Lives of the Cowboys
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents Introduction.
内容简介。
4 The Cowboy Era Begins.
4"牛仔时代"出道.
5 The Cattle Drive.
(原始内容存档于2017-10-21). The Cantle Drive.
8 The Market.
8 市场。
14 Stampede!
14 史为乐!
And Other Dangers.
还有其他危险
15 The End of the Era.
15 大纪元末.
19 Glossary.
19 词汇表。
24 Introduction Mention the word cowboy, and a picture quickly comes to mind: a tough man in boots and a hat who is fast with his gun.
24 导言 提到"牛仔"这个词,一幅相片很快就想到了:一个穿着靴子和一顶戴起枪来快的帽子的硬汉.
While this romantic image is known around the world, the real cowboys were very different.
虽然这个浪漫的形象在全世界广为人知,但真正的牛仔却大相径庭.
Cowboys didn’t spend their time rescuing maidens or getting in shootouts.
牛仔没有花时间去拯救少女,
They were workers who performed a tough, dangerous, and exhausting job.
他们是从事艰苦、危险和疲劳工作的工人。
It was this difficult, lonely work that first made cowboys icons of the American West.
正是这种艰难而孤独的工作,才首先使牛仔成为了美国西部的偶像.
Movie cowboys were romantic, gun-slinging heroes.
电影牛仔是浪漫的,打枪的英雄。
The Cowboy Era Begins In the 1860s, enormous cattle ranches spread over large areas of western North America.
牛仔时代开始 在1860年代,巨大的牛牧场被分散到北美西部的大片地区.
Since so few people lived on the huge plains of Texas,Wyoming, Utah, and Montana, ranchers let their cattle wander over the land.
由于很少有人住在德克萨斯州,怀俄明州,犹他州,蒙大拿州等地的巨型平原上,牧场主让他们的牛在地上徘徊.
The cows grew fat and healthy on the wild grass.
牛在野生草地上长出肥胖而健康.
But most of the major slaughterhouses and cattle markets were in northern and eastern cities.
但大部分主要屠宰场和牛市都位于北部和东部城市.
The ranchers needed some way to round up thousands of cows and take them to railroad stations to get them to market.
牧场主需要某种方式来围捕上千头牛并带它们去火车站去市场.
Before the railroad spread to the western states, the only way to do this was on horseback.
在铁路蔓延到西部各州之前,唯一的办法就是骑马.
At the same time, many young men had lost their jobs.
与此同时,许多年轻人失去了工作。
The U.
吴人.
S.
师曰.
Civil War left soldiers and freed slaves with few opportunities.
民事 战争留下了士兵,解放了奴隶,机会很少.
People of Mexican descent and Native Americans were forced west as settlers moved in.
墨西哥人后裔和美洲原住民在定居者迁入时被强迫向西.
Many of these out-of-work young men went to the western ranches.
许多失业的年轻人去了西部牧场。
There was plenty of land and lots of work to be done there.
那里有很多土地和大量工作要做。
Ranchers hired strong men and taught them to handle horses.
兰彻斯雇佣了强人并教他们处理马匹.
They sent them onto the range to round up the cattle and march them to railroad stations on the northern and eastern plains.
他们派他们到牧场去围捕牛群,并游行到北部平原和东部平原的火车站.
Leading these cattle drives was the original work of cowboys.
领导这些牛的驱动器是牛仔的原作.
More than one- quarter of American cowboys were Hispanic, Native American, or African-American.
超过四分之一的美国牛仔是西班牙裔,美洲原住民,或非裔美国人.
This poster shows how cheap and plentiful western land was.
这张海报显示西部土地是多么便宜和丰盛.
Native Americans were skilled horse handlers.
美洲原住民是熟练的马夫
The first cowboys were Mexicans who called themselves vaqueros (vah-KEHR-ohs).
最早的牛仔是自称为"花地"(vah-KEHR-ohs)的墨西哥人.
They were experienced horse handlers who taught the newcomers how to work with cattle and horses.
他们是经验丰富的马柄手,教新人如何与牛和马一起工作.
They invented much of the familiar equipment and clothing that cowboys used, including the lasso, the cowboy hat (a form of the sombrero), and leather chaps.
他们发明了牛仔们使用的许多熟悉的装备和服装,包括拉索,牛仔帽(一种"相""相""相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"相"
Chaps are leg coverings that protected cowboys from cactuses and other spiny plants.
斑点是保护牛仔免受仙人掌和其他花生植物的腿部覆盖.
The vaqueros were often the ones who captured and tamed mustangs, or wild horses, for other cowboys to ride.
瓦克罗斯人常常是抓获并驯服了野马,或野马来让其他牛仔骑.
Mustangs were nearly impossible to control until after the skilled vaqueros had tamed them.
野马几乎无法控制 直到熟练的瓦克罗斯驯服了它们
The vaqueros trained both cowboys and horses for the grueling cattle drive.
瓦克罗斯对牛仔和马都进行了训练,以进行令人毛骨悚然的牛驱.
The Cattle Drive The Roundup The cowboys’ first task was to go out from the ranch house and gather all the cattle for the drive.
牛驱车围捕 牛仔们的第一个任务是离开牧场,
The ranchers had branded their cattle, or burned a pattern into their skin, so they could tell whose cow was whose.
牧场主给牛打上烙印,或者把一个图案烧入了他们的皮肤,这样他们就可以知道谁是牛了.
This was necessary because the cattle were scattered over miles and mixed in with other herds.
这样做是必要的,因为牛群分散在几英里内,并与其他群群混杂在一起。
The cowboys herded the cattle onto the ranch, sorted them, branded any new calves, and prepared for the long trek ahead.
牛仔们把牛群赶到牧场, 整理出它们, 给任何新的小牛打上烙印, 并为前面的长跑做准备.
Branding was an uncomfortable event for both cow and cowboy.
品牌对于牛和牛仔来说都是一件不愉快的事.
Do You Know?
你知道吗?
On the T rail About 2,500 cattle and 15 to 20 cowboys went on a typical cattle drive.
在T道上,大约2500头牛和15到20个牛仔上了一个典型的牛车道.
This included the trail boss, who was the highest-paid member of the crew.
其中包括小道老大,他是船员中收入最高的成员.
The trail boss was the leader of the drive.
跟踪老大是驱动器的领导者
He was responsible for deciding the price of the cattle at the railroad station.
他负责决定火车站牛的价格.
The cook, who often served as the drive’s doctor, drove a chuck wagon filled with food, supplies, medicine, and other goods.
厨师经常担任司机的医生,开着一辆装满食品、用品、药品等物品的卡车。
Even though he did not handle cows or horses, the cook was a highly respected member of the crew.
尽管他不处理牛或马,但厨师是船员中受人尊敬的成员.
A wrangler, usually a teenage boy, kept track of the extra horses.
一个扳手,通常是一个十几岁的男孩,跟踪着多余的马.
Cowboys needed to switch horses when the horses became tired, sick, or hurt.
牛仔在马疲惫,生病或受伤时需要换马.
For the first few days, the cowboys drove the cattle hard, trying to get them away from familiar land.
在最初的几天里,牛仔们把牛逼得很硬,想让他们远离熟悉的土地.
The cattle were not used to being in a large group, and they tried to run back to their old pastures.
牛群不习惯于成群结队,想跑回老牧场去.
But after a few days, the pace relaxed.
但是过了几天,节奏放松了.
Cows were sold by the pound, and going too fast would make them lose weight.
牛被磅卖出,过快会减肥.
New cowboys, or greenhorns, rode in the back.
新来的牛仔,或者绿角,骑在后面。
This was the worst place to be.
这是最糟糕的地方。
The cows kicked up lots of dust and left piles of smelly dung behind.
奶牛踢出多地出土后留下了一堆臭粪.
Bandanas came in handy keeping dust and bad smells away from the cowboy’s mouth and nose.
Bandanas帮助把灰尘和恶臭从牛仔的嘴和鼻子上移开。
Cowboys prepare to leave the ranch.
牛仔们准备离开牧场
A cowboy keeps close watch over his herd.
一个牛仔一直密切监视他的群。
The trail boss and the cook rode ahead of the herd, searching for the next night’s campsite.
追踪头头和厨师在牧群前行,
In the dry west, water sources were very important.
在干燥的西部,水源非常重要.
The cook and trail boss had to be excellent navigators in order to find them.
厨师和小道长必须是出色的航海家才能找到他们.
The cook set up camp and began dinner while the cattle followed behind.
厨子设了营并开始吃晚饭,而牛跟后.
In a day’s ride, the group could travel 15 to 20 miles (24–32 km).
在一天的旅程中,该团体可出行15至20英里(24至32公里)。
Cowboys often rode 16 hours a day through rain, storms, and terrible heat.
牛仔们经常每天骑行16小时跑道,途经有雨,有风暴,还有可怕的高温.
The cowboys’ hats kept sun and rain off their faces.
牛仔的帽子让阳光照耀,
Tough cowboy boots sat comfortably in the stirrups and protected the cowboy’s ankles from biting insects, scorpions, and snakes.
强壮的牛仔靴舒适地坐在被搅拌的地上,保护了牛仔的脚踝免受被咬的昆虫、蝎子和蛇的伤害。
The boots had pointed toes, so if a cowboy fell off his horse, he could slip his foot out of the stirrup before he was trampled.
靴子指向了脚趾,所以如果一个牛仔从马上掉下来,他可以在被踩倒之前从搅拌机上滑出脚.
At night, at least two cowboys always stood guard.
晚上,至少有两个牛仔总是站着防守.
They even ate dinner in shifts so that someone could always watch the cattle.
他们甚至轮班吃晚饭,让别人总是看牛.
Guards rode their horses around the herd, making sure no cows ran away.
守卫们骑着马环绕着牧群,确保没有牛逃跑.
They watched for wild animals, such as wolves or coyotes, and for any human thieves or attackers.
他们监视了野生动物,如狼或狼,以及任何人类盗贼或攻击者.
They often sang quiet, lonesome songs under the stars in order to keep the cows calm.
他们经常在星星下会唱出安静而孤独的歌来保持牛的平静.
The last late-night watch would wake the cook, who would begin breakfast, and the drive would move again.
最后一个深夜的表会唤醒厨师,厨师开始吃早餐,驱动器会再次移动.
Try This!
试一试！
Sing a cowboy song!
唱一首牛仔歌!
All you need is a lonely place under the stars.
你需要的只是星空下一个孤独的地方
This cowboy song is about an old cowboy who misses his job on the trail.
这首牛仔歌是关于一位老牛仔,他错过了在线索上的工作.
Thunder of hoofs on the range as you ride, Hissing of iron and sizzling of hide, Bellows of cattle and snorts of cayuse, Longhorns from Texas as wild as the deuce, Midnight stampedes and milling of herds, Yells of the cow-men too angry for words, Right in the thick of it all would I stay.
你骑马时的射程上有蹄子的雷声 有铁和地皮被震动 有牛和克尤斯被打得屁滚尿流 有德克萨斯州来的长角象鹿一样野生 有午夜被戳出并磨碎了牛群 牛人怒气冲冲地说着话
Make me a cowboy again for a day!
让我再当一天牛仔!
Cowboy boots have heels to rest in the stirrups and straps to help pull them on.
牛仔靴有高跟鞋去歇歇 在搅拌机和带子上帮助拉起.
Cowboy food wasn’t much to crow about; any supplies had to be cheap and nonperishable.
牛仔食品并不太多,
The most common foods were beans, hotcakes and biscuits (which the cook made fresh daily), canned fruit, bacon, and strong coffee.
最常见的食品有豆子,热饼和饼干(厨师每天做新鲜食品),罐头水果,培根和浓咖啡.
Since the cowboys were exercising all day, they ate quite a lot and kept the cook busy.
由于牛仔们一整天都在锻炼,他们吃了很多,让厨师忙活.
The cook often hunted and fished to add to the cowboys’ diet.
厨师经常打猎并捕鱼来增加牛仔的饮食.
The Market A cattle drive usually lasted two to three months, seven days a week.
市场 牛驱车通常持续2至3个月,每周7天.
At the end of the drive, the cowboys led the cattle through the streets of a railroad town and loaded them on trains bound north and east.
开行后,牛仔们带领牛从一个铁路镇的街道上穿过,并把他们装上以北和以东行驶的火车.
Afterward, the cowboys got much-needed baths and haircuts.
之后,牛仔们有了急需的洗澡和发型.
They relaxed in saloons, dance halls, and theaters, and bought more supplies before heading home.
他们在酒馆,舞厅和剧院放松了,在回家前购买了更多的用品.
The ride back often went much faster than the drive.
回程往往比回程快得多.
The cowboys could get good nights’ sleep under the stars and spend their extra time hunting and fishing.
牛仔们可以在星星下睡个好觉,
Once back in ranch land, they would begin looking to get hired on the next drive.
一旦回到牧场,他们就会开始寻找 在下一个路上被雇用。
Cowboys eat a meal around the chuck wagon.
牛仔们在车厢里吃一顿饭
Most cowboys relaxed in saloons after a cattle drive.
多数牛仔在牛车后在酒吧里放松.
Stampede!
史为乐!
And Other Dangers Cows are herd animals, which means they travel in large groups for protection.
而"其他危险"克牛是群生的动物,这意味着他们大群地行走以保护.
Wild herd animals, such as buffalo and wildebeest, have one defense against predators and other dangers: the stampede.
野生群生动物,如水牛和野生蜂等,对捕食者和其他危险有一种防御:斑斑.
As a group, they run at top speed, trampling everything in their path in hopes of outrunning, hurting, or confusing their predators.
作为一个群体,他们以最高的速度跑,践踏自己所走的道路上的一切,以希望超越跑道,伤害或迷惑他们的掠食者.
Stampedes were a cowboy’s biggest fear.
印花是牛仔最大的恐惧。
While on the trail, the cows were nervous and stressed.
在路上,牛很紧张,很紧张。
A rattlesnake, lightning, or any sudden loud noise could startle the cattle and cause a stampede.
响尾蛇 闪电 或任何突然出声的声音 都会惊动牛群 引起一股暴风雨
Thousands of cattle would run forward at once.
数以千计的牛会立刻向前跑
The cows moved so quickly that they often hurt or killed themselves by falling off cliffs, drowning in rivers, or catching their legs in holes.
奶牛移动得如此之快,常常会自相残杀地从悬崖上掉下,被淹死于河流中,或者被打入洞中抓腿.
Often, stampedes happened at night when the cowboys couldn’t see the cows or any dangers they might run into.
当牛仔们看不到牛或遇到任何危险时,
The only way to stop a stampede was by circling the cattle.
唯一能阻止斑马的方法就是环绕牛群.
Do You Know?
你知道吗?
Native Americans often owned their own cattle ranches.
美洲原住民经常拥有自己的养牛场.
During the time of the cowboys, all of what is now Oklahoma was American Indian territory.
在牛仔时代,所有现在的俄克拉荷马州都是美国印第安人领地.
The Native Americans didn’t like having someone else’s cattle feeding on grass that should have been for their own cows.
美国原住民不喜欢让别人的牛吃本应该给自己牛吃的草。
If the cattle drives wished to cross their land, the Native Americans charged a toll of ten cents for each cow.
如果牛驾车要穿越他们的地盘 美洲原住民每头牛要花费一分钱
Sometimes, if the trail boss refused to pay, the Native Americans might sneak up on the drive during the night and start a stampede.
有时,如果小径老板拒绝支付,美洲原住民可能会在晚上偷偷跑去开车并发动一出被盖章.
The most experienced cowboys would leap on the strongest, fastest horses.
最有经验的牛仔会跳出最强最快的马
They would ride closely alongside the herd and force the cows to crowd together by shouting and bumping against them.
他们将紧跟在牛群旁边,用叫叫声和相撞来迫使牛群聚集在一起。
They made the cows on the outside run in a circle, and the cows on the inside would follow.
他们让外面的牛跑来跑去 里面的牛会跟着来
Once they were running in a circle, the cattle would eventually get tired and stop.
一旦他们跑来跑去,牛最终会疲惫而停止.
This was not an easy task.
这是一项不容易的任务。
A cow could knock a cowboy off his horse and trample or gore him.
一头牛可以把牛仔从他的马上打倒,并践踏或撕毁他.
The horse itself could get scared and run off.
这匹马本身可能吓跑并逃跑.
If stampedes happened at night, the cowboys’ horses were vulnerable to the same cliffs, rivers, and holes as the cattle were.
牛仔们的马匹与牛一样,
And sometimes, the cows refused to go into a circle.
有时,牛拒绝进入一个圈子。
Instead, they ran off in all directions.
相反,他们四面跑去。
The cattle drive was forced to wait while the cowboys rode across the wilderness, gathering up every stray cow.
牛驱车被迫等待,而牛仔们骑着车穿过了荒野,把每一个流浪的牛聚集起来.
River crossings were also dangerous.
河流渡口也很危险。
Cows could drown or become caught in deep sand.
牛可能会被淹死或被深沙所困.
Rattlesnakes and scorpions threatened the lives of both cattle and cowboys.
老鼠和蝎子都威胁到牛和牛仔的生命
The cowboys were miles from any hospital to treat injuries and infections.
牛仔们远离任何医院 治疗受伤和感染
Cattle and horse rustlers were a common and hated danger of the drive.
偷牛和偷马是司空见惯的 讨厌的驱动器危险
The West also had dangerous weather, including flash floods, tornadoes, and lightning.
西方也有危险天气,包括山洪暴发,龙卷风和闪电.
Cowboys even developed a superstition about lightning striking white horses.
牛仔甚至发展出对闪电打出白马的迷信.
The western United States can also become harshly cold, even in the summertime.
美国西部也有可能变得严寒,即使在夏季也是如此.
Records show that many cowboys died of pneumonia and hypothermia.
记录显示许多牛仔死于肺炎和低温.
Rattlesnakes and scorpions were only a few of the dangers cowboys faced on the drive.
老鼠和蝎子只是车道上牛仔面临的少数危险.
The End of the Era Though cowboys became famous for their bravery, the need for cattle drives didn’t last long.
虽说牛仔们勇敢而出名,
The railroad expanded rapidly.
铁路迅速扩能.
Eventually, the trains came to Texas, Colorado, and other ranch states.
最终,列车来到德克萨斯州,科罗拉多州等牧场州.
Ranchers no longer needed to drive their cattle hundreds of miles to distant stations.
Ranchers不再需要把牛开到远方的车站
After the invention of barbed wire, ranchers also began fencing in their land.
在有刺铁丝网发明后,牧场主也开始在自己的土地上竖起栅栏.
Rounding up cows was no longer necessary.
将牛围起来已经没有必要了。
Even if the cowboys wanted to continue the cattle drives, the fences would block their way.
即使牛仔们想继续赶牛,栅栏也会挡住他们的路.
Do You Know?
你知道吗?
Texas cattle in the 1860s were an especially mean breed called Texas longhorns.
1860年代的德克萨斯牛是一种特别卑鄙的品种,被称作德克萨斯长角牛.
Their huge horns could span nine feet (2.
他们巨大的角可以跨出9英尺(2分).
7 m).
(7米长)
During the Civil War when ranchers were away, the cows had run wild.
民国时期 当农场主离开时, 牛群已经野出。
Some of the longhorns had never seen a human being before, and they often attacked and killed cowboys and their horses.
有的长角兽以前从未见过人,他们经常攻击并杀死牛仔和他们的马.
While longhorns were mean, they weren’t very tough when it came to disease or weather.
虽然长角鸟很凶,
Longhorns carried a disease called “Texas fever” that could spread to other cattle.
长角牛感染了一种可蔓延到其他牛群的叫作"特克萨斯发烧"的疾病.
An extremely harsh winter in 1886 froze thousands of longhorns to death.
1886年的一个极端严酷的冬天 冻结了上千只长角鸟
This tragedy was one of the things that helped end the cowboy era.
这场悲剧是帮助结束牛仔时代的事情之一.
As the railroad expanded westward, ranchers no longer needed to drive their cattle.
随着铁路向西扩张,牧场主不再需要去驱赶牛了.
Longhorns are still fierce and impressive.
长角兽仍然凶猛而令人印象深刻.
But the cowboy life was far from over.
但牛仔的生活远未结束.
Just as real cowboys were finding themselves out of work, Buffalo Bill Cody began his Wild West show.
正如真正的牛仔们发现自己失业了一样,水牛比尔·科迪也开始了他的"狂野西部"出演.
Cowboys were hired to show their riding and roping skills to crowds across the United States and in Europe.
牛仔被雇佣来向全美和欧洲的人群展示他们的骑行和作风技巧.
Annie Oakley, one of the most famous cowgirls, was a star of the Wild West show.
安妮·奥克利(Annie Oakley),最出名的女牛仔之一,是"野生西部"出演的明星.
It was this show that really created the legend of the American cowboy.
正是这个节目真正创造了美国牛仔的传奇.
The show included plays and acts that portrayed cowboys as rough-and- tough gunslingers, even though few had carried guns in real life.
该剧包括将牛仔描绘为粗鲁而强硬的枪手的剧情和行为,尽管在现实生活中很少有人携带过枪.
They made cowboy fashion, including jeans, vests, hats, and boots, popular with people throughout the world.
他们制作牛仔时尚,包括牛仔裤,背心,帽子,和靴子等,受到全世界人民的欢迎.
Long after the American West became settled, Western movies exploded in popularity.
在美国人之后很久 韦斯特开始定居,西方电影在受欢迎地爆炸.
During the 1950s and 1960s, cowboy movies, television shows, toys, and games were everywhere.
在20世纪50至60年代,牛仔电影,电视剧,玩具等游戏到处出没.
The Lone Ranger and Bonanza became popular TV shows.
"孤独游侠"和"博南扎"成为受欢迎的电视节目.
Children played “Cowboys and Indians” in schoolyards, even though in the real West, Native Americans often were cowboys.
尽管在真正的西方,美洲原住民常常是牛仔,但孩子们在学校院子里扮演“牛仔和印第安人”。
Today, you can see cowboy boots and hats in Tokyo and Paris as well as Texas.
今天,在东京,巴黎以及德克萨斯州可以看到牛仔靴和帽子.
The cowboy has become little more than an image used to sell jeans, trucks, and cigarettes.
牛仔已经变成了一个 用来出售牛仔裤、卡车和香烟的形象。
But that image wouldn’t exist without the hard work and bravery of the real cowboys of the North American West.
但如果没有北美西部真正的牛仔们的辛勤和勇敢,这种形象就不会存在。
Annie Oakley could shoot a cigarette out of someone’s mouth.
安妮·奥克利(Annie Oakley)可以从别人口中抽出一根烟来.
Modern rodeos keep cowboy skills and traditions alive.
现代牛仔保持牛仔的技能和传统。