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哈利波特是小学生必读的吗(读哈利波特原著学英语)(1)

故事简介

因为白天遇到的怪事,和家门口那只“阴魂不散”的猫,德思礼先生彻夜难眠。

哈利波特是小学生必读的吗(读哈利波特原著学英语)(2)

图为Dursley一家

原文片段(选自《哈利波特与魔法石》第一章)

He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.

Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.

The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them…

While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden.

Mrs. Dursley洗澡的时候,Mr. Dursely蹑手蹑脚地跑到卧室的窗边,偷偷确认那只猫还在不在。

creep([kriːp]),不及物动词,指“(通常指为避免注意而)缓慢行进,悄悄移动,潜行”(to move slowly, quietly, and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed)。

例:She turned off the light and crept through the door. 她关上灯,悄悄溜出门。

注意:creep的过去时和过去式变化为crept。

peer([pɪr]),不及物动词,指“仔细看,端详;费力地看”(to look carefully or with difficulty)。

例:When no one answered the door, she peered through the window to see if anyone was there. 没有人开门,她就费力地透过窗户朝里望去,看是否有人在。

The Dursleys got into bed.

德思礼夫妇上床睡觉了。

这句话中使用的是get into bed,而非我们常见的go to bed。这两个短语还是有区别的。

get into bed强调的是你躺在床上,盖好被子,但睡没睡觉不一定。就像我们睡前会玩手机,这时就可以使用get into bed。

例:You used to get into my bed and we’d snuggled up. 你总会是爬上我的床,我们抱作一团。

此外,如果get into bed后接上with someone,即get into bed with someone,字面意思是“与某人躺在床上”,作为习语,可以引申为“与……是一伙的”(if one person or group gets into bed with another, they make an agreement to work together)。

例:I didn’t trust Albert because I heard he’s gotten in bed with the mob.我不相信阿伯特,因为我听说他和暴民是一伙儿的。

Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind.

Mrs. Dursley很快就睡着了,但Mr. Dursley却是思来想去地睡不着。

fall asleep,是指“睡着,进入梦乡”(to start to sleep)。

例:I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. 我头一沾枕头就睡着了。

fall asleep也可以用来委婉地表达“死,去世”(to die)。

例:We told the kids the bad news that Pop-Pop fell asleep last night. 我们告诉了孩子们一个不幸的消息,他们的父亲昨晚去世了。

lie awake则是fall asleep的反义词,即“睡不着觉”(lie without sleeping)。

例:While the people sleep, I lie awake. 众人皆睡,我独醒。

turn over sth的意思是“反复思考某事”(to ponder or consider something)。

例:I’ve been turning over their job offer for days, but I still haven’t made a decision. 对于他们提供的工作,我已经考虑好多天了,但还是没有做决定。

The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind…

Mr. Dursley很担心白天发生的怪事与Potter家有关,但转念一想,Potter夫妇应该知道会知趣地不来找他们麻烦。

在这句话中,我们第一次见到了Mrs. Dursley的名字。Petunia音译过来就是“佩妮”,所以Mrs. Dursley就是佩妮·德思礼。

而petunia([pəˈtuː.njə])的本意是“矮牵牛(一种花园植物)”(a garden plant grown for its white, pink, purple, or red bell-shaped flowers)。矮牵牛花也是愤怒和嫉妒的象征。这从名字上暗示了佩妮和莉莉的姐妹关系。

哈利波特是小学生必读的吗(读哈利波特原著学英语)(3)

图为矮牵牛

在小时候玩游戏时,J.K.罗琳总是给自己不喜欢的女性角色取名叫佩妮。她认为这个名字可能来自于小时候看过的一个公众信息电影,名字叫《乔和佩妮》。

佩妮的娘家姓是伊万斯。Evans是一个威尔士语或英语姓氏,源于名字Evan。作为威尔士语的名字,“Evan”意为“年轻的战士”。它也可能是John的变体,意为“上帝是仁慈的”。

哈利波特是小学生必读的吗(读哈利波特原著学英语)(4)

图为少年时的佩妮

He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them…

如果那些怪事正和Potter家有关,Mr. Dursley可不想自己和老婆牵扯进去……想着想着,Mr. Dursley终于困了,翻个身便睡着了。

短语be mixed up (in sth)指“卷入,牵扯进去”(involved or implicated in something negative or troublesome)。

例:He was mixed up in the conspiracy. 他参与了那次阴谋。

yawn([jɑːn),不及物动词,指“打哈欠”(to open the mouth wide and take a lot of air into the lungs and slowly send it out, usually when tired or bored)。

例:I can't stop yawning - I must be tired. 我一个劲儿打哈欠——肯定是累了。

前面介绍了turn over的及物用法,即“(反复)仔细思考”。当这个短语不及物时,则是指“翻身”(If you turn over, for example when you are lying in bed, you move your body so that you are lying in a different position.)。

例:Ann turned over in her bed once more. 安在床上又翻了一下身。

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