登陆注册
46382900000082

第82章 扎人的刺猬

1.The hedgehog is a common animal in every part of Great Britain where he can find suitable①food and lodgings②.We can easily see how he has got his name.He is often found at the①Suitable,fitting.

②Lodgings,quarters;dwelling-places.

bottom of our hedges,and he has a nose somewhat like that of a pig or hog.In some districts①he is also called the “hedge-pig,”and in others the “urchin.”

2.The length of the full-grown hedgehog is about ten inches.His back and sides are covered with strong prickles or spines,each of which is about an inch in length.These spines are curved,and have a little bend at the end which is buried in the skin.His nose is black,and the under side of his body is covered with short yellow or white hairs.His tail is very short.

3.This animal has a splendid way of protecting himself from the dogs,foxes,or cats which may try to kill him.He rolls himself up into a ball,with his nose inside.All his sharp spines then stand straight up,ready to prick the nose of any enemy that attacks him.

4.The hedgehog‘s spiny②armour③is also very useful inkeeping him from getting hurt when he falls down from a height,as from the top of a wall.He rolls himself into a ball while he is falling,and the elastic spines break the force of the blow against the ground.

5.His legs are so short that as he runs his body nearly touches the ground.Each of his feet has five toes,and each toe is armed with a claw.With these claws the hedgehog can burrow④in theearth under the roots of trees,or in old walls;and in such places he often makes his home.

6.The hedgehog has no less than thirty-six teeth in his mouth,twenty being in the upper and sixteen in the lower jaw.With these teeth the little animal seizes and crushes the insects on which he chiefly lives.

①Districts,parts of the country.

②Spiny,sharp-pointed;prickly.

③Armour,dress for defending from blows.

④Burrow,make holes in the ground.

7.Many people keep a hedgehog in their cellars and kitchens,to get rid of cockroaches,for he soon eats up these troublesome little insects.The hedgehog also eats earth-worms,snails,and slugs,and does much good in this way.He does a little harm,too,by eating roots and seeds.Hedgehogs kept as pets soon become fond of bread and milk.

8.We do not often see the hedgehog in our morning walks,for he does his walking during the night.He sleeps all day,and at night he goes forth to hunt for insects and other food.He sleepsthrough all the cold winter,too,lying snugly coiled①up in hisnest under the roots of some old tree.

9.The hedgehog has not very keen sight,but he can smell things very well.As he runs after his prey he makes a squeaking noise.If you have a tame hedgehog,you must not be surprised when you hear his funny little voice at night just as you are going to sleep.

10.Never injure or torment a hedgehog if you meet one in the lanes or fields.He is doing good by seeking for the insects which would otherwise eat the crops and garden-plants.He also attacks and kills snakes of all kinds,and it is said that he does not fear the bite of poisonous snakes.

SUMMARY

The hedgehog,also called the “hedge-pig”and the “urchin,”is about ten inches in length.Its back is covered with strong curved spines,and its under side with short hairs.When attacked,it rolls itself into a ball.Its legs are very short,and each foot has five toes,armed with claws.It has thirty-six teeth-twenty in the upper,and sixteen in the lower jaw.The hedgehog feeds on insects.It sleeps through the day and seeks for food at night.It sleeps all through the winter.The bite of poisonous snakes is said not to hurt the hedgehog.

①Coiled,rolled up in a ball.

【中文阅读】

1.刺猬①是一种常见的动物,英国各地都有它们的踪迹,因为这里总有它们需要的食物与住所。刺猬之所以得到这样一个名字(hedgehog),其原因显而易见。它经常栖身在树篱(hedge)的底下,它的鼻子与猪(hog)②有几分相似。某些地区,它也叫hedge-pig或urchin。

2.完全发育成熟的刺猬身长大约为十英寸。它的背部与侧面都覆盖着坚硬的刺,长度为一英寸左右③。这些刺呈曲线状,埋在皮肤下面的末端则有一点弯曲。它的鼻子为黑色,身体腹部是一层黄色或白色短毛。尾巴很短。

3.这种动物能够通过一种奇妙的方式来保护自己不受狗、狐狸或猫的伤害或捕杀。它把自己蜷曲成一个圆球,鼻子埋在里面,全身锋利的尖刺直立起来,随时准备刺向试图攻击它的动物的鼻子。

4.当刺猬从高处--比如墙顶上--掉下来时,一身锋利的盔甲还能够保护它们不会摔伤。当它掉下来时就会把身子蜷曲成一个圆球,那些柔韧性很好的尖刺便能够抵消掉撞击地面而产生的冲击力。

5.刺猬的腿特别短,当它奔跑起来时,身体几乎就要碰着地面了。它每只脚上长有五个脚趾,每个脚趾都有一个利爪。凭借这些锋利的工具,刺猬能够在树根或老墙之下打洞穿行,通常也都在这些地方安家落户。

6.刺猬的嘴巴中至少有三十六颗牙齿,其中二十颗长在上颚,另外十六颗分布在下颚④。凭借这些牙齿,刺猬就可以咬住并撕碎捕食到的昆虫。

7.很多人都会在地窖或厨房中饲养一只刺猬,因为有了它的存在,蟑螂这种烦人的昆虫很快就会销声匿迹。刺猬还会捕食蚯蚓、蜗牛以及鼻涕虫,这对人类来说非常有益。不过它也会干坏事:有时候吞食植物的根部与种子。我们发现,那些宠物刺猬很快就会喜欢上面包与牛奶⑤。

8.我们在清晨散步时很少能够看到刺猬,因为它习惯在夜间活动。白天,它休养生息;晚上,它便出动捕食昆虫或寻觅其他食物。到了寒冷的冬天,它便躲在老树树根下的小窝中,蜷成一团,舒适地享受着整整一个冬天的美梦。

9.刺猬的视力非常差劲,不过嗅觉却极为灵敏。当它追捕猎物的时候就会发出吱吱的叫声。如果你饲养了一只宠物刺猬,那么当你晚上准备睡觉的时候如果听到它发出那种有趣的小动静,请不要吃惊。

10.如果你在小路上或者野地里看到一只刺猬,请不要伤害或者折磨它。因为它总是在捕食那些可能对庄稼与花草造成危害的昆虫,它对人类有益。刺猬还会攻击与捕杀各种蛇类,据说,就算是被毒蛇咬上一口,它也根本不会受到伤害⑥。

译注

①刺猬的代表种类,学名是“欧洲刺猬”,属于“哺乳纲-猬形目-猬科”。跟麻雀一样,刺猬已被列入国家林业局2000年8月1日发布的《国家保护的有益的或者有重要经济、科学研究价值的陆生野生动物名录》,禁止捕杀和私下买卖。

②hog在英式英语中一般指阉割的公猪,美式英语中则泛指猪。

③成年刺猬身长大约27-34厘米,体重可达2.5公斤。刺猬的刺是一种角质化的毛,中间是空的。

④某些种类的刺猬的牙齿可能多达44颗。

⑤有资料表明刺猬可能对乳糖过敏。

⑥有资料表明刺猬能抵抗许多种毒物,但无法抵抗杀虫剂,有时因误食被杀虫剂杀死的虫子而中毒身亡。

THE SOIL BENEATH OUR FEET

同类推荐
  • 爱只有0.01的距离

    爱只有0.01的距离

    为中英双语对照版,《爱只有0.01的距离》既是英语学习爱好者、文学爱好者的必备读物,也是忙碌现代人的一片憩息心灵的家园,让读者在欣赏原法原味和凝练生动的英文时,还能多角度、深层次地品读语言特色与艺术之美,再配合文章后附加的多功能、全方位巩固题型,更有助于……
  • A Passion in the Desert

    A Passion in the Desert

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 涡堤孩(双语译林)

    涡堤孩(双语译林)

    《涡堤孩》是德国作家莫特·福凯创作的经典童话Undine,又名《水妖记》,它被认为是德国后期浪漫主义文学的代表作。童话讲述了生来没有灵魂的水之精灵涡堤孩与骑士之间的凄美爱情故事。痴恋于骑士的涡堤孩为爱情宁愿舍弃不老容颜与永恒的生命,与骑士结成婚姻,然而却遭遇骑士爱情的背叛,最后化为泉水环绕爱人坟边。《涡堤孩》插图由19世纪末英国出版黄金时代著名的插画大师亚瑟·拉克姆于1909年绘制,他的作品风格奇异瑰丽,创造的形象分外鲜明:老树虬曲苍劲,矮人阴险恶毒,妖灵妩媚妖娆,将文字中的奇幻氛围展现得淋漓尽致。
  • HistoryofChina

    HistoryofChina

    Ihaveselectedtwentysomesignificanthistoricsitestointroducethoroughly.ConnectingthesesitesonecanfindtheoutlineoftheChinesehistory.Whenwetraveltoacertainfamoushistoriccity,wecanalsorecognizeitspositioningandtheroleitplayedinhistory.
  • 寻找人生的坐标

    寻找人生的坐标

    本书汇聚了众多励志佳作,通过这小短小精悍的美文,潜移默化中让读者明白自己的位置,如何寻找到自己的位置,定位自己,是一部不可多得的励志双语读物。
热门推荐
  • 重生复仇:扑倒腹黑男神

    重生复仇:扑倒腹黑男神

    被最爱之人所害。蜕变归来,她要复仇。他爱她宠她。她要的一切,他都会让她得尝所愿。她想复仇,他为她递枪。她想尝试各种新鲜,他为她一一送到眼前。她想踏上巅峰,他为她铺路搭梯。她说:“沈凌越,我最近看上了一个男人,你不是对我一直有求必应的吗,你去帮我把他带过来。”一听这话,某男阴笑。“没错,你也知道我向来是对你有求的,既然你求我了,我又怎么能让你失望?”话音刚落,某女还没反应过来之际,早已经被吃干抹净。
  • 铁血文明路

    铁血文明路

    1864年,愚昧,殖民,邪狞,仇杀,各种思潮相互交织冲突,面对“千年未有之变局”,杨华发誓要为华夏文明趟出一条康庄大道。
  • 贪恋红尘三千尺

    贪恋红尘三千尺

    本是青灯不归客,却因浊酒恋红尘。人有生老三千疾,唯有相思不可医。佛曰:缘来缘去,皆是天意;缘深缘浅,皆是宿命。她本是出家女,一心只想着远离凡尘逍遥自在。不曾想有朝一日唯一的一次下山随手救下一人竟是改变自己的一生。而她与他的相识,不过是为了印证,相识只是孽缘一场。
  • 九幽黎幻

    九幽黎幻

    异族大陆成王败寇七族之争谁输谁赢又或者这背后有一个巨大的阴谋?慕辞安顾冥渊命运的车轮让他们相遇可他们又如何相爱呢
  • 纸舞飞扬

    纸舞飞扬

    纸、再平常不过的东西,可是在主角手里,它可以是把妹的利器,可以是发财的宝贝,可以是横行的依仗,更是杀人的利器。看主角怎么纸舞飞扬?
  • 无名恩仇录

    无名恩仇录

    本书介绍的是一个被视作灾星而被族人抛弃,和母亲共同野外生存,最终阴差阳错的救了室外高人以后逐步练就了绝世神功的少年,但是当他接触到越来越多事情后,居然发现了惊天的秘密。。。。。。
  • 异时空之大明星恋上我

    异时空之大明星恋上我

    她平凡、简单、单纯、善良。一直爱做梦的她在失去最重要的人后,她的梦居然成了现实,到达世界尽头的另一个时空和她的男神来了一次亲密约会的机会,当她陷入他的温柔后,主宰世界尽头的紫苏女王提醒她到了最后选择的时候……原来她来这里是有使命的,当面对亲情和爱情时,她会如何选择?他高冷却温柔、阴暗却阳光,一直生活在闪光灯下的男神、却有着普通的愿望。他努力想摆脱家人的控制,努力想找回那个他认为他辜负的她,一次偶然机会来到世界尽头,却没想到遇到了笨的让他生气亦让他挂念的她,当规定时间到的时候,他却不舍得放开她……
  • 冷艳狂妻:总裁大人请让道

    冷艳狂妻:总裁大人请让道

    “过来。”某女在床上摆着妖媚的身姿,对着刚从浴室出来的男人勾勾手。男人一副兴趣盎然的模样,来到到床边……五分钟后,男人被五花大绑地躺在床上,满脸抑制地盯着她……紧接着他便见她出去了,又想玩什么花样?不料她却不再回来……男人大口的吸着烟,“夏伊晴,终是我太信任你?想逃?呵呵……”
  • 菩萨五法忏悔文

    菩萨五法忏悔文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 机甲与斩舰刀

    机甲与斩舰刀

    当徐源第一次知道自己已经成为联邦英雄的时候,其实他是,是拒绝的。他跟联邦总统讲,我拒绝,是因为,因为我根本不会开机甲……总统跟他讲,拍完加特效,机甲动作很柔很漂亮……加了一个月特技之后呢,机甲“duang”的一声就爆开了,后来他知道他们的电影是假的,是摄影棚里拍的。他现在呢,每天还在加特技,加了很多特技进去,机甲还是“duang”的一声被斩舰刀打碎了,因为斩舰刀也加了特技进去!他还给他的汽车加特技,duang~~的一声,汽车废了,他还给他的女人加特技,duang~~的一声,女人……