美国小学英语教材6:第33课 山齿鹑家族(4)

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　　The August moon hung large and bright above the eastern hills. There was the smell of ripening² fruit and corn on the summer night air; 八月的太阳悬挂在高处，照亮了东边的山峰，夏天的晚上，你可以闻到水果熟透和玉米的味道；

　　the cricket and the katydid were singing in the grass. Down from the deep woods came Mr. Raccoon, 蟋蟀和蝈蝈儿在草丛中唱歌，茂密的草丛中来了一个浣熊先生，

　　shuffling³ along across the pasture like a little bear. Soon a fresh puff⁴ of night wind brought him a most exciting scent⁵. 像一只小熊一样穿过牧场，并发出刷刷的声音，不过一会，一阵清新的晚风拂过，这个味道让它兴奋不已。

　　He knew it quite well. It was that of a bevy⁶ of quail in hiding. 他非常清楚，暗处有一群鹌鹑。

　　The old raccoon knew just how they stood in that circular bunch with their tails all together and their heads looking outward, 老浣熊知道它们站在环形树丛中，尾巴聚拢在一起，头向外看，

　　that they might face in every direction. He flattened⁷ himself to the ground and crept forward almost as still as a cat. 或许它们朝着所有方向看去，它趴在地面上，像猫一样寂静无声地匍匐前进。

　　Now he was no longer like a clumsy little bear; he was a cautious hunter. 它不再是笨手笨脚的小熊了，他是一只小心谨慎的猎手。

　　Once he heard the bevy stirring in their sleep; then he lay very still and waited until the mother bird's creets 当它听到熟睡中的鹌鹑开始躁动，它躺在地上静止不动，等待鹌鹑妈妈的咔咔声，

　　and the soft peeps of the chickens had ceased. 和幼崽们微弱的唧唧声褪去。

　　He now crept forward again. Nearer and nearer he drew, going more cautiously with each step, 它继续匍匐前进，随着距离拉近，它的每一步更加小心翼翼，

　　until at last lie was within springing distance. 直到趴在起跳距离内。

　　He then flattened himself out on the ground, strained all his muscles until they were like steel, 它平躺在地，拉紧所有肌肉，要让肌肉变成钢铁，

　　and with a sudden motion sprang full in the midst of the sleeping bevy. 在鹌鹑熟睡中，它突然猛地一跃。

　　Click, click, click, went his jaws⁸, snapping like lightning in every direction. 吱吱吱，它在咀嚼，好像从各个方向射出的闪电。

　　There was the sudden whir of many wings and a chorus of squeaks⁹, peeps, and squawks from a dozen birds; 突然翅膀狂乱飞舞，十二只鹌鹑发出叽叽喳喳嘈杂的声音；

　　and in three seconds' time the bevy was gone with the exception of two wounded birds who fluttered feebly in the grass. 三秒钟之内，鹌鹑群消失了，仅留下两只在草丛中无力翻腾，受伤的鹌鹑。

　　But a bite apiece from Mr. Raccoon soon stopped their fluttering. 浣熊先生各咬了他们一下，他们最终停止了翻腾。

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