When he had killed the guard, the prisoner of war quickly dragged him into the bushes. Working rapidly in the darkness, he soon changed into the dead man's clothes. Now, dressed in a blue uniform and with a rifle over his shoulder, the prisoner marched boldly up and down in front of the camp. He could hear shouting in the camp itself. Lights were blazing and men were running here and there: they had just discovered that a prisoner had escaped. At that moment, a large black car with four officers inside it, stopped at the camp gates. The officers got out and the prisoner stood to attention and saluted as they passed. When they had gone, the driver of the car came towards him. The man obviously wanted to talk. He was rather elderly with grey hair and clear blue eyes. The prisoner felt sorry for him, but there was nothing else he could do. As the man came near, the prisoner knocked him to the ground with a sharp blow. Then, jumping into the car, he drove off as quickly as he could.
那个战俘杀死卫兵以后,迅速地把尸体拖进了灌木丛。他在黑暗中忙活了一阵儿,很快就换上了死者的衣服。现在他身穿蓝军装,肩扛步枪,在军营门前大胆地来回走看。他听得军营里面的喧闹声。那里灯火通明,人们在东奔西跑:他们刚刚发现有一个俘虏跑了。正在此时,一辆黑色大轿车在军营门口停了下来。里面坐了4个军官。军官们下了车,战俘立正站好,并在他们从他面前经过时敬了礼。他们走后,汽车司机向他走来,这人显然是想聊天。他上了年纪,有着灰白的头发和明亮的蓝眼睛。战俘为他感到惋惜,但却没有别的选择。当这个人走近时,战俘一拳把他打倒在地,然后跳进车里,以最快的速度把车开走了。
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150209/782166.html
Fishermen and sailors sometimes claim to have seen monsters in the sea. Though people have often laughed at stories told by seamen, it is now known that many of these 'monsters' which have at times been sighted are simply strange fish. Occasionally, unusual creatures are washed to the shore, but they are rarely caught out at sea. Some time ago, however, a peculiar fish was caught near Madagascar. A small fishing boat was carried miles out to sea by the powerful fish as it pulled on the line. Realizing that this was no ordinary fish, the fisherman made every effort not to damage it in any way. When it was eventually brought to shore, it was found to be over thirteen feet long. It had a head like a horse, big blue eyes, shining silver skin, and a bright red tail. The fish, which has since been sent to a museum where it is being examined by a scientist, is called an oarfish. Such creatures have rarely been seen alive by man as they live at a depth of six hundred feet.
渔夫和水手们有时声称自己看到过海里的妖怪。虽然人们常常对水手们讲的故事付诸一笑,但现在看来,人们有时看到的这些“妖怪”很多不过是些奇怪的鱼。一些异常的生物偶尔会被冲到岸上来,但它们在海上却极少能被捕到。然而不久前,在马达加斯加附近的海里却捕到了一条奇怪的鱼。一条小渔船被一条咬住钩的强壮的大鱼拖到了几英里以外的海面上。那位渔民意识到这根本不是一条普通的鱼,于是千方百计不让它受到丝毫伤害。当终于把它弄上岸后,人们发现它身长超过了13英尺。它长着一个像马一样的头,有着大的蓝眼睛和闪闪发光的银色皮肤,还有一条鲜红色的尾巴。此鱼叫桨鱼,被送进了博物馆,现正接受一位科学家的检查。人们很少能看到活着的这类动物,因为它们生活在600英尺深的水下。
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150209/782167.html
The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections. He is now retiring from political life and has gone abroad. My friend, Patrick, has always been a fanatical opponent of Mr. Lane's Radical Progressive Party. After the elections, Patrick went to the former Prime Minister's house. When he asked if Mr. Lane lived there, the policeman on duty told him that since his defeat, the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad. On the following day, Patrick went to the house again. The same policeman was just walking slowly past the entrance, when Patrick asked the same question. Though a little suspicious this time, the policeman gave him the same answer. The day after, Patrick went to the house once more and asked exactly the same question. This time, the policeman lost his temper. 'I told you yesterday and the day before yesterday,' he shouted, 'Mr. Lane was defeated in the elections. He has retired from political life and gone to live abroad!"
'I know,' answered Patrick, 'but I love to hear you say it!'
前首相温特沃兹·莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。他现在退出了政界,到国外去了。我的朋友帕特里克一直是莱恩先生的激进党的强烈反对者。大选结束后,帕特里克来到了前首相的住处。当他询问莱恩先生是否住在那里时,值班的警察告诉他这位前首相落选后出国去了。第二天,帕特里克再次来到首相的住处。昨天的那位警察正从门口慢慢走过,帕特里克上前问了和昨天同样的问题。虽然那位警察这次有点疑心,但还是对他作了同样的回答。第三天,帕特里克又去了,提出了同前两天完全一样的问题。这一次警察火了。“我昨天和前天都告诉过您了,”他大叫着,“莱恩先生在大选中被击败了,他已经退出了政界去国外了!”
“这我都知道,”帕特里克说,“可我就是喜欢听你说出这句!”
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150209/782168.html
Busmen have decided to go on strike next week. The strike is due to begin on Tuesday. No one knows how long it will last. The busmen have stated that the strike will continue until general agreement is reached about pay and working conditions. Most people believe that the strike will last for at least a week. Many owners of private cars are going to offer 'free rides' to people on their way to work. This will relieve pressure on the trains to some extent. Meanwhile, a number of university students have volunteered to drive buses while the strike lasts. All the students are expert drivers, but before they drive any of the buses, they will have to pass a special test. The students are going to take the test in two days' time. Even so, people are going to find it difficult to get to work. But so far, the public has expressed its gratitude to the students in letters to the Press. Only one or two people have objected that the students will drive too fast!
公共汽车司机决定下星期罢工。罢工定于星期二开始,谁也不知道会持续多久。司机们声称此次罢工将一直持续到就工资和工作条件问题达成全面协议的时候为止。多数人认为此次罢工至少会持续一个星期。很多私人汽车的车主正准备为乘车上班的人们提供“免费乘车”的服务,这将在某种程度上减轻对火车的压力。与此同时,有一部分大学生自愿在罢工期间驾驶公共汽车。所有的学生都是开车的能手,但在驾驶公共汽车之前,他们必须通过一项专门测验。学生们准备在两天后就接受测验。即使这样,人们仍会感到上班有困难。但到目前为止,公众已经向新闻界写信表达他们对学生们的感激之情了。只有一两个人提出反对意见,说学生们会把车开得太快!
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150209/782169.html
I have just received a letter from my old school, informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster's home. We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday. It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.
我刚刚收到母校的一封信,通知我说以前的校长斯图亚特·佩奇先生下星期就退休了。为了纪念这个日子,学校的学生——无论老同学还是新同学——将送他一件礼物。所有凑钱买此礼品的人都将自己的名字签在一本大签名簿上,签名簿将被送到校长的家里。我们不会忘记佩奇先生对我们既有耐心又充满理解,也不会忘记在我们不愿去上学时他给予我们的亲切鼓励。很多老同学都准备参加下星期四为他举行的告别宴会。佩奇先生退休的前一天正好是他执教满40年的日子,这真是奇妙的巧合。他退休后,将致力于园艺。对于他来说,这将是一种全新的爱好。但这没有关系,因为正如他常说的那样,人要活到老学到老。
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150209/782170.html
As the man tried to swing the speedboat round, the steering wheel came away in his hands. He waved desperately to his companion, who had been water skiing for the last fifteen minutes. Both men had hardly had time to realize what was happening when they were thrown violently into the sea. The speedboat had struck a buoy, but it continued to move very quickly across the water. Both men had just begun to swim towards the shore, when they noticed with dismay that the speedboat was moving in a circle. It now came straight towards them at tremendous speed. In less than a minute, it roared past them only a few feet away. After it had passed, they swam on as quickly as they could because they knew that the boat would soon return. They had just had enough time to swim out of danger when the boat again completed a circle. On this occasion, however, it had slowed down considerably. The petrol had nearly all been used up. Before long, the noise dropped completely and the boat began to drift gently across the water.
当那人试图让快艇转弯时,方向盘脱手了。他绝望地向他的伙伴挥手,他的伙伴在过去的15分钟里一直在滑水。他们两个还没来得及意识到究竟发生了什么事情,就被猛地抛入了海里。快艇撞上了一个浮标,但它仍在水面上快速行驶着。两个人刚开始向岸边游去,就突然惊愕地发现快艇正在转着圈行驶,它现在正以惊人的速度直冲他们驶来。不到1分钟的工夫,它从离他们只有几英尺远的地方呼啸着驶了过去。快艇过去之后,他们以最快的速度向前游去,因为他们知道快艇马上就要转回来。他们刚刚来得及游出危险区,快艇就又转完了一圈。然而这一次它的速度慢多了。汽油几乎已经用光。没过多久,噪音便彻底消失,快艇开始在水面上慢悠悠地漂。
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150215/782171.html
'At the time the murder was committed, I was travelling on the 8 o'clock train to London,' said the man.
'Do you always catch such an early train?' asked the inspector.
'Of course I do,' answered the man. 'I must be at work at 10 o'clock. My employer will confirm that I was there on time.'
'Would a later train get you to work on time?' asked the inspector.
'I suppose it would, but I never catch a later train.'
'At what time did you arrive at the station?'
'At ten to eight. I bought a paper and waited for the train.'
'And you didn't notice anything unusual?'
'Of course not.'
'I suggest,' said the inspector, 'that you are not telling the truth. I suggest that you did not catch the 8 o'clock train, but that you caught the 8:25 which would still get you to work on time. You see, on the morning of the murder, the 8 o'clock train did not run at all. It broke down at Ferngreen station and was taken off the line.'
“在凶杀发生的时候,我正坐在8点钟开往伦敦的火车上。”那人说。
“您总是赶这样早的火车?”探长问。
“当然是的,”那人回答。“我必须在10点钟上班,我的雇主会证明我是按时到了那儿的。”
“晚一点儿的车也能送您按时上班吗?”
“我认为可以,但我从来不乘晚一点儿的车。”
“您几点钟到的火车站?”
“7点50分。我买了张报纸,等着车来。”
“您没有注意到有什么异常情况发生吗?”
“当然没有。”
“我提醒您,”探长说,“您讲的不是实话。您乘的不是8点钟的火车,而是8点25分的,这次车同样能使您按时上班。您看,在凶杀发生的那天早晨,8点钟的那次车根本没有发。它在芬格林车站出了故障而被取消。”
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150215/782172.html
Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives. However, rescue operations are proving difficult. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.
6个人被困在矿井里已有17个小时了。如果不把他们尽快救到地面上来,他们就有可能丧生。然而,事实证明营救工作非常困难。如果用炸药爆破,震动会引起矿顶塌落。因此,营救人员在矿井的北侧钻了一个洞。他们准备用一种特制的容器把这6个人救上来。如果不是因为土壤下面有一层坚硬的岩石,他们的营救工作仅用几个小时就可以完成了。实际情况是,他们已连续钻了16个小时了,但离钻透还早着呢。与此同时,两个小时以前放下井去的一只麦克风使井下的人可以与其亲属保持联系。虽然他们的食物和饮料都快消耗尽了,但这些人的心情很好,坚信他们很快就会出去。他们一直被告知营救工作进行得非常顺利。如果他们知道了钻透那坚硬的岩石有多么困难,他们会丧失信心的。
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150215/782173.html
People will do anything to see a free show -- even if it is a bad one. When the news got round that a comedy show would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company, we all rushed to see it. We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have been several hundred people present just before the show began. Unfortunately, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen. Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed, as many of the artistes who should have appeared did not come. The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at the beginning of the programme. He was obviously very nervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone burst out laughing. We all know what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was: 'This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen!"
人们总要想尽办法看不花钱的演出——哪怕是拙劣的演出。当“皮尤”鸟食公司将在我们当地影院演出喜剧节目的消息传开后,我们都赶紧跑去观看。我们不得不排了好几个小时才进得场去。在演出开始前场内肯定已有好几百人了。不幸的是,这次演出是我们看过的最乏味的演出了。那些没能进到场内的人没有必要感到失望,因为很多应该出场的专业演员都没有来。那天晚上唯一有趣的事情是节目开始时那个报幕员的开场白。他显然非常紧张,局促不安地在麦克风前站了好几分钟。但他刚一开口说话,人们便哄堂大笑起来。我们都明白那个可怜的人应该说些什么,而他实际说的却是:“这是‘浦伊’鸟食公司,好女士们,晚上和先生们!”
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150215/782174.html
Fish and chips has always been a favourite dish in Britain, but as the oceans have been overfished, fish has become more and more expensive. So it comes as a surprise to learn that giant fish are terrifying the divers on North Sea oil rigs. Oil rigs have to be repaired frequently and divers, who often have to work in darkness a hundred feet under water, have been frightened out of their wits by giant fish bumping into them as they work. Now they have had special cages made to protect them from these monsters. The fish are not sharks or killer whales, but favourite eating varieties like cod and skate which grow to unnatural sizes, sometimes as much as twelve feet in length. Three factors have caused these fish to grow so large: the warm water round the hot oil pipes under the sea; the plentiful supply of food thrown overboard by the crews on the rigs; the total absence of fishing boats around the oil rigs. As a result, the fish just eat and eat and grow and grow in the lovely warm water. Who eats who?
油煎鱼加炸土豆片一直是英国人喜爱的一道菜,但是随着海洋里的滥捕滥捞,鱼已经变得越来越昂贵。因此,听说北海石油钻井平台上的潜水员受到巨型鱼类的恐吓,确实很让人吃惊。钻井平台需要经常修理,潜水员常常要在水面100英尺以下摸黑工作,他们曾在工作时被撞到他们身上的大鱼吓得惊惶失措。现在他们有了特制的笼子,用来保护他们免受大鱼的侵袭。这些鱼并不是鲨鱼或逆戟鲸,而是深受人们喜爱的食用鱼品种,如鳕鱼和鳐鱼,只不过它们长得出奇地大,有时长达12英尺。这些鱼能长得这么大是由3个因素造成的:海底热的输油管道附近的温暖的海水;钻井平台工作人员抛到海里充足的食物;钻井平台周围根本没有捕鱼船只。结果是,这些鱼就在可爱的温暖的水流中吃呀吃,长呀长。究竟谁吃谁呢?
参考资料:
https://nce.koolearn.com/20150215/782175.html