许杰《炎夏小记》 -英语翻译教程-中英双语赏析

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炎夏小记

许杰

一、小引

天气热，热得要命。房间里，是火炉：椅子，烫的，床上，烫的，墙壁、门、什么地方，都是烫的：没有地方可以安身，没有地方可以钻；在这小楼上,真是要命。

生活，算是有闲的。本来，就应该到什么地方去消夏；但是，钱没有办法,只能躲在这小楼上。

每天早上，起来就热，而昨晚上的热气还没有退，昨晚上因为热而不能熟睡的疲倦还没有弥补。从早上热起，一直要经过正午，太阳在屋背上烤烧，经过整个的下午，太阳的光从别人的瓦背上、对面的白墙壁上，强烈的反射过来，终于到了三四点钟时候，整个的射入了我的房间。这样，一直到了太阳落山。可是，太阳落山了，也不凉快，也是热闷。晚上，仍旧是热闷，热得流汗，如同在烤烧，仍旧睡不着。第二天，还是如此。有时虽然也有风，但风是火风，风是跟着太阳来的，太阳去了，风也是去了的。真是热得没有办法啊！

在这种天日中，我以流汗过生活；我在流汗中打苍蝇，喂叫哥哥，涎蚂蚁。我觉得，除了这些事情，便没有什么事可做似的。好在当今天下注意苍蝇，我这样的在借着它们消磨时日，也是可以宽恕的吧！

二、打苍蝇

苍蝇，我的房里多的是红头苍蝇。这苍蝇，比较另外的苍蝇更加神气，来的时候，总是兜着大圈子，大声的嗡嗡然，很有些绅士的风度。它的外表也很漂亮，我在做小孩的时候，就知道“头戴红缨帽，身穿绿绸袍”的，便是指的这位先生。

可是，它的外表虽然这样漂亮，神气虽然这样十足，它的肚子里，却装满了一肚子的大獎。所以，对于这一种苍蝇，如果说要我在这渺小的苍蝇身上,发现一些什么宇宙的大道理的话说，我便觉得，这种苍蝇，是那些态度悠然的臭名士的最好的象征。

我买了一个苍蝇拍，我前前后后的寻这种苍蝇打。

我觉得，打苍蝇也需要一种技巧，是一种艺术。你打得太轻了，打它不死；打得太重了，又会打出满肚子的矢来。至于有时打它不中，或者这个苍蝇感觉特别的灵敏，在没有打下去时，它便跑了，让它在空中嗡嗡然，如臭名士的踱起方步，摇起大纸扇来时的情形，还在其次。

但是，虽然是这么说，我的打苍绳却也不喜欢中庸之道，打得一个恰到好处。因为一下把它打死，又不把它打出矢来，这毕竟是一件毫无余味的事情。所以，我的打苍蝇，总喜欢在它的头上，轻轻的一击，打得它发昏，粹然跌在地上，等了一下，它好像顿时新鲜起来，用背着地，嗡嗡然在地上旋转。这种旋转，我是最喜欢看的。可是，这也要碰得巧，如果打它落地上时，并不是六脚朝天的躺在那里，那怪样子，也就不容易看得到的。

此外，在有些地方，有些时候，这打苍蝇的工作，也是颇费斟酌的。譬如,在吃饭的时候，它忽然飞到饭菜上面来了，在小孩子们睡觉的时候，它忽然飞到他们的面上来了，在这种时候，便是苍蝇拍子，握在我的手中，除了轻轻的把它赶走，也是没有什么别的办法的。

在晚上，这苍蝇，有时也要出现的；但是，这种出现，却使我觉得很大的讨厌。我晓得，在这个时候出现的苍蝇，它是与另外的一些小虫一样，是有些渴慕光明，追求光明的思想的。这在苍蝇本身，或者自己也以为在晚上出现，总比在白天出现要髙洁得许多，因为在白天出现，总有些物质的意味，在那里趋香逐臭；但在晚上出现，却更加是风流倜悅，清高自赏的了。大概，也便是因为这个缘故吧，所以，我对于在晚上出现，在灯下转圈子的苍绳，是更加讨厌，非即刻抛了书，或是另外的什么，起来打死它不可的。

打晚上的苍绳，比较的不容易打；因为它总是在前前后后的转圈了，偶然停下来的时候，也总是停在电灯罩子的里面，或电灯泡子的上面居多，打起来也不大容易。所以，这是很使人发急，又使人发气的事。不过，在这个时候，我总无论如何要打死它，除非它自己飞了出去。

对于苍蝇，我近来也发现了它有个战术；这战术，也使我有些难于应付之概。要是一个不当心，它好像会笑我的拙笨似的。

这战术，好像近来的苍蝇都学会了的样子；这也是使我发气，使我伤心的事。

有时，苍蝇们也会开我的玩笑，它当我没有拿着苍蝇拍子的时候，站到我的手上来拈它的胡子；更在有些时候，它会突然的飞来，停在我的苍蝇拍上。你看，这玩笑开得多么厉害，这战术多么高明！

当它觉得自己在被袭击的时候，它便摇身一变，飞到了你的阵线里面，使你无可如何它；这是何等高明的战术呵！

对于这种战术，开始，我的确觉得没有办法；但是，现在，我可也有了办法了。我的办法，就是先摇一摇苍蝇拍子，坚壁清野之后，把它赶出自己的阵线，再来想法子突击它。这法子，我现在也用得有点相当的成效了。

三、喂叫哥哥

因为小孩子们喜欢玩，我们家里，也买了两个叫哥哥。

这里的叫哥哥是由乡下人捉来，把它装在笼子里，拿到城里来卖的。

叫哥哥的笼子，是芦梗做的；用六角的小眼，组成了六角的扁圆形的东西。没有门，叫哥哥是放进去了以后才织好，织好以后，是除非死了，永也不得出来的。

可是，它们的身体虽然关在笼子里，永不得出来，它们虽然被我用十个铜板，收买了下来；但它们仍旧也不觉得什么，只是如同乐天派的诗人一般，此唱彼和，无日无夜的在唱歌。

我不懂得叫哥哥为什么要唱歌，为恋爱，还是为生活？是灵的，还是肉的？是快乐的欢呼，生之喜悦，还是苦痛的呼号，被幽囚的烦恼？我不晓得它们为什么要唱歌，这恐怕正如诗人们要为吟诗而吟诗的一样吧！

是的，叫哥哥也是清高的诗人！它们的肉体，虽然被幽囚在这种人为的笼子里面，但它们的精神，恐怕是飞翔在自由的王国里面，在歌咏闲适，歌咏田园，歌咏不食人间烟火的天上的神仙吧！

可不是吗，我们人间也有一些诗人们，不是连牢笼他的现实社会，都没有看到，没有觉到，而且还不承认他的“自由的灵魂”，会被现实的社会所决定着的吗？

叫哥哥真是这些诗人们的好榜样呵！

当然，我们买了叫哥哥，是要供给它生活费的。这样，我们家里的人们，小孩子、娘姨、我的女人、我，便与这两个叫哥哥，组织了一个社会的关系；——我们供给它以生活上必需的资料，它们为我们奏乐、唱歌、吟诗，鼓吹我们家庭的静穆，催眠我们的小孩子们的午睡。

开首，因为它们是我们家庭的上宾，大家都注意着它。娘姨买菜回来时，有它的份儿；小孩子吃莲蓬时，有它的份儿；吃西瓜，有它的份儿；绿豆汤，也有它的份儿。这时的叫哥哥，我们只愁他不吃，是什么东西都要送给它们吃的。

这时，我也在打苍蝇，因此，我也把打死的苍蝇，喂给它们。大概，这苍绳的滋味，要比另外的素菜好些，它们特别的吃得起劲。苍蝇，有的是。它们既然喜欢，我自然是会把打得的苍蝇，都送到它的笼子里去的。

可是，这样一来，它们便养成了肉食的习惯，那些白菜冬瓜之类，它们是不高兴吃了。

不幸得很，我们一家人，在热心于叫哥哥的生活之后，过了半个多月的时光，竟然有两三天忘记了这两位诗人的生活。

叫哥哥，也是自然的一员，它们当然懂得一些自然哲学的；再加上多时的吃苍绳的经验，它们总也晓得吃肉是比吃另外的东西好些。

有一天，我忽然想起叫哥哥来，想起已经有几天没有招呼它们的生活了，变赶紧去把它们找了出来。

“呵，人吃人，叫哥哥吃叫哥哥！”我看见笼子里的叫哥哥，这一个捧住那一个在吃，那个被吃的，已经不能动弹，背上也已经被吃了一个大洞，于是我喊了起来。那被吃的一个，可还没有死定，肚子还在呼吸。这肚子，外面虽是在紫色的底上，印着嫩绿色的条纹；可是，它的里面，却如烂泥一般,一肚子黑色的脏矢。至于这一个，它有时还在得意的唱着歌。它那吃得饱饱的大肚皮，画着石斑鱼一般的花纹，好像仍旧在表示它的无关心，表示着它的满腹文章似的。

一个人的生命，是可以用另外人的生命来代替的，我想着：这大概便是自然哲学吧！

可是，在叫哥哥，恐怕没有想起这些吧！它吃了另外的一个叫哥哥，它总以为是应当吃的；而吃了另外的一个叫哥哥之后，自己在唱歌的时候，再也没有人和它，也不会觉到一些寂寞的吧！

炎夏小记

许杰

Sweltering Summer Days

—By Xu Jie

一、小引

Introductory Note

天气热，热得要命。房间里，是火炉：椅子，烫的，床上，烫的，墙壁、门、什么地方，都是烫的：没有地方可以安身，没有地方可以钻；在这小楼上，真是要命。

It is searing hot today. It is like a furnace in the room. Whatever you touch, it feels scorching hot: the chair, the bed, the walls and the doors. I have no place to take refuge. In this small house, the burning heat is simply driving me mad.

🎈searing adj. 灼热的,强烈的

used to indicate that something such as pain or heat is very intense

热带夏季灼人的热浪the searing heat of a tropical summer

火辣辣的疼痛searing pain

🎈searing hot、scorching hot

有少数形容词，如red, boiling, freezing, icy, bitter等，它们在某些搭配中相当于副词，用作状语，表示程度，意为「很」「非常」等。

例句

The stove was red hot.

火炉是炽热的。

It’s boiling hot.

它是滚烫的。

His face was bright red.

他的脸是鲜红的。

🎈(在…)避难 take refuge (in …)

在…中获得安慰take comfort in …

喜欢take pleasure in …

对…感到自豪take pride in …

对…（不）感兴趣take (no)  interest in …

对…很感兴趣take considerable interest in…

生活，算是有闲的。本来，就应该到什么地方去消夏；但是，钱没有办法,只能躲在这小楼上。

I do have some leisure time. As a matter of course, I should go away to escape the summer heat, but as I am pressed for money, I have no alternative but to stay at home.

🎈自然，理所当然 as a matter of course

英义

used to say that something will or should happen because it is natural, usual, or logical

🎈时间紧张/资金匮乏 be pressed for time/money

🎈别无选择只能……have no alternative but to do sth

每天早上，起来就热，而昨晚上的热气还没有退，昨晚上因为热而不能熟睡的疲倦还没有弥补。

Every morning when I get up, I am engulfed in the oppressive heat. The lingering heat from the night before has not abated, and the fatigue from last night’s tossing sleep has not evaporated.

🎈engulf  v.吞没，吞噬

If one thing engulfs another, it completely covers or hides it, often in a sudden and unexpected way.

《老人和他的三个儿子》

可是，在一次暴风雨中，这个儿子以他的大胆和勇猛气葬身于大海的狂涛骇浪里了。

But caught in a tempest on the sea this tough and brave son of his was engulfed in the stormy waves.

🎈昨晚，头天晚上 the night before

🎈evaporate v. （逐渐）消失，消散，衰减

to disappear, especially by gradually becoming less and less

例句

Her confidence had now completely evaporated.

她的信心已消失殆尽。

从早上热起，一直要经过正午，太阳在屋背上烤烧，经过整个的下午，太阳的光从别人的瓦背上、对面的白墙壁上，强烈的反射过来，终于到了三四点钟时候，整个的射入了我的房间。

From morning till midday, the sun blazes down onto the roof. All afternoon, particularly around three or four clock, the intense sun, which is reflected off the tiles and white walls of my neighbor’s house, blasts into my room.

🎈1）blaze v. 闪耀，发亮光

If something blazes with light or colour, it is extremely bright.

例句

The sun blazed down from a clear blue sky.

耀眼的阳光从清澈蔚蓝的天空中照射下来。

The gardens blazed with colour.

花园色彩绚丽。

2）ablaze adj. 熊熊燃烧的，闪耀的，闪亮的[not before noun]

ablaze with light 灯火通明的

ablaze with color 五彩缤纷的

set sth. ablaze 点燃某物，放火烧某物

ablaze with flowers 花团锦簇，姹紫嫣红

这样，一直到了太阳落山。可是，太阳落山了，也不凉快，也是热闷。晚上，仍旧是热闷，热得流汗，如同在烤烧，仍旧睡不着。第二天，还是如此。

This blazing fire glares until the sun dips below the horizon, yet at sunset the miserable heat persists. Even in the nighttime, the intense heat continues. We sweat profusely, as if on fire, but cannot get to sleep. The next day, the new dawn brings no relief.

🎈glare v. 发出强光，发出刺眼的光芒

to shine with a very bright unpleasant light

例句

The sunlight glared.

阳光耀眼。

🎈dip v.下降，下落，下沉

to make a downward movement, usually quite quickly.

例句

The sun dipped below the horizon.

太阳落到地平线下了。

🎈着火，感到火辣辣 be on fire

例句

The grass was on fire for a short time.

草烧了一会儿。

He couldn’t breathe. His chest was on fire.

他无法呼吸。他的胸部火辣辣地疼痛。

有时虽然也有风，但风是火风，风是跟着太阳来的，太阳去了，风也是去了的。真是热得没有办法啊！

Even though there is an occasional breath of wind, it too is as hot as fire, because the wind comes and goes with the sun. The suffering is excruciating, but there is no remedy!

🎈一丝（风、气流等）a breath of…

🎈 excruciating adj. 极痛苦的，极坏的，糟糕透顶的

extremely painful or bad

例句

The pain in my back was excruciating.

我的背疼痛难忍。

在这种天日中，我以流汗过生活；我在流汗中打苍蝇，喂叫哥哥，涎蚂蚁。

On days like this, I live by sweating. Drenched in perspiration, I pass my time swatting flies, feeding grasshoppers, and drowning ants.

🎈靠……为生 live by…

独自生活 live by oneself

🎈swat v. 拍，打（昆虫等）

to hit sth, especially an insect, using your hand or a flat object

打苍蝇/蚊子 swat flies/mosquitos

淹蚂蚁 drown ants

我觉得，除了这些事情，便没有什么事可做似的。好在当今天下注意苍蝇，我这样的在借着它们消磨时日，也是可以宽恕的吧！

I can do nothing else. Luckily, no one likes flies, so I hope my swatting them in my spare time is forgivable.

🎈空余时间，空闲时间spare time/free time

业余时间，工作以外的时间 leisure time

🎈 my swatting them是“形容词性物主代词+动名词”的结构。

二、打苍蝇

Swatting flies

苍蝇，我的房里多的是红头苍蝇。这苍蝇，比较另外的苍蝇更加神气，来的时候，总是兜着大圈子，大声的嗡嗡然，很有些绅士的风度。

Most flies in my room are red-headed. Different from the common run, they often put on grand airs. When coming by, they often circle overhead in grand arcs, humming away like noisy gentlemen.

🎈神气十足put on grand airs

🎈寻常人，寻常事物the average/common run

run n. 一般人，普通事物

英义

If you say that someone or something is different from the average run or common run of people or things, you mean that they are different from ordinary people or things.

它的外表也很漂亮，我在做小孩的时候，就知道“头戴红缨帽，身穿绿绸袍”的，便是指的这位先生。

They have beautiful looks as well. As a child, I knew that those wearing a red-tassled hat and green silk robe were none other than these “gentlemen”.

🎈（不是别人）正是…… be none other than…

《哈利波特与密室》

He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore.

他不是别人，正是年轻了五十岁的邓布利多。

可是，它的外表虽然这样漂亮，神气虽然这样十足，它的肚子里，却装满了一肚子的大獎。所以，对于这一种苍蝇，如果说要我在这渺小的苍蝇身上,发现一些什么宇宙的大道理的话说，我便觉得，这种苍蝇，是那些态度悠然的臭名士的最好的象征。

They appear so attractive and arrogant, but reality tells us his belly is filled with stool. If I were to discover something profound about the tiny fly, I would say that this fly is ideally a symbol of the stinking, carefree celebrity.

🎈appear v. [连系动词]看起来，显得

系动词，也称连系动词(Linking Verb)，是用来辅助主语的动词。它本身有词义，但不能单独用作谓语，其后必须跟表语，构成系表结构说明主语的状况、性质、特征等情况。

🎈1）令人不快的气味

stinking fish 发臭的鱼

smelly cheese 有难闻气味的奶酪

musty old books 发霉的旧书

acrid smoke 呛人的烟

types of smell 各种气味

nasty household odours 家里难闻的气味

the stench of rotting meat 腐肉的恶臭

the stink of stale sweat 汗臭味

the reek of beer and tobacco 啤酒和烟草的强烈臭味

2）令人愉悦的气味

the rich aroma of fresh coffee 新鲜咖啡醇厚的香味

a herb with a delicate fragrance 散发淡雅香气的芳草

a rose’s sweet perfume 玫瑰的芳香

the scent of wild flowers 野花的芬芳

我买了一个苍蝇拍，我前前后后的寻这种苍蝇打。我觉得，打苍蝇也需要一种技巧，是一种艺术。你打得太轻了，打它不死；打得太重了，又会打出满肚子的矢来。

Brandishing a flyswatter that I have just bought, I search high and low for them. To me, swatting flies requires great skill. It is an art. If you hit too gently, you will not kill it; if you hit too hard, you will knock the stool out.

🎈挥舞苍蝇拍 brandish a flyswatter

brandish v. (威胁地) 挥舞尤指武器

to hold or wave sth, especially a weapon, in an aggressive or excited way

🎈到处；各地

1）high and low

2）hither and thither = here and there

孙福熙《出游》

真的,看来看去，尚未得一个学医的肯做这种傻事的。

After searching high and low, we found nobody to volunteer for such a ‘stupid’ thing.

🎈stool n.凳子；粪便

a bar stool酒吧高凳

a piano stool钢琴凳

stool constipate便秘，大便秘结

例句

It has the main treatment effects on the following as: inappetence, poor appetite, stuffy feeling in chest, stool constipate, sputum stasis, fat body, ebriety, naupathia and others.

主治食欲不振、胃口不开、脘痞胸闷、大便秘结、痰涎壅滞、形体肥胖、酒醉恶心等病症。

至于有时打它不中，或者这个苍蝇感觉特别的灵敏，在没有打下去时，它便跑了，让它在空中嗡嗡然，如臭名士的踱起方步，摇起大纸扇来时的情形，还在其次。

Since such flies have a peculiarly keen sense of danger, they may fly off before you are able to strike. It will then buzz about in the air like a stinking celebrity waving a big paper fan while strolling with measured steps!

🎈…感觉敏锐、不迟钝 a keen sense of…

🎈 celebrity n.[C] 名人，名流a famous person

TV celebrities电视名人

a host of celebrities群星荟萃

但是，虽然是这么说，我的打苍绳却也不喜欢中庸之道，打得一个恰到好处。因为一下把它打死，又不把它打出矢来，这毕竟是一件毫无余味的事情。

However, I do not like taking the middle of the road, but prefer to go for the perfect kill. If I smash it in one hit or squish out his stool, it is, after all, no fun.

🎈中庸之道：指不偏不倚，折中调和的处世态度。出自《论语·庸也》

🎈squish v.压，挤（扁）

所以，我的打苍蝇，总喜欢在它的头上，轻轻的一击，打得它发昏，粹然跌在地上，等了一下，它好像顿时新鲜起来，用背着地，嗡嗡然在地上旋转。

Instead, I like to deal the gentleman a light blow on the head, leaving it dazed before it suddenly crashes to the floor. A moment later, the gentleman will spring back to life, buzz crazily and spin around on its back.

🎈 deal sb/sth a blow 或 deal a blow to sb/sth

1）给……一击，打击

2）令 … 震惊，给 … 以打击，使 … 受到伤害

例句

Her sudden death dealt a blow to the whole country.

她突然逝世，举国上下为之震惊。

这种旋转，我是最喜欢看的。可是，这也要碰得巧，如果打它落地上时，并不是六脚朝天的躺在那里，那怪样子，也就不容易看得到的。

Such occurrences are most interesting, but unfortunately they are rare indeed. Should the fly not fall on its back and lay sprawled on the floor, I will most likely miss his amusing performance.

🎈occurrence n.[C] 发生的事情，事件something that happens

例句

Complaints seemed to be an everyday occurrence.

似乎每天都有投诉。

🎈Should the fly not fall on its back…相当于If the fly should not fall on its back…。在虚拟条件句中，如果从句中含有were/had/should等词时，可将if省去，把were/had/should提到主语之前，引起倒装；若句中无were/had/should等词，则不能省略if，也不能用倒装结构] 。

此外，在有些地方，有些时候，这打苍蝇的工作，也是颇费斟酌的。譬如,在吃饭的时候，它忽然飞到饭菜上面来了，在小孩子们睡觉的时候，它忽然飞到他们的面上来了，在这种时候，便是苍蝇拍子，握在我的手中，除了轻轻的把它赶走，也是没有什么别的办法的。

Yet, at special places or at particular times, swatting flies requires deliberation on my part. For instance, if a fly alights on the food at dinner time or shockingly lands on my sleeping child’s face, I have no other alternative but to chase it away on the sly, even if I hold a swatter in my hand.

🎈落在 alight/land on

alight v. 鸟或昆虫飞落，降落If a bird or insect alights somewhere, it lands there.

例句

A thrush alighted on a branch of the pine tree.

一只鸫落在松树的树枝上。

🎈秘密地，偷偷地，背地里on the sly

例句

He has to visit them on the sly.

他只得偷偷地去看望他们。

在晚上，这苍蝇，有时也要出现的；但是，这种出现，却使我觉得很大的讨厌。我晓得，在这个时候出现的苍蝇，它是与另外的一些小虫一样，是有些渴慕光明，追求光明的思想的。

In the night these flies occasionally come out, but a glimpse of them often makes me sick. I know that they bustle about like other insects at such a time, simply because they crave for light and intently chase after it.

🎈sick adj.

1）（身体或精神）生病的，有病的

be on sick leave休病假

2）想呕吐，恶心

feel sick想吐

be sick and tired of sth对某事受够了

3）晕船；晕机；晕车

seasick晕船

airsick晕机

carsick晕车

🎈渴望/渴求…

long for … / to do …

yearn for … / to do …

hunger / thirst for …

crave (for) sth.

这在苍蝇本身，或者自己也以为在晚上出现，总比在白天出现要髙洁得许多，因为在白天出现，总有些物质的意味，在那里趋香逐臭；但在晚上出现，却更加是风流倜悅，清高自赏的了。

As far as the flies are concerned, they may think their hustle and bustle in the dark seem morally superior to that in the broad daylight, for their daytime presence smacks of their self-interest, and their pursuit of stink and perfume. However, in the nighttime, their maneuver can appear unsullied or aristocratic.

🎈关于concern

在…看来（表述观点） as far as sb. be concerned（be随前面的人称变化）

就…而言（提及谈论话题）as far as sth. is concerned

令某人担忧 …is of concern to sb.

🎈光天化日、大白天(in) broad daylight

例句

The robbery occurred in broad daylight, in a crowded street.

抢劫就发生在光天化日之下的一条熙熙攘攘的街道上。

🎈有些像……，具有……意味、含义 smack of

老舍《想北平》

自然，那里也有空旷静寂的地方，可是又未免太旷。

It does have quiet open spaces, but they smack of mere expanses of vacancy.

大概，也便是因为这个缘故吧，所以，我对于在晚上出现，在灯下转圈子的苍绳，是更加讨厌，非即刻抛了书，或是另外的什么，起来打死它不可的。

Probably on account of this, I loathe the flies circling around the lamp in the evening, and I cannot help striking out at them with anything I can lay my hands on, even the book I am reading.

🎈因为 since/ for/ due to / by reason of /because of/ owing to / on account of…

或for the reason that …/because of the fact that …/due to the fact that …/on account of the fact that …= because / since / as …

🎈猛打(…) strike out (at sth/sb)

例句

He lost his temper and struck out wildly.

他发了脾气，大打出手。

打晚上的苍绳，比较的不容易打；因为它总是在前前后后的转圈了，偶然停下来的时候，也总是停在电灯罩子的里面，或电灯泡子的上面居多，打起来也不大容易。

Swatting flies at night is rather difficult, for they often go in circles back and forth all the time. Even if they occasionally get down, they alight either on the inside of the lampshade or on the light bulb, so killing them is no easy task.

🎈来来回回地to and fro/ back and forth/ from side to side

上上下下地up and down

例句

The curtains were swinging from side to side in the breeze.

窗帘在微风中来回摆动。

The boat was moving up and down on the sea.

这艘小船在海面上上下颠簸。

所以，这是很使人发急，又使人发气的事。不过，在这个时候，我总无论如何要打死它，除非它自己飞了出去。

At this time I often get impatient or even fly into a rage, and when this happens, I will go to any lengths, fair or foul, to kill them.

🎈勃然大怒，暴跳如雷 fly into a rage

rage n. 狂怒，盛怒 a feeling of violent anger that is difficult to control

气愤得发抖/战栗/说不出话来to be shaking/trembling/speechless with rage

例句

His face was dark with rage.

他气得面色铁青。

🎈不遗余力；竭尽全力；千方百计go to any lengths

不择手段的fair or foul

对于苍蝇，我近来也发现了它有个战术；这战术，也使我有些难于应付之概。要是一个不当心，它好像会笑我的拙笨似的。这战术，好像近来的苍蝇都学会了的样子；这也是使我发气，使我伤心的事。

Recently I discovered they have new tactics, which often leave me at the end of my wits. With this strategy, they often catch me off guard, as if ridiculing my stupidity. Worse still, all the flies seem to have learned these tactics, and this fills me with anger and remorse.

🎈智穷才尽，黔驴技穷，无计可施

be at sb’s wit’s end或 be at the end of sb’s wits

例句

We row a lot and we never have time on our own. I’m at my wit’s end.

我们经常争吵，从无在一起的时间，我真是没有办法了。

🎈乘人不备，使猝不及防catch sb off guard

例句

Charm the audience and catch them off guard.

吸引观众的注意力，然后给他们来个出其不意。

有时，苍蝇们也会开我的玩笑，它当我没有拿着苍蝇拍子的时候，站到我的手上来拈它的胡子；更在有些时候，它会突然的飞来，停在我的苍蝇拍上。

Sometimes the flies make fun of me. When I do not hold the swatter, they will stand on my hand stroking their whiskers. Strangely enough, sometimes they will suddenly fly over and alight on the fly swatter.

🎈嘲笑

1)  mock …嘲弄/嘲笑[常以模仿的方式]

例句

The naughty boys mocked the cripple.

2)  make fun of … 嘲弄/嘲笑

3)  tease …逗弄[无恶意]

例句

Sam’s sisters used to tease him because he was overweight.

4)  sneer at …对…嗤之以鼻

例句

She sneered at Tom’s musical taste.

5)  taunt …嘲弄/嘲笑[故意激怒]

例句

She went on taunting Sam until he lost his temper.

6 )  ridicule …讥笑/嘲弄

例句

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

你看，这玩笑开得多么厉害，这战术多么高明！当它觉得自己在被袭击的时候，它便摇身一变，飞到了你的阵线里面，使你无可如何它；这是何等高明的战术呵！

You see, what a dirty joke they are playing on me! How brilliant their tactics are! When under attack, they change tactics and fly directly towards me, rendering me helpless. How smart they are!

🎈 “这玩笑开得多么厉害，这战术多么高明！”很明显是反讽语气。dirty 用于批评之词前作强调，指“可恶的，可恨的”。

🎈使…无法/不能够…make it impossible for sb to do

使…能够…make it possible for sb. to do= enable sb. to do

使…（变得）…render sb. / sth. + adj.

例句

His injury rendered him unfit for work.

对于这种战术，开始，我的确觉得没有办法；但是，现在，我可也有了办法了。我的办法，就是先摇一摇苍蝇拍子，坚壁清野之后，把它赶出自己的阵线，再来想法子突击它。这法子，我现在也用得有点相当的成效了。

At the start, I did feel powerless to cope with these tactics, but now I have a new strategy. That is, I shake the swatter to drive the fly away before devising ways to attack them. So far, this strategy has yielded amazing results.

🎈处理 deal with/ cope with/ tackle/ address

🎈取得成效 yield results

yield v.产生结果，得出信息

例句

His trip to Melbourne had yielded a lot of information.

他的墨尔本之行让他大开眼界。

三、喂叫哥哥

Feeding Singing Grasshoppers

因为小孩子们喜欢玩，我们家里，也买了两个叫哥哥。这里的叫哥哥是由乡下人捉来，把它装在笼子里，拿到城里来卖的。

Since my children are fond of playing with singing grasshoppers, I got two from the market. The singing grasshoppers are caught and caged by country people, who then sell them to Shanghai residents.

🎈「叫哥哥」是方言，指「蝈蝈儿」

🎈cage v. 把（动物）关在笼中to put or keep an animal in a cage

笼中的动物a caged animal

把……关进笼中cage sth (up)

例句

The dogs are caged (up) at night.

晚上狗被关进笼里。

叫哥哥的笼子，是芦梗做的；用六角的小眼，组成了六角的扁圆形的东西。没有门，叫哥哥是放进去了以后才织好，织好以后，是除非死了，永也不得出来的。

The cage, an oval hexagon container of reed rhizome with hexagon meshes, has no door; the singing grasshopper is jailed as the cage is made, so it will never get out until it dies.

🎈四边形rectangle

五边形 pentagon

六边形 hexagon

七边形 heptagon

八边形octagon

三角形的triangular

长方形的rectangular

五边形的pentagonal（五角大楼The Pentagon）

六边形的 hexagonal

…(以此类推)

可是，它们的身体虽然关在笼子里，永不得出来，它们虽然被我用十个铜板，收买了下来；但它们仍旧也不觉得什么，只是如同乐天派的诗人一般，此唱彼和，无日无夜的在唱歌。

My singing grasshoppers, which I paid ten coppers for, are lifetime convicts, but still they sing in chorus all day and night as if they were carefree poets without a care in the world.

🎈一起，一齐，同时in chorus=all together

例句

From the pond, in shrill chorus, came the voices of hundreds of little frogs.

从池塘那里传来几百只小青蛙的合叫声。

我不懂得叫哥哥为什么要唱歌，为恋爱，还是为生活？是灵的，还是肉的？是快乐的欢呼，生之喜悦，还是苦痛的呼号，被幽囚的烦恼？我不晓得它们为什么要唱歌，这恐怕正如诗人们要为吟诗而吟诗的一样吧！

I wonder why? Do they sing for love or for life? Does their song come from their soul, or from their body? Is their chorus a cheerful serenade or an agonizing wail? Is it the joy of life or the sorrow of captivity? I do not know why they sing. Probably it’s because they must, just as a writer must write poems for their own sake.

🎈chorus n.合唱歌曲

serenade n.小夜曲

wail n.嚎啕，哀嚎

🎈为了……for the sake of…/for sb’s sake

柔石《为奴隶的母亲》

“为春宝来的？”妇人惊异地回音似地问。

“For Chun Bao’s sake!” she echoed in surprise.

是的，叫哥哥也是清高的诗人！它们的肉体，虽然被幽囚在这种人为的笼子里面，但它们的精神，恐怕是飞翔在自由的王国里面，在歌咏闲适，歌咏田园，歌咏不食人间烟火的天上的神仙吧！

I like to think that singing grasshoppers are noble-minded poets! Though they are captivated in the cage, their spirits are free. They are extolling the carefree, idyllic life, and the lives of celestial beings that are indifferent to material things.

🎈extol v.颂扬，赞颂，赞美

If you extol something or someone, you praise them enthusiastically.

丰子恺《秋》

假如要我对于世间的生荣死灭费一点词，我觉得生荣不足道，而宁愿欢喜赞叹一切的死灭。

If I were to write about birth and prosperity, death and extinction, I will not waste my words on birth and prosperity; instead I prefer to extol death and extinction.

🎈celestial adj.天空的，天堂的

例句

Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.

重力控制着天体运动。

可不是吗，我们人间也有一些诗人们，不是连牢笼他的现实社会，都没有看到，没有觉到，而且还不承认他的“自由的灵魂”，会被现实的社会所决定着的吗？叫哥哥真是这些诗人们的好榜样呵！

Can’t you see that some poets do not realize the social cage that shuts them in, and even do not admit that their free spirits are restrained by the society? What great examples the singing grasshoppers are to the poets!

🎈被关进，被囚进……be shut/captivated in…

🎈是某人的榜样 be an example to sb

例句

He is a model professional and an example to the younger lads.

他是个模范的专业人士，是年轻人的榜样。

当然，我们买了叫哥哥，是要供给它生活费的。这样，我们家里的人们，小孩子、娘姨、我的女人、我，便与这两个叫哥哥，组织了一个社会的关系；——我们供给它以生活上必需的资料，它们为我们奏乐、唱歌、吟诗，鼓吹我们家庭的静穆，催眠我们的小孩子们的午睡。

Of course, we have to provide for these singing grasshoppers. So, my wife, my children, the maidservant and I have entered into a kind of social contract with them—we provide them with daily necessities and they play music, sing songs, and chant poems for us. They supply peace and quiet for the family and help deliver my children to their catnap after lunch.

🎈赡养，供养

provide for [注意区分 provide sth for sb、provide sb with sth]

例句

Elaine wouldn’t let him provide for her.

伊莱恩不愿让他养活自己。

🎈订立契约 enter into a contract

社会契约 social contract

🎈生活必需品daily necessities /necessities of daily life

🎈catnap n. 小憩，午睡，打盹

A catnap is a short sleep, usually one which you have during the day.

开首，因为它们是我们家庭的上宾，大家都注意着它。娘姨买菜回来时，有它的份儿；小孩子吃莲蓬时，有它的份儿；吃西瓜，有它的份儿；绿豆汤，也有它的份儿。

At first, as they were our honored guests, everyone in the family indulged them. When the maidservant returned with vegetables, she gave some to them; when my children ate lotus seed pods, watermelon, or mung bean porridge, they saved some for them.

🎈上宾honored guests

上座 the seat of honour

上坐 take the seat of honour

🎈indulge v. 纵容，迁就，娇惯

to be too generous in allowing sb to have or do whatever they like

例句

He did not agree with indulging children.

他反对纵容娇惯孩子。

🎈绿豆mung beans

红豆 red beans

黄豆 soybeans

豌豆 peas

这时的叫哥哥，我们只愁他不吃，是什么东西都要送给它们吃的。

We would share with them whatever we had. The only concern was that their appetite might not suffice to match our generosity.

🎈 suffice v. 足够to be enough for sb/sth

1）对…来说是足够的 suffice for sth.

例句

Will $10 suffice for the trip?

这趟旅途10美元够用吗？

2）足以做某事suffice to do sth.

例句

One example will suffice to illustrate the point.

一个例子足以说明这点了。

3）只需说……就够了suffice (it) to say (that)

例句

I won’t go into all the depressing details; suffice it to say that the whole affair was an utter disaster.

我没必要赘述让人压抑的细节，只说整个事件是个彻头彻尾的灾难就够了。

这时，我也在打苍蝇，因此，我也把打死的苍蝇，喂给它们。大概，这苍绳的滋味，要比另外的素菜好些，它们特别的吃得起劲。

At the same time I was swatting flies as well, so I would feed my victims to the grasshoppers. Probably because flies were more delicious than vegetable dishes, they seemed to have a voracious appetite.

🎈胃口极大have a voracious appetite

求知欲极强的读者a voracious reader

voracious a.贪吃的，贪婪的，渴求的

voracity n.贪婪

苍蝇，有的是。它们既然喜欢，我自然是会把打得的苍蝇，都送到它的笼子里去的。可是，这样一来，它们便养成了肉食的习惯，那些白菜冬瓜之类，它们是不高兴吃了。

Since the house teemed with flies and the grasshoppers found them delicious, naturally I put all the flies into their cage. As a result, with the passage of time, they got into the habit of eating meat, and left their cabbage and wax gourd untouched.

🎈充满，遍布，到处都是（移动着的人、动物等）

1）teem with sth

2）be thronged / crowded / packed with …

3）be swarming / teeming with …

🎈养成……习惯

1）get into the habit

2）form/build up a habit

例句

梁实秋《养成好习惯》

宜从小就养成俭朴的习惯，更要知道物力维艰，竹头木屑，皆宜爱惜。

We should build up the habit of leading a thrifty life. We should bear in mind that all material resources are hard to come by and should be treasured, even including their odds and ends.

🎈冬瓜a wax gourd

不幸得很，我们一家人，在热心于叫哥哥的生活之后，过了半个多月的时光，竟然有两三天忘记了这两位诗人的生活。

Unfortunately, about half a month after our enthusiastic reception of the grasshoppers into our lives, we clean forgot about our two poets for two or three days in a row.

🎈（把……）忘得一干二净 clean forget all (about sth)

梁遇春《“春朝”一刻值千金》

有时晚上想好了意思，第二天起得太早，心中一懊悔，什么好意思都忘却了。

Sometimes at night I work out in my mind a draft for an essay, but then clean forget all the mental notes because I get up too early—that is exasperation!

🎈接连几天（等）地on end = in a row = successively

叫哥哥，也是自然的一员，它们当然懂得一些自然哲学的；再加上多时的吃苍绳的经验，它们总也晓得吃肉是比吃另外的东西好些。有一天，我忽然想起叫哥哥来，想起已经有几天没有招呼它们的生活了，变赶紧去把它们找了出来。

As members from the wild, singing grasshoppers, of course, know about the philosophy of nature. In addition, thanks to their experience of eating flies for days, they knew for sure that meat was more delicious than anything else. One day, the singing grasshoppers suddenly occurred to me! Remembering that I had not cared for them for a couple of days, I hurried over to see them.

🎈忽然想起…cross one’s mind/occur to sb/dawn on sb

《荷塘月色》

忽然想起采莲的事情来了。

Suddenly, something like lotus-gathering crosses my mind.

🎈care for

1）照顾，照料 同义表达take care of

例句

She moved back home to care for her elderly parents.

她搬回家住，好照料年迈的双亲。

2）深深地爱；非常喜欢

金圣华《一座长桥》

又答道：“我们不是想出名。”

They answer again, “We don’t care for fame.”

“呵，人吃人，叫哥哥吃叫哥哥！”我看见笼子里的叫哥哥，这一个捧住那一个在吃，那个被吃的，已经不能动弹，背上也已经被吃了一个大洞，于是我喊了起来。

I gasped in amazement. “Come and see! Just like cannibals, one grasshopper is devouring the other!” One grasshopper gripped the other in his claws and was eating its flesh. The victim, his back hollowed out, was paralyzed. So I began to shout.

🎈cannibal n. 同类相食的动物，食人肉者

devour v.大口吃，吞食

那被吃的一个，可还没有死定，肚子还在呼吸。这肚子，外面虽是在紫色的底上，印着嫩绿色的条纹；可是，它的里面，却如烂泥一般,一肚子黑色的脏矢。

The wounded one had not died, for its belly was still breathing. The purple belly, covered with light green stripes, had been torn to pieces. Nothing could be seen except black stool inside.

🎈撕毁 tear up

撕得粉碎 tear to pieces

剥落，撕掉 tear sth. off

至于这一个，它有时还在得意的唱着歌。它那吃得饱饱的大肚皮，画着石斑鱼一般的花纹，好像仍旧在表示它的无关心，表示着它的满腹文章似的。

And as for the victor, he was still singing gleefully. His belly, which was protruding from the meal, seemed painted with stripes like a grouper. Somehow, he was demonstrating both indifference and understanding.

🎈victor n.胜利者，获胜者

victim n.受害者，遇难者

一个人的生命，是可以用另外人的生命来代替的，我想着：这大概便是自然哲学吧！可是，在叫哥哥，恐怕没有想起这些吧！它吃了另外的一个叫哥哥，它总以为是应当吃的；而吃了另外的一个叫哥哥之后，自己在唱歌的时候，再也没有人和它，也不会觉到一些寂寞的吧！

A person’s life can be replaced by that of another. I think this is probably the philosophy of nature! However, the grasshopper may not have considered this philosophy, and just took it for granted that he should eat his partner. When it sang after devouring his meal, there was no longer any response. I wonder if the grasshopper will feel lonely.

🎈认为……理所当然 take…for granted

🎈whether和if的区别：

1）or not放在whether之后时，只能用whether不用if。

例句

I don’t know whether or not he will come.

我不知道他是不是回来。

注：如果or not放在whether所引导的从句句尾，则可以用if来替换。

I don’t know whether/if he will come or not.

我不知道他是不是回来。

2）在强调任意选择时,用whether…or,此时不用if替换whether。

例句

He asked me whether I wanted to go there by train or by bus.

他问我是想乘火车还是坐公共汽车去那里。

注：whether和or一起还有“不管”之意,引导让步状语从句。

例句

Whether he drives or takes the train, he will be here on time.

不管开车来还是乘火车来，他都会准时到。

3）虽引导宾语从句，但为了强调宾语部分，也可把从句放在句首，此时只用whether不用if。

例句

Whether he will come I am not sure.

他是不是来我拿不准。

4）从句作介词宾语时只用whether不用if。

例句

It depends on whether it will be fine.

那得看是不是晴天。

5）作discuss等动词的宾语时，用whether不用if。

例句

We discussed whether we should close the shop.

我们讨论是不是该关掉商店。

6）句子中有if引导的条件句，如再有表示“是否”的宾语从句，用whether不用if。

例句

He asked me whether I’d move to New York if I got the job.

他问我如果我得到那份工作是否会搬家到纽约。

7）容易产生歧义时用whether不用if来表示「是否」

例句

Please let me know if you need help.

如果你需要帮助请告诉我。

8）如果宾语从句为否定句时，则只用if不用whether。

例句

I don’t know if it won’t rain tomorrow..

我不知道明天是不是会下雨。

🎈重点表达

(在…)避难 take refuge (in …)

时间紧张/资金匮乏 be pressed for time/money

别无选择只能……have no alternative but to do sth

昨晚，头天晚上 the night before

着火；感到火辣辣 be on fire

一丝（风、气流等）a breath of…

靠……为生 live by…

挥舞苍蝇拍 brandish a flyswatter

打苍蝇/蚊子 swat flies/mosquitos

淹蚂蚁 drown ants

空余时间；空闲时间spare time/free time

业余时间，工作以外的时间 leisure time

神气十足put on grand airs

寻常人，寻常事物the average/common run

（不是别人）正是…… be none other than…

…感觉敏锐、不迟钝 a keen sense of…

给……一击；打击deal sb/sth a blow 或 deal a blow to sb/sth

落在 alight/land on

秘密地；偷偷地；背地里on the sly

光天化日、大白天(in) broad daylight

在…看来（表述观点） as far as sb. be concerned

有些像……；具有……意味、含义 smack of

猛打(…) strike out (at sth/sb)

勃然大怒，暴跳如雷 fly into a rage

不遗余力；竭尽全力；千方百计go to any lengths

不择手段的fair or foul

智穷才尽;黔驴技穷;无计可施 be at sb’s wit’s end或 be at the end of sb’s wits

乘人不备；使猝不及防catch sb off guard

处理 deal with/ cope with/ tackle/ address

取得成效 yield results

一起；一齐；同时in chorus=all together

为了……for the sake of…/for sb’s sake

被关进，被囚进……be shut/captivated in…

是某人的榜样 be an example to sb

赡养；供养 provide for

订立契约 enter into a contract

社会契约 social contract

生活必需品daily necessities /necessities of daily life

上宾honored guests

绿豆mung beans

冬瓜a wax gourd

胃口极大have a voracious appetite

（把……）忘得一干二净 clean forget all (about sth)

撕得粉碎 tear to pieces

为……理所当然 take…for granted

未经允许不得转载：帕布莉卡 » 许杰《炎夏小记》 -英语翻译教程-中英双语赏析