英语泛读教程1, unit7

Jack·London杰克.伦敦•AfamousAmericanwriter•BornonJanuary12,1876inCalifornia.•Hisfamilywasverypoor,andJackhadtoleaveschooltomakemoney.Heworkedhardinmanydifferentjobs.Later,Jackreturnedtoschool.Butdidn’tstaylong.Intheyear1897,hewenttoAlaskatofindgold.Insteadofgettingmuchgold,hefoundideasforhisbooksandstories.Hewentbackhomeandbegantowrite.Hiswritingwerewarmlywelcomedandhebecamerichandfamouswhenhewasunderthirty.ButJackLondonwasnotahappyman.Inpoorhealth.Hetookhisownlifein1916.Hewasthenonlyfortyyearsold.AboutJackJackbelievedinself---struggle,andstroveveryhardtobethestrongoflife,becausehelearntthelawofthenature,thestrongconqueredtheweak.Healsoheldveryactiveandenthusiasticattitudetowardlife.Thefollowingquotationmayfullyillustratewhathewas.JackIwouldratherbeashesthandust.Iwouldratherthatmysparkshouldburnoutinabrilliantblazethanthatitshouldbestifledbydry-rot.Iwouldratherbeasuperbmeteor,everyatomofmeinmagnificentglow,thanasleepyandpermanentplanet.TheproperfunctionofmanistoLIVE.Ishallnotwastemydaystryingtoprolongthem.Ishallusemytime.死后，我宁愿是一堆骨灰而不是化为尘土。我宁愿是一颗闪亮的火星投入熊熊燃烧的火焰，而不愿在死灰中窒息。我宁愿是华美的流星，让每一颗粒子都绽放光芒，而不是做沉沉闷闷的，不停绕行的行星。生活应是人的本分。我不会为延长生命而活着，我为生活而活。Translation热爱生命Thecallofthewild野性的呼唤ByJack·LondonTheCallOfTheWild•Althoughitisashortstoryaboutadog,Buck,itvividlydepictsthelifeintheprimitiveNorthwherepeoplerushedforgoldandfortune.•Buck,usedtobelongtoajudge,waskidnappedandsoldtoNorth.Thenhebecameamemberofadog-teampullingasled(雪橇).Inthedaysofpullingasnow-sled,helearnedtoconformtothelawofnatureandobeythemaster.Finally,hefoundabasicinstincthiddeninsidehim,whichenabledhimselftosurvivethetoughenvironment.Thisisthecallofthewild.TheCalloftheWildPlotSummary故事发展•在一个法官的家里过着养尊处优的生活•被法官那贪婪的助手给拐卖到一个训练狗拉雪橇的人手里•到严寒的阿拉斯加岛上拉雪橇•受尽了皮肉和精神的双重折磨•渐渐适应了没有人性的生活•打败了他的对手，当上了领头军•换了主人，受尽鞭打。仁慈的桑顿带着他离开了•桑顿被土著居民打死，暴怒的巴克为了给主人报仇咬死了许多人•野性在向他呼唤，他加入了狼群，走向了那本属于他的—野性Buck,themaincharacter,isaSaintBernardandScotchShepherdcross,whichgiveshimtheappearanceofanexceptionallylargedogthatlookssimilartoawolf.BuckleadsacomfortablelifeasthepetofJudgeMillerinthe‘sun-kissed’SantaClaraValleyofNorthernCalifornia.JudgeMiller‘sgardener’sassistant,Manuel,alongwithafriend,abductsthedogandsellshimtoatrainerofsleddogs,whichwereingreatdemandduetothediscoveryof“ayellowmetal”inthefrozenlandsoftheYukon,Alaska.Slowlyintroducedtothebrutalityofhisnewlife,BuckisforcedtosurviveandadapttoconditionsinAlaskaandtheYukon.Heworkspullingsledswithotherdogs,learnstostealfood,andengagesinpowerstrugglewithotherdogsfortheleadpositioninthesledteam.HebecomestheleaderofthesledteamafterdefeatinghisenemySpitzinabattle.MoreDetailsHethenisexchangedtoamailcarrier.Hechangeshandstoatrioof（三人组成的）incompetent(不称职的)owners,andisnearlystarvedandbeatentodeath.Eventuallyacquiredbyakindandlovingowner,JohnThornton.WhenThorntoniskilledby“Yeehat”nativeAmericans,Buckgoesintoabeastly（很，极）rageandkillsseveralmembersofthenativetribe.BuckreturnstothewildandbecomesthealphamaleofawolfpackhemetafewdaysbeforethedeathofThornton.OftheworldBuckenters,Jackwritesthesalientthingofthisotherworldseemedfearful.ItisaworldofdreamthatBuckenters,whenhebecomessomethingofalegend,TheGhostDog..MajorThemes•SurvivaloftheFittest•JackLondonbelievedinHerbertSpencer'stheoryofsurvivalofthefittest,whichmeansbasicallythatanorganismorgroupthatisbettersuitedtoanenvironmentwillhaveabetterchanceforsurvivalthanananimalorgroupthatislesssuited.Inotherwords,Spencersuggestedthatlearningdidnotplayagreatroleinthesurvivalofaspecies.Moreoftenithadtodowithluck--amajorenvironmentalchangewouldsuddenlymakeonegroupoforganismsbetteroffthanithadbeenbefore,andtheywouldthereforelivelongerandreproducemore.•LondonclearlymakesuseoftheideaofsurvivalofthefittestinTheCalloftheWild.Bychance,Buck'senvironmentundergoesatremendouschange-heiskidnappedandtakenfromasun-kissed,easyexistencetothewildsoftheKlondike.Bucksurvivesbecausehewasgeneticallymoresuitedtothatenvironmentthanmanyoftheotherdogswhowerethere.Hedidnotneedtolearnmuchofanything-theinstinctsforsurvivalwerehandeddownbyhisancestors--amorepoeticversionofgeneticinheritance.•Londontakestheideaevenmoreliterallythanisnecessary.IfBuckhadremainedinSantaClara,hewouldnothavepassedonhisgenetictraits,fortherewerenosuitablematesavailabletohim.AttheendofTheCalloftheWilditreadsthattheyearswerenotmanywhentheYeehatsnotedachangeinthebreedoftimberwolves;forsomewereseenwithsplashesofbrownonheadandmuzzle,andwithariftofwhitecentereddownthechest.Buckhashadmanychildren,childrenwhowillinheritfromBuckalloftheexperienceandfitnessoftheirancestors.•ThepowerofInstinct•ThisthemealsorelatestoLondon'sinterestinCharlesDarwin'sandHerbertSpenser'swork.Forthefirsttimetherewasascientifictheory,whichsuggestedthathumanbeingsaswellasanimalshavenaturalinstinctswhicharemerelythingspasseddownthroughthegeneticcode.InTheCalloftheWild,Londondwellsagreatdealonanimalinstinct,forBuck'sabilitytolistentohisinstinctbothmakeshimmoreandmorepowerfulanddrawshimmoreandmoredeeplytowardsthewild.WhenBuckleadstheteamintoJohnThornton'scamp,hedoesnotconsciouslyknowwhyhedoesnotgetup.Heisascapableofcont