The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry’s.
It winked.
Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren’t. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.
The snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: ‘I get that all the time.’
‘I know,’ Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn’t sure the snake could hear him. ‘It must be really annoying.’
The snake nodded vigorously.
‘Where do you come from, anyway?’ Harry asked.
The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.
Boa Constrictor, Brazil.
‘Was it nice there?’
The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. ‘Oh, I see –so you’ve never been to Brazil?’
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . Bloomsbury. Kindle Edition.
Knowledge Point
The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry’s.
⇒ “its eyes were on a level with Harry’s”
蟒蛇的眼睛和Harry的在一个水平线上。-
It winked.
⇒ wink [verb] (UK /wɪŋk/ US /wɪŋk/) 【参见图片】
to close one eye for a short time as a way of greeting someone or showing friendliness, sexual interest, etc., or of showing that you are not serious about something you have said
wink Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren’t. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.
⇒ Harry看到蟒蛇对他眨眼示好，他惊讶得连都身体颤了一下，连忙回头看是不是有人看到了。没有。他也向蟒蛇眨眼睛示好。（可以看影片，确实有这样一幕）The snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: ‘I get that all the time.’
⇒ plainly [adverb] (UK /ˈpleɪn.li/ US /ˈpleɪn.li/) ~ clearly
⇒ 蟒蛇被描写得非常拟人化，他猛地把头朝向Vernon和Dudley，然后眼睛朝天花板抬起来，看着Harry说到：“那样的事一天到晚都会发生。”（that指经常被无聊的人类打扰那样的事）‘I know,’ Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn’t sure the snake could hear him. ‘It must be really annoying.’
⇒ Harry透过玻璃小声说道：“我懂，那样的确很烦人。”他不确定蟒蛇是不是能听到他说的话。The snake nodded vigorously.
⇒ vigorously [adverb] (UK /ˈvɪɡ.ər.əs.li/ US /ˈvɪɡ.ɚ.əs.li/)
in a way that is very forceful or energetic‘Where do you come from, anyway?’ Harry asked.
The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.
⇒ jab [verb] (UK /dʒæb/ US /dʒæb/ -bb-)
to push or hit something forcefully and quickly, often with a thin or sharp object
⇒ peer [verb] (UK /pɪər/ US /pɪr/)
to look carefully or with difficulty
⇒ 蟒蛇用尾巴猛戳着玻璃旁边的一个小标牌。Harry认真地盯着牌子看。-
Boa Constrictor, Brazil.
⇒ 蟒蛇，巴西。【参见图片】
Boa Constrictor, Brazil. ‘Was it nice there?’
The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. ‘Oh, I see –so you’ve never been to Brazil?’
⇒ Harry问：“那里美吗？”
蟒蛇又甩尾巴猛地拍了一下那块牌子，Harry继续读道：这是本动物园内繁殖的样品。
“哦！我懂了——所以你从来没有去过巴西？”
（这个笑点真的很赞！～）
