新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 23

ltlong52010

课文23  各有所爱
394. People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten.
5 z4 Q( e  ]$ ]2 v        在决定什么能吃而什么不能吃的时候，人们往往变得不合情理。
8 X5 A2 z! w; w$ I0 E7 z395. If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy.
1 N8 q& ^) x$ f% @6 K" a+ d3 l" k        比如，如果你住在地中海地区，你会把章鱼视作是美味佳肴，
# t1 X5 _, N' w# T396. You would not be able to understand why some people find it repulsive.
        同时不能理解为什么有人一见章鱼就恶心。
, D0 a, @. w7 x397. On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat -- the normally accepted practice in many northern countries.
0 N, N1 a  M+ P* |$ d! C* J0 Y        另一方面，你一想到动物油炸土豆就会反胃，
398. The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives.
/ G" Y7 B+ s# O$ @! F; c        不无遗憾的是， 我们中的大部分人，生来就只吃某几种食品，而且一辈子都这样。
399. No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail.
        没有一种生物所受到的赞美和厌恶会超过花园里常见的蜗牛了。
+ _* O4 |1 L# m/ c7 d400. Cooked in wine, snails are a great luxury in various parts of the world.
2 w, y) T; y4 a% f5 {6 N# v        蜗牛加酒烧煮后，便成了世界上许多地方的一道珍奇的名菜。
401. There are countless people who, ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food.
- d& j2 k( x. s) i        有不计其数的人们从小就知道蜗牛可做菜。
: A" s1 G8 l! G: u* c  v402. My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are despised.
        但我的朋友罗伯特却住在一个厌恶蜗牛的国家中。
403. As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own.
        他住在大城市里的一所公寓里，没有自己的花园。
, C( e2 M& W8 {& I404. For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him.
        多年来，他一直让我把我园子里的蜗牛收集起来给他捎去。
405. The idea never appealed to me very much,
        一开始，他的这一想法没有引起我多大兴趣。
4 H5 r* n! q  p406. but one day, after heavy shower,
        后来有一天，一场大雨后，
407. I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants.
        我在花园里漫无目的散步，突然注意到许许多多蜗牛在我的一些心爱的花木上慢悠悠的蠕动着。
1 H3 H. ~# e0 y! T$ n. g408. Acting on a sudden impulse, I collected several dozen, put them in a paper bag, and took them to Robert.
4 y3 t6 f( ~8 _) a2 X  `        我一时冲动，逮了几十只，装进一只纸袋里，带着去找罗伯特。
409. Robert was delighted to see me and equally pleased with my little gift.
+ ?7 n6 S' f# u  Y3 h! E8 U        罗伯特见到我很高兴，对我的薄礼也感到满意。
410. I left the bag in the hall and Robert and I went into the living room where we talked for a couple of hours.
        我把纸袋放在门厅里，与罗伯特一起进了起居室，在那里聊了好几个钟头。
411. I had forgotten all about the snails when Robert suddenly said that I must stay to dinner.
        我把蜗牛的事已忘得一干二净，罗伯特突然提出一定要我留下来吃晚饭，这才提醒了我。
( w* r* q; x4 e0 L! k- q: m$ E412. Snails would, of course, be the main dish.
        蜗牛当然是道主菜。
413. I did not fancy the idea and I reluctantly followed Robert out of the room.
        我并不喜欢这个主意，所以我勉强跟着罗伯特走进了起居室。
! \5 b! ~; y" [' W# x2 E8 G  i414. To our dismay, we saw that there were snails everywhere:
1 E: S* [+ M5 ^3 `  _        使我们惊愕的是门厅里到处爬满了蜗牛：
415. they had escaped from the paper bag and had taken complete possession of the hall!
        它们从纸袋里逃了出来，爬得满厅都是！
  X9 r" V; c1 t" k416. I have never been able to look at a snail since then.
        从那以后，我再也不能看一眼蜗牛了。