BBC英国史

Yersinia pestis, the germ of plague,came to Britain in the guts of infected fleas.

耶尔森氏菌 这场瘟疫的病原菌 潜藏在受感染跳蚤肠道中来到英国

They were hidden away in cargoes of grain,bales of cloth and in the fur of black rats.

跳蚤们蛰伏在运送粮食的货船上 成捆的布料及黑鼠的毛发里

The most probable point of entry was Melcombe Regis, near Weymouth.

瘟疫最可能的入侵地点 是墨尔库姆雷吉斯 近威茅斯

By the time it got to the great ports of Southampton and Bristol,

待疫情蔓延至重要港口 南安普敦和布里斯托尔时

there were already stories from traumatised cities of Italy as to how and where it had begun

在饱受创伤的意大利各地 各种传说早已盛嚣尘上 诉说着瘟疫的起因和地点

in the East, on the plains of central Asia,another of the horrors carried on the backs of the Mongol hordes.

在东方 亚洲中心的平原 另一种恐怖 随着蒙古部落的铁蹄纷至沓来

The plague cut a swathe of destruction eastwards to China and India and westwards into Crimea and Turkey.

他们携瘟疫而来 所过之处哀嚎遍野 向东侵入中国和印度 向西进犯克里米亚半岛和土耳其

At Caffa, the Tartars had thrown infected bodies over the city walls to hasten the surrender of the defending Genoese,

在卡法 鞑靼人把病死者的尸体 抛进城墙里 以迫使守城的热那亚人投降

a first in the annals of biological warfare.

这是史上第一次细菌战

Once it arrived by sea in Italy,it spread quickly into mainland Europe.

瘟疫经海路抵达意大利后 迅速挺进欧陆腹地

There had been devastating calamities before visited on Britain

英国在过去就已经历过 无数毁灭性的灾难

countless numbers died in the apocalyptic famine of 1315

1315年末日般的饥荒饿死无数

but it was the merciless,indiscriminate swiftness of the plague's progress

然而瘟疫冷酷无情 不加选择地肆虐

which so unhinged the cities and villages caught in its onslaught.No one, rich or poor, could escape.

所过之处 城市村庄几乎分崩离析 任何人 无论贫富 皆难逃其魔爪

词汇解析

1、infect

传染;侵染;感染

A single mosquito can infect a large number of people.

一只蚊子就可以感染很多人。

objects used by an infected person.

被感染者使用过的物品

使受影响;感染

For an instant I was infected by her fear.

有那么一会儿她的恐惧也传染给了我。

He thought they might infect others with their bourgeois ideas.

他认为他们可以用他们的资产阶级思想去影响别人。

2、carry on

继续;接着;坚持

The assistant carried on talking.

助理继续说下去。

Rachael Carr intends to carry on teaching.

雷切尔·卡尔打算继续教书。

举行;进行;开展

The consulate will carryon a political dialogue with Indonesia.

领事馆将和印度尼西亚举行政治对话。

He carried on a passionate affair with Mrs Gilbert.

他和吉尔伯特夫人有一段风流韵事。

喋喋不休;高谈阔论

She was yelling and screaming and carrying on.

她又喊又叫,嘴里说个不停。

He was carrying on about some stupid television series.

他喋喋不休地说着某个无聊的电视连续剧。