Lesson 4  Sea stories

1. About three years ago, something terrible happened to me .

三年前，我遇上了一件可怕的事。

大概三年前，我遇上了一件可怕的事。

2. One day, my two brothers and I were coming back from the islands, our boat full of fish.

那一天，我和我的两个兄弟从海上打渔归来，船上载满了鱼。

一天，我和两个兄弟从海岛返回，船上装满了鱼。

3. An enormous wave covered our boat and my younger brother fell into the sea.

一个巨浪劈头盖脸地向我们的小船扑来，小弟弟落水了。

一个巨浪倾覆了我们的渔船，我弟弟掉下了海里。

4. It may seem strange, but at that moment, when we were on the edge of the whirlpool, I felt calmer than when we were moving towards it.

  看起来像是有点怪，，就在我们靠近漩涡边缘的那一刻，我的心情比向它驶近时平静。

也许（您觉得）奇怪，但就在我们到了漩涡边缘的那一刻，我倒比我们靠近它时还要镇定。

5. Suddenly, we went over the edge.

我们猛然间到了边缘。

突然，我们旋进了漩涡边缘。

6. The boat was on the inside of the huge whirlpool and we were going round in circles at great speed.

当船进入巨大漩涡内部时，我们在漩涡里飞速地旋转着。

船漂转在大漩涡的里面，我们在高速地旋转着。

7. I noticed that the heavier objects went down more quickly than the smaller, lighter ones.

我发现重物比轻物下降得快得多，

我注意到较重物比又小又轻的物体下沉的速度快。

8. So I tied myself to a barrel to help me float.

于是我把自己捆在一个木桶上，使我在水上漂浮。

于是，我把自己捆在一个木桶上以助我漂在水面之上。

9. I tried to make my brother understand, but he was terrified and stayed in the heavy boat.

我努力使哥哥明白这一点，但他那时太恐惧了，呆坐在沉重的木船里。

我竭力让哥哥明白（我的做法），但他害怕（不敢学我），就呆在沉重的渔船上。

10. Without waiting, I divided into the sea to try and escape.

刻不容缓，我潜入海里设法逃生。

我没有等他，跳进海里，拼命逃生。

11. As you can see, I did escape.

如你所见，我的确得救了。

如你所见，我真的幸免于难。

12. Soon afterwards, the whirlpool became less violent.

很快，漩涡变得更加猛烈。

随后不久，漩涡渐渐平息。

13. Then the sky was clear, the wind calmer and the moon was shining.

后来，天晴了，风静了，月光在闪烁。

后来，天空放晴，风势渐缓，皓月当空。

14. In the end, a boat picked me up.

最后，一艘船把我救上来。

最后，一条渔船把我捞了上来。

15. Now I have told you, and I cannot expect you to believe me more than the fishermen did.

当然，我也没期盼你会相信多少。

现在，我给你讲完了我的经历，不过，我没指望你比那些渔夫更相信我。

16. Adapted from A Descent into the Maelstrom by Edgar Allan Poe

摘自艾德加·爱伦·坡的《身陷大漩涡》

改编自埃德加·爱伦·坡的《身陷大漩涡》