资源描述
Particular Scenes 特设场景
Coming Home
归航
The ship first appeared as a small speck on the horizon. We had grown impatient at the delay and cheered when we caught sight of it. For most of us this was a important event, because the small object that had come into view was a troopship. Husbands, fathers, brothers and friends were coming home after an absence of four years. We were informed over the microphone that the ship would be in the harbour in about three-quarters of an hour’s time. We did not need telling and cheered more loudly that ever.
The harbour had already witnessed such a colourful spectacle. It was decked out with flags and because the day was warm, we were all wearing gay summer frocks and looking out best for the occasion. The time we waited seemed endless; but little by little the speck took the form of a ship and , in a short time, it came so near that we could make out its name: Candia, printed in large letters on the prow.
Now the crowd of about five hundred could hardly be held back. People were jumping up and down, waving; and little boys climbed on to stationary vehicles to get a better view. As the tugs piloted the great ship into the harbour, everybody peered eagerly at the troops lined along the railing. Soldiers on board waved to us wildly, shouting out the names of people they recognized or wanted to see. The two young men in the crowd who were holding a big banner with ‘Welcome Home!’ painted on it almost fell over in their excitement to lift it higher. An old man put his hat on the end of his walking-stick and twirled it round and round until it slipped off and fell into the sea. Women were crying; others laughing; and some did not quite know whether to laugh or cry. Someone called out ‘There’s your daddy!’ and a small boy of four was held high in the air to see his father whom he had never seen before. Now the troops were directly above us. Our excitement had mounted to peak, for soon they would disembark!
(from Coming Home)
speck 小点,微点
troopship 部队运输船
witness 目睹,见证
spectacle 场面,景象
deck out 装饰,打扮
frock 服装,外衣
prow 船头
stationary 静止的,不动的
tug 拖船
pilot (给船)领航
railing 栏杆,扶手
twirl 使快速旋转
disembark 下船,登陆
The Bonfire
欢庆篝火
At one moment, the bomb site had been a dark, bare area with a few shadowy figures lugging heavy objects, and then – as the match tickled up the paraffin, fire leapt out. In a moment the whole place was a wild inferno of crackling flames, jumping squibs, shooting rackets, bouncing bangers and whizzers. Dozens of demonic figures yelled and leapt about, for in a few seconds the children had multiplied into hundreds.
Up, up, shot the flames, sending great sprays and showers of sparks into the night, all the old chairs, full of worm, beetle, and dry horse hair, caught like tinder and made a glowing core to the fire. Whizzers and bangers were now going off all over the place, exploding like jumping jacks in the very middle of the crowd, and starting yells of dismay and small fights. Screaming girls ran away and were pursued. All the windows in the houses around the bomb site had shot up, and their inhabitants were yelling protests and complaints, but not one of the children listened. Some of the adults saw the fun of the fire, but the duller ones, who were only greedy for their rights as citizens, rang up the police, the fire brigade, the Vicar or anyone else they fancied.
(from Magnolia Buildings by Elizabeth Stuckley)
bonfire 篝火,营火
shadow 朦胧的,模糊的
lug (用力)拖拉
tickle up 点燃,使起火
paraffin 煤油
inferno 地狱,火海
crackle 劈啪作响
squib 爆竹
banger 奇响爆竹
whizzer (点燃后发出厂嘶嘶声响的)爆竹
demonic 魔鬼般的
yell 叫喊,叫嚷
spray 如浪花般飞溅的火星
tinder 引为物,火种
dismay 惊愕,恐慌
inhabitant 居住者
protest 抗议,不满
Pleasure Spots
极乐世界
His blue-prints pictured a space covering several acres, under a series of sliding roofs – for the British weather is unreliable – and with a central space spread over with an immense dance floor made of translucent plastic which can be illuminated from beneath. Around if are grouped other functional spaces, at different levels. Balcony bars and restaurants commanding high views of the city roofs, and ground-level replicas. A battery of skittle alleys. Two blue lagoons: one, periodically agitated by waves, for strong swimmers, and another, a smooth and summery pool, for playtime bathers. Sunlight lamps over the pools to simulate high summer on days when the roofs don’t slide back to disclose a hot sun in a cloudless sky. Rows of bunks on which people wearing sun-glasses and slips can lie and start a tan or deepen an existing one under a sunray lamp.
Music seeping through hundreds of grills connected with a central distributing stage, where dance or symphonic orchestras play or the radio programme can be caught, amplified, and disseminated. Outside, two 100-car parks. One, free. The other, an open-air cinema drive-in, cars queuing to move through turnstiles, and the film thrown on a giant screen facing a row of assemble cars. Uniformed male attendants check the cars, provide free aid and water, sell petrol and oil. Girls in white satin slacks take orders for buffer dishes and drinks, and bring them on trays.
(from Pleasure Spots by George Orwell)
blue-print 蓝图,构想
translucent 半透明的
illuminate 照亮,照明
replica 复制品,重复建筑
battery (一)套,组
skittle alley 撞柱游戏球道
lagoon 环礁湖,咸水湖
periodically 定期地
agitate 鼓动,搅动
simulate 模拟,模仿
tan 曝晒皮肤使变棕褐色
seep 渗出,渗漏(文中指乐声悠扬)
grill 格栅
amplify 扩音
disseminate 散布,传播
drive-in 可以坐在车内观看的露天电影院
turnstile 旋转式栅门
satin 光亮柔滑的,缎子的
At the Funfair
游乐场感怀
On entering the funfair, we were greeted with laughter and music. Everywhere people were traveling at high speeds; being lifted up into the sky and dropped; driving small car and bumping into each other; shooting at targets; throwing balls at bottles, or simply standing and staring.
We were not quite sure where to begin, but on seeing a stand marked ‘ The Ghost Train’, we went towards it eagerly. When we had bought our tickets and taken our seats we were immediately carried towards a closed door. For a dreadful moment we thought we would crash into it but it slid open and we were completely in the dark. We could not understand why so many people were screaming. In a moment we realized why. A light went on in front of us and big gorilla grinned hideously at us. The train went straight towards it and at the very last moment turned away: only just in time! We barely had the chance to recover, when a skeleton appeared. It screamed, extended a bony arm and made us scream as well. A little ahead a cackling witch was lying in wait for us. The train went towards every monstrous creature that lurked in the dark, always turning away just before it was too late.
We were relieved when a door opened and we found ourselves in the open air again. But to our amazement that train did not stop. It reentered the haunted house! This time we heard strange noises and louder screams that before. Invisible hands came out of the dark and brushed through our hair or across our faces. Doors opened and closed before our eyes and monsters reached out for us. We held on tightly and shut our eyes when we saw yet another closed door ahead. This time we were sure we would hit into it. All of a sudden and brought us back to a happier world of people, lights and laughter.
(from At the Funfair)
bump 撞击,碰撞
slide 滑行
scream 尖叫,惊叫
gorilla 大猩猩
grin 龇牙咧嘴地笑
hideously 可怕地,骇人地
skeleton 骷髅
bony 骨头突出的,瘦削的
cackle 咯咯地笑
witch 巫婆
monstrous 妖魔鬼怪般的
lurk 潜伏,躲藏
haunted 闹鬼的
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