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● at their worst:凶恶到极点。这种成语很有用,如:He is at his best.(表现得特别出色;正在最佳状态。)不用best,worst,而用其他形容词的最高级形式亦可。
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● 上段说the situation was grave,这是已经够严重的了。现在更进一步,于是说the gravity…had deepened into desperation。(desperation:绝望。)本来用形容词grave,现在改用抽象名词gravity;此句最好的字是动词deepen,它把两个抽象名词连接得很稳。普通中国学生最觉得难用恐怕是抽象名词;因为一句的主语或宾语若是抽象名词,它前后的动词也非得慎加挑选不可。这句若改成:
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The situation had become desperate.
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亦无不可。但是如把grave转化成为 gravity,再使它deepened into desperation,这样读者也得到一种“思想条理清楚”之乐。
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● dramatic:戏剧性,紧张动人。(原文所举的事情很多,故these events所指的很清楚。这里把那些事情都省略了,这两个字稍觉模糊。)
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● focussed attention on:使注意力集中于。chosen:自愿(善恶或勇怯间的选择)。aboard:在船上。ordering…off:命令余人下船。
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● sticking to:坚守。expressed determination:明白表示的决心。
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● remained:此字在本句中见了两次,remained aboard与remained afloat(还能浮在水面,不往下沉)。remain和be,become等相仿,是linking verb,不过它所表示的是动词的“继续相”(durative aspect)——所说的情形要维持一个时候。to keep command of the ship:(继续指挥全船)也是表示“继续相”的。
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● tug:拖大船的小轮(马力甚大)。take her…in tow:把这条船拖走。
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● unremitting effort:不懈的努力。relayed:传达。installments:一天报告一段的“段”。over the air:广播。
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It was a drama that had all but pushed the war in Korea off the front pages for almost a fortnight, and public sympathy for Carlsen over the loss of his ship was exceeded only by the universally expressed admiration for his courage and resourcefulness in attempting to save her. New York gave him an enthusiastic ticker-tape reception, and medals and citations for bravery were pressed upon him by Congress and the governments of many other countries. All sorts of commercial offers were pressed upon him, too, and if he had accepted them, he would have become wealthy overnight. But Carlsen did not accept them; he refused to cash in on his popularity. “I only did my duty as a simple seaman,” he explained. He seemed like a hero from another time.
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● all but=almost。the war in Korea:1951年12月正是朝鲜战争激烈的时候。pushed…off the front pages:卡尔逊的事,占满了报纸第一版,反而把朝鲜战争那种重要新闻几乎给“挤”走了。
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● 两个抽象名词给一个动词连接起来,成一句子,前面已经说过,这里又是一个例子:public sympathy…was exceeded by the…admiration…。此句的妙处也在动词(exceeded:超过)。卡尔逊船长的船终于沉海,全世界的人都同情他得不得了。这种同情之大,似乎没有东西可以超过它了。但是有一样东西可以超过它,那就是举世所表示对他的钦仰(admiration)。他努力救船,人们佩服他的勇气,也佩服他的智谋(resourcefulness)。
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● reception:欢迎。ticker-tape:电报纸带。英雄凯旋归来时,市民纷纷以彩色纸带向他抛掷。
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● citations for bravery:褒扬忠勇之辞,褒状。pressed upon him:硬塞给他;他不要,也得要。
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● commercial offers:商业性的奉献。如请他担任某公司的董事,或请他签名介绍某种商品等。pressed upon him连用两次,第二次在后面加了一个too。
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● overnight:隔夕之间(顿成暴富)。
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● his popularity:他的“风头”。
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● cash in on:利用之以赚钱。
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● a hero from another time:尽职而不求名利,实有“古风”。
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现代英文选评注 Moscow, 1918一九一八年的莫斯科
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George F. Kennan (1904—2005)
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本文作者凯南是美国的“俄国通”。他曾任美国驻苏大使(1952—1953),卸任后曾在普林斯顿大学高级研究院及英国牛津大学任教。
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