Lesson 28 Countryman’s Creed 乡下人的信条

No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight; the varieties are infinite, but two classes may be roughly seen. Any ship that crosses the pacific is accompanied for many days by the smaller albatross, which may keep company with the vessel for an hour without visible or more than occasional movement of wing. The currents of air that the walls of the ship direct upwards, as well as in the line of its course are enough to give the great bird with its immense wings sufficient

sustenance and progress. The albatross is the king of the gliders, the class of fliers which harness the air to their purpose, but must yield to its opposition. In the contrary school the duck is supreme. It comes nearer to the engines with which man has 'conquered' the air, as he boasts. Duck, and like them the pigeons, are endowed with steel-like muscles, that are a good part of the weight of the bird, and these will ply the short wings with irresistible power that they can bore for long distances through an opposite gale before exhaustion follows. Their humbler followers, such as partridges, have a like power of strong propulsion, but soon tire. You may pick them up in utter exhaustion, if wind over the sea has driven them to a long journey. The swallow shares the virtues of both schools in highest measure. It tires not nor does it boast of its power; but belongs to the air, travelling it may be six thousand miles to and from its northern nesting Home feeding its flown young as it flies and slipping through a medium that seems to help its passage even when the wind is adverse. Such birds do us good, though we no longer take omens from their flight on this side and that, and even the most superstitious villagers no longer take off their hats to the magpie and wish it good-morning.

New words and expressions 生词短语

infinite a. 无穷的，无限的

infinitive n. 不定式

A: finite a. 有限的;measurable a. 可测量的

S: fathomless a. 深不可测的; fathom n. 长度单位，旬;v. 测量深度

immeasurable a. 可测量的 另有：endless / boundless… infinite power /energy

albatross n. 信天翁white seabird

direct vt. 指向

Eg: He directed me the way to success. (他给我指明了成功之路。)

Can you direct me to NOS? director 导演

sustenance n. 支撑力sustain v.

Eg: The tree can’t sustain its branches. (这棵树支撑不了它的枝干了。)

He has a big family to sustain. (他要养活一大家子人。)

sustainable a.sustainable development strategy 可持续发展战略

glider n. 滑翔者

harness vt. 利用(formal)

S: use / make use of / utilize / exploit

harness solar energy 利用太阳能

to yield to 顺着，屈服于

Eg: He yields to persuasion / despair / temptation.

S: submit to / give in to / surrender to

Eg: Turtle submit to all kind of indignities.

school n. 类，群，队

多指 sea animal / fish / shoalschool 流派;schools of thought 思想流派

one hundred flowers blossom and one hundred schools contend. 百花齐放，百家争鸣

boast vi. 自夸

endow vt. 赋有

be endowed withEg: He is endowed with gift/talent/power/strength/courage.

ply v. 不断地供给

bore vi. 穿越 to bore through the air. 穿越大气层

gale n. 大风

exhaustion n. 精疲力竭

Eg: I am exhausted. / I am dead tired. / I am dog tired.

S: worn out / spend / waste / drained

humbler a. 较低级的

原型：humble

Eg: I am a humble person.

He is humble before his boss.

源于 umble(French): the meat of dear

eat umble pie = eat humble pie (狩猎后供仆人吃的)内脏做的煎馅饼

S: lick the dust 卑躬屈膝

Eg: He eat humble pie. 他忍辱负重。

S: inferior a. 下等的Inferior to sb.

partridge n. 鹧鸪

utter a. 完全的

Eg: He is an utter liar. 他纯粹是个骗子。

utterance 口头语;sentence 书面语

S: completely / sheer

share vt. 有

flown a. 刚出巢的 fly / flew / flown

Eg: I am flown. 我还是新手。

S: fledging

slip vi. 滑行

adverse adj. 逆的，相反的

adverse wind 逆风;A: favorable wind 顺风 S: unfavorable wind

Eg: I went Home with adverse wind.

adverse environment = adversity n. 逆境 Eg: Adversity makes a man. 逆境出人才。

adversary n. 对手 creed n. 信仰

Notes on the text 课文注释

No two…此句：

No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight;= There are no two sorts of birds

practise quite the same sort of flight

practise flight = fly

practise flight 飞行;practise law 当律师;practise Medicine 当医生

Eg: No two birds fly in the same way.

No two man are the same.

varieties：kinds

two classes may be roughly seen (passive) = we can see roughly two kinds

Any ship…此句：

accompanied ：followed

keep company 与……为伴Eg: I keep company with him.

vessel ：big ship

原意：sth. to hold waterwithout more than occasional = occasional

The currents…此句： The currents … of its course

整个句子做主语

currents 气流

walls of the ship 船舷

direct 导向

as well as 与 upwards 并列in the line 沿着某条线走

its course

its 指代 currents of air; course 航程

are enough to give great bird ：albatross with its immense wings…做后置定语，修饰 bird新概念英语第三册mp3

The albatross…此句：

Eg: Lion is the king of beast.

同位语从句：the class of fliers…

yield to 屈服opposition 逆风

In the…此句：

supreme 首屈一指roast duck 烤鸭

It comes…此句：

comes nearer to ：similar toplane / gravity

Ducks…此句：

good part ：bid / important part

irresistible power 无尽的力量

bore…through 穿越 opposite gale 逆风

before exhaustion follows 直到最后精疲力竭

Eg: I work before darkness comes / exhausted.

until its dark… 直到……为止

Their humbler…此句：

前两类鸟飞别为：albatross，Ducks;第三类鸟为：their humbler followers：partridges

like power

like 的词性可以为 prep. / v. / adj. 此处位 adj.

S: similar / alike (可做表语)

Eg: They have alike appearance. (错)They have similar apperance.

propulsion / propel ：to push / propeller / rocket

You may…此句：

in utter exhaustion 在完全疲惫的状态 (介词短语)

When they are utterly exhausted (时间状语)

Eg: We have to undertake a hard journey in seeking truth.

We have to undertake a hard journey when we try to seek truth.

The swallow…此句：

swallow 燕子

virtues ：good points / merits / advantages

in highest measure / to the highest degree 最大程度的

in a measure / in some measure / to some degree 在某种程度上

Eg: He resembles his mother in a / some / highest measure.

It tires not…此句：

tires not (古英语用法) = does not tire

Eg: I work not. = I don’t work.

boast 夸耀

travelling…伴随状态

travel…to / travel…from / travel to and from

it may be 做插入语，“也许”

feeding 喂养

slipping

travelling / feeding / slipping 并列结构，表示伴随状态

medium ：layer of air 大气层

passage 通过

the passage of time 时光流逝

do us good 对我们有好处

insect killer / locust 蝗虫 / cicada 蝉 / grasshopper 蚂蚱

omens 征兆

predication

superstitious 迷信的

magpie 喜鹊

Eg: He is a magpie. 他什么都舍不得扔。

P.S.

crow 乌鸦

Eg: He is a crow. 他特罗嗦。

wild geese 大雁

swan 天鹅 / swan lake 天鹅湖