LESSON 21
第21课
West Indies
西印度群岛
adorn
装饰
approach
靠近
motion
运动
attached
附加
sugar plum
小糖果
cotton
棉花
instinct
本能
object
对象
defending
捍卫
necessary
必要的
rapid
速度
brilliant
才华横溢的
fibers
纤维
severely
严重地
HUMMING BIRDS
蜂鸟
The most beautiful humming birds are found in the West Indies and South America.
世界上最美丽的蜂鸟仅仅在西印度群岛和南美洲发现过。
The crest of the tiny head of one of these shines like a sparkling crown of colored light.
其中一只小鸟很特别，它的小脑袋上有一个闪烁着耀眼光芒的顶冠，就像色彩斑斓的璀璨皇冠一样。
The shades of color that adorn its breast, are equally brilliant.
顶冠也同样照亮了它的胸脯，如同点缀的光影一样。
As the bird flits from one object to another, it looks more like a bright flash of sunlight than it does like a living being.
当小鸟从一个地方飞到另一个地方，它看起来就像一道亮闪闪的光，而不是一个活生生的小生命。
But, you ask, why are they called humming birds?
然而，您可能会问，它们为何被称为蜂鸟呢？
It is because they make a soft, hum-ming noise by the rapid motion of their wings
正是因为它们在飞翔时急速扇动翅膀，从而制造出嗡嗡的蜂鸣声，才由此而得名。
—a motion so rapid, that as they fly you can onlysee that they have wings.
蜂鸟颤动翅膀的速度极其快，以至于人们只能看到空中翱翔而过的翅膀，反而看不到它的身体。
One day when walking in the woods, I found the nest of one of the smallest humming birds.
有一天，当我在林中漫步时，发现了一只小蜂鸟的鸟巢。
It was about half the size of a very small hen's egg, and was attached to a twig no thicker than a steel knitting needle.
这个小巢穴大概只有半个鸡蛋大，附着在一根还不如钢针粗的小树枝上。
It seemed to have been made of cotton fibers, and was covered with the softest bits of leaf and bark.
它看上去就像是用棉线编织成的，上面覆盖着柔软的叶子和树皮。
It had two eggsin it, quite white, and each about as large as a small sugarplum.
里面有两只小卵，纯白色的，每个卵都像一粒小糖果似的。
When you approach the spot where one of these birds has built its nest, it is necessary to be careful.
当你靠近这类鸟巢时，一定要非常小心。
The mother bird will dart at you and try to peck your eyes.
鸟妈妈会向你扑来，试图啄食你的眼睛。
Its sharp beak may hurt your eyes most severely, and even destroy the sight.
它那尖尖的鸟嘴或许会重伤您的眼睛，甚至可能会让您失明。
The poor little thing knows no other way of defending its young, and instinct teaches it that you might carry off its nest if you could find it.
这个可怜的小东西并不知道除此之外还有什么可以保护幼子的方法，它只会本能地认为，如果您能找到鸟巢，就会夺走它。
