Lesson 28 Countryman’s Creed 乡下人的信条

 
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, which 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 which 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 may 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 to 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.

New words and expressions 生词短语
infinite a. 无穷的，无限的
   infinitive n. 不定式
A: finite a. 有限的；measurable a. 可测量的
S: fathomless a. 深不可测的; fathom n. 长度单位，旬；v. 测量深度
   immeasurable a. 可测量的 另有：endless / boundless… infinite power /energy
albatross n. 信天翁white seabird
direct vt. 指向
Eg: He directed me the way to success. （他给我指明了成功之路。）
      Can you direct me to NOS? director 导演
sustenance n. 支撑力sustain v.
Eg: The tree can’t sustain its branches. （这棵树支撑不了它的枝干了。）
He has a big family to sustain. (他要养活一大家子人。)
   sustainable a.sustainable development strategy 可持续发展战略
glider n. 滑翔者
harness vt. 利用(formal)
S: use / make use of / utilize / exploit
   harness solar energy 利用太阳能
to yield to 顺着，屈服于
Eg: He yields to persuasion / despair / temptation.
S: submit to / give in to / surrender to
Eg: Turtle submit to all kind of indignities.
school n. 类，群，队
   多指 sea animal / fish / shoalschool 流派；schools of thought 思想流派
   one hundred flowers blossom and one hundred schools contend. 百花齐放，百家争鸣
boast vi. 自夸
endow vt. 赋有
   be endowed withEg: He is endowed with gift/talent/power/strength/courage.
ply v. 不断地供给
bore vi. 穿越 to bore through the air. 穿越大气层
gale n. 大风
exhaustion n. 精疲力竭
Eg: I am exhausted. / I am dead tired. / I am dog tired.
S: worn out / spend / waste / drained
humbler a. 较低级的
   原型：humble
   Eg: I am a humble person.
      He is humble before his boss.
   源于 umble(French): the meat of dear
   eat umble pie = eat humble pie (狩猎后供仆人吃的)内脏做的煎馅饼
   S: lick the dust 卑躬屈膝
   Eg: He eat humble pie. 他忍辱负重。

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