapult, a bag of bolts, and an uncanny aim, who thwacked me repeatedly in the buttocks and legs for stealing a linen napkin full of seepy food and leaving it at the back of a dresser drawer of my hotel room. I awoke with a gasp about three, stiff all over and quivering from cold. The fog had gone. The air was now still and clear, and the sky was bright with stars. A beacon from the lighthouse at the far end of the breakwater swept endlessly over the sea. It was all most fetching, but I was far too cold to appreciate it. I dug shiveringly through my backpack and extracted every potentially warming item I could find — a flannel shirt, two sweaters, an extra pair of jeans. I used some woolen socks as mittens and put a pair of flannel boxer shorts on my head as a kind of desperate headwarmer, then sank heavily back onto the bench and waited patiently for death’s sweet kiss. Instead, I fell asleep.
- Marine Parade:应该是一条街道的名称 parade:<主英>散布广场;有商店的街
- the elements [pl] (fml 文) forces of nature, the weather, etc (esp bad weather) 自然力, 天气等(尤指坏天气): exposed to (the fury of) the elements 经受风吹雨打
- roofed:有屋顶的
- as good as I was going to get 我能得到的也就这么好了(再好也不可能了)
With my backpack for a pillow, I lay down and drew my jacket tight around me.
- with my backpack for a pillow:把我的背包作为枕头
- drew my jacket tight around me 把我的外套在身上裹紧
The bench was slatted and hard and studded with big roundheaded bolts that made reclining in comfort an impossibility — doubtless their intention.
- slat:to provide or make with slats 用(木﹑ 金属或塑料的)窄而薄的长条做成的
- stud:~ sth (with sth) decorate (a surface) with many studs, precious stones, etc 用许多饰钮﹑ 饰钉、宝石等装饰(某物表面): millions of stars studding the night sky 布满夜空的繁星 * a crown studded with jewels 镶满宝石的皇冠 * a sea studded with small islands 有许多小岛的大海
- roundheaded bolt:圆头的螺钉
- recline:to lie or lean back in a relaxed way 放松地躺着 | recline in comfort 舒适地躺着
- doubtless: almost certainly; very probably 大概; 很可能 | doubtless their intention中的their指的应该是roundheaded bolts,doubtless their intention是指:很可能钉这些圆头钉子的目的就是不让你舒舒服服地躺在上面
I lay for a long time listening to the sea washing over the shingle below, and eventually dropped off to a long, cold night of mumbled dreams in which I found myself being pursued over Arctic ice floes by a beady-eyed Frenchman with a catapult, a bag of bolts, and an uncanny aim, who thwacked me repeatedly in the buttocks and legs for stealing a linen napkin full of seepy food and leaving it at the back of a dresser drawer of my hotel room.
- shingle:small rounded pebbles on the sea-shore 海滨的小圆石.
- drop off: to fall asleep: * I sat in the warm room for 5 minutes, and then I dropped off to sleep.
- mumble:speak or say sth unclearly and usu quietly, so that people cannot hear what is said 含糊地说某事; 叽咕; 咕哝
- pursue:follow (sb/sth), esp in order to catch or kill; chase 追赶, 追逐(某人[某物]); (尤指)追捕, 追杀; 追寻; 追求: pursue a wild animal, one's prey, a thief 追捕野兽﹑ 被捕食的动物﹑ 窃贼
- Arctic 北极的
- floe:sheet of floating ice, usu on the sea 成片的浮冰(通常浮於海上的): Ice-floes are a threat to shipping in the area. 浮冰对这一带的航运是一种威胁.
- catapult:弹弓、弹射器
- uncanny:very strange and difficult to explain 异乎寻常的、奇怪的
- thwack:to strike or hit with a flat object, making a loud sound 打;重击
- buttocks: 屁股(屁股是两半,所以用复数)
- linen:亚麻布的
- seepy:充满水分的,多水的
- dresser drawer:梳妆台的抽屉
I awoke with a gasp [at] about three, stiff all over and quivering from cold.
- gasp:quick deep breath of pain, surprise, etc (因疼痛﹑ 惊异等引起的)深吸气, 喘气
- stiff:not easily bent, folded, moved, changed in shape, etc 不易弯曲﹑ 打摺﹑ 移动﹑ 变形等的; 坚硬的; 僵直的
- all over:浑身
- quiver:tremble slightly or vibrate (使某事物)轻微颤动, 抖动: * Quivering with rage she slammed the door shut. 她气得浑身发抖, 砰的一声使劲把门关上了.
A beacon from the lighthouse at the far end of the breakwater swept endlessly over the sea.
- beacon:警示灯、烽火 lighthouse:灯塔
- breakwater:防浪堤,挡水板,挡浪板
- sweep:move quickly over (an area) 扫过, 掠过(某地方): A huge wave swept over the deck. 一个巨浪掠过甲板.
It was all most fetching, but I was far too cold to appreciate it.
- fetching: (dated infml 旧, 口) attractive 迷人的; 吸引人的: a fetching smile 迷人的微笑 * You look very fetching in that hat. 你戴着这顶帽子显得格外动人.
I dug shiveringly through my backpack and extracted every potentially warming item I could find — a flannel shirt, two sweaters, an extra pair of jeans.
- dug: dig的过去式
- extract:take or get sth out, usu with effort or by force 取出; 拔出: extract a cork from a bottle 拔出瓶塞 * have a tooth extracted 拔牙
- flannel:法兰绒
I used some woolen socks as mittens and put a pair of flannel boxer shorts on my head as a kind of desperate headwarmer, then sank heavily back onto the bench and waited patiently for death’s sweet kiss. Instead, I fell asleep.
- mitten:连指手套(四指相连与拇指分开者)
- boxer shorts 男式平腿泳裤、拳击运动员短裤
- heavily:very slowly and with difficulty; laboriously: * walking heavily through the snow.
- death's kiss: 死亡之吻
- instead: instead of dying 但是我并没有死,而是睡着了。
I was awakened again by an abrupt bellow of foghorn, which nearly knocked me from my narrow perch, and sat up feeling wretched but fractionally less cold. The world was bathed in that milky pre-dawn light that seems to come from nowhere. Gulls wheeled and cried over the water. Beyond them, past the stone breakwater, a ferry, vast and well lit, slid regally out to sea. I sat there for some time, a young man with more on his mind than in it. Another booming moan from the ship's foghorn passed over the water, re-exciting the irksome gulls. I took off my sock mittens and looked at my watch. It was 5.55 a.m. I looked at the receding ferry and wondered where anybody would be going at that hour. Where would I go at that hour? I picked up my backpack and shuffled off down the prom, to get some circulation going.
I was awakened again by an abrupt bellow of foghorn, which nearly knocked me from my narrow perch, and sat up feeling wretched but fractionally less cold.
- be awakened by... 被……吵醒/弄醒
- bellow:a loud deep sound
- foghorn: 雾角、雾号 A foghorn is a fog signal that uses sound to warn vehicles of navigational hazards, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions.
- perch:place where a bird rests, eg a branch 鸟类的栖息处(如树枝) 引申为高座; 高位
- wretched:very unhappy; miserable or pitiable 极不愉快的; 悲惨的; 可怜的
- fractionally:by a very small amount, slightly
The world was bathed in that milky pre-dawn light that seems to come from nowhere.
- be bathed in: wet or bright all over with sth 全被某物弄湿; 全被某物照亮: Her face was bathed in tears. 她泪流满面. * After the match, I was bathed with sweat. 比赛之後我汗流浃背. * The countryside was bathed in brilliant sunshine. 这一带乡村沐浴在阳光里.
- milky: 乳白色的
- pre-dawn:黎明前的
- come from nowhere: to come as a surprise with no warning. *The dogs came from nowhere and attacked my cat. The whole set of problems came from nowhere. There was no way we could have foreseen them.
Gulls wheeled and cried over the water.
- gull: 海鸥
- wheel:move in a curve or circle 转动; 旋转: birds wheeling (about) in the sky above us 在我们上空盘旋的鸟
- cry:~ (out) (of people, animals, birds) make loud wordless sounds expressing fear, pain, etc (指人﹑ 野兽﹑ 禽鸟)大叫(表示恐惧﹑ 疼痛等): The monkeys cry (out) shrilly when they see danger. 猴子遇到危险时尖声大叫.
Beyond them, past the stone breakwater, a ferry, vast and well lit, slid regally out to sea.
- slide:(cause sth to) move smoothly along an even, polished or slippery surface (使某物)滑动: I was sliding (about) helplessly (on the ice). 我(在冰上)身不由己地滑起来了. * The ship slid (down) into the water. 船滑入水中.
- regal:of, like or fit for a king or queen; royal (似)帝王的; 为帝王而设的; 王室的 | regally:帝王般地、庄严地
I sat there for some time, a young man with more on his mind than in it.
- a young man with ... in it是I的同位语
- with more on his mind than in it: on one's mind 表示记挂在心上、惦记;in one's mind在某人的脑海里。但是我感觉这里作者用with more on his mind并不是指他担心很多事情,而是指on his head(还记得作者将a pair of flannel boxer shorts盖到头上御寒吗?)
- 我在那儿坐了一些时候,这个年轻人脑袋上面的东西比脑袋里面的东西还多。
Another booming moan from the ship's foghorn passed over the water, re-exciting the irksome gulls.
- boom:make a deep hollow resonant sound 发出深沉﹑ 有回响的声音: waves booming on the seashore 撞击海岸发出隆隆声的海浪
- moan:long low mournful sound, usu expressing regret, pain or suffering 呻吟声; 呜咽声: the moans of the wounded 受伤者的呻吟. (b) [sing] similar sound as made by eg the wind 似呻吟的声音(如风声).
- irksome:annoying and boring
I took off my sock mittens and looked at my watch.
- sock mittens:还记得作者用袜子作为手套来保暖吗?
I looked at the receding ferry and wondered where anybody would be going at that hour.
- recede:~ (from sth) (seem to) move back from a previous position or away from an observer (似)自原处後退或避开别人的注视: As the tide receded (from the shore) we were able to look for shells. 潮水(自岸边)退去, 我们就能寻找贝壳了. * We reached the open sea and the coast receded into the distance. 我们驶抵公海, 海岸似乎退到了远方.
- at that hour:在那个时间(5.55am)
I picked up my backpack and shuffled off down the prom, to get some circulation going.
- shuffle: walk without lifting the feet completely clear of the ground 拖着脚步走: Walk properly don't shuffle. 好好走路--脚别蹭地. * The prisoners shuffled along the corridor and into their cells. 囚犯们沿着走廊拖着脚步进入牢房.
- prom: 注意,这里并不是美语中的prom(舞会),而是英式英语中的prom(promenade的缩写):a wide road next to the beach, where people can walk for pleasure 指的是海边的供人们散布的宽宽的道路
- circulation:movement of blood round the body from and back to the heart 血液循环 | get some circulation going 让血液循环循环
Near the Churchill, now itself peacefully sleeping, I came across an old guy walking a little dog. The man nodded a good-morning as I drew level. “Might turn out nice,” he announced, gazing hopefully at a sky that looked like a pile of wet towels. I asked him if there was a restaurant anywhere that might be open. He knew of a place not far away and directed me to it.
“Very popular with the lorry drivers. They always know the best places, don’t they?” He smiled amiably, then lowered his voice a fraction and leaned towards me as if about to share a confidence. “You might want to take the pants off your head before you go in.”
I clutched my head — “Oh!” — and removed the forgotten boxer shorts with a blush. I tried to think of a succinct explanation, but the man was scanning the sky again.
Near the Churchill, now itself peacefully sleeping, I came across an old guy walking a little dog.
- now itself peacefully sleeping是用来描述the Churchill宾馆的
- come across:偶然碰到、偶遇
- walk: cause (sb/sth) to walk, esp by accompanying him/it 使(某人[某物])行走(尤指与之同行): Horses should be walked for a while after a race. 马在比赛後应该遛一遛. * He's out walking the dog. 他出去遛狗去了.
The man nodded a good-morning as I drew level.
- draw level [with]: come up [with], catch up [with], get abreat [of]
- 当我赶上他的时候,那人对我点头致意早上好。
“Might turn out nice,” he announced, gazing hopefully at a sky that looked like a pile of wet towels.
- turn out: take place or happen in the specified way; prove to be 以某方式发生; 证明为: If the day turns out wet we may have to change our plans. 万一下雨的话, 我们也许得改变计画. *
How did the party turn out?'
It turned out very well, thanks.' ‘宴会举行得怎麽样?’‘非常成功, 谢谢. | [天气]可能会变好。
- gaze at:look steadily at
- a pile of wet towels 一堆湿毛巾(当时的天气肯定是天上很多云彩,想要下雨的样子)
“Very popular with the lorry drivers. They always know the best places, don’t they?”
- [the place he directed me to is] very popular with the lorry drivers.
He smiled amiably, then lowered his voice a fraction and leaned towards me as if about to share a confidence.
- amiable: showing and inspiring friendliness; pleasant and good-tempered 友好的; 和蔼可亲的; 好脾气的
- lower one's voice 某人降低了声音
- a fraction: a little bit * Could you move a fraction closer? 你能不能稍微再挪近点儿? - confidence: secret which is told to sb 知心话; 私房话: The two girls sat in a corner exchanging confidences. 那两个女孩子坐在角落里说着悄悄话.
I clutched my head — “Oh!” — and removed the forgotten boxer shorts with a blush.
- clutch: seize (sb/sth) eagerly 急忙抓住(某人[某事物]): He clutched the rope we threw to him. 他急忙抓住我们扔给他的绳子.
- blush: reddening of the face (from shame, embarrassment, etc) (因羞愧﹑ 难堪等)脸上泛出的红晕: She turned away to hide her blushes. 她转过身去, 不让人看见她两颊绯红.
I tried to think of a succinct explanation, but the man was scanning the sky again.
- succinct: expressedbriefly and clearly; concise 简明的; 简洁的; 简要的: a succinct summary of the argument 论点的概要
The café was outstanding — lively and steamy and deliciously warm. I had a platter of eggs, beans, fried bread, bacon and sausage, with a side plate of bread and marge, and two cups of tea, all for 22p. Afterwards, feeling a new man, I emerged with a toothpick and a burp, and sauntered happily through the streets, watching Dover come to life. It must be said that Dover was not vastly improved by daylight, but I liked it. I liked its small scale and cosy air, and the way everyone said “Good-morning,” and “Hello,” and “Dreadful weather — but it might brighten up,” to everyone else, and the sense that this was just one more in a very long series of fundamentally cheerful, well-ordered, pleasantly uneventful days. No one in the whole of Dover would have any particular reason to remember 21 March 1973, except for me and a handful of children born that day and possibly one old guy with a dog who had encountered a young fellow with underpants on his head.
The café was outstanding — lively and steamy and deliciously warm.
- lively: 这里的lively不作adj,而是作adv使用:With energy or vigor
- steamy:filled with or emitting steam 充满热气或冒着热气的
I had a platter of eggs, beans, fried bread, bacon and sausage, with a side plate of bread and marge, and two cups of tea, all for 22p.
- platter: large shallow dish for serving food, esp meat or fish 大浅盘(尤指盛肉或鱼的)
- side plate: a small plate that you put your bread on when you are eating the main part of a meal
- marge: 英式英语(margarine的缩写):人造黄油
- 22p: 22 pence
Afterwards, feeling a new man, I emerged with a toothpick and a burp, and sauntered happily through the streets, watching Dover come to life.
- emerge: to come out of a difficult experience 例句:She emerged from the divorce a stronger person.
- toothpick:牙签
- burp:belch 嗝; 饱嗝
- saunter:walk in a leisurely way; stroll 漫步; 闲逛: saunter down the avenue 沿着林荫道漫步 * He sauntered by with his hands in his pockets. 他双手插在口袋里悠闲地走了过去.
- come to life: 苏醒过来,变得更有活力(前面处于夜晚,街上罕有人迹,随着清晨的到来,城市也变得更有活力了)
It must be said that Dover was not vastly improved by daylight, but I liked it.
- 这句话说明,虽然白天到来,但是Dover并没有比晚上的时候好多少,但是这时候作者吃了一顿丰盛的早餐,心情变得好了起来,所以作者也感到对这个城市喜欢了起来。
I liked its small scale and cosy air, and the way everyone said “Good-morning,” and “Hello,” and “Dreadful weather — but it might brighten up,” to everyone else, and the sense that this was just one more in a very long series of fundamentally cheerful, well-ordered, pleasantly uneventful days.
- I liked its small scale 说明Dover城市不大
- cosy:(warm and) comfortable (暖和而)舒适的: a cosy room, chair, feeling 舒适的房间﹑ 椅子﹑ 感觉
- brighten up:这里指的是天气晴朗起来
- and the sense that this was just one more [day] in a very long series of ... days. 以及这样一种感觉,那就是这只不过是这么多……天中的又一天。
- fundamentally:basically:说明这么多天以来,作者总体上感觉还是快乐的、井然有序的、愉悦的、太平无事的(昨夜的悲惨机遇只是个小插曲)