中英文本

42.Turtles
42.海龟
"Oh, by the way, I noticed something rather interesting coming over by way of the ocean."Martina said.

"啊，顺便告诉你，我发现在了一些十分有趣的东西正从海那边过来。"马丁那说。
"I could have sworn it was baby turtles by the dozens crawling about the shore.
"我本来可以发誓，那是大量的小海龟在岸边爬行。
By the time I got down there, however, they were all gone or running away by the by."
可是，等我下去的时候，它们要么不见了，要么顺势跑掉了。"
"Well, you were by no means hallucinating." Dietrich said with a smile. "
"是的，你并没有产生幻觉，"迪特里希笑着说。"
This is turtle hatching season. The area is famous for it.
现在是海龟孵化期。这地方是个有名的孵化地。

I almost stepped on a baby turtle myself the other day by mistake, but it escaped by virtue of its small fast swimming abilities.
那天我自己还差点不小心踩到一只小海龟，好在它凭着快速的游泳本领跑掉了。
Those critters are fast!"
那些动物跑的可真够快的！"
"And they're so cute! I really wanted to get a closer look!"
"而且它们还那么可爱！我真想近距离看它们一眼！"
"Yeah, they really are fascinating," Dietrich replied.
"是的，它们真的很迷人，"迪特里希回答说。
Then he turned his head and added with a frown.
然后他转过头去皱着眉头补充道，
"But now they are dying out and fighting extinction.
"可现在它们都快死光了，它们与灭绝搏斗。
No one is sure why.
没有人清楚这是为什么。
The locals are fishing by the book, so they're not catching and killing the turtles at sea.
当地人是一丝不苟地按照规定捕鱼的，因此他们不会捕杀海里的海龟。
But they are dying out anyhow all by themselves."
可不知为什么它们就这样子快死光了。 "
"By the name of my father, that can't be true." Martina responed sympathetically. " There must be something harming them.
"以我父亲的名义，那不可能是真的，"马丁那触景生情地答道。一定是什么东西伤害到它们。
All kinds of garbage are dumped by sea.
各种垃圾都是由海路倒掉的。
And they haven't changed their practices by request.
他们没有应要求改变他们的做法。
It would only be by reason of legal pressure that they would handle waste differently."
只有在因为有法律压力的时候他们才会用不同的方法处理垃圾。"
"Yes, it really is too bad. Those turtles have survived so long by means of natural selection.
"是的，真是太糟糕了。这些海龟是通过优胜劣汰才幸存这么久的。
Now they are struggling for survival by turns."
现在轮到它们为生存奋斗了。"
"It's just unfair!"
"这太不公平了！"
"Life's unfair!"
"生活就是不公平的！"

重点讲解

1.by the time 等到
例句：By the time I came on the scene, it was all over.
我来到时, 一切都结束了。
2.step on 踩上，踏上
例句：Did I step on your foot?
我踩了你的脚吗？
3.by no means 绝不，并没有
例句：This is by no means a regular rule.
这并不是一成不变的规律。
4.dying out 衰灭消失
例句：Is the elephant really in danger of dying out?
大象当真已濒临绝种的危险了吗?
5.by the book 按常规，按照惯例
例句：He showed little initiative, handling all matters strictly by the book.
墨守成规地办一切事情。
6.by the name of 以...的名义
例句：I met a boy by the name of Tom.
我遇见一个叫做汤姆的男孩。