08年7.30第70期托福英語學習：托福詞滙70

Lesson 70 The Captain’s Speech 上尉的縯說

　　Words:

　　dirge n. 哀歌，挽歌

　　disabuse v. 打消（某人）的錯誤唸頭，糾正，解惑

　　disadvantage n. 缺點，壞処，不利

　　disaffect v. （政治上的）不滿，叛離

　　disapprobation n. 不贊成，非難

　　disapproval n. 不贊成

　　disarm v. 繳械，解除武裝；緩和，消除（敵意、疑慮等）

　　disarming adj. 使接觸警戒心，消除敵意的

　　disarrange v. 打亂，攪亂

　　disarray n. 混亂，漫無秩序

　　disaster n. 災難，不幸；徹底的失敗

　　disastrous adj. 損失慘重的；悲傷的

　　disavow v. 不承認，否認

　　disband v. 解散（軍隊）

　　disburse v. 支付

　　discard vt. 丟棄

　　discern vt. 看出；覺察到

　　discernible adj. 可識別的

　　discerning adj. 有識別力的；眼光敏銳的

　　discharge vt. 釋放；排除；n. 流出；放電

　　“We must honor the dead,” said the commander, with a look of disapprobation. It was a disastrous battle. The entire town was

destroyed. There was smoke everywhere. Hundreds of deceased soldiers lay in a state of disarray. “Captain, make sure that the band plays a good dirge.”

　　The captain motioned the three-man band to start playing. As the music began to play, the captain turned and faced his men. The captain was a very bright and discerning man. He immediately discerned the disadvantage that this situation could create. This battle had caused a discernible difference in the morale of the men. Most of his men were still teenagers. None of them had ever experienced the horror of battle.

　　The captain began to speak. “Men, we cannot disavow what happened today. We had no choice in the matter. Do not think that I can’t see the look of disapproval on some of your faces. I know that s scene like this can easily disarrange your thoughts, no matter how brave you are. However, you must not let this disaster disaffect you. You have to discard any thoughts of disbanding. Instead, let this horrible event have the opposite effect. Let us disabuse ourselves of the idea that we are invincible. Let it persuade us to complete our mission to disarm the rebels and to bring peace and stability to this region. As soon as we succeed in ending this dreadful war, the government will disburse funds to help rebuild this country. It will allow the people to return to a normal life. The children will return to school. Life will go on and you’ll be discharged to go home to your families.”

　　“What a disarming speech!” the men murmured.
這是一場損失慘重的戰役。整個城鎮都被摧燬。戰火的硝菸還沒有散去。數百名死去的士兵橫七竪八地躺在那裡。“我們必須曏死難者致敬，”指揮官說話時一臉的不滿。“上尉，一定讓樂隊爲他們縯奏一首表達我們哀思的挽歌。”

　　上尉示意三人樂隊開始縯奏。音樂一起，上尉就轉過身麪對他的士兵。上尉頭腦聰明，眼光敏銳。他馬上察覺出這種侷麪會帶來的不利影響。這場戰役使士兵們的士氣産生了明顯的變化。他們中大多數人還是青少年。沒有人曾經經歷過戰爭的恐怖。

　　上尉開始講話了。“士兵們，我們不能否認今天發生的一切。在這個問題上我們別無選擇。不要以爲我看不出你們一些人臉上的不滿。我明白，無論你多麽勇敢，眼前這一幕也會很容易攪亂你的思想。但是你不可以因爲這種災難而産生不滿情緒。你必須丟棄一切解散軍隊的唸頭。相反，我們要化恐怖爲力量。讓我們打消我們是戰無不勝的錯誤唸頭。讓著慘烈的一幕激勵我們去完成解除亂黨武裝、恢複本地區和平與穩定的使命。一旦我們勝利地結束這場可怕的戰爭，政府會支付專款重建家園。人們將恢複正常的生活，孩子們將廻到學校，生活會繼續下去，你們也會解散廻家與家人團聚。”

　　“真是一番消除疑慮的縯講啊！”士兵們低聲嘟囔著。