Coniston — Volume 01 — Page 1

English → Chinese CHAPTER I Level 6/10

First I am to write a love-story of long ago, of a time some little while after General Jackson had got into the White House and had shown the world what a real democracy was.

首先，我要写一个很久以前的爱情故事，那是在杰克逊将军入主白宫、向世人展示真正的民主是什么之后不久的时代。

The Era of the first six Presidents had closed, and a new Era had begun.

前六位总统的时代已经结束，一个新的时代已经开始。

I am speaking of political Eras.

我说的是政治时代。

Certain gentlemen, with a pious belief in democracy, but with a firmer determination to get on top, arose,--and got in top.

某些绅士，怀着对民主的虔诚信仰，却抱着更坚定的出人头地之决心，崛起了——并且登上了顶峰。

So many of these gentlemen arose in the different states, and they were so clever, and they found so many chinks in the Constitution to crawl through and steal the people's chestnuts, that the Era may be called the Boss-Era.

这样的绅士在各州纷纷涌现，他们如此精明，在宪法中找到了如此多的漏洞可以钻营、窃取人民的利益，以至于这个时代可以被称为"老板时代"。

After the Boss came along certain Things without souls, but of many minds, and found more chinks in the Constitution: bigger chinks, for the Things were bigger, and they stole more chestnuts.

在老板之后，出现了某些没有灵魂却有着众多心思的庞然大物，它们在宪法中发现了更多的漏洞：更大的漏洞，因为这些东西更庞大，它们窃取了更多的利益。

But I am getting far ahead of my love-story--and of my book.

但我已经远远超出了我的爱情故事——以及我的书的范围。

The reader is warned that this first love-story will, in a few chapters, come to an end: and not to a happy end--otherwise there would be no book.

请读者注意，这第一个爱情故事将在几章之后走向结局：而且不是一个幸福的结局——否则便不会有这本书了。

Lest he should throw the book away when he arrives at this page, it is only fair to tell him that there is another and a much longer love story later on, if he will only continue to read, in which, it is hoped, he may not be disappointed.

为免读者读到那一页时将书弃置一旁，在此有必要告知他，只要他愿意继续阅读，后面还有另一个篇幅更长的爱情故事，希望他不会因此失望。

Vocabulary

首先: shǒu xiān — First of all; to begin with
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun
要: yào — To want; to need; going to do something
写: xiě — To write; to compose text
一个: yī gè — One; a single (general measure word)
很久: hěn jiǔ — A very long time; long ago
以前: yǐ qián — Before; in the past; previously
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification
爱情: ài qíng — Romantic love; affection between lovers
故事: gù shi — Story; tale; narrative
那: nà — That; it; referring to something previously mentioned
是: shì — To be; is; am; are
在: zài — At; in; located at a place or time
将军: jiāng jūn — General; high-ranking military officer
入主: rù zhǔ — To take control of; to assume leadership of
白宫: Bái Gōng — The White House; U.S. presidential residence
向: xiàng — Toward; to; in the direction of
世人: shì rén — People of the world; all of humanity
展示: zhǎn shì — To display; to demonstrate; to show clearly
真正: zhēn zhèng — True; genuine; real; authentic
民主: mín zhǔ — Democracy; democratic governance or principles
什么: shén me — What; whatever; used in questions
之后: zhī hòu — After; afterward; following a certain event
不久: bù jiǔ — Soon; not long after; shortly
时代: shí dài — Era; age; period of time in history
前: qián — Before; front; preceding; previous
六位: liù wèi — Six people; six individuals (polite measure word)
总统: zǒng tǒng — President; head of state of a republic
已经: yǐ jīng — Already; by now; used before completed actions
结束: jié shù — To end; to conclude; to finish
新: xīn — New; fresh; recently begun
开始: kāi shǐ — To begin; to start; the beginning
说: shuō — To say; to speak; to tell
政治: zhèng zhì — Politics; political affairs or governance
某些: mǒu xiē — Certain; some; particular unspecified ones
绅士: shēn shì — Gentleman; a man of refined manners
怀着: huái zhe — Harboring; holding inside; cherishing a feeling
对: duì — Toward; regarding; correct; in relation to
虔诚: qián chéng — Devout; pious; deeply sincere in belief
信仰: xìn yǎng — Belief; faith; religious or ideological conviction
却: què — Yet; but; however; indicating contrast
抱着: bào zhe — Holding onto; clinging to; harboring a resolve
更: gèng — Even more; still more; comparative intensifier
坚定: jiān dìng — Firm; resolute; steadfast in conviction
出人头地: chū rén tóu dì — To stand out; to rise above others; excel
之: zhī — Possessive or linking particle; literary 'of'
决心: jué xīn — Determination; resolve; firm decision
崛起: jué qǐ — To rise; to emerge powerfully; to ascend
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change
并且: bìng qiě — And; moreover; in addition to that
登上: dēng shàng — To climb up to; to reach the top of
顶峰: dǐng fēng — Summit; peak; the highest point reached
这样: zhè yàng — Like this; in this way; such
各州: gè zhōu — Each state; various states or provinces
纷纷: fēn fēn — One after another; in succession; in great numbers
涌现: yǒng xiàn — To emerge in large numbers; to spring up
他们: tā men — They; them; third-person plural pronoun
如此: rú cǐ — So; thus; in this manner; such
精明: jīng míng — Shrewd; astute; clever and calculating
宪法: xiàn fǎ — Constitution; fundamental law of a nation
中: zhōng — In; within; among; inside
找到: zhǎo dào — To find; to discover; to locate successfully
多: duō — Many; much; numerous; a lot of
漏洞: lòu dòng — Loophole; flaw; gap in a system or law
可以: kě yǐ — Can; may; to be allowed to do
钻营: zuān yíng — To exploit loopholes; to scheme for personal gain
窃取: qiè qǔ — To steal; to usurp; to seize illegally
人民: rén mín — The people; citizens; the general population
利益: lì yì — Interests; benefits; profits; gains
以至于: yǐ zhì yú — So much so that; to the extent that
这个: zhè gè — This; this one; referring to something nearby
被: bèi — Passive marker; by; used in passive constructions
称为: chēng wéi — To be called; to be known as; termed
老板: lǎo bǎn — Boss; employer; owner of a business
出现: chū xiàn — To appear; to emerge; to come into existence
没有: méi yǒu — Do not have; there is not; without
灵魂: líng hún — Soul; spirit; the spiritual essence of a person
有着: yǒu zhe — Having; possessing; characterized by
众多: zhòng duō — Numerous; many; a great multitude of
心思: xīn si — Mind; thoughts; intentions; mental schemes
庞然大物: páng rán dà wù — A huge entity; enormous and imposing creature or thing
它们: tā men — They; them; third-person plural for non-human things
发现: fā xiàn — To discover; to find out; to realize
更多: gèng duō — Even more; a greater amount or number
更大: gèng dà — Even bigger; larger; greater in size
因为: yīn wèi — Because; due to; the reason being
这些: zhè xiē — These; referring to multiple nearby things
东西: dōng xi — Thing; stuff; object; general term for items
庞大: páng dà — Enormous; immense; very large in scale
但: dàn — But; however; yet; indicating contrast
远远: yuǎn yuǎn — Far; by a great margin; vastly exceeding
超出: chāo chū — To exceed; to go beyond; to surpass limits
以及: yǐ jí — As well as; and also; together with
书: shū — Book; written publication
范围: fàn wéi — Scope; range; extent; boundaries of coverage
请: qǐng — Please; to invite; to request politely
读者: dú zhě — Reader; a person who reads a text
注意: zhù yì — To pay attention; to take note; be careful
这: zhè — This; used to indicate something nearby
第一个: dì yī gè — The first one; the initial item in a series
将: jiāng — Will; about to; future tense marker
几章: jǐ zhāng — Several chapters; a few sections of a book
走向: zǒu xiàng — To move toward; to head toward; direction of development
结局: jié jú — Ending; conclusion; final outcome of a story
而且: ér qiě — Moreover; furthermore; and also
不是: bù shì — Is not; not; negation of 'to be'
幸福: xìng fú — Happiness; bliss; blessed and content feeling
否则: fǒu zé — Otherwise; if not; or else
便: biàn — Then; thus; consequently; literary 'then'
不会: bù huì — Will not; cannot; not likely to happen
有: yǒu — To have; there is; to exist
这本书: zhè běn shū — This book; referring to the current publication
为免: wèi miǎn — To avoid; in order to prevent something happening
读到: dú dào — To read as far as; to reach while reading
那一页: nà yī yè — That page; a specific page in a book
时: shí — When; at the time of; moment
弃置: qì zhì — To abandon; to set aside; to discard
一旁: yī páng — To the side; aside; out of the way
在此: zài cǐ — Here; at this point; at this place
有必要: yǒu bì yào — It is necessary; there is a need to
告知: gào zhī — To inform; to notify; to let someone know
他: tā — He; him; third-person singular male pronoun
只要: zhǐ yào — As long as; so long as; provided that
愿意: yuàn yì — Willing to; be willing; to consent to do
继续: jì xù — To continue; to keep on; to go on doing
阅读: yuè dú — To read; reading; to peruse written material
后面: hòu miàn — Behind; at the back; later on
还有: hái yǒu — There is also; in addition; furthermore
另一个: lìng yī gè — Another one; a different one; one more
篇幅: piān fú — Length of a piece of writing; volume or space
更长: gèng cháng — Even longer; greater in length or duration
希望: xī wàng — Hope; to hope; to wish for something
因此: yīn cǐ — Therefore; as a result; consequently
失望: shī wàng — Disappointed; to lose hope; to feel let down

← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →