常春藤解析英语 22 Midnight Marauders　忍者传说

Midnight Marauders　忍者传说

by Jason Alloy

It is just after midnight. Dressed in dark-colored clothing to _(1)_ with his surroundings, a secretive figure darts in and out of the shadows, quietly slipping inside the fortress. Drawing his sword, he prepares to complete his _(2)_, the beheading of a rival general. He is one of the most feared warriors in history. He is a ninja.

In 6th century Japan, mountain villagers began sending spies to gather information about

_(3)_ attacks from ruling families. Greatly outnumbered by Samurai, the villagers began practicing techniques that came from both Japan and China to create ninjutsu, the art of stealth. Through extreme training such as hanging over the edge of cliffs to _(4)_ their fears, some villagers became ninjas.

Ninjas' use of misdirection, the ability to confuse enemies with one's movements, made them so mysterious _(5)_ they were rumored to have magical powers. Their noiseless movements were made possible by the special shoes they wore that allowed them to walk in virtual silence. These shoes, with wooden pads carved to look like animal tracks attached to the bottoms, also made their _(6)_ untraceable. By day ninjas disguised themselves as peasants, and at night dressed in dark colors suitable for hiding in the shadows or even green and yellow to match bamboo.

At their height, there were 80 ninja clans throughout Japan. Though _(7)_ in the 17th century, ninjutsu still went on in underground circles. Today, the lineage can be traced to ninjutsu teacher Masaaki Hatsumi, "the last living ninja." Although ninjas may no longer be assassins, their principles of self-defense continue to be taught.

1. (A) stand out　(B) put aside　(C) blend in　　　(D) take sides

2. (A) surgery　　(B) mission　　(C) destination　　(D) outcome

3. (A) promising (B) inviting　　(C) hesitating　　(D) impending

4. (A) conquer　　(B) consist　　(C) confirm　　　　(D) convey

5. (A) which　　　(B) while　　　　(C) that　　　　　(D) therefore

6. (A) scents　　　(B) footprints (C) strategies　　(D) transportations

7. (A) banned　　　(B) to ban　　　(C) banning　　　(D) was banned

原来如此

1. Dressed in dark-colored clothing to blend in with his surroundings, a secretive figure...

理由：

a. (A) stand out　　脱颖而出;显眼

例： Molly always stands out because she wears a bright red raincoat even on days when the weather is perfect.

(茉莉总是很显眼，因为就算大晴天她也穿着大红色的雨衣。)

(B) put aside...　　将……放在一边

例： Please put aside what you think you know and listen to the professor's lecture.

(请将自认为所知的一切搁在一旁，好好听教授上课。)

(C) blend in with...　　融入……

例： Julia blended right in with our friends the first day we met.

(茱莉亚在我们相识的第一天就和我的朋友打成一片。)

(D) take sides with sb　　偏袒某人，站在某人那边

= side with sb

例： Sarah always takes sides with her mother when her parents fight.

(莎拉的父母吵架时，她总是站在妈妈那边。)

b. 根据上下文，指的应是忍者穿着深色服装，以便与周遭环境『融合』在一起，可知应选 (C)。

2. Drawing his sword, he prepares to complete his mission, the beheading of a rival general.

理由：

a.(A) surgery n. 外科手术

(B) mission n. 任务

(C) destination n. 目的地

(D) outcome n. 结果

b. 根据空格前的 complete(完成)可知，应是指忍者准备要完成『任务』，故选 (B)。

3. ...mountain villagers began sending spies to gather information about impending attacks from ruling families.

理由：

a.(A) promising a. 大有可为的

a promising job　　有前途的工作

例： Mark is a promising young man; he is full of drive.

(马克是个有为的青年，他充满了干劲。)

(B) inviting a. 诱人的

例： On a cold winter day, a hot spring can be very inviting.

(在寒冷的冬日，热呼呼的温泉实在非常诱人。)

(C) hesitating a. 犹豫不决的

hesitate vi. 犹豫

例： Don't hesitate in sending your resume for that job.

(快寄履历应征那份工作，别犹豫。)

(D) impending a. 即将发生的

例： The impending war of words with Terry might get out of control.

(和泰瑞之间即将掀起的口舌之战恐怕会失控。)

b. 空格后为名词 attacks(攻击)，根据语意，可知应选 (D) impending(即将发生的)加以修饰，语意方通顺。

4. Through extreme training...to conquer their fears, some villagers became ninjas.

理由：

a.(A) conquer vt. 克服;战胜

(B) consist vi. 组成

consist of...　　由……组成

例： The mall consists of stores that sell very expensive products.

(这座购物中心由贩卖昂贵商品的店家组成。)

(C) confirm vt. 确认

(D) convey vt. 传达

convey sth to sb　　向某人传达某事

例： Debbie conveyed her love to Kent by writing him a letter every day they were apart.

(黛比在与肯特分开的每一天都写信给他，传达自己的爱意。)

b. 根据其后的受词 fears(害怕)，可知应选 (A) conquer(克服)，方合乎语意。

5. ...made them so mysterious that they were rumored to have magical powers.

理由：

a. 本空格测试下列固定句型：

so + adj./adv. + that + S + V　　如此……以致于……

例： The crime was so terrible that the whole town went looking for the murderer.

(那件犯罪如此骇人，以致于全镇的人都在寻找那名杀人犯。)

b. 根据上述用法，可知应选 (C)。

6. These shoes, with wooden pads carved to look like animal tracks attached to the bottoms, also made their footprints untraceable.

理由：

a.(A) scent n. 香味

(B) footprint n. 脚印

(C) strategy n. 战略

(D) transportation n. 运输

b. 根据语意，忍者穿的鞋子底部有刻成动物脚印的木垫，此举应是让忍者的『足迹』无法追踪，可知应选 (B)。

7. Though banned in the 17th century, ninjutsu still went on in underground circles.

理由：

a. 空格前有 Though，得知本空格测试副词子句化简为副词词组的用法：

Though, if, when, while, once 和 unless 等副词连接词所引导的副词子句，若其主词与主要子句中的主词相同，可化简为分词词组，化简原则如下：

1) 删除副词子句之主词;

2) 其后动词化为现在分词;

3) 若该动词为 be 动词时，变成现在分词 being 之后通常予以省略。

例： Though scolded by Mom, my brother still snuck out with his friends late at night.

(虽然被妈妈骂，我弟弟深夜还是和朋友溜出去。)

b. 本句原为：

Though ninjutsu was banned in the 17th century, ninjutsu still...

c. 由此可知，应选 (A) banned。

精解字词词组

1. be dressed in...　　穿着……

例： Princess Rebecca was dressed in a long, flowing gown designed by Gucci.

(卢贝佳公主穿着一件由 Gucci 设计的飘逸长礼服。)

2. outnumber vt. 数量上超过

例： Even though the 300 troops were outnumbered, they still fought with all their might.

(即使敌众我寡，三百名精兵还是奋力一搏。)

3. confuse vt. 使混淆

confuse A with B　　将 A 与 B 混淆

例： Don't confuse me with Aaron just because we are cousins.

(别因为我跟亚伦是表兄弟就把我们搞混。)

4. be attached to...　　被附加于……

attach A to B　　将 A 附于 B

例： I attached the file to the email so you can take a look at it before we sign the contract.

(我把合约夹带在电子邮件里，以便您能在签约前先过目。)

5. disguise oneself as...　　某人伪装成……

例： The fan disguised himself as one of the staff to get into the concert.

(那名粉丝伪装成工作人员，混进了演唱会。)

6. at one's height/at the height of...　　在……的颠峰时期

例： At the height of his career, Tom was earning more than US$20 million per movie.

(在他事业的颠峰期，汤姆每部电影可以赚进两千多万美元。)

7. be traced (back) to...　　追溯至……

例： The cause of the explosion was traced to a gas leak.

(爆炸的起因经追查是瓦斯外泄的结果。)

单字小铺

1. marauder n. 掠夺者

2. surroundings n. 环境(恒用复数)

3. secretive a. 躲躲藏藏的

4. dart vi. 飞奔;猛冲

5. fortress n. 要塞，堡垒

6. beheading n. 斩首

7. ninja n. 忍者

8. Samurai n. 武士

9. stealth n. 秘密行动

10. cliff n. 悬崖，峭壁

11. misdirection n. 误导

12. virtual a. 几乎的;实际上的

13. pad n.(衬∕护)垫

14. track n. 足迹

15. untraceable a. 难以追踪的

16. peasant n. 农夫

17. clan n. 宗派

18. underground a. 秘密的;地下的

19. lineage n. 血统，世系

20. assassin n. 刺客

中文翻译&标准答案

午夜刚过，一名神秘人物身穿与周遭环境合为一体的深色服装，穿梭在幽闇中，并悄悄溜进堡垒。他抽出剑，准备完成取下敌方将军首级的任务。他是历史上最令人畏惧的战士。他是一位忍者。

公元六世纪的日本，山区村民开始派间谍搜集统治家族即将发动攻击的情报。村民的人数比武士少很多，于是开始练习来自中国与日本的技巧，创造了『忍术』，也就是秘密活动的艺术。透过极端的训练，像是悬在断崖峭壁上以战胜恐惧，有些村民成为忍者。

忍者的欺敌手段(也就是以动作困惑敌人)使他们染上神秘色彩，他们具有法术的谣言于是不胫而走。他们穿着特殊的鞋子，几乎能一声不响地行走。那种鞋子底部有刻成动物脚印的木垫，让人无法追踪他们的足迹。白天时忍者伪装成农夫，到了晚上就穿上适合在暗处躲藏的深色衣服，甚至穿上黄色和绿色的衣服，与竹林相融一色。

在颠峰时期，日本约有八十个忍者村。虽然在十七世纪时，忍术一度被禁，但仍活跃于地下组织。如今，忍术的传人可追溯至『最后一位忍者』──忍术大师初见良昭。虽然如今忍者不再是暗杀者，但他们自卫的守则仍被传授下去。

标准答案：

1. (C)　2. (B)　3. (D)　4. (A)　5. (C)

6. (B)　7. (A)