Piccolissima — Page 13

English → Chinese Full Text Level 3/10

The look, gloomy, and a little sullen, of the fly, recalled somewhat the funny mask of a harlequin, and Piccolissima was on the point of showing how one laughs with the lips, by laughing in the fly's face, when the latter forced air slightly through the breathing holes which open under the wings;

苍蝇那阴郁而略带愠怒的神情，多少令人联想到丑角滑稽的面具，皮科利西玛正要对着苍蝇的脸笑出来，以此示范如何用嘴唇微笑，就在此时，苍蝇从翅膀下方的呼吸孔中轻轻地压出了一股气；

the two little double scales, the winglets, which unfold at birth, began to vibrate;

那两片小小的双层薄片——即出生时展开的小翼——开始颤动起来；

and Piccolissima, who just now remarked that this was the method that her new acquaintance took to emit sounds, was eager to listen to what he might say; so she made an effort to command herself, and became serious.

皮科利西玛方才注意到这正是她的新相识发出声音的方式，于是急切地想听听它要说什么；她便努力克制自己，收起了笑意，神情变得严肃起来。

"Do you not see, with your dull human intelligence, that my trunk is a pump, a hollow tube, an instrument for sucking which I stretch out and draw in at my pleasure?"

「难道你用那迟钝的人类智识，还看不出我的吻管是一个泵，一根空心管，一件吮吸的器具，可以随我心意伸出或缩回吗？」

While speaking thus, the fly thrust half way out from the cavity in the middle of his head, just under his eyes, a trunk with two or three joints in it; at the end was an opening like two black lips, folded over, with grooves or little hollows.

说话间，苍蝇从头部中央、眼睛正下方的凹穴里，将一根带有两三个节的吻管伸出了一半；末端有一个开口，形如两片黑色的嘴唇，向内折叠，上面布有沟槽和小凹孔。

The fly, thus urged to show the use of his trunk, or, more probably, forgetting the sequel of a discourse upon which he had entered in such a pompous style, flew upon the sugar, and set himself again to sucking it.

苍蝇在这般被催促展示吻管用途之后，或者更有可能是忘记了它以如此夸张的口吻展开的那番高谈阔论的后续，便飞落到糖上，重新开始吮吸起来。

Piccolissima again observed the little drops fall which she had noticed before.

皮科利西玛再次看到了她先前注意到的那些小水滴滴落下来。

Vocabulary

苍蝇: cāngyíng — A housefly; common flying insect.
那: nà — That; used to indicate something previously mentioned.
阴郁: yīnyù — Gloomy, depressed, or melancholy in mood.
而: ér — And, yet, but; a connective particle.
略带: lüèdài — Slightly carrying or tinged with a quality.
愠怒: yùnnù — Feeling annoyed or mildly angry; irritated.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
神情: shénqíng — Facial expression or look revealing inner feeling.
多少: duōshao — To some extent; how much or how many.
令人: lìngrén — To make people feel; causing someone to feel.
联想到: liánxiǎng dào — To associate with; to be reminded of something.
丑角: chǒujué — Clown or comic role in Chinese opera/theater.
滑稽: huájī — Funny, comical, or amusing in an absurd way.
面具: miànjù — A mask worn over the face.
正要: zhèngyào — About to; just on the point of doing something.
对着: duìzhe — Facing toward; directed at something or someone.
脸: liǎn — Face; the front part of the head.
笑出来: xiào chūlái — To burst out laughing; let laughter escape.
以此: yǐcǐ — By means of this; using this as a basis.
示范: shìfàn — To demonstrate; to show how something is done.
如何: rúhé — How; in what way or manner.
用: yòng — To use; employing something as a tool or method.
嘴唇: zuǐchún — Lips; the fleshy parts around the mouth.
微笑: wēixiào — To smile; a gentle, slight smile.
就在: jiù zài — Just at; right at a particular moment or place.
此时: cǐshí — At this moment; right now.
从: cóng — From; indicating a starting point or source.
翅膀: chìbǎng — Wing; appendage used by birds or insects to fly.
下方: xiàfāng — Below; the area underneath something.
中: zhōng — Inside, within, or among something.
轻轻地: qīngqīng de — Gently; softly, with little force or sound.
压出了: yā chūle — Pressed out; forced or squeezed something outward.
一股: yī gǔ — A puff or stream of air or gas.
气: qì — Air, breath, or gas; vital energy.
两片: liǎng piàn — Two pieces or flaps of something flat and thin.
小小: xiǎoxiǎo — Tiny; very small in size.
双层: shuāngcéng — Double-layered; having two layers or tiers.
薄片: báopiàn — Thin slice or flap; a very thin flat piece.
即: jí — That is; namely; immediately or precisely.
出生时: chūshēng shí — At the time of birth; when first born.
展开: zhǎnkāi — To unfold or spread open; to expand outward.
开始: kāishǐ — To begin; to start doing something.
颤动: chàndòng — To tremble or vibrate; quiver rapidly.
起来: qǐlái — Particle indicating an action beginning or continuing.
方才: fāngcái — Just now; only then; a moment ago.
注意到: zhùyì dào — To notice; to become aware of something.
这: zhè — This; indicating something nearby or just mentioned.
正是: zhèngshì — Precisely is; exactly; that is exactly it.
她: tā — She; third-person singular feminine pronoun.
新相识: xīn xiāngshí — A new acquaintance; someone recently met.
发出: fāchū — To emit or produce a sound, light, or signal.
声音: shēngyīn — Sound or voice; audible noise produced by something.
方式: fāngshì — Way, method, or manner of doing something.
于是: yúshì — Therefore; consequently; and so then.
急切地: jíqiè de — Eagerly; anxiously; with urgent desire.
想: xiǎng — To want to; to think; to desire.
听听: tīng tīng — To listen for a bit; have a listen.
它: tā — It; third-person pronoun for non-human things.
要: yào — To want; will; about to; need to.
说: shuō — To say or speak; to tell.
什么: shénme — What; used to ask about something unspecified.
便: biàn — Then; thereupon; consequently; as soon as.
努力: nǔlì — To make an effort; to work hard.
克制: kèzhì — To restrain oneself; to exercise self-control.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; one's own self.
收起了: shōu qǐle — Withdrew or put away; suppressed something visible.
笑意: xiàoyì — A smiling expression; hint of laughter on face.
变得: biàn de — To become; to turn into a different state.
严肃: yánsù — Serious; solemn; grave in manner or expression.
难道: nándào — Could it be that; used for rhetorical questions.
你: nǐ — You; second-person singular pronoun.
迟钝: chídùn — Slow-witted; dull; lacking quick understanding.
人类: rénlèi — Humankind; the human race or species.
智识: zhìshí — Intellect and knowledge; mental understanding.
还: hái — Still; yet; also; in addition.
看不出: kàn bu chū — Cannot tell; unable to see or discern.
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun.
是: shì — Is; am; are; to be.
一个: yī gè — One; a single unit of something.
泵: bèng — A pump; device that moves fluid by pressure.
一根: yī gēn — One (long thin object); a single rod or tube.
一件: yī jiàn — One item or piece of something.
吮吸: shǔnxī — To suck; to draw liquid by suction.
器具: qìjù — Instrument or utensil; a tool for a specific purpose.
可以: kěyǐ — Can; may; to be allowed or able to.
随: suí — To follow; according to; as one pleases.
心意: xīnyì — One's wish or desire; intention of the heart.
伸出: shēnchū — To extend outward; to stretch something out.
或: huò — Or; either; alternatively.
缩回: suōhuí — To retract; to draw back or pull inward.
吗: ma — Question particle; turns statement into a yes/no question.
说话间: shuōhuà jiān — While speaking; in the midst of talking.
头部: tóubù — The head; the uppermost part of the body.
中央: zhōngyāng — The center or middle of something.
眼睛: yǎnjīng — Eyes; the organs used for seeing.
正下方: zhèng xiàfāng — Directly below; straight underneath something.
里: lǐ — Inside; within a space or container.
将: jiāng — About to; will; a formal future-tense marker.
带有: dàiyǒu — To carry or possess; to bear a certain feature.
两三个: liǎng sān gè — Two or three; a small approximate number.
节: jié — Segment or section; a joint or node.
伸出了: shēn chūle — Extended out; stretched outward (completed action).
一半: yībàn — Half; one of two equal parts.
末端: mòduān — The tip or end; the farthest point of something.
有: yǒu — To have; there is; to exist.
开口: kāikǒu — An opening or aperture; the mouth of a tube.
形如: xíng rú — Shaped like; having the form or appearance of.
黑色: hēisè — Black; the darkest color.
向内: xiàng nèi — Inward; directed toward the inside.
折叠: zhédié — To fold; to bend something over on itself.
上面: shàngmiàn — On top; the upper surface of something.
和: hé — And; together with; connecting two items.
在: zài — At; in; to be located somewhere.
这般: zhèbān — Like this; in this manner; such a way.
被: bèi — Passive marker; indicates an action done to subject.
催促: cuīcù — To urge or press someone to act quickly.
展示: zhǎnshì — To display or demonstrate; to show something clearly.
用途: yòngtú — Use or function; the purpose something serves.
之后: zhīhòu — After; following a particular event or time.
或者: huòzhě — Or; either; used to present alternatives.
更有可能: gèng yǒu kěnéng — More likely; with greater probability.
忘记了: wàngjì le — Forgot; failed to remember something.
以: yǐ — With; using; by means of.
如此: rúcǐ — Such; like this; to this degree.
夸张: kuāzhāng — Exaggerated; overstated beyond normal bounds.
口吻: kǒuwěn — Tone of voice; manner or style of speaking.
那番: nà fān — That round of; that stretch of talk or action.
高谈阔论: gāotán kuòlùn — Grand, sweeping talk; to speak grandly and at length.
后续: hòuxù — Follow-up; what comes next or afterward.
飞落到: fēi luò dào — To fly and land on; to alight upon something.
糖: táng — Sugar; a sweet substance or candy.
上: shàng — On; above; upon a surface.
重新: chóngxīn — Again; anew; starting over from the beginning.
再次: zàicì — Once again; one more time.
看到了: kàn dào le — Saw; managed to see or catch sight of.
先前: xiānqián — Previously; before; earlier in time.
那些: nàxiē — Those; referring to a group of things previously mentioned.
小水滴: xiǎo shuǐdī — Tiny droplets of water; small beads of liquid.
滴落: dīluò — To drip and fall; to drop down in droplets.
下来: xiàlái — To come down; directional complement indicating descent.

← Previous Next →

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

Create free account →