A terrible storm

Jonathan Swift

《格列佛游記》是英國作家喬納森·斯威夫特的一部長篇小說，首次出版于1726 年。格列佛是一個非常喜歡航海旅行的英國人。他年輕時學醫，在海輪上擔任過外科醫生，多次環游世界，去過很多地方，比較經典的有小人國、大人國、飛島國和慧骃國。本文選自《格列佛游記》的小人國歷險記第一章節：一場可怕的暴風雨。

My father was not a rich man, but he did have a small piece of land in a town called Nottinghamshire in England.He was lucky to marry a strong woman who gave him five healthy sons.Of these five sons, I was in the middle.

My father wanted me to become a doctor, so he sent me to study in the city of Cambridge.I studied hard and became an excellent student of medicine.However, in my heart I did not wish to become a doctor, living a boring life in the city.I wanted a life of travel and adventure at sea! Fortunately, after I had been at the university for three years, I found a job as a doctor on a small trade ship.For the next two years I worked on this ship and had many exciting journeys before returning to England.

When I arrived home, I bought a house and started a private business as a doctor.A half year later, I married a lovely young woman named Mary Burton.For a while, our life was quiet and simple.We had two children and lived in a small but very pleasant house.

After two years of this life, I began to feel bored and unhappy.I remembered how excited I had been traveling at sea.Often I would sit in my doctor's office and dream of sailing away to distant lands.Finally I discussed my dreams with my wife, and she agreed to let me take a job on a ship that traveled between England and some islands in the South Sea.During the next six years, I worked on the ship and saw many foreign lands.When I spent time in these lands, I was able to learn the people's languages and customs very easily.

On May 4th, 1699, our ship left England for the South Sea.Though we had traveled there many times, this trip was different.Our captain planned to travel a new way that, he hoped, would be faster and save us many days.However, I did not know it, this trip would change my life!

For a while, the weather at sea was calm and warm.However, when we were near the west coast of Australia, our ship ran into the worst storm I had ever seen.The sky grew black and thunder and lightning were in the clouds.The wind and waves threw the ship back and forth violently.Then a great wave hit us and made a large hole in the side of the ship.I knew if we did not leave the ship immediately, we would all sink into the water.

Five other men and I got onto one of the small boats we were carrying and rowed as hard as we could.We did not know where we were going, but I prayed that somehow we would find land.But the storm continued, and after two hours, we were so tired that we could not row the boat any longer.I felt sure we would die.Suddenly a great wave turned our boat over, and all six of us were thrown into the sea! I swam as hard as I could to stay above the water.Soon I could not see my friends.I supposed that they all must have died that terrible day, but I was so scared that I did not think about them.

My arms fought the terrible waves for what seemed like hours.I grew tired, and my head fell under the water many times.I was afraid some sea creature would see my weak body in the water and decide to eat me! I was about to let myself sink into the water and die, when suddenly I felt my feet touch the ground! I looked ahead of me through the rain and saw a beach with many trees.Although the tall waves threw me against some sharp rocks many times, I managed to make it onto the beach.I sat down and thanked God for saving my life.But where was I?

Reading Check

1.What's Gulliver?

2.What kind of life did Gulliver want to live?

3.When did the storm happen?

4.Why did the captain plan to travel a new way?