Piccolissima — Page 2

English → Chinese Full Text Level 3/10

On the mother's side, her lineage was no less distinguished.

在母亲这一方，她的血统同样显赫。

Mignonette Littlepin (this was the family name of Madam Tom Thumb) was the great granddaughter of the wonderful Princess, who once lodged in a spectacle case, out of which she came so splendidly attired that the brilliancy of her little person illuminated all surrounding objects.

米尼奥内特·利特尔平（这是拇指夫人的娘家姓）是那位神奇公主的曾孙女，那位公主曾经居住在一个眼镜盒里，出来时衣着华丽，光彩夺目，她娇小的身躯照亮了周围的一切。

A trustworthy biographer tells us that nothing occurred in the history of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb to disgrace their illustrious parentage, and they were considered none the less good citizens because they were rather smaller than other people.

一位可信的传记作者告诉我们，拇指先生和拇指夫人的历史中从未发生过任何有损其显赫门第的事情，而他们虽然比其他人矮小许多，却丝毫不妨碍他们被视为优秀的公民。

In the mean while, however, our humble couple became suddenly celebrated by the birth of our heroine; this small creature was so delicate, so exquisite, so pretty, and so lively and full of spirit, that from the age of two years she became the object of general admiration.

然而，就在此时，我们这对平凡的夫妇因女主人公的降生而突然声名大噪；这个小小的生命如此娇嫩，如此精致，如此可爱，又如此活泼灵动，从两岁起便成为众人爱慕的对象。

She was not more than one inch in height, and her mother, who had prepared the cradle and baby linen for a child of the usual size, was puzzled to know what to do.

她的身高不足一英寸，而她的母亲原本已为一个普通大小的孩子准备好了摇篮和婴儿用品，此刻却不知如何是好。

Finally, the half of a cocoanut shell, lined, and furnished with soft cushions of thistle down, made a good bed for the little wonder; and the nursery maid, wife of a neighboring clockmaker, and a person of ingenuity, conceived the admirable idea of suspending the cocoanut cradle from the pendulum of a great clock, in order that the infant might be rocked all the time.

最终，半个椰子壳被衬上内里，铺上柔软的蓟绒坐垫，为这个小小的奇迹做成了一张好床；而那位保姆——邻近一位钟表匠的妻子，一个颇具巧思的人——想出了一个绝妙的主意，将椰子壳摇篮悬挂在一口大钟的摆锤上，以便让婴儿能够一直被摇晃入睡。

Madam Tom Thumb was enchanted with the invention.

拇指夫人对这个发明爱不释手。

Vocabulary

在: zài — at, in, on; indicates location or existence
母亲: mǔqin — mother; one's female parent
这一: zhè yī — this one; referring to a particular side or aspect
方: fāng — side; direction; aspect
她: tā — she; third-person singular feminine pronoun
的: de — possessive or attributive particle
血统: xuètǒng — bloodline; lineage; ancestral heritage
同样: tóngyàng — equally; likewise; in the same way
显赫: xiǎnhè — illustrious; prominent; of great distinction
这: zhè — this; referring to something nearby
是: shì — to be; is, am, are
拇指: mǔzhǐ — thumb; the first and largest finger
夫人: fūren — lady; madam; respectful title for a married woman
娘家姓: niángjia xìng — maiden name; woman's surname before marriage
那位: nà wèi — that person; polite reference to a specific individual
神奇: shénqí — magical; wondrous; miraculous
公主: gōngzhǔ — princess; daughter of a king or emperor
曾孙女: zēngsūnnǚ — great-great-granddaughter; fourth-generation female descendant
曾经: céngjīng — once; formerly; at some point in the past
居住: jūzhù — to reside; to live in a place
一个: yī ge — one; a single (generic measure word)
眼镜盒: yǎnjìng hé — spectacles case; box for storing eyeglasses
里: lǐ — inside; within; interior
出来: chūlai — to come out; to emerge from inside
时: shí — when; at the time of; moment
衣着: yīzhuó — clothing; attire; what one wears
华丽: huálì — gorgeous; splendid; magnificently dressed or decorated
光彩夺目: guāngcǎi duómù — dazzlingly brilliant; radiant and eye-catching
娇小: jiāoxiǎo — petite; dainty and small in stature
身躯: shēnqū — body; physical frame or figure
照亮: zhàoliàng — to illuminate; to light up a space
了: le — particle indicating completed action or change
周围: zhōuwéi — surroundings; the area around something
一切: yīqiè — everything; all things without exception
一位: yī wèi — one person (polite measure word for people)
可信: kěxìn — trustworthy; credible; reliable
传记: zhuànjì — biography; written account of someone's life
作者: zuòzhě — author; writer of a work
告诉: gàosu — to tell; to inform someone of something
我们: wǒmen — we; us; first-person plural pronoun
先生: xiānsheng — mister; gentleman; respectful address for a man
和: hé — and; together with; connecting two elements
历史: lìshǐ — history; the record of past events
中: zhōng — in; within; among; middle
从未: cóng wèi — never; not once in all of history
发生: fāshēng — to happen; to occur; to take place
过: guò — experiential particle; indicates past experience
任何: rènhé — any; whatever; no matter which
有损: yǒusǔn — damaging to; detrimental to; harming reputation
其: qí — their; its; his/her (literary third person)
门第: méndì — family status; social standing; pedigree
事情: shìqing — matter; affair; thing; event
而: ér — and yet; but; while (conjunction)
他们: tāmen — they; them; third-person plural pronoun
虽然: suīrán — although; even though; despite the fact that
比: bǐ — compared to; than; more than
其他人: qítā rén — other people; others; the rest of the people
矮小: ǎixiǎo — short and small in stature; diminutive
许多: xǔduō — many; a lot; a great number of
却: què — but; however; yet (contrast conjunction)
丝毫: sīháo — in the slightest; not at all; the tiniest bit
不: bù — no; not; negation particle
妨碍: fáng'ài — to hinder; to obstruct; to get in the way
被: bèi — passive marker; indicates action done to subject
视为: shìwéi — to regard as; to consider to be something
优秀: yōuxiù — excellent; outstanding; of high quality
公民: gōngmín — citizen; a member of a state or nation
然而: rán'ér — however; nevertheless; but then again
就在: jiù zài — right at; exactly at (a time or place)
此时: cǐ shí — at this moment; at this time; just now
这对: zhè duì — this pair; this couple (measure word)
平凡: píngfán — ordinary; common; unremarkable; plain
夫妇: fūfù — husband and wife; a married couple
因: yīn — because of; due to; on account of
女主人公: nǚ zhǔréngōng — heroine; female protagonist of a story
降生: jiàngshēng — to be born; to come into the world
突然: tūrán — suddenly; all of a sudden; unexpectedly
声名大噪: shēngmíng dà zào — to suddenly become very famous; gain great renown
这个: zhège — this one; this (specific thing or person)
小小: xiǎoxiǎo — tiny; very small; diminutive in size
生命: shēngmìng — life; living being; existence
如此: rúcǐ — so; such; in this way; to such a degree
娇嫩: jiāonèn — delicate; tender; fragile and soft
精致: jīngzhì — exquisite; fine; delicately crafted
可爱: kě'ài — cute; adorable; lovable
又: yòu — also; again; and moreover
活泼: huópō — lively; vivacious; full of energy
灵动: língdòng — nimble; spirited; quick and animated
从: cóng — from; since; starting at a point
两岁: liǎng suì — two years old; the age of two
起: qǐ — from (a starting point); beginning at
便: biàn — then; thereupon; as a result (literary)
成为: chéngwéi — to become; to turn into something
众人: zhòngrén — everyone; all people; the crowd
爱慕: àimù — to admire; to adore; to feel affection for
对象: duìxiàng — object of affection; target; subject
身高: shēngāo — height; one's physical stature
不足: bùzú — less than; insufficient; not reaching a standard
一: yī — one; the numeral 1
英寸: yīngcùn — inch; unit of length equal to 2.54 cm
原本: yuánběn — originally; initially; in the first place
已: yǐ — already; by now (literary particle)
为: wèi — for; on behalf of; in preparation for
普通: pǔtōng — ordinary; common; average; normal
大小: dàxiǎo — size; dimensions; big and small
孩子: háizi — child; kid; young person
准备好: zhǔnbèi hǎo — to have prepared; to be ready in advance
摇篮: yáolán — cradle; a baby's rocking bed
婴儿: yīng'ér — infant; baby; newborn child
用品: yòngpǐn — supplies; items for daily use
此刻: cǐ kè — at this moment; right now; this instant
不知如何是好: bù zhī rúhé shì hǎo — at a loss; not knowing what to do
最终: zuìzhōng — finally; ultimately; in the end
半个: bàn ge — half of one; a half (with measure word)
椰子壳: yēzi ké — coconut shell; the outer husk of a coconut
衬上: chèn shàng — to line with; to back with material inside
内里: nèilǐ — inner lining; the inside layer of something
铺上: pū shàng — to lay on; to spread over a surface
柔软: róuruǎn — soft; gentle; pliable and smooth
坐垫: zuòdiàn — cushion; padded seat covering
奇迹: qíjì — miracle; wonder; something remarkably unexpected
做成: zuòchéng — to make into; to craft into a finished form
一张: yī zhāng — one (flat object); measure word for beds, paper
好床: hǎo chuáng — a good bed; a comfortable sleeping place
保姆: bǎomǔ — nanny; babysitter; caretaker for children
邻近: línjìn — nearby; neighboring; in close proximity
钟表匠: zhōngbiǎo jiàng — clockmaker; craftsman who makes and repairs clocks
妻子: qīzi — wife; a man's female spouse
颇具: pō jù — quite possessed of; considerably endowed with
巧思: qiǎosī — ingenuity; clever ideas; creative thinking
人: rén — person; human being; people
想出: xiǎng chū — to think up; to come up with an idea
绝妙: juémiào — brilliant; ingenious; absolutely wonderful
主意: zhǔyi — idea; plan; solution to a problem
将: jiāng — to take; used to introduce the object (literary)
悬挂: xuánguà — to hang; to suspend from above
一口: yī kǒu — one (large bell or clock); measure word
大钟: dà zhōng — large clock; big bell
摆锤: bǎichuí — pendulum; swinging weight in a clock
上: shàng — on top of; above; on
以便: yǐbiàn — in order to; so as to; for the purpose of
让: ràng — to let; to allow; to make someone do something
能够: nénggòu — to be able to; capable of doing something
一直: yīzhí — continuously; all along; straight ahead
摇晃: yáohuàng — to sway; to rock back and forth
入睡: rùshuì — to fall asleep; to go to sleep
对: duì — towards; regarding; for (direction of feeling)
发明: fāmíng — invention; something newly created or devised
爱不释手: ài bù shì shǒu — to love something so much one cannot put it down

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