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straining, pressed to extremes; doing its utmost; forced to exert itself to the greatest possible extent; making violent efforts.
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breaking, ready to come apart, usually with suddenness and violence.
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indomitable, not to be subdued; unconquerable; unyielding.
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part, break apart.
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their rhythmic cry, their chaunt.
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barefoot, not wearing shoes on their feet.
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naked to the waist, stripped to the waist; without any clothing down to the waist.
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sweat or perspiration is moisture that comes out through the pores of the body due, in this instance, to the hard work that the laborers are doing.
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despair, desperation; hopelessness; the giving up of all hope.
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heart-rending, it tears our hearts apart; it twists sympathy out of us.
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hardly, scarcely; barely; almost not.
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infinite, vast; immense; inexhaustible; unlimited.
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ultimate sob of humanity, the last, final sob of human beings, beyond which no other sob can be so distressing.
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protest, solemn declaration of opinion against some act.
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Questions
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1. Who sang the song of the river?
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2. Why is it called “the song of the river”? How does it resemble the river’s flow?
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3. What is the meaning of the song?
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参考译文
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【作品简介】
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《河之歌》一文选自毛姆所著《在中国的屏风上》，纽约乔治·H．多兰公司1922年出版，129—130页。
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3 河之歌
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沿着河流一路都可以听到这歌声。这是桨手的歌声，响亮有力。他们奋力地划着木船，顺急流而下，船尾翘得老高，桅杆猛烈地摆动。这是纤夫的号子声，他们在拼尽全力逆流拉船时，声音会更加急促，让人透不过气来。如果拉的是乌篷船，那可能有十几个人；如果拉的是扬着横帆的华丽大木船过急流，那就得有几百人。船中央站着一个汉子不停地击鼓，给他们助威，让他们使劲。于是纤夫们使出浑身气力，就像被魔咒驱使般，腰弯成了九十度。有时在极度费力的情况下，他们就全身趴地匍匐前进，像地里的牲口。顶着河水无情的阻力，他们拉呀，拉呀，拼命地拉。领头的在队伍前后来回奔走，看到有人没有拼尽全力，就用劈开的竹条抽打他们裸露的脊梁。每个人都必须全力以赴，否则所有的努力就白费了。就这样他们还唱着激昂又热切的号子，这是汹涌澎湃的河水的号子。我不知道如何用言语来描述这股劲儿，这里面带着心脏的拉扯，肌肉的撕裂，还有人们克服无情大自然时所表现出的不屈不挠的精神。虽然绳子可能断开，大船可能又会被荡回，但他们最终能涉过湍流，在疲惫的一天结束后，热闹地吃上一顿饱饭，也许还可以抽一枪鸦片，舒服地幻想一番。然而最令人揪心的是岸上的苦力唱的歌，他们得背着从船上卸下的大包，沿着陡峭的台阶，一直走到城墙那里。他们不停地上上下下，伴随着无尽的劳役响起有节奏的呐喊：嘿，哟——嗨，哟。他们赤着脚，光着膀子，汗水顺着脸颊直流。歌声里渗透着痛苦的呻吟。这是一种绝望的叹息，撕心裂肺，惨绝人寰。这是灵魂在极度痛苦中的呐喊，只不过带着音乐的节奏罢了。那最后的音符是对人性的终极哭诉。生活太难，太残酷，这是最后的绝望的反抗。那就是河之歌。
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（罗选民 译）
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