# 第四册 Lesson 23 Bird flight 鸟的飞行方法

## 一、课文原文

No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight; the varieties are infinite; but two classes may be roughly seen. Any ship that crosses the Pacific is accompanied for many days by the smaller albatross, which may keep company with the vessel for an hour without visible or more than occasional movement of wing. The currents of air that the walls of the ship direct upwards, as well as in the line of its course, are enough to give the great bird with its immense wings sufficient sustenance and progress. The albatross is the king of the gliders, the class of fliers which harness the air to their purpose, but must yield to its opposition. In the contrary school, the duck is supreme. It comes nearer to the engines with which man has 'conquered' the air, as he boasts. Duck, and like them the pigeons, are endowed with such-like muscles, that are a good part of the weight of the bird, and these will ply the short wings with such irresistible power that they can bore for long distances through an opposing gale before exhaustion follows. Their humbler followers, such as partridges, have a like power of strong propulsion, but soon tire. You may pick them up in utter exhaustion, if wind over the sea has driven them to a long journey. The swallow shares the virtues of both schools in highest measure. It tires not, nor does it boast of its power; but belongs to the air, travelling it may be six thousand miles to and from its northern nesting home, feeding its flown young as it flies, and slipping through a medium that seems to help its passage. We no longer take omens from their flight on this side and that; and even the most superstitious villagers no longer take off their hats to the magpie and wish it good-morning.

—WILLIAM BEACH THOMAS *A Countryman's Creed*

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| albatross | /ˈælbətrɒs/ | n. | 信天翁 | 大型海鸟，滑翔之王 |
| sustenance | /ˈsʌstɪnəns/ | n. | 维持，支撑 | sufficient sustenance 足够的支撑力 |
| glider | /ˈɡlaɪdə/ | n. | 滑翔者 | king of the gliders 滑翔之王 |
| harness | /ˈhɑːnɪs/ | v. | 利用，驾驭 | harness the air 驾驭空气 |
| yield | /jiːld/ | v. | 屈服，让步 | yield to its opposition 屈服于阻力 |
| endow | /ɪnˈdaʊ/ | v. | 赋予，赋予天赋 | are endowed with 天生具有 |
| ply | /plaɪ/ | v. | 不断使用，使劲挥动 | ply the short wings 使劲挥动短翅 |
| irresistible | /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbl/ | adj. | 不可抗拒的 | irresistible power 不可抗拒的力量 |
| bore | /bɔː/ | v. | 钻，穿行 | bore through an opposing gale 迎着狂风穿行 |
| gale | /ɡeɪl/ | n. | 大风，狂风 | opposing gale 逆风 |
| propulsion | /prəˈpʌlʃn/ | n. | 推进，推动力 | strong propulsion 强大推进力 |
| partridge | /ˈpɑːtrɪdʒ/ | n. | 鹧鸪 | 较小的飞禽 |
| swallow | /ˈswɒləʊ/ | n. | 燕子 | 集两种飞行方式之长 |
| omen | /ˈəʊmən/ | n. | 预兆，征兆 | take omens from 从...中取预兆 |
| magpie | /ˈmæɡpaɪ/ | n. | 喜鹊 | 西方迷信中喜鹊象征吉凶 |
| medium | /ˈmiːdiəm/ | n. | 介质，媒介 | slipping through a medium 穿过介质 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. No + 名词的完全否定

> **No two sorts of** birds practise quite the same sort of flight.

- No + 名词 = 没有任何...
- 比 Not any 更正式、更有文学性

### 2. such...that... 结果状语从句

> ...are endowed with **such**-like muscles...and these will ply the short wings with **such** irresistible power **that** they can bore for long distances...

- such + 名词 + that = 如此...以至于
- 两次使用such...that，形成排比

### 3. nor 引导的倒装

> It tires not, **nor does it boast** of its power.

- nor + 助动词 + 主语，表示"也不"
- = and it does not boast of its power either

### 4. it may be 插入语

> ...travelling **it may be** six thousand miles to and from its northern nesting home...

- it may be = perhaps, maybe
- 插入语，表示估计

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. keep company with 陪伴

> ...which may **keep company with** the vessel for an hour...

- = accompany, stay with
- 仿写：She kept company with her grandmother all day.

### 2. harness...to one's purpose 为己所用

> ...which **harness the air to their purpose**, but must yield to its opposition.

- = make use of...for one's own ends
- 仿写：He harnessed his anger to his purpose.

### 3. be endowed with 天生具有

> Duck...are **endowed with** such-like muscles...

- = be naturally provided with
- 仿写：She is endowed with great musical talent.

### 4. share the virtues of 兼具...的优点

> The swallow **shares the virtues of** both schools in highest measure.

- = combines the advantages of
- in highest measure = 最大程度地

## 五、课文翻译

没有任何两种鸟的飞行方式完全相同；种类千变万化；但大致可分为两类。任何横渡太平洋的船只都有较小的信天翁相伴多日，它可能随船飞行一小时而看不到翅膀有任何明显动作。船体向上方以及航线方向引导的气流，足以给这种拥有巨大翅膀的大鸟提供足够的支撑力和前进力。信天翁是滑翔之王，属于那种驾驭空气为自己服务但必须向空气阻力屈服的一类飞行者。在对立的学派中，鸭子是至高无上的。它更接近人类用来"征服"空气的引擎——如人类所夸耀的那样。鸭子和与它们相似的鸽子天生具有类似钢质的肌肉，占鸟体重量的很大一部分，这些肌肉以不可抗拒的力量不断挥动短翅，使它们能在逆风中穿行长距离才精疲力竭。它们较逊色的追随者，如鹧鸪，也有类似的强大推进力，但很快就会疲倦。如果海上的风迫使它们长途飞行，你可以在它们完全精疲力竭时捡起它们。燕子在最大程度上兼具两派的优点。它不知疲倦，也不夸耀自己的力量；它属于天空，可能飞行六千英里往返于北方的筑巢家园，在飞行中喂食学飞的幼鸟，在似乎帮助它通过的介质中穿行。我们不再从它们的飞行方向中占卜吉凶；即使最迷信的村民也不再向喜鹊脱帽祝早安了。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. 写作手法：分类比较

- 将鸟类飞行分为两类：滑翔型（信天翁）和推进型（鸭子）
- 引出第三种——兼而有之（燕子）
- 结尾以民俗信仰收束，增添文化韵味

### 2. 文化背景

- **信天翁**：翼展可达3.5米，是最大的海鸟，善于利用气流滑翔
- **喜鹊迷信**：英国民间传说见到一只喜鹊不吉利，见到两只则吉利
- **占卜（taking omens）**：古人从鸟类飞行方向预测吉凶，是augury传统

### 3. 修辞分析

- **拟人**：king of the gliders, boast of its power——赋予鸟类人格特征
- **类比**：nearer to the engines——将鸭子比作引擎
- **对比**：harness the air vs yield to its opposition——驾驭vs屈服

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **理解题**：What are the two main types of bird flight described by the author?（滑翔型和推进型）
2. **语法题**：such...that 与 so...that 的互换
3. **词汇题**：区分 harness/yield/endow/harness 的搭配
4. **写作练习**：用分类比较法描述一种自然现象

## 八、本课小结

本课描述**鸟类的两种飞行方式**，核心分类：滑翔型（信天翁）利用气流、推进型（鸭子）靠肌肉力量，燕子兼具二者之长。语法重点包括No+名词完全否定、such...that结果状语从句、nor倒装、it may be插入语。写作手法上运用分类比较和拟人，兼具科学性和文学性。