E56 精讲版｜重返龙佑之邦

英汉文本 

The sun was just starting to rise when Tuk Tuk rolled to a stop on the Heart Bridge. Raya climbed down from the saddle. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. Her heart was jumping like a wild Ongi in her chest. 

当突突滚到龙心桥前停下来的时候，太阳才刚开始升起。拉雅从鞍上爬下来，深吸一口气，努力平静下来。就像有只猴子在她胸口似的，她的心脏砰砰跳个不停。

A lone figure stood on the bridge, looking lost. Raya watched silently as her father limped over to pick up a broken flag. As he looked at it, his shoulders slumped with sadness.

一个孤独的身影站在桥上，怅然若失。拉雅默默看着她父亲一瘸一拐地走过去捡起一面破碎的旗帜。他看着它，肩膀悲伤地耷拉下来。

“Ba,” Raya said softly.

“爸。”拉雅小声说。

Chief Benja turned. His mouth opened in surprise. The flag fell from his hands. “Dewdrop?”

蓬加大族长转过身，惊讶地张大了嘴。旗子从他手中掉在了地上。“小水珠?”

With a sob, Raya ran into her father’s arms. He hugged her tightly, stroking her hair.

拉雅抽噎着扑进父亲怀里。他紧紧地抱着她，抚摸着她的头发。

Tears streamed down Raya’s face. For so many years, she’d dreamed of this moment. She almost couldn’t believe it had finally come. She never wanted to let him go.

泪水顺着拉雅的脸庞流下。她梦想这一时刻都不知道多少年了，她几乎不敢相信它成真了。她再也不想放开他了。

But after a moment, Benja stepped away. When Raya looked at him, she saw he was gazing past her, his face full of awe.

但过了一会儿，蓬加松开她，后退了一步。拉雅望着他，看见他目光穿过自己，脸上满是敬畏。

Without even turning, Raya knew why. He had spotted Sisu.

As the dragon stepped onto the bridge, Benja bowed to her in respect, forming his hands in a circle over his forehead. Raya bowed, too.

拉雅没有转身也知道为什么。他看见了希苏。神龙踏上龙心桥，蓬加恭敬地鞠了一躬，双手在额头上握成一个圈。拉雅也鞠了躬。

“Is that . . . really her?” Benja whispered to Raya, as if he didn’t trust his own eyes. Raya nodded.

“那......真是她?”蓬加小声问拉雅，就好像他无法相信自己的眼睛。拉雅点点头。

“Chief Benja,” Sisu said, her voice warm with affection. “Your daughter did you proud. I hope you don’t mind . . . she brought some friends.”

“蓬加大族长，”希苏说，声音充满了温情，“你的女儿给你争光啦。我希望你不介意......她带来了一些朋友。”

Sisu stepped aside. Benja looked past her, stunned.

希苏走向一旁。蓬加望向她身后，惊呆了。

A beaming Boun stood with his family. Noi waved from her mother’s arms, as the Ongis sat on neighboring shoulders. Tong stood with his wife and baby and fellow Spine warriors. Namaari was there with Chief Virana. All of them bowed deeply.

阿波笑容满面地与他家人站在一起。小糯在她母亲怀中挥着手，猴子天团则坐在旁人的肩上。老藤与他的妻儿，以及龙脊山的战士站在一起。纳马丽身旁是唯娜族长。他们都深深地鞠了一躬。

And behind them, stretching far into the distance, were hundreds more people from Tail, Talon, Spine, and Fang, all standing side by side. Tears of joy filled Benja’s eyes. 

他们身后是来自龙尾滩、龙爪湾、龙脊山和龙牙谷的成百上千的人，他们全都肩并肩站着，绵延到很远的地方。蓬加大族长眼中涌起了喜悦的泪水。

In pairs and groups, the multitude started to cross the bridge, each individual bowing to Chief Benja as they passed.

人群开始三五成群地穿过桥，每人经过时都向蓬加大族长鞠躬。

Raya smiled and squeezed her father’s hand. “Ba,” she said. “Welcome to Kumandra.”

拉雅笑着捏了捏她父亲的手。“爸，”她说“，欢迎来到龙佑之邦。”

123重点精讲

- steady one’s nerves: 让某人平静下来

I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. 我深呼吸了一口气，让自己平静下来。

steady: 使平稳；稳住

Share prices have held steady over the last few days. 股价过去几天来一直保持稳定。

- stroke v. 轻抚，抚摩

He's a beautiful dog. Can I stroke him? 这只狗真漂亮，我可以摸一摸吗？

stroke away her tears 抚去泪水

He gave the cat a stroke. 他抚摩了一下猫。

- do sb. proud: 做赢得赞誉的事

= make sb. Proud 

You've done our school proud. 你为校争光了。

The athlete did  the country proud. 这个运动员为国争光了。

- neighboring adj. 邻近的；附近的

a neighboring town / country / environment 邻近的城镇 / 邻国 / 周边的环境

- multitude n. 群众；民众

A great multitude of people gathered. 人们围过来一大批。

众多；大量

a multitude of possibilities 众多的可能性

a multitude of different ways 无数不同的方式

= a wide range of / a variety of

随堂笔记

slump：重重地坐下（或倒下）

The man slumped down in his chair.那个人一屁股跌坐到椅子上。

gaze：敬畏、爱慕地凝视

spot：看到（不容易发现的事物）

Can you spot the difference between these two pictures? 你能不能看出这两幅画有什么不同？

stretch far into the distance: 延伸到很远的地方

stretch: 延伸 

The road stretched ahead. 大路向前方延伸开去。