'The Northern Hurricane', then at the height of his military
success in the Thirty Years' War, had dictated her measurements and
armament.
【译文】当时号称“北方飓风”的国王古斯塔夫斯.阿道尔弗正处在“三十年战争”的军事鼎盛阶段，他亲自规定了这艘船的规模和武器配备。
【理解】
★
'The Northern Hurricane' 是 King Gustavus Adolphus
的同位语。
★
the Thirty Years' War 三十年战争
★
at the height of…… 在… …高度，在… …顶峰，如：
It flew at a height of ten thousand feet. 它在一万英尺的高空飞行。
27-5.Triple gun-decks mounted sixty-four bronze cannon.
【译文】3层的火炮甲板上装着64门青铜加农炮
★
mount 动词：架有
★
cannon 的复数形式加“s”或其本身均可。
27-6.She was intended to play a leading role in the growing might
of Sweden.
【译文】目的就是要在不断增长的瑞典势力中起主导作用。
【理解】
★
intend to do 打算做某事，如：
I don’t think she intended me to hear the remark.
我认为她不打算让我听到这话。
★
动词词组to play a role 意思是“扮演角色；起作用”，role 的前面可用形容词修饰。如：play a
splendid (great , important , leading , etc ) role （起到很重要作用）。或 play
a miner (unimportant ,trifle ,etc .) role （作用甚微）。此词组后面通常与 in
(doing) sth. 相搭配。如：
Tom played the role of the old king in our school play .
汤姆在我们学校演出的剧中扮演老国王的角色。
27-7.As she was prepared of her maiden voyage on August 10, 1628,
Stockholm was in a ferment.
【译文】1628年8月10日，“瓦萨”号准备首航时，斯德哥尔摩一片欢腾。
【理解】
★
in a ferment 一片欢腾
27-8.From the Skeppsbron and surrounding islands the people watched
this thing of beauty begin to spread her sails and catch the
wind.
【译文】人们从斯开波斯布朗和周围的岛屿前来观着这艘美丽的战船扬帆起航，乘风前进。
【理解】
★
this thing 指战舰，her 也指战舰。
★
watch + sb./sth. + do/doing ，二者的区别在于：do 表示动作发生的事实，而 doing
表示动作正在发生。
27-9.They had laboured for three years to produce this floating
work of art; she was more richly carved and ornamented than any
previous ship.
【译文】瑞典人辛辛苦苦干了3年才建成这件水上艺术品，它比以往任何船只雕刻得都更加精美，装饰得都更加华丽。
【理解】
★
this floating work of art 指“瓦萨”号，意即“水上艺术品”。
27-10.The high stern castle was a riot of carved gods, demons,
knights, kings, warriors, mermaids, cherubs; and
zoomorphic animal shapes
ablaze with red and gold and blue, symbols of courage, power, and
cruelty, were portrayed to stir the imaginations of the
superstitious sailors of the day.
【译文】高耸的船楼上雕刻了令人眼花缭乱的神仙、妖魔、骑士、国王、武士、美人鱼和小天使，还有用红色、金黄色、蓝色绘制的光彩夺目的兽形图案，象征着勇敢、力量和残暴，以激起当时崇尚迷信的水手们的想像。
【理解】
★
该句由两个并列分句组成，这两个分句由分号分开。
★
ablaze with 在课文里面作定语，修饰 zoomorphic animal shapes 。
★
symbols of courage, power, and cruelty 作 zoomorphic
animal shapes 的同位语。
★
zoomorphic animal shapes 作第二个分句的主语，该句的谓语是 were
portrayed。
★
to stir the imaginations of the superstitious sailors of
the day 是目的状语。
27-11.Then the cannons of the anchored warships thundered a salute
to which the Vasa fired in reply.
【译文】这时，停泊在港口的其他战船向“瓦萨”号鸣炮致礼，“瓦萨”号也鸣炮回礼。
【理解】
★
to which the Vasa fired in reply 作定语从句，修饰a salute
★
thunder
常用作名词，意思是“雷电”，但此处作动词，意思是“鸣炮”。英语中像这样具有动词和名词性的词还有许多，注意下列黑体词的含义：
There are no stops on the
run (n.) to the coast.
在去海滨的路上没有站。
She can’t attend the formal party because she has only a suit for
everyday
wear (n.)
她不能去参加那个正式的宴会，因为她只有一套家常穿衣服。
Prof. Jackson’s personal picture exhibition is
housed (v.)
in that building.
杰克逊教授的个人画展设在那座楼里。
★
in reply 作为回答，如：
The teacher nodded in reply. 老师点头作为回答。
27-12.As she emerged from her drifting cloud of gun smoke with the
water churned to foam beneath her bow, her flags flying, pennants
waving, sails filling in the breeze, and the red and gold of her
superstructure ablaze with colour, she presented a more majestic
spectacle than Stockholmers had ever seen before.
【译文】当“瓦萨”号从弥漫的礼炮烟云中出现时，船头下浪花加溅，舰旗迎风招展，三角旗随风飘动，微风鼓起风帆，金碧辉煌的船楼闪耀着灿烂的色彩。“瓦萨”号展现的壮观景象是斯德哥尔摩人从未见过的。
【理解】
★
As 引导的是时间状语从句。
★
该从句中的 with the water churned…, her flags flying, pennants
waving, sails filling…, and the red and gold… ablaze with colour
为5个独立主格结构，均作方式状语，修饰动词
emerged。这5个独立主格结构生动形象地将但时“瓦萨”号刚启航时的壮丽场面表现出来。
★
该句的主语是 she presented … before。
★
than 引导比较状语从句，该连词后面省略了 that。
27-13.All gun-ports were open and the muzzles peeped wickedly from
them.
【译文】船上的炮眼都开着，炮口虎视眈眈地向外窥视着。
【理解】
★
本句运用了拟人的修辞方法。
27-14.As the wind freshened there came a sudden squall and the ship
made a strange movement,
listing to port.
【译文】当风力增强时，突然刮来一阵大风，“瓦萨”号奇怪地摇晃了一下，便向左舷倾斜。
【理解】
★
there came a sudden squall 该句为 there 引导的句子。通常 there 与 be
动词连用，表示“存在”。此外 there 还可以同其它动词连用，如：arise、come、 exist 、rise、 go、lie、
live 、remain 、seem 、stand 等动词连用，如：
There seems to be a problem. 好像有一个问题。
There came the crack of a shot. 传来一声枪响。
★
listing to port 作结果状语，修饰 made a strange movement。
27-15.The Ordnance Officer ordered all the port cannon to be heaved
to starboard to counteract the list, but the steepening angle of
the decks increased.
【译文】炮长命令把左舷上所有大炮搬到右舷上来以抵消船的倾斜，但甲板的倾斜度仍在增加。
【理解】
★
to be heaved to starboard 作宾语all the port cannon
的补足语。
★
to counteract the list 作目的状语，修饰 to be heaved。
27-16.Then the sound of rumbling thunder reached the watchers on
the shore, as cargo, ballast, ammunition and 400 people went
sliding and crashing down to the port side of the steeply listing
ship.
【译文】当物口、压舱物、弹药和400个人轰地一声滑向陡斜的左舷时，岸上的观众听到了雷鸣般的轰响。
【理解】
★
as 引导时间状语从句。
★
sliding and crashing 现在分词作方式状语，修饰 went，意即“轰的一声滑倒”。
27-17.The lower gun-ports were now below water and the inrush
sealed the ship's fate.
【译文】下层炮眼已淹没在水里，涌进船舱的水给“瓦萨”号带来了难以逃脱的厄运。
【理解】
★
fate , destiny 和 doom 都含“命运”的意思。
27-18.In that first glorious hour, the mighty Vasa, which was
intended to rule the Baltic, sank with all flags flying-in the
harbour of her birth.
【译文】就这样，想要统治波罗的海的大型战舰“瓦萨”号，在它壮丽的起航时刻，带着全身飘扬的彩旗，沉没在了它诞生的港口。
【理解】
★
which 引导的是非限制性定语从句。with all flags flying
为独立主格结构，作方式状语。破折号用来起强调作用，强调就是在她诞生的港口沉没。in the harbour of her birth
为介词短语，作地点状语。
