-
Face To Face
With Hurricane Camille
迎战卡米尔号飓风
约瑟夫
.
布兰克
1
John
Koshak,
Jr.,
knew
Hurricane
Camille
would
be
bad.
Radio
and
television
warnings
had
sounded
throughout
that
Sunday.
Last
August
17,
as
Camille
lashed
northwestward across the Gulf of
Mexico. It was certain to
pummel
Gulfport, Miss.,
where
the
Koshaks
lived.
Along
the
coasts
of
Louisiana,
Mississippi
and
Alabama,
nearly 150,000 people
fled
inland to safer ground.
But like thousands of others in the
coastal
communities,
John
was
reluctant
to
abandon
his
home
unless
the
family
—
his
wife,
Janis
and
their
seven
children,
aged
3
to
11
—
was
clearly
endangered.
小约翰。柯夏克已料到，卡米尔号飓风来势定然凶猛。就在去
年
8
月
17
日
那个
星期天，
当卡米尔号飓风越过墨西哥湾向西北进袭之时，<
/p>
收音机和电视里整天不
断地播放着飓风警报。
柯夏克一家居住的地方一—密西西比州的高尔夫港——肯
定会遭到这场飓风的猛烈袭
击。
路易斯安那、
密西西比和亚拉巴马三州沿海一带
的居民已有将近
15
万人
逃往
内陆安全地带。但约翰就像沿海村落中其他成千上
万的人一
样，
不愿舍弃家园，
要他下决心弃家外逃，
除非等到他的一家人一—妻
子詹妮丝以及他们那七个年龄从三岁到十一岁的孩子一一
眼看着就要灾祸临头。
lash (v.): move
quickly or violently
猛烈冲击；拍打
pummel (n.): beat or hit with repeated
blows
，
esp
．
with the fist(
尤指用拳头
)
连
续地打
2
Trying to
reason out
the
best
course of action
, he
talked with his father and mother,
who
had
moved
into
the
ten-room
house
with
the
Koshaks
a
month
earlier
from
California.
He
also
consulted
Charles
Hill,
a
longtime
friend,
who
had
driven
from
Las Vegas for a visit.
为了找出
应付
这场风灾的
最佳对策
，
他与父母商量过。
两位老人是早在一个月前
就从加利福尼亚迁到这里来，
住进柯
夏克一家所住的那幢十个房间的屋子里。
他
还就此
征求
过从拉斯韦加斯开车来访的老朋友查理
希尔的意见。
course
(n.): a way of
behaving
；
mode 0f
conduct
行为；品行；做法
reason out
: to find out an
explanation or solution to a
problem
，
by thinking of
all the
possibilities
寻找解决途径
例：
Let's reason this out
instead of quarrelling
．让我们不要争吵，商量出事情的解<
/p>
决方案
3
John
,
37
—
whose business was right
there in his home (he designed and developed
educational
toys
and
supplies
,
and
all
of
Magna
Products’
correspondence,
engineering drawings and art work were
there on the first
floor)
—
was
familiar with
the
power
of
a
hurricane.
Four
years
earlier
Hurricane
Betsy
had
demolished
his
former home a few miles
west of Gulfport (Koshak had moved his family to a
motel
for
the
night).
But
that
house
had
stood
only
a
few
feet
above
sea
level.
“We’re
elevated
23
feet,” he told his father, “and we’re
a
good
250 yards from the sea. The
place has been here since 1915, and no
hurricane has ever bothered it. We’ll probably
be as safe here as
anyplace
else.”
1
约翰的全部产业就在自己家里
(
他开办的玛格纳制造
公司是设计、研制各种教育
玩具和教育用品的。公司的一切往来函件、设计图纸和工艺模
具全都放在一楼
)
。
37
岁的他对飓风的威力是深有体会的。四年前，他原先拥有的位于高尔夫港以
西
几英里外的那个家就曾毁于贝翠号飓风
(
那场风灾前夕柯夏克已
将全家搬到一
家汽车旅馆过夜
)
。不过
，当时那幢房子所处的地势偏低，高出海平面仅几英尺。
“我们现在住的这幢房子高了<
/p>
23
英尺，
’他对父亲说，
“而且距离海边足有
250
码远。这幢房子是
1915
年建造的。至今还从未受到过飓风的袭击。我们呆在这
儿恐怕是再安全不过了。
”
a good
: at least
，
full
至少，最少
例：
They waited a good eight h
ours
他们等了至少
8
个小时。
demolish
(v.):
pull down
．
tear
down
，
or smash to pieces (a b
uilding
，
etc
．
)
，
destroy
：<
/p>
ruin
拉倒；打碎；拆毁；破坏；毁灭
motel
(n.):a hotel intended
primarily for those traveling by car, usually with
direct access from each room to an area
for cars
汽车游客旅馆
4
The
elder
Koshak,
a
gruff
,
warmhearted
expert
machinist
of
67
agreed.
“We
can
batten
down and
ride it out
,” he said. “If we see signs
of danger, we can get out before
dark.”
老柯夏克
67
岁．是个语粗心慈的熟练机械师。他对儿子的意见表示赞同。
“我们是可以严加防卫。
度过难关的，
”他说
?
“一但发现危险
信号，我们还可以
赶在天黑之前撤出去。
”
gruff (adj.): rough or
surly in manner or
speech
；
harsh and throaty
；
hoarse
粗
暴的
，粗鲁的；粗哑的。嘶哑的
batten (n.):
fasten with battens
用压条钉住
(
或固定
)
5
The
men
methodically
prepared
for
the
hurricane.
Since
water
mains
might
be
damaged
, they filled
bathtubs and
pails
. A power
failure was likely, so they
checked
out
batteries
for
the
portable
radio
and
flashlights,
and
fuel
for
the
lantern
.
John’s
father moved a small
generator into the downstairs hallway, wired
several light bulbs
to
it
and prepared a connection
to
the refrigerator.
为了对付这场飓风，
几个男子汉有条不紊地做起准备工作来。
自米水管道可能遭
到破坏，
他们把浴盆和提俑都盛满水。
飓风
也可能造成断电，
所以他们检查手提
式收音机和手电筒里的电池
以及提灯里的燃料油。
约翰的父亲将一台小发电机搬
到楼下门厅
里．接上几个灯泡。并做好把发电机与电冰箱接通的准备。
methodically (adv.): orderly
，
systematically
有秩序地；有条理地
main
(n.):
a
principal
pipe,
or
line
in
a
distributing
system
for
water,
gas,
electricity, etc(
自来水，煤气，电等的
)
总管
bathtub (n.): a
tub
，
now usually a bathroom
fixture
，
in which to take a
bath
浴
盆，浴缸
generator (n.): a machine for changing
mechanical energy into electrical
energ
y
；
dynamo
发电机，发动机
6
Rain fell
steadily
that afternoon;
gray clouds
scudded
in from
the Gulf
on the rising
wind.
The family had an early supper. A
neighbor, whose husband was in Vietnam,
asked if she and her two children could
sit out
the storm with the
Koshaks. Another
neighbor
came
by
on
his
way
inland
—
would
the
Koshaks
mind
taking
care
of
his
2
dog?
那天下午，
雨一直下个不停
．
乌云随着越来越猛的暴风从海湾上空席卷而来。
全
家早早地用晚餐。
邻居中一个丈夫去了越南的妇女跑过来。
问她和她的两个孩子
是否能搬进柯夏克家躲避风灾：
另
一个准备向内陆带转移的邻居也跑来问柯夏克
家能否替他照看一下他的狗。
sit out
: stay until
the end of
坐到结束
例：
We forced
ourselves to sit the play
out
．我们强迫自己坐到演出结束
scud
(v.): run or move
swiftly
；
glide or skim along
easily
疾行，飞驰；掠过
7
It grew dark
before 7 o’clock. Wind and rain now whipped the
house. John sent his
oldest son and
daughter upstairs to bring down
mattresses
and
pillows
for the young
children.
He
wanted
to
keep
the
group
together
on
one
floor.
“Stay
away
from
the
windows,” he warned,
concerned about
glass flying
from storm-
shattered
pane
.
As the
wind
mounted
to
a
roar
,
the
house
began
leaking
—
the
rain
seemingly
driven
right
through the walls. With mops, towels,
pots and buckets the Koshaks began a
struggle
against
the
rapidly
spreading water. At 8:30, power failed, and Koshak
turned on the
generator.
不到七
点钟，天就黑了．
，狂风暴雨拍打着屋子。约翰让大儿子和大女儿上楼去
取来被褥和枕头给几个小一点的孩子。他想把全家人都集中在同一层楼上。
“不
要靠近窗户
!
”他警告说，担心在飓风
巾震破的玻璃碎片会飞来伤人。风凶猛地
咆哮起来
?
屋子开始漏雨了??那雨水好像能穿墙透壁，往屋里直灌。一家人都
操起拖
把、毛巾、盆罐和水桶，展开了一场排水战。到八点半钟，电没有了。柯
夏克老爹便启动
了小发电机。
pane (n.):a single
division of a window
，
etc.
，
consisting of a sheet of glass
in a
frame
；
such a
sheet of glass
窗格；窗格玻璃
mattress (n.): a casing of strong cloth
or other fabric filled with cotton
，
hair
，
foam rubber
，
etc
．床垫；褥子
8
The roar of
the hurricane now was
overwhelming
. The house
shook, and the
ceiling
in the living room was falling pieces
by pieces. The French doors in an upstairs room
blew
in
with
an
explosive
sound,
and
the
group
heard
gun-
like
reports
as
other
upstairs windows
disintegrated
. Water rose
above their
ankles.
飓风的咆哮声压倒
了一切。
房子摇晃着，
起居室的天花板一块块掉下来。
楼上一
个房问的法兰西式两用门砰地一声被风吹开了。
< br>楼下的人还听到楼上其他玻璃窗
破碎时发出的劈劈啪啪的响声。积水已经漫到脚踝
上了。
disintegrate (v.):
separate into parts or fragments; break up
< br>；
disunite
分裂，分
解
，裂成碎块
9
Then the front door
started to
break away from
its frame. John and Charlie put their
shoulders
against
it,
but
a
blast
of
water
hit
the
house,
flinging
open
the
door
and
shoving
them
down
the
hall.
The
generator
was
doused
,
and
the
lights
went
out.
Charlie
licked
his lips and shouted
to J
ohn. “I think we’re in real
trouble. That water
tasted
salty.” The sea had reached the house,
and th
e water was rising
by
the minute.
随后，
前
门开始从门框上脱落。
约翰和查理用肩膀抵住¨，
但一股水浪冲
击过
3
来。撞开了大门，把两人都
掀倒在地板上。发电机泡在水里，电灯熄灭了。查理
舔了舔嘴唇，对着约翰大喊道：
“这回可真是大难临头了。这水是咸的。
”海水已
< br>经漫到屋子跟前
,
积水仍不断上涨。
by the minute
: every
minute
，
minute by
minute
一分钟一分钟地
例：
I'm feeling
better by the
minute
．我每分钟都感觉好多了。
blast
(n.): a strong rush
of(air or wind)
一股
(
气流
)
；一阵
(
风
)
douse
(n.):
plunge or thrust suddenly into
liquid
；
drench; pour liquid o
ver
把
…
浸入液体里；使浸透；泼液
体在
…
上
10
“Everybody out
the back door to
the car!”
John
yelled. “We’ll pass
the
children
along between us. Count
them! Nine!”
“都从后
门到汽车上去
!
”
约翰提高嗓门大叫道
。
“我们把孩子
2
们一个个递过去，<
/p>
数一数
!
一共九个
!
”
11
The children
went
from adult to adult
like
buckets in a fire
brigade
.
But the
cars
wouldn’t
start:
the
electrical
systems
had
been
killed
by
water.
The
wind
was
too
strong
and
the
water
too
deep
to
flee
on
foot
.
“Back
to
the
house!”
John
yelled.
“Count the children! Count
Nine!”
孩子们从大人手上像
救
火队
的水桶一样被递了过去。可是汽车不能发动了
?
它的
点火系统被水泡坏了。水深风急。又不可能靠两只脚逃命。
“回屋里去
!
．
'
约翰高
声喊道。
“数一数孩子们。一共九个<
/p>
!
”
brigade (n.): a group of people
organized to function
。。
组
织起来执行某种任务的
)
队
12
As
they
scrambled
back,
John
ordered,
“Everybody
on
the
stairs!”
Frightened,
breathless
and
wet,
the
group
settled
on
the
stairs,
which
were
protected
by
two
interior
walls. The children put the cat,
spooky
, and a box with her
four kittens on the
landing. She
peered
nervously at her
litter
. The neighbor’s dog
curled up
and went to
sleep.
等他们爬着回到屋里
后。约翰又命令道：
“都到楼梯上去
!
，
，于是大家都跑到靠
两堵内墙保护的楼梯上歇着。个个吓得要
命，气喘吁吁，浑身湿透。孩子们把取
名为斯普琪的一只猫和一个装着四只小猫仔的盒子
放在楼梯平台上。
斯普琪心神
不定地打量着自己的幼仔，邻人的
那条狗已蜷起身子睡着了。
scramble (v.):
climb
，
crawl
，
or clamber hurriedly
爬行；攀
(
登
)
litter
(n.): the young borne at one time by a
dog
，
cat or other animal
which
normally bears several young at a
delivery(
狗、猫等多产动物
)
一胎生下的小动物
13
The
wind
sounded like the
roar of a train
passing a few
yards
away. The house
shuddered
and
shifted
on
its
foundations.
Water
inched
its
way
up
the
steps
as
first-floor outside walls
collapsed
. No one spoke.
Everyone knew there was
no
escape
;
they would live or
die in the house.
狂风就像在身边呼啸而过的列车一样发出震耳的
响声，房屋在地基上晃动移位。
一楼的外墙坍塌了，海水渐渐地漫上了楼梯。大家沉默无
语
?
谁都明白现在已是
无路可逃．死活
都只好留在崖子里了。
4
shudder (n.): shake or tremble suddenly
and violently
，
as in horror
or extreme
disgust
震颤，战栗
14
Charlie
Hill
had
more
or
less
taken
responsibility
for
the
neighbor
and
her
two
children. The mother
on the
verge
of panic.
She
clutched
his arm and
kept repeating,
“I can’t
swim,
I can’t swim.”
查理。
希尔对邻家的妇女和她那两个
孩子多少尽了一点责任。
那妇女简直吓昏了
头。她紧紧地抓住他
的胳膊连声叫道：
“我不会游泳，我可不会游泳啊
15
“
You won’t have
to,”
he told her, with
outward calm. “It’s
bound
to end soon.”
“不会
游泳也不要紧
?
”他强作镇定地安慰她道，
．
．一会儿便什么都过去了。
”
16
Grandmother
Koshak
reached
an
arm
around
husband
’s
shoulder
and
put
her
mouth close to his ear.
“Pop,” she said, “I love you.” He turned his head
and answered,
“I love
you”—
and his voice lacked its usual
gruffness.
柯夏克老奶奶伸出胳臂挽住丈夫的肩膀。把嘴凑到他的耳边说，
“老爷子，我爱
你。
”
柯老爹扭过头来也回了一句
“我爱你，
，
一一?说话声已不像平日那样粗声
粗气的厂。
17
John
watched
the
water
lap
at
the
steps,
and
felt
a
crushing
guilt.
He
had
underestimated
the
ferocity
of
Camille.
He
had
assumed
that
what
had
never
happened could not happen.
He
held his head between his
hands
, and silently
prayed
:
“Get us
through this mess, will You?”
约翰望着海水漫过一级一级的台阶，
心里感到一阵强烈的内疚。
都怪他低估了卡
米尔号飓风的危险性，一直认为未曾发生过的事情决不会发生。他两
手抱着头，
默默地祈祷着：
“啊．上帝，保佑我们度过这～难关
吧
!
”
ferocity (n.): wild force or cruelty
；
ferociousness
凶猛；凶恶，
残忍；暴行
18
A moment later, the
hurricane, in one mighty
swipe
, lifted the
entire
roof off the
house and
skimmed
it 40 feet
through the air.
The bottom steps of the
staircase
broke
apart
. One wall began
crumbling
on the
marooned
group.
不一会儿，
?
阵强风掠过，将整个屋顶
卷入空中，抛向
4()
英尺以外。楼梯底层
的几级台阶断裂开来。
有一堵墙眼看着就要倒向这群陷入进退维谷境地的男女老
少。
swipe (n.):a
hard
，
sweeping blow[
口
]
猛击，重击
maroon (av.): leave abandoned
，
isolated
，
or
helpless
使处于孤立无援的处境
19
Dr. Robert H.
Simpson, director of the National Hurricane Center
in Miami, Fla.,
graded
Hurricane Camille as “the greatest
recorded storm ever to hit
a populated
area
in the Western
Hemisphere.” In its
concentrated
breadth
of some
70 miles it
shot out
winds of nearly 200 mph and raised
tides as high as 30 feet. Along the Gulf Coast it
devastated
everything
in
its
swath
:
19,467
homes
and
709
small
businesses
were
demolished
or
severely
damaged
.
It
seized
a
600,000-gallon
Gulfport
oil
tank
and
dumped
it
3.5
miles
away.
It
tore
three
large
cargo
ships
from
their
moorings
and
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
上一篇：政治学专业英语词汇
下一篇：雅思词组及同义词替换