BBC英国史

If Charles thought that eleven years meant the old quarrels had been forgotten,

如果查理认为11年 就意味着所有过节都已经烟消云散

he was ignoring a force new to British politics,the news.

那他就是忽视了 影响英国政治的新生力量 新闻

For the great political dramas of the last 20 years had been hotly consumed by a reading public

由于过去20年的政治事件 全都因为公众对于纸媒的如痴如醉

addicted to newspapers,pamphlets, woodcuts and the so-called sixpenny separates,

而大白于天下 小册子 木版书以及所谓的六便士手抄书

recording all the debates and controversies and dispatched around the shires.

都记录了当时所有的辩论与争议 并分发至每一个郡

The 1640 parliament took up exactly where it had left off in 1629,when Charles had closed it down.

1640年 议会继续了 他们在1629年 被查理叫停了的讨论

It must have come as an unpleasant surprise when this new parliament,instead of laying imagined grievances aside,

新的议会非但没有 既往不咎 而是变本加厉地追究过往

immediately began to resurrect them.

这对他来说 必定是个没有喜的惊喜

This parliament lasted only three short weeks before, once again, Charles suspended it.

新议会在查理再一次叫停之前 仅仅坚持了短短三周

But his list of options was getting shorter by the day,and they were all bad.

他的选择范围日渐缩减 而且所有选项都行不通

He wasn't going to cave in to the Scots and he wasn't going to re-open parliament.

他不打算向苏格兰屈服 他也不打算重开议会

But there was a third way,courtesy of his Lord Deputy in Ireland, Thomas Wentworth.

但 还有第三种选择 和他爱尔兰的副手托马斯·温特沃斯合作

Why not use an Irish Catholic army to crush the Presbyterian Scots?

为什么不用爱尔兰天主教军队的矛 来攻苏格兰长老会的盾呢

Grateful for his advice,Charles made Wentworth Earl of Strafford,but hesitated.

为了答谢他的合作 查理犹豫再三还是封托马斯·温特沃斯 为斯特拉福德伯爵

Charles knew that Protestant England was hardly likely to approve of a Catholic army attacking their brother Scots.

查理深知英格兰新教是不会允许 他堂而皇之地指挥天主教军队 去攻打苏格兰兄弟的

词汇解析

1、consume

吃;喝;饮用

Many people experienced a drop in their cholesterol levels when they consumed oat bran.

很多人食用燕麦麸后胆固醇水平下降了。

serving chocolate ice-creams for the children to consume in the kitchen.

端上巧克力冰激凌让孩子们在厨房里吃

消耗，耗费(燃料、能源或时间)

Some of the most efficient refrigerators consume 70 percent less electricity than traditional models.

一些极为节能的冰箱比传统型号耗电减少70%。

plans which will consume hours of time and deplete your cash reserves.

要花费若干小时并消耗你留存备用的钱的计划

(使)沉溺，(使)沉迷，(使)充满(感情或思想)

The memories consumed him.

他沉浸在回忆中。

2、hesitate

犹豫;迟疑;踌躇

The telephone rang. Catherine hesitated, debating whether to answer it.

电话响了。凯瑟琳犹豫了一下要不要去接。

She hesitated a long time and then she said 'Yes'.

她犹豫了很长时间，然后才说“行”。

（因有顾虑而）不愿意（做某事）

Some parents hesitate to take these steps because they suspect that their child is exaggerating.

一些家长不愿意采取这些措施，因为他们怀疑自己的孩子在夸大其词。

I hesitated to apply the word 'vulnerable' to him but it came into my mind.

我不愿用“脆弱”这个词来形容他，但它却突然出现在我脑子里了。