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一个寒冷的冬夜，怀特先生的老友莫里斯，一位曾在印度服过兵役的军官，突然造访，还带来了一只晒干的神秘猴爪，在怀特家掀起了波澜，这只猴爪有何神秘之处呢？
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本章重点单词讲解
本章外教原文朗读
Without , the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnum Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly .Father and son were at chess; the former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical changes , putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire.
“ Hark at the wind,”said Mr.White, who, having seen a fatal mistake after it was too late, was amiably desirous of preventing his son from seeing it.
文段精读
故事开始于一个又湿又冷的寒夜。without在这里是副词，指的是“外面、户外”的意思。在拉波诺姆·维拉镇上的一间小客厅里，窗帘紧闭，炉火熊熊。这个段落中，blinds指“窗帘”，关于窗帘还有一种表达——shutter，这种表达曾出现在本系列另一本英文小说《福尔摩斯探案之斑点带子案》中，更着重强调的是“百叶窗”。
客厅内一家三口其乐融融。父亲老怀特和儿子在下棋，有一步不慎走错，为了转移儿子注意力，便说道：“Hark at the wind.”hark指“听”的意思，与常用的listen不同的是，这个词一般在过去的诗中频繁出现，因本篇小说写于19世纪，所以用词也比较古典。
·
adv.
明亮地
·
v.
拥有
·
v.
使陷入
·
adj.
根本的
·
巨变
·
adj.
不必要的
·
v.
引起
·
v.
针织
·
adj.
导致失败的
·
v.
阻止
“I’m listening,”said the latter , grimly surveying the board as he stretched out his hand .“ Check .”
“I should hardly think that he'd come tonight,”said his father, with his hand poised over the board.
“ Mate ,”replied the son.
“That's the worst of living so far out,” bawled Mr.White, with sudden and unlooked-for violence ;“of all the beastly , slushy ,
文段精读
这时，儿子显然没有中父亲的招，说：“我在听呢。”the latter表示“后者”，在此处指儿子。老怀特说：“我几乎不信他今晚会过来。”显然，他们是在等着什么人。本段中出现的check、mate需结合上下文来看，父子俩在下象棋，check在国际象棋中可译为“将军”，mate译为“将死”。
老怀特输了棋，心情不佳，抱怨着居住环境的恶劣，slushy表示“泥泞的”。再看两个单词slip（滑倒）和slither（爬行）。这三个词都是以sl开头。我们可以联想到，一条刚下过雨雪的泥泞小路，走上去一定很滑，所以slushy包含“滑”的意象。slip本身就表示“滑倒”，slither表示“爬行”，也包含“滑”的意象。由此可见，sl这个字母组合含有“滑”的意思。此外，它还有“慢”的意思，比如slow。还有一个词能体现这种含义，在《西游记》英文版里，唐僧骂孙悟空是slacker（懒鬼）。
·
v.
伸出
·
伸出（某人的）手
·
v.
（使）悬浮
·
v.
大叫
·
adj.
没有预料到的
·
n.
激烈
·
adj.
野蛮的
out-of-the-way places to live in, this is the worst. Pathway ’s a bog , and the road's a torrent .I don't know what people are thinking about.I suppose because only two houses in the road are let , they think it doesn't matter.”
“Never mind, dear,”said his wife soothingly;“perhaps you'll win the next one.”
Mr.White looked up sharply , just in time to intercept a knowing glance between mother and son.The words died away on his lips, and
文段精读
老怀特抱怨了这里恶劣的环境后，说因为只有两家在这里租了房子，所以环境才没人管。这里“租”使用的不是我们常用的rent，而是let。动词let除了表示与“让”相关的释义，例如let me go，也包含了“租”的意思，主要指出租房屋或土地。在英国伦敦街头，常常会看到街道的一些建筑上挂着TO LET的牌子，就表示“有房/楼出租”。
这时候妻子过来打圆场，让丈夫不要在意，安慰他或许下一盘棋能赢。老怀特抬头时，看到了母子间心照不宣地交换了一个眼神。这里“心照不宣的”的表达是knowing，“眼神”的表达是glance，这个词一般译作“（匆匆）一瞥”。
·
adj.
偏僻的
·
n.
路，道
·
n.
沼泽；泥塘
·
n.
激流，湍流
·
adv.
急剧地；锐利地
·
v.
拦截，阻截
·
消失
he hid a guilty grin in his thin grey beard .
“There he is,”said Herbert White, as the gate banged loudly and heavy footsteps came toward the door.
The old man rose with hospitable haste , and opening the door, was heard condoling with the new arrival.The new arrival also condoled with himself, so that Mrs.White said,“Tut, tut!”and coughed gently as her husband entered the room, followed by a tall, burly man, beady of eye and rubicund of visage.
“ Sergeant-Major Morris,”he said, introducing him.
文段精读
老怀特察觉自己刚刚有失风度，于是有些内疚，便不好意思地咧嘴一笑。grin表示“咧嘴一笑”，这个词在《哈利·波特》原著中也出现过，所以如果能在词汇上做到融会贯通，在阅读英文原著时也会相对轻松。
这时，门响了，老怀特在等的那位朋友来了，于是他起身匆忙迎接。这里“匆忙”用的是haste而不是常用的hurry。而另一个词hospitable指“好客的、热情的”，它和hospital（医院）很像，医院把病人照顾得无微不至，像对待客人一般，由“医院”联想到“好客的”，所以知道了hospital，那么hospitable这个词便可以轻松掌握。
老怀特介绍来人叫莫里斯，是位退役军官。
·
adj.
内疚的，羞愧的
·
n.
胡须，络腮胡子
·
adv.
温柔地，轻柔地
·
adj.
机警的；晶亮如小珠的
·
n.
军士长
The sergeant-major shook hands, and taking the proffered seat by the fire, watched contentedly while his host brought out drinks and stood a small copper kettle on the fire.
He began to talk, the little family circle regarding with eager interest this visitor from distant parts, as he squared his broad shoulders in the chair and spoke of wild scenes and doughty deeds ; of wars and plagues and strange peoples.
文段精读
老怀特与他相互寒暄一番后，把客人请到家中，引到靠在火炉边的位子上坐下，还拿出酒水招待老朋友。
温馨的氛围令莫里斯放松了下来，他开始滔滔不绝，怀特一家人热情地围在他旁边。这里的“围住”用的是circle，这个词一般用作名词，表示“圆圈”，但在这里用作动词，表示“围住，环绕”。莫里斯感受到这家人的热情，看到这么多听众也很激动，挺直了宽阔的肩膀。这里的“挺直”用的是square，联系前文的circle，两个词作名词时一个是“圆形”，一个是“方形”，在本段中却都变成了动词，一个是“围住”，一个则是“挺直”。在阅读英文原著时我们时常会看到类似的表达，有时名词变动词，有时动词作名词。这种词性的转换，比起平铺直叙的形容，往往更加有画面感。
接着莫里斯讲起了自己当年在印度当兵时的一些见闻和经历。
·
adv.
满足地
·
adj.
铜制的
·
n.
水壶
·
n.
事件，场面
·
n.
功绩
·
n.
瘟疫，传染病
“Twenty-one years of it,”said Mr.White, nodding at his wife and son.“When he went away, he was a slip of a youth in the warehouse. Now look at him.”
“He don't look to have taken much harm,”said Mrs.White politely.
“I’d like to go to India myself,”said the old man,“just to look round a bit, you know.”
“Better where you are,”said the sergeant-major, shaking his head.He put down the empty glass, and sighing softly , shook it again.
“I should like to see those old temples and fakirs and jugglers,”said the old man.
文段精读
老怀特先生感叹时光飞逝，转眼已经二十一年了。多年前，莫里斯只是个瘦瘦的看仓库的小子，结果从印度回来摇身一变，变成一位军官了。这句中的slip，原意是“滑倒”，这里的a slip of a...是一句习语，指的是“瘦削的……”，a slip of youth就是指“瘦瘦的小伙子”。
之后老怀特说：“我真想亲自去印度转转，就只是去看看也行。”莫里斯却告诫他这儿比印度好，然后边叹气边摇杯子，一看就有心事。不过这没能打消老怀特对印度的兴趣，他惦记着古老的寺院、僧人以及杂耍艺人。
·
n.
仓库
·
v.
叹气
·
adv.
轻声地
“What was that you started telling me the other day about a monkey's paw or something, Morris?”
“Nothing,”said the soldier hastily.“ Leastways nothing worth hearing.”
“Monkey's paw?”said Mrs.White curiously .
“Well, it's just a bit of what you might call magic, perhaps,”said the sergeant-major off-handedly .
His three listeners leaned forward eagerly .
文段精读
老怀特顺势提到了莫里斯曾对他说起的“猴爪”。谁知莫里斯听到却一反常态，仿佛急于结束这个话题，说：“至少没什么值得听的”。这里的leastways意思是“至少”，和常用的at least意思相同。怀特太太却来了兴趣，问道：“Monkey's paw？”这位军士长明显不想继续谈这个，不假思索地说道：“这在你们眼里可能就是个小戏法，没什么稀奇的。”off-handedly指的是“不假思索地，立即地”，《哈利·波特与阿兹卡班囚徒》英文原著当中也用过这个词，当时哈利·波特正和罗恩讨论小天狼星越狱潜逃的事情，马尔福走来，询问哈利·波特是否想单枪匹马抓住小天狼星，哈利·波特不假思索地给了他肯定的答复。
但怀特一家三口却更想听了，急得身子都往前倾。
·
adv.
好奇地
·
v.
（身体）倾斜
·
adv.
急切地
The visitor absent-mindedly put his empty glass to his lips and then set it down again.His host filled it for him.
“To look at,”said the sergeant-major, fumbling in his pocket,“it's just an ordinary little paw, dried to a mummy .”
He took something out of his pocket and proffered it.Mrs.White drew back with a grimace , but her son, taking it, examined it curiously.
文段精读
莫里斯心不在焉，杯子到了唇边才发现杯中空空如也。老怀特赶紧给他满上。这里通过空酒杯的描写，巧妙地表现出猴爪被怀特夫妇一再提及后，莫里斯心态的几次变化。
莫里斯知道躲不过，便在衣袋里摸索着掏出了一只普通的、被晒成干的小爪子，这里的mummy不是“妈妈”的意思，而是指“木乃伊”。莫里斯将猴爪展示给好奇的夫妇俩。怀特夫人或许被吓到了，面部扭曲，向后退了一下，她的儿子却饶有兴趣地拿起观察。grimace指的是“鬼脸；脸部扭曲”，对比常见的表示“做鬼脸”的make a face或者make faces，grimace既可以表示名词“鬼脸、怪相”，又可以用作动词，表示“皱着眉头，作怪相”，一般用来表现痛苦、厌恶，例如文中的怀特夫人因被猴爪吓到而脸部扭曲。
·
adv.
心不在焉地
·
v.
胡乱摸找
“And what is there special about it?” inquired Mr.White as he took it from his son, and having examined it, placed it upon the table.
“It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,”said the sergeant-major,“a very holy man.He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.He put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it.”
文段精读
回到原文，老怀特接过猴爪看了看，询问它有什么特别之处，随即又把它放置在桌上。这里“放置”没有使用常用动词put，作者雅各布斯选择了常用作名词的place。place在这里用作动词，表示“小心地放置”，动作中少了份惯常的随意，而被灌注了一种谨慎或因不确定而不敢妄动的好奇心，这种情绪层层递进，无形中引得读者对猴爪其物更加好奇。
随后，莫里斯解释道，原来这平平无奇的猴爪上携着一种魔咒，而这魔咒是印度当地一位法力不凡的苦行僧加持其上的，他认为人的命数生而注定，凡想干涉或悖命者无不陷入无尽的痛苦从而不得善终。基于这点，他施了魔咒，使猴爪可以满足三个不同的人分别许下的三个愿望。原文段中“干涉”命运的“干涉”一词，用的是interfere。interfere这个词指的是干涉与你无关的事件，这就恰恰对应上了苦行僧的论调。作者雅各布斯的用词一如前文place般精准且值得反复推敲。
·
v.
询问，打听
·
adj.
神圣的，圣洁的
·
n.
命运
·
adj.
分开的；不同的
His manner was so impressive that his hearers were conscious that their light laughter jarred somewhat.
“Well, why don't you have three, sir?”said Herbert White cleverly.
The soldier regarded him in the way that middle age is wont to regard presumptuous youth.“I have,”he said quietly, and his blotchy face whitened .
文段精读
讲述的过程中，他的神态让人印象深刻，这使怀特一家意识到，他们的轻笑与此时的氛围有些不协调。老怀特的儿子赫伯特接着便询问莫里斯为何不许三个愿望。莫里斯回答赫伯特问题时的态度也非常耐人寻味。“The soldier...youth.”，要准确理解这个长难句，首先要注意that一词，后面引导的定语从句修饰前面的the way（方式），可理解为用“什么样的”方式，这里的“什么样的”就是“中年人看放肆年轻人那样的”，全句可以理解为“莫里斯看待赫伯特就像是中年人看待放肆的年轻人一样”。
当莫里斯回答自己也许过愿时，脸色随之变白了。“变白”对应的词是whiten，即在white后面加上后缀-en，意在表达“使其……”。什么能让在战场摸爬滚打多年的军官莫里斯脸色霎时变白呢？此处又是伏笔。
·
adj.
给人印象深刻的
·
adj.
意识到的
·
v.
震动；不和谐；发出刺耳声
·
v.
把……看作
·
adj.
放肆的
“And did you really have the three wishes granted ?”asked Mrs.White.
“I did,”said the sergeant-major, and his glass tapped against his strong teeth.
“And has anybody else wished?” persisted the old lady.
“The first man had his three wishes.Yes,”was the reply;“I don't know what the first two were, but the third was for death.That's how I got the paw.”
His tones were so grave that a hush fell upon the group.
文段精读
接着儿子的问题，怀特夫人又问莫里斯：“你那三个愿望实现了吗？”，莫里斯给了肯定的答复，但手里的杯子却碰到了他结实的牙上，发出声音。
怀特夫人继续追问是否还有其他人许愿，而这次莫里斯的回答更加具体：“第一个人许了他的三个愿望。是的，不知道前两个是什么，但这个人想实现的第三个愿望就是死掉。而我就是这样得到这个爪子的”。
他的语气如此严肃，以至于大家都默契地陷入沉默。
·
v.
给予，授予
·
v.
坚持
·
n.
语气
·
adj.
严肃的
·
v.
突然降临；来临
“If you've had your three wishes, it's no good to you now, then, Morris,”said the old man at last.“What do you keep it for?”
The soldier shook his head.“Fancy, I suppose,”he said slowly.“I did have some idea of selling it, but I don't think I will.It has caused enough mischief already.Besides, people won't buy.They think it's a fairy tale , some of them; and those who do think anything of it want to try it first and pay me afterward.”
“If you could have another three wishes,”said the old man, eyeing him keenly ,“would you have them?”
文段精读
老怀特接着问莫里斯，既然他已实现了三个愿望，猴爪就对他毫无用处了，为什么还保留着它呢？
莫里斯称自己动过卖了它的念头，但正因为他清楚猴爪的作用，知道它已经造成了那么多的悲剧，所以才异常谨慎。而且不相信猴爪的人们只会以为这是一个童话故事，将信将疑的人们却要先看效果再掏钱。
但莫里斯这么一说，老怀特又问：“如果你还能再许三个愿望，你还会许吗？”老怀特一边问话一边用迫切的目光打量着莫里斯。eye在此处作动词，指“打量”，keenly指“迫切地，热切地”。
·
n.
伤害，麻烦
·
n.
仙子，小精灵
·
神话故事，童话，谎言
“I don't know,”said the other.“I don't know.”
He took the paw, and dangling it between his forefinger and thumb , suddenly threw it upon the fire.
White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off.
“Better let it burn,”said the soldier solemnly .
“If you don't want it, Morris,”said the other,“give it to me.”
文段精读
莫里斯对于这个问题不置可否，他把猴爪放到两个指头中荡了起来，不知他想到了什么，突然把它扔到了火中想烧掉。老怀特一声轻叫，弯下腰迅速把猴爪夺了过来。这里的stoop指“俯身，弯腰”，这个词有时还表示“（猛禽）下扑，猛扑”，另一个常用的表示“弯腰”的词是bend。此时，老怀特对猴爪能够实现三个愿望的说法已经有些相信和心动了，但莫里斯建议还是烧掉它。老怀特却说：“如果你不想要了，就把它给我吧。”
就这样，老怀特怀着对猴爪的极大兴趣，从老友手里得到了它。而得到它后，怀特一家人的命运将发生怎样的逆转？又将会有什么样的剧变在等着这一家人呢？
·
v.
（使）摇晃地悬挂着，提着
·
n.
食指
·
n.
拇指
·
adj.
轻微的，少量的
·
v.
一把抓住，立马夺下
·
adv.
庄严地；严肃地
双语名作一词通 在语境中记单词
glance n. 一瞥 v. 瞥一眼；匆匆一看
1 Mr.White looked up sharply, just in time to intercept a knowing glance between mother and son.
怀特先生突然抬起头，正好看到儿子和妻子交换了一个心照不宣的眼神。
——《猴爪》
2 She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on.
说到这儿，她机敏地朝邓布利多斜瞥了一眼，似乎希望他会告诉她什么，但他没有吱声，于是她接着说。
——《哈利·波特与魔法石》
3 Charlie glanced back over his shoulder and saw the great iron entrance gates slowly closing behind him.
查理回头瞥了一眼，看见巨大的铁门在他身后慢慢关闭。
——《查理与巧克力工厂》
4 However, she could tell at a glance that they were from higher up in the chain of command.
然而，她一眼就看出他们是从更高一级部门来的人。
——《三体》
5 As the woman came out of the hall to welcome them, Pig stole a glance at her with greedy eyes.
只见那妇人出厅迎接，八戒饧眼偷看。
——《西游记》
square v. 挺直（肩膀）
1 He began to talk, the little family circle regarding with eager interest this visitor from distant parts, as he squared his broad shoulders in the chair and spoke of wild scenes and doughty deeds; of wars and plagues and strange peoples.
他开始侃侃而谈，一家三口饶有兴趣地注视着这位远道而来的客人。他在椅子上挺了挺宽阔的肩膀，谈起奇异的景色和英勇的事迹，谈起战争和瘟疫以及陌生的民族。
——《猴爪》
2 Mr.Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing, and disappeared into the darkness.
迪戈里先生挺起肩膀，举起魔杖，大步穿过空地，消失在黑暗中。
——《哈利·波特与火焰杯》
3 Hermione, however, squared her shoulders and marched directly over to where Fred and George now stood with clipboards, closely observing the unconscious first years.
赫敏挺直肩膀，径直冲弗雷德和乔治走去，这会儿他们正拿着带弹簧夹的写字板站在那里，仔细观察那些神志不清的一年级新生。
——《哈利·波特与凤凰社》
4 Once again, all heads turned.Yaxley squared his shoulders.
大家又一次转过头来。亚克斯利挺直了肩膀。
——《哈利·波特与死亡圣器》
place v. （小心或有意）放置，安放
1 “And what is there special about it?”inquired Mr.White as he took it from his son, and having examined it, placed it upon the table.
怀特先生从他的儿子手中拿过猴爪，放在桌子上，仔细查看了一番，问道：“它有什么特别之处吗？”
——《猴爪》
2 And each time he received it, on those marvelous birthday mornings, he would place it carefully in a small wooden box that he owned, and treasure it as though it were a bar of solid gold.
每次在美好的生日早晨收到这样一块巧克力糖时，查理总是把它小心翼翼地放在自己的一个小木盒里，就好像这是一根纯金的金条。
——《查理与巧克力工厂》
3 Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years.
麦格教授在一年级新生面前轻轻放了一个四脚凳，哈利很快收回了目光。
——《哈利·波特与魔法石》
4 He looked back at the parchment, placed the quill upon it once more, wrote I must not tell lies, and felt the searing pain on the back of his hand for a second time.
他低头望着羊皮纸，又把笔尖放在上面，写下了“我不可以说谎”，然后再一次感到手背上灼热般的疼痛。
——《哈利·波特与凤凰社》
5 Will you let me share my knowledge with your students? I place myself and my talents at your disposal.I am yours to command.
你能让我和你的学生分享我之所学吗？我把我自己和我的才能交给你。我听你指挥。
——《哈利·波特与混血王子》
6 Xizi removed the microscope from the droplet and placed it against her space suit visor.
西子把显微镜从水滴上拿起来，放到自己航天服的面罩上。
——《三体之黑暗森林》
interfere v. 干涉
1 “It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,”said the sergeant-major,“a very holy man.He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.He put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it.”
“一位老托钵僧为它施了咒，”军士长说，“他是个圣人。他想要彰显命运支配了人们的生活，而那些干预命运的人会使他们自己遭受不幸。他在它上面施了咒语，这样就能分别满足三个人三个心愿。”
——《猴爪》
2 Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test.
然而，就在考试前的一个星期，哈利不再多管闲事的决心受到了一次意外的考验。
——《哈利·波特与魔法石》
3 “I’m not going to try and interfere ,”said Harry quickly.“But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?”
“我不是要去干预，”哈利忙说，“但如果看不到进展，我们怎么知道什么时候该去拯救小天狼星呢？”
——《哈利·波特与阿兹卡班囚徒》
4 “The Wallfacers?”someone asked in wonder.“Are they going to interfere in space force work?”
“面壁者？”有人很吃惊地问道，“他们要干涉太空军的工作吗？”
——《三体之黑暗森林》
5 “It's not my business,”Scrooge returned.“It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's.”
“这不关我的事，”斯克鲁奇回答说，“对一个人来说，了解自己的事情，并且不干涉别人的事情就足够了。”
——《圣诞颂歌》
6 “Where to?”Monkey replied.“There's nobody to interfere with me here and I’m free to do just as I like.Why should I stop having fun and be a monk? I’m not going.”
行者道：“我往那里去？我这里，天不收，地不管，自由自在，不耍子儿，做甚么和尚？我是不去。”
——《西游记》
stoop v. 俯身；弯腰
1 White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off.“Better let it burn,”said the soldier, solemnly.“If you don't want it, Morris,”said the other,“give it to me.”
老怀特轻轻地叫了一声，弯下身子迅速把它夺了过来。“最好是把它烧了。”军士长（莫里斯）严肃地说。“如果你不要它，莫里斯，”老怀特说，“把它给我吧。”
——《猴爪》
2 Harry, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something.Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and Goyle, and Harry realized that he'd got Riddle's diary.
哈利瞥了一眼，看见马尔福弯腰从地上抓起了什么东西。他坏笑着，把它给克拉布和高尔看。哈利意识到他拿着的是里德尔的日记。
——《哈利·波特与密室》
3 She stooped down, seized one of Dudley's massive arms in her wizened hands, and tugged.“Get up, you useless lump, get up!”
她弯下腰，用皱巴巴的双手抓住达力一条粗大的胳膊，使劲拉着。“起来，你这个没用的傻大个儿，快起来！”
——《哈利·波特与凤凰社》
4 Narcissa gave a little scream of despair and clutched at her long blonde hair.Snape stooped , seized her by the arms, lifted her up, and steered her back onto the sofa.
纳西莎绝望地尖叫了一声，揪着自己金色的长发。斯内普弯下腰，抓住她的胳膊把她扶了起来，让她重新在沙发上坐好。
——《哈利·波特与混血王子》
5 Harry felt dazed.He stooped , picked up the Horcrux, and placed it around his own neck.
哈利心中一片茫然。他弯下腰，拿起魂器，把它挂在自己的脖子上。
——《哈利·波特与死亡圣器》