(单词翻译:单击)
Lesson 70 The Trunk Of The Elephant
第70课 大象的鼻子
The long trunk of the elephant is a wonderful example of design and skill.
大象的长鼻子是体现造物主的设计和技巧的绝妙例子 。
The neck of four-footed animals is usually long, to enable them to reach their food without difficulty;
四足动物的脖子通常是很长的,为的是能够让它们不费力气地够得到食物,
but the elephant has a short neck, to enable him more easily to support the weight of his huge head and heavy tusks.
但大象的脖子很短,这样它就能更好地支撑自己头部和躯干的巨大重量 。
The difficulty of getting food is admirably overcome by his long trunk.
而获取食物的困难则由它的长鼻子神奇化解了 。
The trunk of the elephant is to him what the neck is to other animals.
大象的鼻子对于大象,就好像脖子对于其他动物一样重要 。
It is also a nose to him, for at the end of it there is a hollow place like a cup,
同时,长鼻也是它的鼻子,因为鼻子的末端有一个像杯子一样中空的地方,
and in the bottom of the cup are two holes or nostrils, through which the animal smells and breathes.
而在杯子底部,有两个孔或者鼻孔,透过它们,大象就能嗅闻和呼吸了 。
It is an arm and a hand too; so that it has been said that the elephant carries his nose in his hand;
同时,象鼻还是大象的胳膊和手,
and it might also have been said that he breathes by his hand.
据说大象还能用自己的脚掌呼吸 。
How strange it would seem to us if we were to breathe through our hand!
这多么奇妙啊,就好像我们能用自己的手掌呼吸一样神奇!
At the end of the trunk, there is a curious part, about five inches long, which forms a finger.
象鼻的末端有个很奇怪的部分,它大约一米长,形成一个手指 。
With this finger the animal can pick up a pin or the smallest piece of money from the ground;
用这手指,大象就能拾起地上的大头针或者是最小的钱币了:
he can select herbs and flowers, and take them one by one;
它能选择草木和花朵,然后逐一采摘;
he can untie knots; he can open and shut gates, by turning the keys or pushing back the bolts:
它能解开扣结;能扭动钥匙或推动门闩来开关门 。
and with this finger an elephant has been taught to make regular marks like letters, with an instrument as small as a pen!
用这手指,一头大象能被驯化地比画出字母的样子,就好像使用笔一样!
The trunk of a full-grown elephant is about eight feet long.
成年大象的象鼻有大约二米长 。
It can be made shorter or longer as the animal chooses, and can be moved with great ease in every possible direction.
大象可以伸缩象鼻的长短,并能轻易地向各个方向移动 。
It has such prodigious strength that he can knock down a man with it, and pull up trees of moderate size by the roots.
它力道很大,以至于可以推倒一个成年人,并能连根拔起一棵中等大小的树木 。