美国语文第六册 第200期:乘坐扫雪机(2)

（单词翻译）

There are two sweeps, or arms, worked by machinery¹, on the sides.

在两侧有两个清扫装置，由机械操作。

You ask their use, and the superintendent² replies,

你或许会问这些装置做什么用的，监管人员则回答说，

"When, in a violent shock, there is danger of the monster's upsetting,

“遇到暴力袭击时，这个怪物存在翻倒的危险，

an arm is put out, on one side or the other, to keep the thing from turning a complete somersault."

一只机械臂会甩出去，不管甩向哪侧，这个大家伙都会完全翻筋斗的。”

You get one idea, and an inkling of another.

听到这儿，你马上就有主意了，暗示另一个想法。

So you take out your Accident Policy for three thousand dollars, and examine it.

就这样，你拿出你的三万美元意外事故保险单，仔细查看。

It never mentions battles, nor duels³, nor snowplows. It names "public conveyances⁵."

上面从未提及战争、决斗和扫雪机。上面标着“公共交通工具”字样。

Is a snowplow a public conveyance⁴?

扫雪机算公共交通工具吗？

You are inclined to think it is neither that nor any other kind that you should trust yourself to, but it is too late for consideration.

人们倾向于认为它既不是你相信的那种，也不是你相信的其他种类的交通工具，但是已经来不及细想了。

You roll out of Buffalo⁶ in the teeth of the wind, and the world is turned to snow.

人们冒着凛冽的寒风离开布法罗，这个世界已经被雪盖住了。

All goes merrily. The machine strikes little drifts, and they scurry⁷ away in a cloud.

所有的一切都很有趣。这台机械推着较小的堆积物，在一片雾霭中急匆匆地前行。

The three engines breathe easily; but by and by the earth seems broken into great billows of dazzling white.

三台发动机运行良好；但是不久，大地就掀起一片炫目的巨大白色雾霭。

The sun comes out of a cloud, and touches it up till it out-silvers Potosi.

太阳从云彩里闪身出来，将这台扫雪机映得就像波托西银合金一样闪亮。

Houses lie in the trough of the sea everywhere, and it requires little imagination to think they are pitching and tossing before your eyes.

房舍散落在如大海海槽一般的雪地上，真需要发挥一点想象力才能设想出这些房舍似乎在雪地上漂着，映入人们的眼帘。