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Won from the Waves — Page 3

English → It CHAPTER ONE. Level 6/10

It was not especially attractive--indeed few scenes would have appeared to advantage at that moment; but when sunshine lighted up the blue dancing waters, varied by the shadows of passing clouds, the marine painter might have found many subjects for his pencil among the picturesque cottages, their sturdy inhabitants, the wild cliffs, and the yellow strand glittering with shells.

Non era particolarmente attraente -- in effetti poche scene sarebbero apparse favorevoli in quel momento; ma quando il sole illuminava le acque azzurre e danzanti, variate dalle ombre delle nuvole che passavano, il pittore marino avrebbe potuto trovare molti soggetti per il suo pennello tra i pittoreschi cottage, i loro robusti abitanti, le scogliere selvagge e la spiaggia gialla scintillante di conchiglie.

Farther inland the country improved.

Più nell'entroterra il paesaggio migliorava.

On the higher ground to the south were neat cottages rising among shrubberies, the parish church with its square tower, and yet farther off the mansion of Sir Reginald Castleton, in the midst of its park, with its broad lake, its green meadows and clumps of wide-spreading trees, surrounded by a high paling forbidding the ingress of strangers, and serving to secure the herd of graceful deer which bounded amidst its glades.

Sui terreni più elevati a sud si trovavano ordinati cottage che emergevano tra i cespugli, la chiesa parrocchiale con il suo campanile quadrato, e ancora più lontano la dimora di Sir Reginald Castleton, nel mezzo del suo parco, con il suo ampio lago, i suoi prati verdi e i gruppi di alberi dalle larghe fronde, circondati da un'alta palizzata che vietava l'accesso agli estranei e serviva a proteggere il branco di aggraziati cervi che saltellava tra le radure.

The fishermen--regardless of the driving mist, which, settling on their flushing coats and sou'-westers, ran off them in streamlets--kept turning their eyes seawards, endeavouring to penetrate the increasing gloom.

I pescatori -- incuranti della nebbia fitta che, depositandosi sui loro impermeabili e sui cappelli impermeabili, scorreva via in rivoli -- continuavano a volgere gli occhi verso il mare, cercando di penetrare l'oscurità crescente.

"Here comes Adam Halliburt!" exclaimed one of them, turning round; "we shall hear what he thinks of the weather.

«Ecco Adam Halliburt!» esclamò uno di loro, girandosi; «sentiremo cosa pensa del tempo.

If he has made up his mind to go to sea to-night, it must come on much worse than it now is to keep him at home."

Se ha deciso di andare in mare stanotte, il tempo dovrà peggiorare molto di più rispetto a ora per tenerlo a casa.»

Vocabulary

Non
Not; negative adverb used to negate verbs
era
Was; imperfect tense of essere
particolarmente
Particularly; especially; in a special manner
attraente
Attractive; appealing; having attractive qualities
in
In; preposition indicating location or time
effetti
Effects; results; in fact (in effetti)
poche
Few; small number of feminine plural
scene
Scenes; views; dramatic or visual sequences
sarebbero
Would be; conditional past tense of essere
apparse
Appeared; past participle feminine plural of apparire
favorevoli
Favorable; advantageous; well-suited conditions
quel
That; demonstrative adjective singular masculine form
momento
Moment; instant; brief period of time
ma
But; however; conjunction introducing contrast
quando
When; at what time; conjunction of time
il
The; definite article singular masculine form
sole
Sun; celestial body providing light and heat
illuminava
Illuminated; lit up; past tense of illuminare
le
The; definite article feminine plural form
acque
Waters; liquid bodies; plural of acqua
azzurre
Blue; azure colored; feminine plural adjective
dalle
From the; preposition da plus le
ombre
Shadows; shades; darkness cast by objects
delle
Of the; preposition di plus le
nuvole
Clouds; water vapor formations in sky
che
That; which; relative pronoun
passavano
Passed; went by; imperfect tense of passare
pittore
Painter; artist who paints with brush
marino
Marine; of the sea; nautical or seawater
avrebbe
Would have; conditional of avere
potuto
Could; been able; past participle of potere
trovare
To find; to locate; to discover something
molti
Many; numerous; large quantity masculine plural
soggetti
Subjects; topics; persons; plural of soggetto
per
For; by; preposition indicating purpose
suo
His; her; its; possessive adjective singular
pennello
Brush; painting tool with bristles
tra
Among; between; in the midst of
pittoreschi
Picturesque; scenic; visually attractive and charming
cottage
Cottage; small rural house; country dwelling
loro
Their; theirs; possessive adjective or pronoun
robusti
Robust; sturdy; strong and solidly built
abitanti
Inhabitants; residents; people living in area
scogliere
Cliffs; rocky shores; steep coastal formations
selvagge
Wild; savage; untamed; feminine plural adjective
spiaggia
Beach; sandy shore; coastal area by water
gialla
Yellow; golden colored; feminine singular adjective
conchiglie
Shells; seashells; hard protective coverings
Più
More; greater amount or degree; plus
nell
In the; preposition in plus el
paesaggio
Landscape; scenery; natural scenic view
migliorava
Improved; got better; past tense of migliorare
Sui
On the; preposition su plus i
terreni
Lands; grounds; pieces of terrain
elevati
Elevated; raised; high; lofty terrain areas
sud
South; cardinal direction; southern region
si
Oneself; reflexive pronoun; impersonal particle
trovavano
Were found; were located; imperfect of trovare
ordinati
Orderly; arranged; neat; tidy masculine plural
cespugli
Bushes; shrubs; woody plants plural
chiesa
Church; religious building; place of worship
campanile
Campanile; bell tower; church tower structure
quadrato
Square; rectangular shape; four equal sides
ancora
Still; yet; again; anchor device
lontano
Distant; far away; remote in space
dimora
Residence; dwelling; home; abode place
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