💬 新概念英语第三册

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We welcome the seasons by the riverside,

我们在河边迎接一年四季。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

crowning the youngest girl with flowers in the spring, holding a summer festival on Midsummer Eve, giving thanks for the harvest in the autumn,

春天在河边为最年轻的姑娘戴上花冠，夏天在河边欢庆“仲夏前夜”，秋天在河边丰收而感恩，

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

and throwing a holy wreath into the current in the winter.

冬天往河中抛撒一个冬表花环。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

After a long period of rain the river may overflow its banks.

久雨这后，河水会泛滥成灾，

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

This is a rare occurrence as our climate seldom guest to extremes.

但是在我们这里，气候很少发生异常，河水极少泛滥。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We are lucky in that only the lower fields, which make up a very small proportion of our farm, are effected by flooding,

值得庆幸的是，只有低洼的受到洪水影响，而低洼地在我们农场比例很小。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

but other farms are less favorably sited, and flooding can sometimes spell disaster for their owners.

其他农场地势欠佳，洪水有时会给农场主带来灾难。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

One had winter we watched the river creep up the lower meadows.

有一年冬天，天气不好，我们眼看着河水浸没了地势较低的草场。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

All the cattle had been moved into stalls and we stood to lose little.

所有的牲口已提前转移到畜圈里，没有造成什么损失。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We were, however, worried about our nearest neighbors, whose farm was low lying and who were newcomers to the district.

不过，我们很为我们的近邻担心。他们的农场地势低洼，而且他们又新来乍到。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

As the floods had put the telephone out of order, we could not find out how they were managing.

由于洪水造成了电话中断，我们无法了解他们情况。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

From an attic window we could get a sweeping view of the river where their land joined ours,

从顶楼窗口看去，我们农场与他们农场接壤处的那段河流一览无余。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

and at the most critical juncture we took turns in watching that point.

在最紧急的时刻，我们轮流监视那段河流的险情。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

The first sign of disaster was a dead sheep floating down.Next came a horse, swimming bravely,

灾难的第一迹象是一只死羊顺流而下，接着一匹活马勇敢地与水搏击。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

but we were afraid that the strength of the current would prevent its landing anywhere before it became exhausted.

但我们担心，洪水力量将使它上岸之前就筋疲力尽了。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

Suddenly a raft appeared, looking rather like Noah's ark, carrying the whole family, a few hens, the dogs, cat, and bird in a cage.

突然，出现了一只筏子，看起来很像诺亚方舟，上面载着他们全家老小，还有几只母鸡、几只狗，一只猫与一只鸟笼，那里头有一只小鸟。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We realized that they must have become unduly frightened by the rising flood,

我们意识到他们一定是被不断上涨的洪水吓坏了。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

for their house, which had sound foundations, would have stood stoutly even if it had been almost submerged.

因为他们的房子地基牢固，即使洪水几乎灭顶也不会倒塌。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

The men of our family waded down through our flooded meadows with boathooks, in the hope of being able to grapple a corner of the raft and pull it out of the current towards our bank.

我家的男人们手拿船篙过被水淹没草场，希望能够钩住筏子一角，将它拽出激流，拖回岸边。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We still think it a miracle that they we able to do so.

他们终于成功了。至今我们仍认为这是个奇迹。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

I stopped to let the car cool off and to study the map.

我停下车，让汽车发动机冷却一下，同时查看一下地图。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

I had expected to be near my objective by now, but everything still seemed alien to me.

我本想离目的地已经不远，但周围一切对我仍很陌生。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

I was only five when my father had taken me abroad, and that we eighteen years ago.

我5岁那年，父亲就带我出了国，那是18年前的事了。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

When my mother had died after a tragic accident, he did not quickly recover from the shock and loneliness.

当时我母亲在一次事故中惨死，父亲未能很快从悲痛与孤独中恢复过来。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

Everything around him was full of her presence, continually reopening the wound.

他身边的一切都是母亲的影子不断勾起他的伤感。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

So he decided to emigrate.

于是他决定移居他国。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

In the new country he became absorbed in making a new life for the two of us, so that he gradually ceased to grieve.

在这个新的国家里，父亲专心致志地为我们俩开创一种新的生活，慢慢地不伤心了。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

He did not marry again and I was brought up without a woman's care;

父亲没有再娶，因此，我在没有母亲的环境里长大成人。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

but I lacked for nothing, for he was both father and mother to me.

但我却什么都不缺，他既当父亲又当母亲。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

He always meant to go back on day, but not to stay.

他总想将来回国看看，但却不愿长期住下去，