大学英语精读第三版第二册中英文课文翻译

11.ThedinnerpartyIfirstheardthistaleinIndia,whereistoldasiftrue--thoughanynaturalistwouldknowitcouldn'tbe.LatersomeonetoldmethatthestoryappearedinamagazineshortlybeforetheFirstWorldWar.Thatmagazinestory,andthepersonwhowroteit,Ihaveneverbeenabletotrackdown.ThecountryisIndia.Acolonialofficialandhiswifearegivingalargedinnerparty.Theyareseatedwiththeirguests--officersandtheirwives,andavisitingAmericannaturalist--intheirspaciousdiningroom,whichhasabaremarblefloor,openraftersandwideglassdoorsopeningontoaveranda.Aspiriteddiscussionspringsupbetweenayounggirlwhosaysthatwomenhaveoutgrownthejumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouseeraandamajorwhosaysthattheyhaven't.Awoman'sreactioninanycrisis,themajorsays,istoscream.Andwhileamanmayfeellikeit,hehasthatouncemoreofcontrolthanawomanhas.Andthatlastounceiswhatreallycounts.TheAmericandoesnotjoinintheargumentbutwatchestheotherguests.Ashelooks,heseesastrangeexpressioncomeoverthefaceofthehostess.Sheisstaringstraightahead,hermusclescontractingslightly.Shemotionstothenativeboystandingbehindherchairandwhisperssomethingtohim.Theboy'seyeswiden:hequicklyleavestheroom.Oftheguests,noneexcepttheAmericannoticesthisorseestheboyplaceabowlofmilkontheverandajustoutsidetheopendoors.TheAmericancomestowithastart.InIndia,milkinabowlmeansonlyonething--baitforasnake.Herealizestheremustbeacobraintheroom.Helooksupattherafters--thelikeliestplace--buttheyarebare.Threecornersoftheroomareempty,andinthefourththeservantsarewaitingtoservethenextcourse.Thereisonlyoneplaceleft--underthetable.Hisfirstimpulseistojumpbackandwarntheothers,butheknowsthecommotionwouldfrightenthecobraintostriking.Hespeaksquickly,thetoneofhisvoicesocommandingthatitsilenceseveryone.Iwanttoknowjustwhatcontroleveryoneatthistablehas.Iwillcountthreehundred--that'sfiveminutes--andnotoneofyouistomoveamuscle.Thosewhomovewillforfeit50rupees.Ready?The20peoplesitlikestoneimageswhilehecounts.Heissaying...twohundredandeighty...when,outofthecornerofhiseye,heseesthecobraemergeandmakeforthebowlofmilk.Screamsringoutashejumpstoslamtheverandadoorssafelyshut.Youwereright,Major!thehostexclaims.Amanhasjustshownusanexampleofperfectself-control.Justaminute,theAmericansays,turningtohishostess.Mrs.Wynnes,howdidyouknowthatcobrawasintheroom?Afaintsmilelightsupthewoman'sfaceasshereplies:Becauseitwascrawlingacrossmyfoot.UNIT2-1一场关于男人是否比女人勇敢的激烈的讨论以一个意外的方式。晚宴我最初听到这个故事是在印度，那儿的人们今天讲起它来仍好像实有其事似的——尽管任何一位博物学家都知道这不可能是真的。后来有人告诉我，在第一次世界大战之后不久就出现在一本杂志上。但登在杂志上的那篇故事,以及写那篇故事的人，我却一直未能找到。故事发生在印度。某殖民官员和他的夫人举行盛行的晚宴。跟他们一起就座的客人有——军官和他人的夫人，另外还有一位来访的美国博物学家——筵席设在他们家宽敞的餐室里，室内大理石地板上没有铺地毯；屋顶明椽裸露；宽大的玻璃门外便是阳台。席间，一位年轻的女士同一位少校展开了热烈的讨论。年轻的女士认为，妇女已经有所进步，不再像过去那样一见到老鼠就吓得跳到椅子上；少校则不以为然。“女人一遇到危急情况，”少校说，反应便是尖叫。而男人虽然也可能想叫，但比起女人来，自制力却略胜一筹。这多出来的一点自制力正是真正起作用的东西。”那个美国人没有参加这场争论，他只是注视着在座的其他客人。在他这样观察时，他发现女主人的脸上显出一种奇异的表情。她两眼盯着正前方，脸部肌肉在微微抽搐。她向站在座椅后面的印度男仆做了个手势，对他耳语了几句。男仆两眼睁得大大的，迅速地离开了餐室。在座的客人中，除了那位美国人以外论证也没有注意到这一幕，也没有看到那个男仆把一碗牛奶放在紧靠门边的阳台上。那个美国人突然醒悟过来。在印度，碗中的牛奶只有一个意思——引蛇的诱饵。他意识到餐室里一定有条眼镜蛇。他意识到餐室里一定有条眼镜蛇。他抬头看了看屋顶上的椽子——那是最可能有蛇藏身的地方——但那上面空荡荡的。室内的三个角落里也是空的，而在第四个角落里，仆人们正在等着下一道菜。这样，剩下的就只有一个地方了餐桌下面。2他首先想到的是往后一跳，并向其他人发警告。但他知道这样会引起骚乱，致使眼镜索受惊咬人。于是他很快讲了一通话，其语气非常威严，竟使所有的人安静了下来。我想了解一下在座的诸位到底有多大的克制能力，我数三百下——也就五分钟——你们谁都不许动一动。动者将罚款五十卢比。准备好！”在他数数的过程中，那20个人像一尊尊石雕一样端坐在那儿。当他数到“……280……”时，突然从眼然处看到那条眼镜蛇钻了出来，向那碗牛奶爬去。在他跳起来把通往阳台的门全都砰砰地牢牢关上时，室内响起了一片尖叫声。“你刚才说得很对，少校！”男主人大声说。一个男子刚刚为我们显示了从容不迫、镇定自若的范例。”“且慢”，那位美国人一边说着一边转向女主人。温兹太太，你怎么知道那条眼镜蛇是在屋子里呢？”女主人的脸上闪现出一丝淡淡的微笑，回答说：“因为它当时正从我的脚背上爬过去。”UNIT2-22.lessonsfromjeffersonJeffersondiedlongago,butmayofhisideasstillofgreatinteresttous.LessonsfromJeffersonThomasJefferson,thethirdPresidentoftheUnitedStates,maybelessfamousthanGeorgeWashingtonandAbrahamLincoln,butmostpeoplerememberatlastonefactabouthim:hewrotetheDeclarationofIndependence.AlthoughJeffersonlivedmorethan200yearsago,thereismuchthatwelearnfromhimtoday.Manyofhisideasareespeciallyinterestingtomodernyouth.Herearesomeofthethingshesaidandwrote:Goandsee.Jeffersonbelievedthatafreemanobtainsknowledgefrommanysourcesbesidesbooksandthatpersonalinvestigationisimportant.Whenstillayoungman,hewasappointedtoacommitteetofindoutwhethertheSouthBranchoftheJamesRiverwasdeepenoughtobeusedbylargeboats.Whiletheothermembersofthecommitteesatinthestatecapitolandstudiedpapersonthesubject,Jeffersongotintoacanoeandmadeon-the-spot-observations.Youcanlearnfromeveryone.BybirthandbyeducationJeffersonbelongedtothehighestsocialclass.Yet,inadaywhenfewnoblepersonseverspoketothoseofhumbleoriginsexcepttogiveanorder,Jeffersonwentoutofhiswaytotalkwithgardeners,servants,andwaiters.JeffersononcesaidtotheFrenchnobleman,Lafayette,Youmustgointothepeople'shomesasIhavedone,lookintotheircookingpotsandeattheirbread.Ifyouwillonlydothis,youmayfindoutwhypeoplearedissatisfiedandunderstandtherevolutionthatisthreateningFrance.Judgeforyourself.Jeffersonrefusedtoacceptotherpeople'sopinionswithoutcarefulthought.Neitherbelievenorrejectanything,hewrotetohisnephew,becauseanyotherpersonhasrejectedorbelievedit.Heavedhasgivenyouamindforjudgingtruthanderror.Useit.Jeffersonfeltthatthepeoplemaysafelybetrustedtoh