新外研版必修一第5单元课文An Encounter with Nature里有一段文字,描写了黄石公园的美景和作者与熊邂逅的惊险场面,让人有身临其境的感受,适合学生背诵学习,并在读后续写中模仿应用。
Last spring in Yellowstone, I followed a path that took me through a dark forest. When I finally stepped out of the trees, the view was breathtaking. An eagle flew over the snow-capped mountains, which were reflected in the still lake below. While I was concentrating on photographing this amazing scene, I suddenly had a feeling that I was being watched. Slowly, and with the camera still held to my eyes, I turned...and froze. Only meters away from me was a bear. With water falling off its thick, brown hair, the bear stared back at me. Time stood still as the bear and I both waited to see who would move first. My legs started shaking. Somehow, I forced my finger to press the button. A second later, the bear turned and ran back into the forest. When I recovered from the shock, I looked at my camera. My most frightening but magical experience was now captured forever in a single image.
1.Last spring in Yellowstone, I followed a path that took me through a dark forest.去年春天,在黄石公园,我沿着一条小路穿过一片黑暗的森林。
follow a path沿着一条小路 follow为熟词生义,沿着(道路、标志等),that引导的定语从句,that代替path在从句中作主语。
2.When I finally stepped out of the trees, the view was breathtaking. 我终于走出树林时,眼前的景色令人叹为观止。
breathtaking adj激动人心的,令人惊叹的;非常糟糕的,令人震惊的(值得学生模仿使用的高级词汇)
3.An eagle flew over the snow-capped mountains, which were reflected in the still lake below.当一只鹰飞过雪山,雪山倒映在下面平静的湖面上。
the snow-capped mountains雪山(非常形象的描述)
which引导的非限制性定语从句,reflect v倒映 still adj平静的
(你的眼前浮现出雄鹰飞过白雪皑皑的高山,雪山倒映在清澈平静的湖面上,及其优美的景色描写)
4.While I was concentrating on photographing this amazing scene, I suddenly had a feeling that I was being watched. 当我专注于拍摄这个惊人的场景时,我突然有一种被监视的感觉。
concentrate on集中精力于;全神贯注于,近义词有focus on,fix one's eyes/attention/mind on,be absorbed in,put one's mind to,put one's heart into等
this amazing scene惊人的场景
that引导定语从句,代替feeling,在从句中作主语,定语从句中的过去进行时非常适合用于场景描写,生动形象。
5.Slowly, and with the camera still held to my eyes, I turned...and froze.相机仍然对着我的眼睛,我慢慢地转过身来,呆住了。
with the camera still held to my eyes为with复合结构,在句中作状语,表达作者当时的动作,与后面的froze非常搭配。
turned 和froze两个动词精准描述了作者当时的动作和状态。(用两个或多个并列动词作谓语表达动作,有极强的表达力,画面感很强。)
6.Only meters away from me was a bear. 离我只有几米远的地方有一头熊。
本句为倒装句,强调Only meters away from me离我只有几米远的地方,更加凸显出当时情况的紧迫感,让读者的心也跟着悬了起来。
With water falling off its thick为with复合结构做状语,stare at盯着看
with复合结构对熊的描写惟妙惟肖,读者好像能看到晶莹的水珠从熊的浓密的毛发上低落下来,太形象了。
8.Time stood still as the bear and I both waited to see who would move first.时间静止了,我和熊都在等着看谁先行动。
still adv静止不动
非常好的心理描写,这种静态中的心里描写更能突出当时作者心中的恐惧,让读者心里为他捏了一把汗。
9.My legs started shaking. Somehow, I forced my finger to press the button. 我的腿开始发抖。不知怎的,我强迫我的手指按下按钮。
从心里的恐惧到身体的发抖,让读者真正感受到了作者当时所处的危险情形。
force sb to do sth强迫某人做某事
10.When I recovered from the shock, I looked at my camera. My most frightening but magical experience was now captured forever in a single image.当我从震惊中恢复过来时,我看了看我的相机。我最可怕但又神奇的经历现在被永远地记录在一张照片里。
shock n震惊,吃惊(吃惊的程度很深,震惊)用在此处非常恰当。
英文解释:a strong feeling of surprise as a result of sth happening, especially sth unpleasant;
frightening but magical experience可怕但又神奇的经历(太贴切的描述)
capture拍摄,录制(熟词生义),从俘获,捕获;夺取等含义而来,此处更加贴切。
参考译文:
去年春天,在黄石公园,我沿着一条小路穿过一片黑暗的森林。当我终于走出树林时,眼前的景色令人叹为观止。一只鹰飞过雪山,雪山倒映在下面平静的湖面上。当我专注于拍摄这个惊人的场景时,我突然有一种被监视的感觉。相机仍然对着我的眼睛,我转过身来,呆住了。离我只有几米远的地方有一头熊。水从它浓密的棕色毛发上落下,熊回头盯着我。时间静止了,我和熊都在等着看谁先行动。我的腿开始发抖。不知怎的,我强迫我的手指按下按钮。一秒钟后,熊转身跑回了森林。当我从震惊中恢复过来时,我看了看我的相机。我最可怕但又神奇的经历现在被永远地记录在一张照片里。