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He was a son of Zeus and honored by the gods beyond all the other mortal children of Zeus. He was allowed to eat at the gods' table and he became immortal after eating of their food. Later, however, he was condemned to spend eternity in frustration because, some say, he stole nectar and ambrosia from the gods' table, or, others say, he blabbed the table talk of the gods, or, still others say, he served the gods his own son Pelops as food to test their omniscience. Anyway, he was made to stand in water up to his chin. Whenever in tormenting thirst he stooped to drink, he could not reach the water because it receded. Above his head were clusters of luscious fruits. Yet, whenever he stretched out his hand to grasp them, the wind tossed them away beyond his reach. Today, we use the verb “to tantalize” to denote the act of teasing by promising or showing something desirable and then withholding it. [解说] 1. “He was a son of Zeus and honored by the gods beyond all the other mortal children of Zeus”: 他是 Zeus 的一个儿子，而被众神敬重超过所有其它 Zeus 的凡间子女。 “mortal children”: 凡间子女，人的 子女。此指 Zeus 与凡人生的小孩。 注意：凡是人都“mortal”(会死)，所以「凡人」也称之为“mortal”。 2. “He was allowed to eat at the gods' table and he became immortal after eating of their food”: 他被允许与神同桌吃饭，而他在吃到他们的食物之后，变成不会死。 “eat of ...”: 吃到 … 的东西。 3. “Later, however, he was condemned to spend eternity in frustration”: 可是，后来他被判定要在挫折中度过永恒的日子。 4. “because, some say, he stole nectar and ambrosia from the gods' table”:因为 (有些人说) 他从神的餐桌偷走仙露美食。 “nectar”: 神仙的琼浆玉液、甘露仙酒。 “ambrosia”: 神仙的美食。 5. “or, others say, he blabbed the table talk of the gods”: 或 (其它人说) 他泄漏众神的桌边话语。 “blab”: 泄漏，闲谈。 “table talk”: 进餐时之闲谈，桌边话语。 6. “or, still others say, he served the gods his own son Pelops as food to test their omniscience”: 或 (还有其它人说) 他供给众神他自己的儿子 Pelops 当作食物，以便测试他们的全知（是否属实）。 据说：他杀死儿子，煮成食物，供给众神，结果众神之中只有 Demeter 不知而吃下。 7. “Anyway, he was made to stand in water up to his chin”: 总之，人家使他站在水中，水淹到他的下巴。 8. “Whenever in tormenting thirst he stooped to drink, he could not reach the water because it receded”: 每当在折磨人的口渴时，他俯身想喝水，但他却喝不到水，因为水就后退了。 “reach”: 到达，喝到。 “recede”: 撤退，往后跑。 9. “Above his head were clusters of luscious fruits”: 在他的头上有好几串味美的水果。 “cluster”: 串、束。 “luscious”: 甘美的，香郁的。 10. “Yet, whenever he stretched out his hand to grasp them, the wind tossed them away beyond his reach”: 可是，每当他伸手要抓时，风就把它们抛走让他拿不到。 “beyond one's reach”: 使某人到达不了，超越其所及。 11. “Today, we use the verb “to tantalize” to denote the act of teasing by promising or
showing something desirable and then withholding it”: 今日，我们用 “to tantalize” (逗惹，钓胃口) 这个动词去表示「先答应人家或给人家看到可欲求的东西，然后又收回不给」这种捉弄人的动作。
“denote”: 意指。 “withhold”: 抓住不放，拒绝给予。 “tease”: 嘲笑，捉弄。
[复习填充] He was a son of Zeus and honored by the gods beyond all the other m_____ children of Zeus. He was allowed to eat __ the gods' table and he became immortal after eating __ their food. Later, however, he was condemned to spend e_______ in frustration because, some say, he stole n_____ and ambrosia from the gods' table, or, others say, he b_____ the table talk of the gods, or, still others say, he served the gods his own son Pelops as food to test their om______. Anyway, he was made to stand in water up to his ch__. Whenever in tor_____ thirst he stooped to drink, he could not reach the water because it re_____. Above his head were clusters of l______ fruits. Yet, whenever he st_____ out his hand to grasp them, the wind tossed them away beyond his r_____. Today, we use the verb “to tantalize” to denote the act of t______ by promising or showing something desirable and then with_____ it. |
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