BBC英国史

They were just as concerned about housing the dead as the living.

而他们对地宫的关注 绝不逊于生前的寓所

The mausoleum at Maes Howe, a couple of miles from Skara Brae,

在斯卡拉布雷数英里外的麦豪石室

seems no more than a swelling on the grassy landscape.

看上去不过是青草间一处隆起地块

This is, as it were, a British pyramid and in keeping with our taste for understatement,

其实它堪称不列颠之金字塔 其含蓄与我们的审美情趣不谋而合

it reserves all its impact for the interior.

将所有华美尽藏于室内

Imagine them open once more.

试想将这墓穴再次打开

A detail from a village given the job of pulling back the stone seals,

一个村民受雇 进入将石门封死

lugging the body through the low opening in the earth.

匍匐穿进这条深入的地洞

Up 36 feet of narrow, tight-fitting passageway,

一条长达三十六英尺狭窄

lit only once a year by the rays of the winter solstice.

并只有在每年冬至才会沐浴日光的通道

A death canal, constriction, smelling of the underworld.

一条紧窄并弥漫着阴森气息的冥界之路

Finally the passageway opens up to this stupendous,high-vaulted masonry chamber.

最终 这条通道将我们引向了这巨大的 穹窿形石室

Some tombs would have been elaborately decorated with carvings in the form of circles or spirals,

一些装饰华美的陵墓 被雕刻上圆圈或是螺旋的形状

like waves or the breeze-pushed clouds.

犹如波浪 又如清风掠过的云海一般

Others would have had neat little stone stores or cubicles where the bodies would be laid out on shelves.

另一些则附有精巧的小型石室 便于死者的遗体存放于搁架之上

词汇解析

1、reserve

保留;留出;预留

A double room with a balcony overlooking the sea had been reserved for him.

特地为他预留了一间带阳台的海景双人房。

In the United States lanes are reserved for cars with more than one occupant.

在美国，多人乘坐的汽车有专行道。

预订;保留;预约

I'll reserve a table for five.

我要预订一张5人的桌子。

Demand will be huge, so ask your newsagent to reserve your copy today.

需求量会很大，所以今天得请卖报摊主为你预留出你那份。

储备;储存物资;储藏量

The Gulf has 65 per cent of the world's oil reserves.

海湾地区拥有全世界65％的石油储藏。

A friend can be a reserve of help in times of trouble.

朋友可以在困难的时候提供帮助。

2、open up

（使）（地方、经济、兴趣领域等）开放

As the market opens up, I think people are going to be able to spend more money on consumer goods.

随着市场的放开，我认为人们将能够增加用于消费品的支出。

He said he wanted to see how Albania was opening up to the world.

他说他想看看阿尔巴尼亚是如何对外开放的。

（使）（机会、可能性等）出现；（使）产生

It was also felt that the collapse of the system opened up new possibilities.

人们也认为这一制度的崩溃带来了各种新的可能性。

New opportunities are opening up for investors who want a more direct stake in overseas companies.

希望更加直接地参股海外公司的投资者获得了新的机会。