美国小学英语教材6:第30课 山齿鹑家族(1)

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　　When you have read this story, you will understand better why so many people love the out-of-doors and the study of wild life. 当你读了这个故事，你会更能体会为什么有那么多人喜爱户外，研究野生动物。

　　The Book of Nature is full of interesting facts. Clarence Hawkes here tells about the life of bobwhite, or the quail¹. 自然之书中有许多有趣的讲述，霍克斯向大家讲述山齿鹑，或者叫做鹑。

　　As you will learn, even a harmless bird like bobwhite lives a life of adventure and danger. 你会懂得即使是无害的山齿鹑也会经历探险般，危险的旅程。

　　Bobwhite in Springtime 春天的山齿鹑

　　Bobwhite was not a showy bird, although his suit was neat and quite jaunty². 山齿鹑不引人注目，尽管它是一副玲珑小巧，活蹦乱跳的样子。

　　His back and shoulders were grayish brown, while his undersides were lighter³. 它的后背和肩膀是浅灰棕色，下表面的颜色更浅。

　　The feathers on the top of his head stood up like a small pompadour, and under his throat was a white necktie. 头上的羽毛像庞帕多发型一样高耸，喉咙下面是一条白色的领结。

　　Such a dress would not attract the eyes of his enemies, hawks⁴, owls⁵, or men. 这样的装束是无法吸引天敌老鹰、猫头鹰或者是人类的注意的。

　　Bobwhite sat on the top of the gate one spring morning, whistling his merry call, 一个春天的早晨，山齿鹑矗立在门上，轻声细语地唱着欢乐的曲子，

　　bobwhite, bob, bob-bob-white, bobwhite, bob, bob-white. 布谷布谷，布谷布谷，布谷布谷，布谷。

　　Each time when he stopped whistling he hopped⁶ down on the top bar of the gateway⁷ and strutted⁹ back and forth¹⁰ like a turkey cock. 它每次停止歌唱时都会跳到门栏上，像一只雄火鸡一样趾高气昂地向前走，向后走。

　　First he would extend one wing to its full sweep, then the other, 它会首先展开一个翅膀，接着另外一个，

　　and finally spreading both wings and his funny short tail he would strut⁸ up and down as if to say, 之后挥着两个翅膀，她短小可爱的尾巴会上下扑腾，好似在说，

　　Now if you want to see a fine bird, just look at me. 如果你想看到一只美丽的小鸟，那就看我吧。

　　But bobwhite was whistling for something else besides good spirits this morning. He was whistling for a wife. 山齿鹑除了在清晨轻声歌唱，抖擞精神以外，它还在用歌声寻找妻子。

　　Presently down across the fields as though in answer to his calling came a clear white, white, white. 在下面的田野中好似有人在回应它的歌声，哇，哇，哇的声音非常清晰。

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