美国语文第五册 第226期:捕捉野马(2)

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。

　　on the highly ornamented² estate of some gentleman farmer, with his cattle grazing about the lawns and meadows.  宛如不失绅士优雅风度的农夫，从容悠闲地放牧他的牛群，好一派浓郁迷人的田园风光。

　　A council of war was now held, and it was determined³ to profit by the present favorable opportunity,  就如何捕捉这群野马，我们召开了战前会，抓住目前有利机遇乃是上策，

　　and try our hand at the grand hunting maneuver⁴ which is called “ringing the wild horse.”  采取最为有效的捕猎计谋，即通常所说的“打围野马”。

　　This requires a large party of horsemen, well mounted.  这一计划不仅需要相当多的骑手，且需骑手技艺超群，

　　They extend themselves in each direction, at a certain distance apart,  还须拥有不同角度条件下驾驭控制马的过人能力,甚至离马相当距离也能游刃有余地掌控身体的超凡骑术

　　and gradually form a ring of two or three miles in circumference⁵, so as to surround the game.  这样，才能从两三英里外形成包围圈围住马群。

　　This must be done with extreme care, for the wild horse is the most readily alarmed inhabitant of the prairie,  这种打围需要极度谨慎小心，因为野马对草原原住民最为警觉，

　　and can scent⁶ a hunter a great distance, if to windward. 如果顺风，很远都能嗅到猎人的气味。

　　The ring being formed, two or three ride toward the horses, which start off in an opposite direction.  包围圈一旦形成，两三个骑手就冲向马群，最初冲击方向往往与最后打围方向相反，

　　Whenever they approach the bounds of the ring, however, a huntsman presents himself, and turns them from their course.  直到骑手抵达包围圈边界，猎人才最终出现。

　　In this way they are checked, and driven back at every point, and kept galloping⁷ round and round this magic circle,  这种方式逼迫马群偏转原来路线，马群在每一设伏点皆受到拦阻驱逐，因此它们就会围绕骑手布下的神奇围圈不停地飞奔疾驰，

　　until, being completely tired down, it is easy for hunters to ride up beside them and throw the lariat⁸ over their heads.  直到彻底精疲力竭。这时，猎人们才飞奔上马，疾驰飞奔中扔出套索，紧紧地套牢马匹。

分享到：