vegetation ["vedZI'teISn], representation ["reprIzen'teIS(q)n], guess [ges]
While Sola was away I took occasion to examine more minutely the room in which I found myself captive. The mural painting depicted scenes of rare and wonderful beauty^ mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, meadows, trees and flowers, winding roadways, sun-kissed gardens — scenes which might have portrayed earthly views but for the different colorings of the vegetation. The work had evidently been wrought by a master hand, so subtle the atmosphere, so perfect the technique; yet nowhere was there a representation of a living animal, either human or brute, by which I could guess at the likeness of these other and perhaps extinct denizens of Mars.
While I was allowing my fancy to run riot (пока я позволял своей фантазии разыграться; riot— мятеж, бунт; разгул; необузданность; torunriot— датьволюфантазии) in wild conjecture on the possible explanation of the strange anomalies (/строя/ безумные предположения по возможному объяснению тех странных аномалий; conjecture— предположение, догадка) which I had so far met with on Mars (с которыми мне к настоящему времени пришлось столкнуться на Марсе; sofar— досихпор), Sola returned bearing both food and drink (возвратилась Сола, которая несла как еду, так и питье). These she placed on the floor beside me (все это она поставила на пол возле меня), and seating herself a short ways off (и, усевшись неподалеку; waysoff— далековсторону) regarded me intently (/стала/ внимательно меня рассматривать). The food consisted of about a pound of some solid substance (еда состояла из примерно одного фунта какого-то плотного вещества) of the consistency of cheese and almost tasteless (имеющего консистенцию сыра и почти безвкусного), while the liquid was apparently milk from some animal (в то время как жидкость была, очевидно, молоком какого-то животного). It was not unpleasant to the taste (она не была неприятной на вкус), though slightly acid (хотя и слегка кисловатой), and I learned in a short time to prize it very highly (и вскоре я научился очень высоко ценить ее). It came, as I later discovered, not from an animal (она происходила, как я обнаружил позднее, не от животного), as there is only one mammal on Mars (так как на Марсе есть только одно млекопитающее) and that one very rare indeed (и оно является очень редким; indeed— всамомделе; усиливаетзначение), but from a large plant which grows practically without water (но от большого растения, которое растет практически без воды), but seems to distill its plentiful supply of milk (но, как оказывается, извлекает свой обильный запас молока; todistill — дистиллировать; извлекать) from the products of the soil, the moisture of the air, and the rays of the sun (из элементов: «продуктов» почвы, воздушной влаги и солнечных лучей). A single plant of this species will give eight or ten quarts of milk per day (одно растение этого вида дает от восьми до десяти кварт молока в день).
conjecture [kqn'dZektSq], slightly ['slaItlI], moisture ['mOIstSq]
While I was allowing my fancy to run riot in wild conjecture on the possible explanation of the strange anomalies which I had so far met with on Mars, Sola returned bearing both food and drink. These she placed on the floor beside me, and seating herself a short ways off regarded me intently. The food consisted of about a pound of some solid substance of the consistency of cheese and almost tasteless, while the liquid was apparently milk from some animal. It was not unpleasant to the taste, though slightly acid, and I learned in a short time to prize it very highly. It came, as I later discovered, not from an animal, as there is only one mammal on Mars and that one very rare indeed, but from a large plant which grows practically without water, but seems to distill its plentiful supply of milk from the products of the soil, the moisture of the air, and the rays of the sun. A single plant of this species will give eight or ten quarts of milk per day.
After I had eaten I was greatly invigorated (после того, как я поел, я почувствовал значительный прилив сил; to invigorate — придаватьсилу; vigor — сила, энергия), but feeling the need of rest (но, чувствуя необходимость в отдыхе) I stretched out upon the silks and was soon asleep (я растянулся на шелках и вскоре уснул). I must have slept several hours (должно быть, я проспал несколько часов), as it was dark when I awoke (так как было уже темно, когда я проснулся; to awake), and I was very cold (и я очень замерз). I noticed that someone had thrown a fur over me (я заметил, что кто-то набросил на меня мех; to throw — бросать), but it had become partially dislodged (но он частично сдвинулся; to dislodge — сдвигать, смещать) and in the darkness I could not see how to replace it (и в темноте я не мог разглядеть, каким образом вернуть его на место). Suddenly a hand reached out (вдруг чья-то рука протянулась) and pulled the fur over me (и натянула на меня мех), shortly afterwards adding another to my covering (а вскоре после этого прибавила к моему покрывалу еще одно).
I presumed that my watchful guardian was Sola (я предположил, что моим внимательным стражем была Сола; watchful— внимательный, наблюдательный), nor was I wrong (и я не ошибался). This girl alone, among all the green Martians with whom I came in contact (только эта девушка, среди всех зеленых марсиан, с которыми мне пришлось столкнуться), disclosed characteristics of sympathy, kindliness, and affection (проявляла такие качества, как сочувствие, доброта и привязанность; to disclose— раскрывать; обнаруживать; sympathy — симпатия; внимание; сочувствие); her ministrations to my bodily wants were unfailing (ее забота о моих телесных нуждах была неизменной; ministration— оказание помощи; уход; unfailing— неизменный, верный; tofail— не исполнить, не сделать; подвести), and her solicitous care saved me from much suffering and many hardships (а ее усердная забота избавила меня от многих страданий и многих трудностей; solicitous— проявляющий заботу, заботливый, внимательный).
invigorate [In'vIgqreIt], dislodge [dIs'lOdZ], ministration ["mInI'streIS(q)n], solicitous [sq'lIsItqs]
After I had eaten I was greatly invigorated, but feeling the need of rest I stretched out upon the silks and was soon asleep. I must have slept several hours, as it was dark when I awoke, and I was very cold. I noticed that someone had thrown a fur over me, but it had become partially dislodged and in the darkness I could not see how to replace it. Suddenly a hand reached out and pulled the fur over me, shortly afterwards adding another to my covering.
I presumed that my watchful guardian was Sola, nor was I wrong. This girl alone, among all the green Martians with whom I came in contact, disclosed characteristics of sympathy, kindliness, and affection; her ministrations to my bodily wants were unfailing, and her solicitous care saved me from much suffering and many hardships.
As I was to learn (как мне предстояло узнать), the Martian nights are extremely cold (марсианские ночи чрезвычайно холодные), and as there is practically no twilight or dawn (и так как здесь практически не существует ни сумерек, ни рассвета), the changes in temperature are sudden and most uncomfortable (то перепады температуры являются резкими и чрезвычайно неприятными), as are the transitions from brilliant daylight to darkness (как и переходы от яркого дневного света к мраку). The nights are either brilliantly illumined or very dark (ночи либо ярко освещенные, либо очень темные), for if neither of the two moons of Mars happen to be in the sky (так как, если случается так, что ни одной из двух лун нет на небе; to happen — случаться), almost total darkness results (то наступает почти абсолютная темнота; to result — следовать, происходитьврезультате), since the lack of atmosphere, or, rather, the very thin atmosphere (так как недостаток атмосферы, или, скорее, очень разреженная атмосфера), fails to diffuse the starlight to any great extent (не в состоянии рассеять звездный свет на сколько-нибудь большое расстояние; to fail to do — не суметь, небытьвсостоянии); on the other hand, if both of the moons are in the heavens at night (с другой стороны, если обе луны находятся в небе ночью) the surface of the ground is brightly illuminated (то поверхность земли ярко освещена).
twilight ['twaIlaIt], uncomfortable [An'kAmftqbl], atmosphere ['xtmqsfIq], illuminate [I'lu:mIneIt]
As I was to learn, the Martian nights are extremely cold, and as there is practically no twilight or dawn, the changes in temperature are sudden and most uncomfortable, as are the transitions from brilliant daylight to darkness. The nights are either brilliantly illumined or very dark, for if neither of the two moons of Mars happen to be in the sky, almost total darkness results, since the lack of atmosphere, or, rather, the very thin atmosphere, fails to diffuse the starlight to any great extent; on the other hand, if both of the moons are in the heavens at night the surface of the ground is brightly illuminated.
