The Folklore#
故事原文#
As Foo recovered, Dolores shared with him the local folklore of her village. She told him about the massive statue of the begetter that stood in the center of the village, and how it was said to bring good luck to those who touched it. She also spoke of the identity of her people, and how they had been studied by ethnographers for generations. Foo listened intently, fascinated by the stories of her culture. One day, while they were exploring the nearby plantation, they became stranded on a parched island. They decided to try trawling for crustaceans to survive. Dolores showed Foo how to catch the triangular, amphibious creatures that lived in clusters. Suddenly, they saw what looked like a phantom beaver in the distance. Foo's heart raced as he realized that they were not alone.
故事翻译#
当 Foo 恢复后，Dolores 与他分享了她村庄的民间传说。她告诉他，村子中央有一个威力惊人的神像，是为了给那些触摸它的人带来好运。她还谈到了她的民族特征，说他们已经被民族学家研究了好几代了。Foo 聚精会神地听着，被她文化的故事所迷住。一天，当他们探索附近的种植园时，他们被困在一座干旱的小岛上。他们决定试着用捕捉甲壳类动物来生存。Dolores 向 Foo 展示了如何抓捕生活在聚集中的三角形的两栖动物。突然，他们看到远处有一只貌似是幽灵的海狸。当 Foo 意识到他们并不孤单时，他的心怦怦直跳。
生词和短语用法分析#
- bestselling: 最畅销的，指某一产品畅销胜过同类产品。例句：This book is the bestselling title of the year in our bookstore.（这本书是我们书店今年最畅销的书）
- identity: 在此指人的身份，国籍，民族等方面的判定。例句：It is essential to carry your identity card with you when traveling in foreign countries.（在外国旅行时携带身份证件非常重要）
- begetter: 在此指建立或创始人，即造物主。例句：The begetter of this idea is my boss.（这个想法的创造者是我的老板）
- uneven：在此指表面不平滑或不均匀。例句：The ground was uneven and rocky.（地面起伏不平，石头很多）
- triangular：三角形的。例句：The warning sign for a yield sign is a triangular shaped symbol.（让路标志的警告标志是三角形的符号）
- cluster：聚集或簇。例句：The grapes on the vine were in tight clusters.（葡萄在藤上集聚成簇）
- pickle：泡菜，指泡在盐水或醋水中加入调味品的腌制菜肴。例句：I love a good pickle with my sandwich.（我喜欢在三明治里配腌制菜生吃）
- parched：极其干燥的。例句：The plants were parched due to the drought.（植物因为干旱而变得极其干燥）
- amphibious：在此指生活在水中和陆地上的动物，例如蛙类。例句：The tortoise is not an amphibious creature, as it cannot live in water.（乌龟不是两栖生物，因为它不能在水中生存）
- massive：庞大的。例句：The elephant is a massive animal.（大象是一种庞大的动物）
- campaigner：在此指长时间从事或推广某一目标的人。例句：She is a passionate campaigner for animal rights.（她是动物权利热情的支持者）
- ethnographer：指研究不同种族、民族、文化、语言等方面的学者。例句：The ethnographer spent years studying the culture of the indigenous tribe.（这位民族学家花费多年进行对原住民部落文化的研究）
- crustacean：甲壳类动物。例句：Lobster is a type of crustacean that is often served in seafood restaurants.（龙虾是一种甲壳类动物，经常在海鲜餐厅供应）
- trawling：在此指勒索、搜索或拖网。例句：The police are trawling the area for any witnesses of the crime.（警察正在这个地区搜索任何目击者的证人）
长难句的语法分析#
- She told him about the massive statue of the begetter that stood in the center of the village, and how it was said to bring good luck to those who touched it.
分析：这是一个并列句，由两个分句组成。第一个分句中有一个定语从句 “that stood in the center of the village”，修饰名词 “the begetter”。第二个分句中有一个 it 作为形式主语，实际上代表前面提到的状态。it was said 为被动语态的被动语态，其中 said 为过去分词。 - Suddenly, they saw what looked like a phantom beaver in the distance. Foo's heart raced as he realized that they were not alone.
分析：这是一个复合句，由两个分句组成。第一个分句中 what looked like a phantom beaver 在句中作为主语，其中 what 引导名词性从句，修饰并替代后面的物品。第二个分句中的 as 是一个连词，引导一个分句，表示 “当… 的时候”，race 在此作为动词，表示 “加速跳动”。