# 第四册 Lesson 41 Training elephants 训练大象

## 一、课文原文

Two main techniques have been used for training elephants, which we may call respectively the tough and the gentle. The former method simply consists of setting an elephant to work and beating him until he does what is expected of him. Apart from any moral considerations this is a stupid method of training, for it produces a resentful animal who at a later stage may well turn man-killer. The gentle method requires more patience in the early stages, but produces a cheerful, good-tempered elephant who will give many years of loyal service.

The first essential in elephant training is to assign to the animal a single mahout who will be entirely responsible for the job. Elephants like to have one master just as dogs do, and are capable of a considerable degree of personal affection. There are even stories of half-trained elephant calves who have refused to feed and pined to death when by some unavoidable circumstance they have been deprived of their own trainer. Such extreme cases must probably be taken with a grain of salt, but they do underline the general principle that the relationship between elephant and mahout is the key to successful training.

The most economical age to capture an elephant for training is between 15 and 20 years, for it is then almost ready to undertake heavy work and can begin to earn its keep straight away. But animals of this age do not easily become subservient to man, and a very firm hand must be employed in the early stages. The captive elephant, still roped to a tree, plunges and screams every time a man approaches, and for several days will probably refuse all food through anger and fear. Sometimes a tame elephant is tethered nearby to give the wild one confidence, and in most cases the captive gradually quietens down and begins to accept its food. The next stage is to get the elephant to the training establishment, a ticklish business which is achieved with the aid of two tame elephants roped to the captive on either side.

When several elephants are being trained at one time, it is customary for the new arrival to be placed between the stalls of two captives whose training is already well advanced. It is then left completely undisturbed with plenty of food and water so that it can absorb the atmosphere of its new home and see that nothing particularly alarming is happening to its companions. When it is eating normally, its own training begins. The trainer stands in front of the elephant holding a long stick with a sharp metal point. Two assistants, mounted on tame elephants, control the captive from either side, while others rub their hands over his skin to the accompaniment of a monotonous and soothing chant. This is supposed to induce pleasurable sensations in the elephant, and its effects are reinforced by the use of endearing epithets such as 'ho! my son', or 'ho! my father', or 'my mother', according to the age and sex of the captive. The elephant is not immediately susceptible to such blandishments, however, and usually lashes fiercely with its trunk in all directions. These movements are controlled by the trainer with the metal-pointed stick, and the trunk eventually becomes so sore that the elephant curls it up and seldom afterwards uses it for offensive purposes.

— RICHARD CARRINGTON, *Elephants*

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| respectively | /rɪˈspektɪvli/ | adv. | 分别地 | call respectively 分别称为 |
| resentful | /rɪˈzentfl/ | adj. | 怨恨的 | a resentful animal 怀恨在心的动物 |
| mahout | /məˈhaʊt/ | n. | 象夫，驯象人 | 印度/东南亚的专职驯象人 |
| pine | /paɪn/ | v. | 憔悴，思念而死 | pine to death 因思念而死 |
| subservient | /səbˈsɜːviənt/ | adj. | 顺从的，屈从的 | become subservient to man 顺从人类 |
| tether | /ˈteðə/ | v. | 栓，拴 | tethered nearby 拴在附近 |
| ticklish | /ˈtɪklɪʃ/ | adj. | 棘手的，需小心处理的 | a ticklish business 棘手的事 |
| monotonous | /məˈnɒtənəs/ | adj. | 单调的 | monotonous chant 单调的吟唱 |
| chant | /tʃɑːnt/ | n. | 吟唱，咏唱 | soothing chant 抚慰性的吟唱 |
| epithet | /ˈepɪθet/ | n. | 称号，绰号 | endearing epithets 亲昵的称呼 |
| blandishment | /ˈblændɪʃmənt/ | n. | 奉承，哄劝 | susceptible to blandishments 容易被哄劝 |
| lash | /læʃ/ | v. | 猛烈甩动 | lashes with its trunk 用鼻子猛甩 |
| trunk | /trʌŋk/ | n. | 象鼻 | 大象的长鼻 |

**固定搭配：**
- **take with a grain of salt**：半信半疑
- **earn one's keep**：挣钱养活自己
- **to the accompaniment of**：伴随着
- **curl up**：卷起来

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. which 引导非限制性定语从句

> Two main techniques have been used for training elephants, **which** we may call respectively the tough and the gentle

which 指代前面的整个主句内容，非限制性定语从句补充说明。

### 2. until 时间状语从句

> beating him **until** he does what is expected of him

until = 直到，表示动作持续到某个时间点。

### 3. every time 时间状语从句

> **every time** a man approaches

every time = 每当，引导时间状语从句。

### 4. so...that... 结果状语从句

> the trunk eventually becomes **so** sore **that** the elephant curls it up

so + adj. + that 引导结果状语从句。

## 四、重点句型分析

### 句型1：对比论证

> The former method...produces a **resentful** animal who...may well turn **man-killer**
> The gentle method...produces a **cheerful, good-tempered** elephant who will give many years of **loyal service**

- tough method → 怨恨的、可能杀人的象
- gentle method → 快乐的、忠诚服务的象

### 句型2：类比论证

> Elephants like to have one master **just as dogs do**

- 大象与狗的类比，说明动物对主人的依恋
- 增强"一对一驯象"论点的说服力

### 句型3：条件结果链

> The elephant is not immediately susceptible → lashes fiercely → controlled by metal-pointed stick → trunk becomes sore → curls it up → seldom uses for offensive purposes

- 渐进式训练过程
- 最终结果：象鼻不再用于攻击

## 五、课文翻译

训练大象主要有两种方法，我们可以分别称之为强硬法和温柔法。前一种方法简单地就是让大象干活并鞭打它直到它按期望行事。撇开道德考虑不谈，这也是一种愚蠢的训练方法，因为它会产生一头怀恨在心的动物，在后期很可能变成杀人象。温柔法在初期需要更多耐心，但能产生一头快乐的、脾气温和的大象，它会忠诚服务多年。

驯象的首要之点是给大象指定一个专门的象夫，由他全权负责这项工作。大象像狗一样喜欢有一个主人，并能产生相当程度的个人感情。甚至有这样的故事：半驯的小象因为某种不可避免的情况失去了自己的训练员后拒绝进食，憔悴而死。这种极端的情况可能要半信半疑，但它们确实强调了这样一个一般原则：大象和象夫的关系是成功训练的关键。

捕获大象进行训练的最经济年龄是15到20岁之间，因为那时它几乎可以承担重活，可以马上开始挣钱养活自己。但这个年龄的动物不容易顺从人类，在初期必须采取非常坚决的手段。被捕获的大象仍然拴在树上，每次有人靠近就又冲又叫，可能好几天出于愤怒和恐惧而拒绝一切食物。有时一头驯服的大象被拴在附近以给野象信心，在多数情况下，被捕获的象逐渐安静下来，开始接受食物。下一步是把象带到训练场，这是一件棘手的事，要靠两头驯象分别拴在被捕获的象的两侧来完成。

同时训练几头象时，通常把新来的象放在训练已经很有进展的两头象的围栏之间。然后让它完全不受干扰，提供充足的食物和水，使它能适应新环境，看到同伴没有发生什么特别可怕的事。当它正常进食后，它自己的训练就开始了。训练师站在象前面，拿着一根带有金属尖头的长棍。两个助手骑在驯象上，从两侧控制被捕获的象，同时其他人一边用手抚摸它的皮肤，一边伴以单调而抚慰的吟唱。这应该在象身上引起愉快的感觉，而使用亲昵的称呼如"嗬！我的儿子"或"嗬！我的父亲"或"我的母亲"（根据被捕获象的年龄和性别）会增强这种效果。然而，大象不会立即接受这种哄劝，通常会用鼻子向四面八方猛甩。这些动作由训练师用带金属尖头的棍子控制，象鼻最终会变得如此疼痛，以至于大象把它卷起来，此后很少再用于攻击。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. 写作手法：对比论证

- tough vs gentle：两种方法的结果对比鲜明
- 客观描述，不用过度评论

### 2. 逻辑结构

| 段落 | 主题 | 论证方式 |
|------|------|----------|
| 第一段 | 两种方法对比 | 对比论证 |
| 第二段 | 一对一驯象原则 | 举例（小象故事） |
| 第三段 | 捕获与初步驯服 | 过程描述 |
| 第四段 | 正式训练过程 | 详细步骤 |

### 3. 文化背景

- mahout（象夫）：印度和东南亚的专门职业
- 大象训练是亚洲传统文化的一部分
- Richard Carrington：英国动物学家

### 4. 修辞分析

- "ho! my son, my father, my mother"——直接引语，生动
- "ticklish business"——轻松幽默的措辞
- "take with a grain of salt"——习语，恰当使用

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **词汇练习**：掌握 respectively、subservient、tether、blandishment、lash 等核心词
2. **语法练习**：非限制性定语从句；every time 时间状语从句；so...that... 结果从句
3. **翻译练习**：注意驯象术语的翻译；习语的处理
4. **写作练习**：模仿对比论证法，讨论两种教育方法的优劣

## 八、本课小结

本课介绍训练大象的两种方法。核心观点：**温柔法优于强硬法，因为前者产生忠诚服务的象，后者产生怀恨在心的杀人象**。文章从方法对比→原则阐述→训练过程，层层深入。语法重点为非限制性定语从句和 every time 时间状语从句。语言兼具科学性和生动性。