你的行為在汪星人眼裡有多奇葩？

最新 01-19

晚安故事

犯錯是人之常情，

寬恕乃犬類大得。

#6英文 from 00:01 ；中文 from 02:33

每周一、三晚，翻開新的一頁

I had taken to spending the night curled up in one of the tractor tires, and one morning I woke up to find a definite change in the air. It had the smell of a different season about it, and there was a heavy dew on the rubber. Summer was over.

我逐漸習慣了蜷縮在一個拖拉機輪胎里過夜。一天清晨醒來，我發現空氣有了明顯的變化。聞起來有另一個季節的味道，輪胎上也附著一層厚厚的露水。夏天結束了。

I know now, although I didn』t then, that the start of autumn brings out the primitive urge that lurks in the breast of mankind, particularly in my part of the world. Men get together, arm themselves to the teeth, and go forth to do battle with thrushes, rabbits, snipe, or anything else that makes a suspicious sound in the bushes. It has been known for them to shoot each other, which is understandable if you』ve had a disappointing day with the rabbits and want something to take home to the wife. But I digress.

我那時並不知曉，秋季的到來會喚醒人類心中潛伏的原始慾望，尤其是我接觸到的這部分世界。男人們集結起來，全副武裝，去跟畫眉、兔子、沙錐鳥或者其他任何一種在灌木叢中發出可疑之聲的小動物開戰。據說他們還會對彼此開槍。假如你追了兔子一天卻兩手空空，又想帶點東西回家給妻子的話，你就能理解他們的行為了。不過我又跑題了。

I had emerged from my tire, had a stretch, sniffed the breeze, and was expecting another dull day like any other when what I can only describe as an apparition came marching out of the house. It was the one in boots, and instead of his usual vest and moth-eaten trousers, he was arrayed in full jungle camouflage—mottled brown-and-green cap and matching jacket, bandolier of cartridges, a bag slung over one shoulder, a gun over the other, Nimrod the hunter in fancy dress.

話說我當時已經爬出了輪胎，伸了伸懶腰，嗅了嗅微風，正打算像往常一樣無聊度日，卻看見一個幽靈一樣的東西從房中走出來。是那個穿靴男，不過沒穿平日常穿的馬甲和破褲子，而是一身叢林迷彩——斑駁的棕綠色帽子搭配夾克上衣，肩上一邊搭個背包，一邊背了桿槍和一排子彈，活脫脫一個獵手寧錄。

As he came closer, I caught a whiff of stale blood from his bag—a great improvement, I may say, over the familiar bouquet of garlic, tobacco, and sweat—and I sensed that something was up. Sure enough, he untied me and indicated with his boot that I should join him in his van. I realize that this may not sound like the start of a perfect day to you, but I』d been on the end of that rope for months, and so you can imagine that I treated this as a great adventure. There』s a limit to one』s interest in ants, after all.

待他走近，我聞到包上有一股陳血的味道。可以說，比起往日的大蒜味、煙草味和汗味，這已經是莫大的進步了。我感覺到有什麼事要發生。果不其然，他把我解開，用靴子一踹，指示我跳上廂式貨車。我知道這對你來說可能不像是完美一天的開始，但當時我被拴在那個繩上數月之久，可想而知，我竟將之當成一次偉大的冒險。畢竟，任何人對螞蟻再感興趣也都有個限度啊。

So off we went, leaving the road after a while to bump up a rough track before stopping. Nimrod got out but made me stay in the van. I heard barking and poked my nose through the window.

我們驅車離開，不一會兒下了主路。沿著一條崎嶇的小徑顛簸了一陣兒才停下。寧錄下了車，卻讓我待在車上。我聽到狗叫聲，就把鼻子探出窗外。

TIPS

1、原文：I had taken to spending the night curled up in one of the tractor tires, 我逐漸習慣了蜷縮在一個拖拉機輪胎里過夜。

take to doing sth 開始沉湎於，養成..習慣

For instance: 每天早上我都需要一杯咖啡來refresh myself，I』ve taken to having a cup of coffee in the morning.

curl up/be curled up 蜷曲著躺/坐

2、細膩的季節變化描述

原文：It had the smell of a different season about it, and there was a heavy dew on the rubber. Summer was over. 聞起來有另一個季節的味道，輪胎上也附著一層厚厚的露水。夏天結束了。

smell n.氣味

For instance: （1）There was a sweet smell of cakes in the air. 空氣中有一股香甜的蛋糕味。（2）a faint smell of garlic 淡淡的蒜味

後文提到的the familiar bouquet of garlic也表示（熟悉的）大蒜味

3、armed to the teeth 武裝到牙齒；全副武裝

4、Sooff we went, leaving the road after a while to bump up a roughtrack before stopping. 我們驅車離開，不一會兒下了主路。沿著一條崎嶇的小徑顛簸了一陣兒才停下。

go off 離開（尤指去做某事）

For instance: She went off to get some biscuits.

這裡補充一下：down, off, up 等這類副詞以及here和there之後，名詞主語一般置於謂語之後。這類副詞常與come、go、walk等位移動詞連用。若主語為代詞(小說原文中出現的是代詞we)，則不倒裝。例如：( 1 )Here comes a taxi! ( 2) Here it comes.

bump v.顛簸行進(+adv/prep)

For instance: The jeep bumped along the dirt track.吉普車在土路上顛簸著行駛。

5、poke v.露出，探出

補充：poke/stick your nose into sth (informal)多管閑事