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英语听书《海底两万里》第241期 第19章 万尼科罗群岛(3)

时间：2018-06-28 05:31:48

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（单词翻译）

 　　While cruising along only a few cable lengths from the underpinning1 of Reao Island, I marveled at the gigantic piece of work accomplished2 by these microscopic3 laborers4.  沿着克列蒙端尼岛的悬崖仅仅走了几百米，我对于这些微生物中的劳动者所完成的巨大工程十分赞赏。

　　These walls were the express achievements of madrepores known by the names fire coral, finger coral, star coral, and stony5 coral.  这些悬崖大半是称为千孔珊瑚、滨珊瑚、星珊瑚和脑形珊瑚的造礁珊瑚类的杰作。
　　These polyps grow exclusively in the agitated6 strata7 at the surface of the sea,  造礁珊瑚类动物在海波激荡的表面一层特别繁衍，
　　and so it's in the upper reaches that they begin these substructures, which sink little by little together with the secreted8 rubble9 binding10 them.  因此，它们的造礁工作是从上层开始，渐次及于下层的，上层带着剩余的分泌物，渐渐沉到下面去。
　　This, at least, is the theory of Mr.Charles Darwin, who thus explains the formation of atolls-a theory superior,  达尔文的学说就是这样，他应用这学说来说明环状珊瑚岛的构成
　　in my view, to the one that says these madreporic edifices11 sit on the summits of mountains or volcanoes submerged a few feet below sea level. 照我的意思，这学说比那以海面下几米有浮出的山岭或火山的峰顶作为造礁珊瑚的工作基地的学说，较为优越，较为合理。
　　I could observe these strange walls quite closely:  我可以挨近这些新奇的墙垣观察，
　　our sounding lines indicated that they dropped perpendicularly12 for more than 300 meters, and our electric beams made the bright limestone13 positively14 sparkle. 因为它们是垂直的，测探器指示的深度超过三百米，我们船上的阵阵电光把这光辉的石灰石照亮了。
　　In reply to a question Conseil asked me about the growth rate of these colossal15 barriers,  康塞尔问我这些巨大的墙垣积累起来要花多少时间，
　　I thoroughly16 amazed him by saying that scientists put it at an eighth of an inch per biennium. 我回答他的这个问题说，根据学者们的意见，积累八分之一寸厚的珊瑚墙需要一个世纪，即一百年左右的时间，他十分惊异。
　　Therefore, he said to me, to build these walls, it took? 那么，”他问我，造成这些墙垣要多少时间呢?
　　192,000 years, my gallant17 Conseil, which significantly extends the biblical Days of Creation.  要十九万二千年，老实的康塞尔，这就把《圣经》记载的时间特别拉长了。
　　What's more, the formation of coal-in other words, the petrification of forests swallowed by floods 此外，煤炭的形成，即被洪水冲积的森林的矿化作用，
　　and the cooling of basaltic rocks likewise call for a much longer period of time.  玄武岩的冷化作用，需要更长久的时间。
　　I might add that those days in the Bible must represent whole epochs and not literally18 the lapse19 of time between two sunrises,  再说，《圣经》中的时间只是表明一个一个时期，并不指两次旧出之间的时间，
　　because according to the Bible itself, the sun doesn't date from the first day of Creation. 因为，照《圣经》的说法，太阳并不是开夭，辟地第一天就存在。”

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1 underpinning 7431aa77983d1e766a4ef27b6d3f1735     
n.基础材料；基础结构；（学说、理论等的）基础；（人的）腿v.用砖石结构等从下面支撑（墙等）( underpin的现在分词 )；加固（墙等）的基础；为（论据、主张等）打下基础；加强
参考例句：
  • Underpinning this success has been an exemplary record of innovation. 具有典范性的创新确保了这次成功。 来自辞典例句
  • But underpinning Mr Armstrong's technology changes is a human touch. 但阿姆斯特朗技术变革的支柱是人情味。 来自互联网
2 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
3 microscopic nDrxq     
adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的
参考例句：
  • It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
  • A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。
4 laborers c8c6422086151d6c0ae2a95777108e3c     
n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工
参考例句：
  • Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言
5 stony qu1wX     
adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的
参考例句：
  • The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
  • He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。
6 agitated dzgzc2     
adj.被鼓动的，不安的
参考例句：
  • His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
  • She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。
7 strata GUVzv     
n.地层（复数）；社会阶层
参考例句：
  • The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
  • They represent all social strata.他们代表各个社会阶层。
8 secreted a4714b3ddc8420a17efed0cdc6ce32bb     
v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏
参考例句：
  • Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的。
  • He secreted his winnings in a drawer. 他把赢来的钱藏在抽届里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 rubble 8XjxP     
n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾
参考例句：
  • After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
  • After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。
10 binding 2yEzWb     
有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的
参考例句：
  • The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
  • Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。
11 edifices 26c1bcdcaf99b103a92f85d17e87712e     
n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • They complain that the monstrous edifices interfere with television reception. 他们抱怨说，那些怪物般的庞大建筑，干扰了电视接收。 来自辞典例句
  • Wealthy officials and landlords built these queer edifices a thousand years ago. 有钱的官吏和地主在一千年前就修建了这种奇怪的建筑物。 来自辞典例句
12 perpendicularly 914de916890a9aa3714fa26fe542c2df     
adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地
参考例句：
  • Fray's forehead was wrinkled both perpendicularly and crosswise. 弗雷的前额上纹路纵横。
  • Automatic resquaring feature insures nozzle is perpendicularly to the part being cut. 自动垂直功能，可以确保刀头回到与工件完全垂直的位置去切割。
13 limestone w3XyJ     
n.石灰石
参考例句：
  • Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
  • Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。
14 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
15 colossal sbwyJ     
adj.异常的，庞大的
参考例句：
  • There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
  • Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。
16 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
17 gallant 66Myb     
adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句：
  • Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
  • These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。
18 literally 28Wzv     
adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实
参考例句：
  • He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
  • Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。
19 lapse t2lxL     
n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效
参考例句：
  • The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
  • I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

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