《廊桥遗梦》｜单词注释｜Chapter 4
Ancient
Evenings,
Distant
Music
ancient /'enʃənt/ adj. 古老的
distant /ˈdɪstənt/ adj. 遥远的
1
Now what? thought Francesca. Supper over, sitting there.
2
He
took care of
it.
take care of 处理
3
“How about a walk out in the meadow? It’s cooling down a little.” When she said yes, he reached into a
knapsack
and pulled out a camera,
draping
the
strap
over his shoulder.
knapsack /'næpsæk/ n. 背包
drape /drep/ vt. 将(衣服、织物等)悬挂
strap /stræp/ n. 带子
4
Kincaid pushed open the
back porch
door and held it for her, followed her out, then shut it gently.
back porch 后门廊
5
They went down the
cracked
sidewalk
, across the graveled
farmyard
, and onto the grass east of the machine
shed
.
cracked /krækt/ adj. 有裂纹的
sidewalk /'saɪdwɔk/ n. <美>人行道
farmyard /'fɑrmjɑrd/ n. 农家庭院
shed /ʃed/ n. 棚
6
The shed smelled like warm
grease
.
grease /ɡriːs/ n. 动物油脂
7
When they came to the
fence
, she
held down
the
barbed
wire with one hand and
stepped over
it,
fence /fens/ n. 篱笆
hold down 压制
barbed /bɑrbd/ adj. 有倒钩的
step over 跨过
8
feeling the
dew
on her feet around the thin
sandal
straps.
dew /duː/ n. 露水
sandal /'sændl/ n. 凉鞋
9
He
executed
the same
maneuver
, easily
swinging
his boots over the wire.
execute /ˈeksɪkjuːt/ v. 完成
maneuver /məˈnuːvər/ n. 策略
swing /swɪŋ/ v. 做弧线运动
10
“Do you call this a meadow or a
pasture
?” he asked.
pasture /ˈpæstʃər/ n. 牧场
11
“Pasture, I guess. The cattle keep the grass short. Watch out for their
leavings
.”
leavings /'livɪŋz/ n. 残存物
12
A moon nearly full was coming up the
eastern
sky, which had turned
azure
with the sun just under the horizon.
eastern /'istɚn/ adj. 东方的
azure /ˈæʒər/ adj. 蔚蓝的
13
On the road below, a car
rocketed
past, loud
muffler
. The Clark boy.
Quarterback
on the Winterset team.
Dated
Judy Leverenson.
rocket /ˈrɑːkɪt/ vi. 飞快地移动
muffler /'mʌflɚ/ n. 消音器
quarterback /'kwɔrtɚbæk/ n. (美式足球)(指挥进攻的)四分卫
date /det/ v. 约会
14
It had been a long time since she had
taken a walk
like this.
take a walk 散步
15
After supper, which was always at five, there was the television news, then the evening programs, watched by Richard and sometimes by the children when they had finished their homework.
16
Francesca usually read in the kitchen — books from the Winterset library and the book club she
belonged to
, history and
poetry
and
fiction
— or sat on the front porch in good weather.
belong to 属于
poetry /ˈpoʊətri/ n. 诗歌
fiction /ˈfɪkʃn/ n. 小说
17
The television
bored
her.
bore /bɔːr/ vt. 令人厌烦
18
When Richard would call, “Frannie,
you’ve got to
see this!” she’d go in and sit with him for a while.
have got to 必须
19
Elvis
always
generated
such a
summons
.
Elvis /'elvis/ 埃尔维斯（摇滚明星"猫王")
generate /ˈdʒenəreɪt/ vt. 使形成
summon /ˈsʌmən/ vt. 召唤
20
So did the Beatles when they first appeared on The
Ed Sullivan Show
. Richard looked at their hair and kept shaking his head in
disbelief
and
disapproval
.
Ed Sullivan Show 苏利文秀
disbelief /ˌdɪsbɪ'lif/ n. 怀疑
disapproval /'dɪsə'prʊvl/ n. 不赞同
21
For a short time, red
streaks
cut across part of the sky. “I call that ‘
bounce
,’ ” Robert Kincaid said, pointing upward.
streak /striːk/ n. 条纹
bounce /baʊns/ v. 反弹
22
“Most people put their cameras away too soon.
23
After the sun goes down, there’s often a
period
of really nice light and color in the sky, just for a few minutes, when the sun is below the horizon but bounces its light off the sky.”
period /'pɪrɪəd/ n. (一段)时间
24
Francesca said nothing, wondering about a man to
whom
the difference between a
pasture
and a meadow seemed important,
whom /hum/ pron. (who的宾格)谁
pasture /ˈpæstʃər/ n. 牧场
25
who got excited about sky color, who wrote a little
poetry
but not much
fiction
.
poetry /ˈpoʊətri/ n. 诗歌
fiction /ˈfɪkʃn/ n. 小说
26
Who played the guitar, who earned his living by images and carried his tools in knapsacks. Who seemed like the wind. And moved like it. Came from it, perhaps.
27
He looked upward, hands in his Levi’s pockets, camera hanging against his left hip.
28
“The silver apples of the moon/ The golden apples of the sun.”
29
His
midrange
baritone
said the words like that of a
professional
actor.
midrange /'mid,reindʒ/ n. 适中范围
baritone /'bærə'ton/ n. 男中音
professional /prəˈfeʃənl/ adj. 职业的
30
She looked over at him. “W. B.
Yeats
, ‘The Song of
Wandering
Ængus.’ ”
Yeats /jets/ 叶芝（爱尔兰诗人, 曾获1923年诺贝尔文学奖)
wander /ˈwɑːndər/ v. 流浪
31
“Right. Good
stuff
, Yeats.
Realism
,
economy
,
sensuousness,
beauty, magic.
stuff /stʌf/ n. <非正式>作品
realism /'riəlɪzəm/ n. （艺术、文学中的）现实主义
economy /ɪˈkɑːnəmi/ n. 简练
sensuousness /ˌsensju'ɔsiti/ n. 感性
32
Appeals to
my
Irish
heritage
.”
appeal to 对......有吸引力
Irish /ˈaɪrɪʃ/ adj. 爱尔兰的；爱尔兰人的
heritage /ˈherɪtɪdʒ/ n. 传统
33
He had said it all, right there in five words. Francesca had
labored
to explain Yeats to the Winterset students but never
got through to
most of them.
labor /ˈleɪbər/ vi. 努力
get through to 使理解
34
She had picked Yeats
partly
because of what Kincaid had just said,
partly /ˈpɑːrtli/ adv. 部分地
35
thinking all of those qualities would appeal to teenagers whose
glands
were
pounding
like the high school
marching band
at football
halftimes
.
gland /ɡlænd/ n. 〈解〉腺
pound /paʊnd/ v. 连续轰炸
marching band 奏进行曲作操练表演的乐队
halftime /ˌhɑ:f'taim/ n. 中场休息
36
But the
bias
against poetry they had
picked up
, the
view
of it as a product of unsteady
masculinity
, was too much even for Yeats to overcome.
bias /ˈbaɪəs/ n. 偏见(受个人利益或经验影响的观点。)
pick up 获得
view /vjuː/ n. 观点
masculinity /ˌmæskju'lɪnəti/ n. 男子气
37
She remembered Matthew Clark looking at the boy beside him and then
forming
his hands as if to
cup
them over a woman’s breasts when she read, “The golden apples of the sun.”
form /fɔːrm/ v. （使）出现
cup /kʌp/ vt. 使成杯状
38
They had
snickered
, and the girls in the back row with them
blushed
.
snicker /ˈsnɪkər/ v. 偷笑
blush /blʌʃ/ vi. 脸红
39
They would live with those attitudes all their
lives
. That’s what had
discouraged
her, knowing that,
lives /laɪvz/ n. 生命（life的复数）
discourage /dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒ/ vt. 使气馁
40
and she felt
compromised
and alone,
in spite of
the
outward
friendliness
of the community.
compromise /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪz/ v. 违背(信念)
in spite of 尽管
outward /ˈaʊtwərd/ adj. 表面的
friendliness / ˈfrɛndlɪnɪs/ n. 友善
41
Poets
were not welcome here.
poet /ˈpoʊət/ n. 诗人
42
The people of Madison County liked to say,
compensating
for their own
self-imposed
sense of
cultural
inferiority
, “This is a good place to raise kids.”
compensate /ˈkɑːmpenseɪt/ v. 抵消
self-imposed /ˌsɛlfɪmˈpozd/ adj. 自己强加的
cultural /ˈkʌltʃərəl/ adj. 文化的
inferiority /ɪnˌfɪriˈɔːrəti/ n. 自卑感
43
And she always felt like
responding
, “But is it a good place to
raise
adults?”
respond /rɪˈspɑːnd/ vi. 回答
raise /reɪz/ v. 养育
44
Without any
conscious
plan, they had walked slowly into the
pasture
a few hundred yards, made a
loop
, and were headed back toward the house.
conscious /ˈkɑːnʃəs/ adj. 刻意的
pasture /ˈpæstʃər/ n. 牧场
loop /luːp/ n. 回路
45
Darkness
came about
them as they crossed the fence, with him pushing down the wire for her this time.
come about v. 发生
46
She remembered the brandy. “I have some brandy. Or would you like some coffee?”
47
“Is the possibility of both open?” His words came out of the darkness. She knew he was smiling.
48
As they came into the
circle
inscribed
on grass and gravel by the yard light, she answered, “Of course,” hearing the sound of something in her voice that
worried
her.
circle /'sɝkl/ n. 圆
inscribe /ɪnˈskraɪb/ vt. 雕
worry /ˈwɜ:ri/ v. 使不安宁
49
It was the sound of
easy
laughter in the cafes of Naples.
easy /'izi/ adj. 轻浮的
50
It was difficult finding two cups without some kind of
chip
on them. Though she was sure that chipped cups were part of his life, she wanted perfect ones this time.
chip /tʃɪp/ n. 缺口
51
The brandy glasses, two of them back in the cupboard, turned
upside down
, had never been used, like the brandy.
upside down 电脑
52
She had to stretch on her tiptoes to reach them and was aware of her wet
sandals
and the jeans stretched tight
across
her bottom.
sandal /'sændl/ n. 凉鞋
across /ə'krɔs/ prep. 在......上
53
He sat on the same chair he had used before and watched her. The old ways. The old ways coming into him again.
54
He wondered how her hair would feel to his touch, how the
curve
of her back would fit his hand, how she would feel underneath him.
curve /kɜːrv/ n. 曲线
55
The old ways struggling against all that is learned, struggling against the
propriety
drummed in
by centuries of culture, the
hard
rules of civilized man.
propriety /prəˈpraɪəti/ n. <正式>行为规范
drum in 反复灌输
hard /hɑːrd/ adj. 严厉的
56
He tried to think of something else, photography or the road or covered bridges. Anything
but
how she looked just now.
but /bʌt,bət/ prep. 除…以外
57
But he failed and wondered again how it would feel to touch her skin, to put his
belly
against hers.
belly /ˈbeli/ n. 腹部
58
The questions
eternal
, and always the same. The
goddamned
old ways, fighting toward the surface. He pounded them back, pushed them down, lit a Camel, and breathed deeply.
eternal /ɪˈtɜːrnl/ adj. 永恒的
goddamned /ˈɡɑdˈdæmd/ adj. 该死的
59
She could feel his eyes on her
constantly
, though his watching was
circumspect
, never obvious, never
intrusive
.
constantly /'kɑnstəntli/ adv. 不断地
circumspect /ˈsɜːrkəmspekt/ adj. 谨慎小心的
intrusive /ɪn'trusɪv/ adj. 闯入的
60
She knew that he knew brandy had never been poured into those glasses.
61
And with his Irishman’s sense of the
tragic
, she also knew he felt something about such
emptiness
. Not
pity
. That was not what he was about.
Sadness
, maybe.
tragic /ˈtrædʒɪk/ adj. 悲剧的
emptiness /'ɛmptɪnəs/ n. 空虚
pity /'pɪti/ n. 怜悯
sadness /'sædnis/ n. 悲哀
62
She could almost hear his mind forming the words:
63
the bottle
unopened
, and glasses empty,
unopened /ʌn'opənd/ adj. 未启封的
64
she reached to find them, somewhere north of
Middle River
, in Iowa.
Middle River 中央河(位于美国)
65
I watched her with eyes that had seen a
Jivaro’s
Amazon
Jivaro /ˈhivəˌro/ n. 希瓦罗人[语]
66
and the
Silk Road
with
caravan
dust climbing behind me,
Silk Road /sɪlk/ n. 丝绸之路
caravan /ˈkærəvæn/ n. 旅行队
67
reaching into
unused
spaces of Asian sky.
unused /'ʌn'jʊzd/ adj. 不再使用的
68
As Francesca
stripped
the Iowa
liquor
seal
from the top of the brandy bottle, she looked at her
fingernails
and wished they were longer and better cared for.
strip /strɪp/ vt. 剥去
liquor /ˈlɪkər/ n. 酒
seal /siːl/ n. 密封装置
fingernail /'fɪŋɡɚnel/ n. 指甲
69
Farm life did not
permit
long fingernails. Until now it hadn’t
mattered
.
permit /pərˈmɪt/ vt. 允许
matte /mæt/ v. 要紧
70
Brandy, two glasses, on the table.
71
While she arranged the coffee, he opened the bottle and poured just the right amount into each glass. Robert Kincaid had dealt with after-dinner brandy before.
72
She wondered in how many kitchens, how many good restaurants, how many living rooms with
subdued
light he had practiced that small
trade
.
subdued /səbˈduːd/ adj. 不太响亮、强烈、显著等的
trade /treɪd/ n. 手艺
73
How many sets of long fingernails had he watched
delicately
pointing toward him from the
stems
of brandy glasses,
delicately /ˈd ɛləkətlɪ/ adv. 优美地
stem /stem/ n. （高脚酒杯的）柄脚
74
how many pairs of blue-round and brown-
oval
eyes had looked at him through
foreign
evenings,
oval /ˈoʊvl/ adj. 椭圆的
foreign /ˈfɔːrən/ adj. 外国的
75
while
anchored
sailboats
rocked
offshore
and water slapped against the
quays
of ancient ports?
anchor /ˈæŋkər/ vt. 抛锚
rock /rɑːk/ v. （使）轻轻摇晃
offshore /ˌɔf'ʃɔr/ adv. 离岸地
quay /kiː/ n. 码头
76
The overhead kitchen light was too bright for coffee and brandy.
77
Francesca Johnson, Richard Johnson’s wife, would leave it on.
78
Francesca Johnson, a woman walking through after-supper grass and
leafing
through
girlhood
dreams, would turn it off.
leaf /lif/ vt. 匆匆翻阅
girlhood /'ɡɝlhʊd/ n. 少女时期
79
A candle was
in order
, but that would be too much. He might get the wrong idea.
in order 状况良好
80
She
put on
the small light over the kitchen sink and turned off the overhead. It was still not perfect, but it was better.
put on 打开（设备、装置等）
81
He raised his glass to shoulder level and moved it toward her. “To ancient evenings and distant music.”
82
For some reason those words made her take a
short
,
quick
breath.
short /ʃɔrt/ adj. 呼吸困难的
quick /kwɪk/ adj. 迅速的
83
But she touched her glass to his, and even though she wanted to say, “To ancient evenings and distant music,” she only smiled a little.
84
They both smoked, saying nothing, drinking brandy, drinking coffee.
85
A
pheasant
called from the fields. Jack, the
collie
, barked twice out in the yard.
pheasant /'fɛznt/ n. 野鸡
collie /ˈkɑli/ n. 柯利牧羊狗（原产苏格兰）
86
Mosquitoes
tested
the window screen near the table,
mosquito /məˈskiːtoʊ/ n. 蚊子
test /test/ v. 测试
87
and a single moth,
circuitous
of thought
yet
sure of
instinct
, was
goaded
by the sink light’s possibilities.
circuitous /sərˈkjuːɪtəs/ adj. 迂回的
yet /jɛt/ conj. 但是
instinct /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ n. 本能
goad /ɡoʊd/ vt. 刺激
88
It was still hot, no
breeze
, some
humidity
now.
breeze /briːz/ n. 微风
humidity /hjuːˈmɪdəti/ n. 潮湿
89
Robert Kincaid was
perspiring
mildly
, his top two shirt buttons
undone
.
perspire /pərˈspaɪər/ vi. 出汗
mildly /ˈmaɪldli/ adv. 稍微地
undone /ʌn'dʌn/ v. 解开
90
He was not looking at her directly, though she sensed his
peripheral
vision could find her, even as he seemed to stare out the window.
peripheral /pəˈrɪfərəl/ adj. 周边的
91
In the way he was turned, she could see the top of his chest through the open buttons of his shirt and small
beads
of
moisture
lying there upon his skin.
bead /biːd/ n. 珠子
moisture /ˈmɔɪstʃər/ n. 潮湿
92
Francesca was feeling good feelings, old feelings, poetry and music feelings.
Still
, it was time for him to go, she thought. Nine fifty-two on the clock above the
refrigerator
.
still /stɪl/ conj. 尽管如此
refrigerator /rɪ'frɪdʒəretɚ/ n. 冰箱
93
Faron Young on the radio.
Tune
from a few years back: “The
Shrine
of St. Cecilia.”
tune /tuːn/ n. 歌曲
shrine /ʃraɪn/ n. 神殿
94
Roman
martyr
of the third century
A.D.
, Francesca remembered that.
Patron
saint
of music and the blind.
martyr /ˈmɑːrtər/ n. 殉道者
A.D. abbr. （拉）公元（Anno Domini）
patron /ˈpeɪtrən/ n. 赞助人；保护人；主顾
saint /seɪnt/ n. 圣人
95
His glass was empty. Just as he
swung around
from looking out the window, Francesca picked up the brandy bottle by the
neck
and
gestured
with it toward the empty glass.
swing around 转过身来
neck /nɛk/ n. 颈部
gesture /ˈdʒestʃər/ vt. & vi. 做手势
96
He shook his head. “Roseman Bridge at
dawn
. I’d better get going.”
dawn /dɔːn/ n. 黎明
97
She was relieved. But she sank in
disappointment
. She turned around inside of herself. Yes, please leave. Have some more brandy. Stay. Go.
disappointment /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/ n. 失望
98
Faron Young didn’t care about her feelings. Neither did the moth above the sink. She didn’t know for sure what Robert Kincaid thought.
99
He stood, swung one
knapsack
onto his left shoulder, put the other on top of his
cooler
. She came around the table. His hand moved toward her, and she took it.
knapsack /'næpsæk/ n. 背包
cooler /'kulɚ/ n. (便携式)冷藏箱
100
“Thanks for the evening, the supper, the walk. They were all nice. You’re a good person, Francesca. Keep the brandy toward the front of the cupboard; maybe it’ll work out after a while.”
101
He had known, just as she thought. But she wasn’t
offended
by his words.
offend /əˈfend/ vi. 引起不舒服
102
He was talking about romance, and he meant it in the best possible way. She could tell by the
softness
of his language, the way he said the words.
softness /'sɔftnɪs/ n. 温柔
103
What she didn’t know was that he wanted to shout at the kitchen walls,
bas-reliefing
his words in the
plaster
: “
For Christ’s sake
, Richard Johnson, are you as big a fool as I think you must be?”
What she didn’t know was that he wanted to shout at the kitchen walls, bas-reliefing his words in the plaster: “For Christ’s sake, Richard Johnson, are you as big a fool as I think you must be?”
104
She followed him out to his truck and stood by while he put his gear into it.
105
The collie came across the yard, sniffing around the truck. “Jack, come here,” she whispered sharply, and the dog moved to sit by her, panting.
106
“Good-bye.
Take care
,” he said, stopping by the truck door to look at her for a moment, straight at her.
take care 保重
107
Then, in one motion, he was behind the wheel and
shutting
the door after him. He turned the old engine over,
stomped
at the
accelerator
, and it
rattled
into a start.
shut /ʃʌt/ vt. & vi. 关上
stomp /stɑmp/ v. 重踩
accelerator /ək'sɛlə'retɚ/ n. 加速装置(尤指车辆的油门踏板)
rattle /ˈrætl/ vi. 发出咔嗒咔嗒声
108
He leaned out the window, grinning, “
Tune-up
required, I think.”
tune-up n. 发动机的调整
109
He
clutched
it, backed up, shifted again, and headed across the yard under the light.
clutch /klʌtʃ/ v. 踩汽车离合器踏板
110
Just before he reached the darkness of the lane, his left hand came out of the window and waved back at her. She waved, too, even though she knew he couldn’t see it.
111
As the truck moved down the lane, she
jogged
over and stood in shadow, watching the red lights rising and falling with the
bumps
.
jog /dʒɑːɡ/ vt. & vi. 慢跑
bump /bʌmp/ vi. 颠簸而行
112
Robert Kincaid turned left on the main road toward Winterset, while
heat lightning
cut the summer sky and Jack
slumbered
toward the back porch.
heat lightning 热闪电(常见于夏日傍晚,不伴雷声的)
slumber /ˈslʌmbər/ vi. 睡眠（多指安详地或长时间地睡）
113
After he left, Francesca stood before the
bureau
mirror,
naked
.
bureau /ˈbjʊroʊ/ n. 衣柜
naked /ˈneɪkɪd/ adj. 裸体的
114
Her hips
flared
only a little from the children, her breasts were still nice and
firm
, not too large, not too small, belly slightly rounded.
flare /fler/ vt. 使张开
firm /fɜːrm/ adj. 坚挺的
115
She couldn’t see her legs in the mirror, but she knew they were still good. She should shave more often, but there didn’t seem much point to it.
116
Richard was interested in sex only
occasionally
, every couple of months, but it was over fast,
rudimentary
and
unmoving
, and he didn’t seem to care much about
perfume
or shaving or any of that.
occasionally /əˈkeɪʒnəli/ adv. 偶尔
rudimentary /ˌruːdɪˈmentri/ adj. 基本的
unmoving /'ʌn'mʊvɪŋ/ adj. 不动人的
perfume /pərˈfjuːm/ n. 香水
117
It was easy to get a little
sloppy
.
sloppy /ˈslɑːpi/ adj. 邋遢的
118
She was more of a business partner to him than anything else.
119
Some of her
appreciated
that. But
rustling
yet
within her was another person who wanted to
bathe
and perfume herself…
appreciate /əˈpriːʃieɪt/ vt. 感谢
rustle /ˈrʌsl/ vt. & vi. 发出沙沙的声音
yet /jɛt/ adv. 还
bathe /beɪð/ vi. 沐浴
120
and
be taken
, carried away, and
peeled
back by a force she could sense, but never
articulate
, even
dimly
within her mind.
be taken 被占有
peel /piːl/ vi. 剥落
articulate /ɑːrˈtɪkjuleɪt/ v. 明确表达
dimly /ˈdɪmlɪ/ adv. 朦胧地
121
She dressed again and sat at the kitchen table writing on half
a sheet of
plain
paper.
a sheet of 一张
plain /pleɪn/ adj. 无装饰的
122
Jack followed her out to the Ford pickup and jumped in when she opened the door.
123
He went to the
passenger side
and stuck his head out the window as she backed the truck out of the shed, looking over at her,
passenger side 副驾驶位
124
then out the window again as she drove down the lane and turned right onto the
county
road.
county /ˈkaʊnti/ n. 县
125
Roseman Bridge was dark. But Jack
loped
on ahead, checking things out while she carried a
flashlight
from the truck. She
tacked
the note on the left side of the entrance to the bridge and went home.
lope /loʊp/ vi. (尤指动物)轻跳着奔跑
flashlight /'flæʃlaɪt/ n. 手电筒
tack /tæk/ vt. (用平头钉)钉上
126
