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He was a famous soothsayer. He saved and reared two little snakes. Once when he was asleep on a couch, the snakes crept up and licked his ears. He started up in a great fright, but found he could henceforth understand the language of all flying and all creeping creatures. Thus, he learned the art of divination. Once he was imprisoned in a cell by Iphiclus because he had attempted to steal his cattle. He heard the worms there saying that the roof-beam had been almost gnawed through. At once he told his captors the fact. After they moved him elsewhere, the roof fell in and they regarded him as a great diviner. [解说] 1. “He was a famous soothsayer”: 他是个有名的预言者。 “sooth”: 事实。 “soothsayer”: 预言者、占卜者。 注意： “soothe” 为「安慰」。 2. “He saved and reared two little snakes”: 他救了而养了两条小蛇。 据说：小蛇的父母为 Melampus 的仆人所杀。 3. “Once when he was asleep on a couch, the snakes crept up and licked his ears”: 有一次，当他在卧榻上睡觉时，蛇爬上来而舐了他的耳朵。 4. “He started up in a great fright”: 他跳起来大吃一惊。 “start”: 惊跳。 “fright”: 吃惊。 5. “but found he could henceforth understand the language of all flying and all creeping creatures”: 但发觉此后他能听懂所有飞行的以及爬行的动物的语言。 “henceforth”: 此后。 6. “Thus, he learned the art of divination”: 就这样，他学会了占卜术。 “divine, divination”: 预言，占卜，推测。 7. “Once he was imprisoned in a cell by Iphiclus because he had attempted to steal his cattle”: 有一次，他被 Iphiclus 囚禁在一个囚房里，因为他曾企图偷他的牛。 “cell”: 囚房。 8. “He heard the worms there saying that the roof-beam had been almost gnawed through”: 他听到虫在那里说：屋梁已经几乎要被咬穿了。 “beam”: 梁。 “gnaw”: 咬，侵蚀。 9. “At once he told his captors the fact”: 他立刻告诉俘虏他的人那个事实。 “captor”: 擒获者，俘虏者，囚禁者。 10. “After they moved him elsewhere, the roof fell in”: 他们把他移到别处以后，那屋顶就陷进来。 11. “and they regarded him as a great diviner”: 而他们就视他为伟大的预言家。 [复习填充] Melampus was a famous s______. He saved and r_____ two little snakes. Once when he was asleep on a c____, the snakes crept up and l_____ his ears. He s______ up in a great fright, but found he could henceforth understand the language of all flying and all creeping c______. Thus, he learned the art of d______. Once he was imprisoned in a c___ by Iphiclus because he had attempted to steal his cattle. He heard the worms there saying that the roof-____ had been almost g______ through. At once he told his c_____ the fact. After they moved him elsewhere, the roof fell ____ and they regarded him as a great d_____ |
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