课文文本

Lesson 28 Countryman's Creed 乡下人的信条

No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight; the varieties are infinite, but two classes may be roughly seen. Any ship that crosses the pacific is accompanied for many days by the smaller albatross, which may keep company with the vessel for an hour without visible or more than occasional movement of wing. The currents of air that the walls of the ship direct upwards, as well as in the line of its course are enough to give the great bird with its immense wings sufficient sustenance and progress. The albatross is the king of the gliders, the class of fliers which harness the air to their purpose, but must yield to its opposition. In the contrary school the duck is supreme. It comes nearer to the engines with which man has 'conquered' the air, as he boasts. Duck, and like them the pigeons, are endowed with steel-like muscles, that are a good part of the weight of the bird, and these will ply the short wings with irresistible power that they can bore for long distances through an opposite gale before exhaustion follows. Their humbler followers, such as partridges, have a like power of strong propulsion, but soon tire. You may pick them up in utter exhaustion, if wind over the sea has driven them to a long journey. The swallow shares the virtues of both schools in highest measure. It tires not nor does it boast of its power; but belongs to the air, travelling it may be six thousand miles to and from its northern nesting home feeding its flown young as it flies and slipping through a medium that seems to help its passage even when the wind is adverse. Such birds do us good, though we no longer take omens from their flight on this side and that, and even the most superstitious villagers no longer take off their hats to the magpie and wish it good-morning.

生词短语

infinite a. 无穷的，无限的
infinitive n. 不定式
A: finite a. 有限的；measurable a. 可测量的
S: fathomless a. 深不可测的; fathom n. 长度单位，旬；v. 测量深度
immeasurable a. 可测量的 另有：endless / boundless… infinite power /energy
albatross n. 信天翁 white seabird
direct vt. 指向
Eg: He directed me the way to success. （他给我指明了成功之路。）
Can you direct me to NOS? director 导演
sustenance n. 支撑力 sustain v.
Eg: The tree can’t sustain its branches. （这棵树支撑不了它的枝干了。）
He has a big family to sustain. (他要养活一大家子人。)
sustainable a. sustainable development strategy 可持续发展战略
glider n. 滑翔者
harness vt. 利用(formal)
S: use / make use of / utilize / exploit
harness solar energy 利用太阳能
to yield to 顺着，屈服于
Eg: He yields to persuasion / despair / temptation.
S: submit to / give in to / surrender to
Eg: Turtle submit to all kind of indignities.
school n. 类，群，队
多指sea animal / fish / shoal school 流派；schools of thought 思想流派
one hundred flowers blossom and one hundred schools contend. 百花齐放，百家争鸣
boast vi. 自夸
endow vt. 赋有
be endowed with Eg: He is endowed with gift/talent/power/strength/courage.
ply v. 不断地供给
bore vi. 穿越 to bore through the air. 穿越大气层
gale n. 大风
exhaustion n. 精疲力竭
Eg: I am exhausted. / I am dead tired. / I am dog tired.
S: worn out / spend / waste / drained
humbler a. 较低级的
原型：humble
Eg: I am a humble person.
He is humble before his boss.
源于umble(French): the meat of dear
eat umble pie = eat humble pie (狩猎后供仆人吃的)内脏做的煎馅饼
S: lick the dust 卑躬屈膝
Eg: He eat humble pie. 他忍辱负重。
S: inferior a. 下等的 Inferior to sb.
partridge n. 鹧鸪
utter a. 完全的
Eg: He is an utter liar. 他纯粹是个骗子。
utterance 口头语；sentence 书面语
S: completely / sheer
share vt. 有
flown a. 刚出巢的 fly / flew / flown
Eg: I am flown. 我还是新手。
S: fledging
slip vi. 滑行
adverse adj. 逆的，相反的
adverse wind 逆风；A: favorable wind 顺风 S: unfavorable wind
Eg: I went home with adverse wind.
adverse environment = adversity n. 逆境 Eg: Adversity makes a man. 逆境出人才。
adversary n. 对手 creed n. 信仰

课文注释

No two…此句：
No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight；= There are no two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight
practise flight = fly
practise flight 飞行；practise law 当律师；practise medicine 当医生
Eg: No two birds fly in the same way.
No two man are the same.
varieties：kinds
two classes may be roughly seen (passive) = we can see roughly two kinds
Any ship…此句：
accompanied ：followed
keep company 与……为伴 Eg: I keep company with him.
vessel ：big ship
原意：sth. to hold water without more than occasional = occasional
The currents…此句： The currents … of its course
整个句子做主语
currents 气流
walls of the ship 船舷
direct 导向
as well as 与upwards并列 in the line 沿着某条线走
its course
its 指代currents of air； course 航程
are enough to give great bird ：albatross with its immense wings…做后置定语，修饰 bird
The albatross…此句：
Eg: Lion is the king of beast.
同位语从句：the class of fliers…
yield to 屈服 opposition 逆风
In the…此句：
supreme 首屈一指 roast duck 烤鸭
It comes…此句：
comes nearer to ：similar to plane / gravity
Ducks…此句：
good part ：bid / important part
irresistible power 无尽的力量
bore…through 穿越 opposite gale 逆风
before exhaustion follows 直到最后精疲力竭
Eg: I work before darkness comes / exhausted.
until its dark… 直到……为止
Their humbler…此句：
前两类鸟飞别为：albatross，Ducks；第三类鸟为：their humbler followers：partridges
like power
like 的词性可以为 prep. / v. / adj. 此处位adj.
S: similar / alike (可做表语)
Eg: They have alike appearance. (错) They have similar apperance.
propulsion / propel ：to push / propeller / rocket
You may…此句：
in utter exhaustion 在完全疲惫的状态 (介词短语)
When they are utterly exhausted （时间状语）
Eg: We have to undertake a hard journey in seeking truth.
We have to undertake a hard journey when we try to seek truth.
The swallow…此句：
swallow 燕子
virtues ：good points / merits / advantages
in highest measure / to the highest degree 最大程度的
in a measure / in some measure / to some degree 在某种程度上
Eg: He resembles his mother in a / some / highest measure.
It tires not…此句：
tires not (古英语用法) = does not tire
Eg: I work not. = I don’t work.
boast 夸耀
travelling…伴随状态
travel…to / travel…from / travel to and from
it may be 做插入语，“也许”
feeding 喂养
slipping
travelling / feeding / slipping 并列结构，表示伴随状态
medium ：layer of air 大气层
passage 通过
the passage of time 时光流逝
do us good 对我们有好处
insect killer / locust 蝗虫 / cicada 蝉 / grasshopper 蚂蚱
omens 征兆
predication
superstitious 迷信的
magpie 喜鹊
Eg: He is a magpie. 他什么都舍不得扔。
P.S.
crow 乌鸦
Eg: He is a crow. 他特罗嗦。
wild geese 大雁
swan 天鹅 / swan lake 天鹅湖
goose 雌鹅 / gander 雄鹅