新概念英语4册第23课

Bird Flight

No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight; the varieties are infinite, but two classes may be roughly seen. Any ship that crosses the pacific is accompanied for many days by the smaller albatross, wich may keep company  with the vessel for an hour without visible or more than occasional movement of wing. The currents of air that the walls of the ship direct upwards, as well as in the line of its course are enough to give the great bird with its immense wings sufficient sustenance and progress. The albatross is the king of the gliders, the class of fliers wich harness the air to their purpose, but must yield to its opposition. In the contrary school the duck is supreme. It comes nearer to the engines with which man has 'conquered' the air, as he boasts. Duck, and like them the pigeons, are endowed with steel-like muscles, that are a good part of the weight of the bird, and these will ply the short wings with irresistible power that they can bore for long distances through an opposite gale before exhaustion follows. Their humbler followers, such as partridges, have a like power of strong propulsion, but soon tire. You man pick them up in utter exhaustion, if wind over the sea has driven them to a long journey. The swallow shares the virtues of both schools in highest measure. It tires not nor does it boast of its power; but belongs the air, travelling it may be six thousand miles to and from its northern nesting home feeding its flown young as it flies and slipping through a medium that seems to help its passage even when the wind is adverse. Such birds do us good, though we no longer take omens from their flight on this side and that, and even the most superstitious villagers no longer take off their hats to the magpie and wish it good-morning.

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没有任何两中鸟类的飞行方式是相同的，其中有无数种差别，但是可以粗略地分为两大类。任何穿越太平洋的船只都会有有小的信天翁伴随好多天。而它们可以一小时保持翅膀没有明显的运动，或者只有一两下。气流沿着船壁上升，给予这些大鸟的巨大翅膀以足够的支撑力和前进动力。信天翁是滑翔机之王。属于那种利用空气的飞行者，但是必须是相对的方向。而相反鸭子是超级的。它在人们引以自豪的征服空气的引擎旁。鸭子，以及和他们类似的企鹅，拥有钢铁般的肌肉，并占身体的很大一部分。而它们不停地用不可抵抗的力量扇动小翅膀，使他们可以在疲劳前抵抗迎面来的大风。而鹌鹑是较小的追随者，拥有很强的爆发力，但很快就会疲劳。如果海面的风把它们吹过了很长的距离，你可以在它们疲劳时捡起来。而燕子拥有这方法。它即不疲倦也不炫耀它的力量，而是随着风飘，喂养飞行的幼鸟，檐子可能会离北方的巢穴六千英里远，而当风反向时，会滑行以帮助它自己通过。这些鸟对我们有益。对染虽然我们不再根据他们的飞行来或者预兆，甚至最迷信的村民也不在向喜鹊脱帽然后问候早安。