极简的英语笔记︱《小王子》Chapter 5 (3)地道英语四六级/雅思高分写作表达

翻开《小王子》的英文原版，你会发现它不只是写给孩子的童话，更是一面照见成年人世界的镜子。今天我们就从这段经典文字里，一边重温故事，一边解锁高频地道表达、核心句型，为四六级、雅思写作直接蓄力。

一、双语精读

Now there were some terrible seeds on the planet that was the home of the little prince; and these were the seeds of the baobab. The soil of that planet was infested with them. A baobab is something you will never, never be able to get rid of if you attend to it too late. It spreads over the entire planet. It bores clear through it with its roots. And if the planet is too small, and the baobabs are too many, they split it in pieces...

“It is a question of discipline,” the little prince said to me later on. “When you’ve finished your own toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care. You must see to it that you pull up regularly all the baobabs, at the very first moment when they can be distinguished from the rose-bushes which they resemble so closely in their earliest youth. It is very tedious work,” the little prince added, “but very easy.”

And one day he said to me: “You ought to make a beautiful drawing, so that the children where you live can see exactly how all this is. That would be very useful to them if they were to travel some day. Sometimes,” he added, “there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day. But when it is a matter of baobabs, that always means a catastrophe. I knew a planet that was inhabited by a lazy man. He neglected three little bushes...”

现在在小王子生活的星球上就有一些可怕的种子——就是猴面包树的种子。它们在那个星球的土壤中多得成灾。猴面包树是一种一旦你疏于照料、发现得太晚，就再也无法清除的植物。它会蔓延至整个星球，用根茎在星球内部钻透。如果这颗星球太小，而猴面包树又太多，它们便会把整个星球撕得四分五裂……

“这是一个纪律问题，”小王子后来对我说，“当你早晨洗漱完毕之后，就该极其认真地清理你的星球了。你必须保证定期拔掉所有的猴面包树，一旦能将它们和玫瑰幼苗区分开，就要立刻动手。猴面包树的幼苗在刚长出来时，和玫瑰幼苗长得极为相似。这项工作很乏味，”小王子补充道，“但却很容易做。”

有一天，他对我说：“你应该画一幅精美的图画，好让你所在地方的孩子清楚了解这一切。如果他们将来有一天要去旅行，这幅画对他们会很有用。”他又补充说：“有时候，把一件工作推迟到明天做也没什么坏处，但如果是处理猴面包树的问题，拖延就意味着灾难。我知道有一颗星球，上面住着一个懒人，他忽略了三棵小树苗……”

二、重点句型解析+写作指导

1. 核心句型解析

（1）A baobab is something you will never, never be able to get rid of if you attend to it too late.
结构拆解：主句（A baobab is something）+ 定语从句（you will...get rid of，修饰先行词something）+ 条件状语从句（if you attend to it too late）。句中两个never为强调语气，突出猴面包树的危害性。
语法要点：定语从句中，先行词为不定代词something时，关系代词只能用that，此处省略了that；attend to为固定短语，表“照料、处理”。
写作指导：可用于写作中表达“某事物的危害性/不可逆性”，例如：A bad habit is something you will never, never be able to get rid of if you form it without caution.（坏习惯是一旦不加节制养成，就再也难以戒除的东西。）

（2）You must see to it that you pull up regularly all the baobabs, at the very first moment when they can be distinguished from the rose-bushes which they resemble so closely in their earliest youth.
结构拆解：主句（You must see to it that...）+ 时间状语（at the very first moment when...）+ 定语从句（when they...distinguished from...，修饰moment）+ 嵌套定语从句（which they resemble...，修饰rose-bushes）。
语法要点：see to it that=make sure that，表“确保、务必”；distinguish A from B为固定搭配，表“区分A和B”；resemble为及物动词，不与with连用。
写作指导：适用于写作中表达“及时处理问题、警惕隐患”的场景，例如：We must see to it that we correct the small mistakes we make, at the very first moment when we can realize them.（我们必须确保在意识到小错误的第一时间就改正它们。）

（3）But when it is a matter of baobabs, that always means a catastrophe.
结构拆解：时间状语从句（when it is a matter of...）+ 主句（that always means...）。
语法要点：it is a matter of...为固定句型，表“当涉及……的问题时”；catastrophe为名词，表“灾难、大祸”。
写作指导：可用于强调“某类问题的严重性”，例如：But when it is a matter of safety, that always means we have to take immediate measures.（但当涉及安全问题时，那就意味着我们必须立即采取措施。）

2. 写作指导总结

主题迁移：本文借“猴面包树需及时清除”的情节，可迁移到“及时改正小错误、警惕潜在隐患、坚守自律底线”等写作主题。
句式运用：文中的强调句式（never, never）、固定句型（it is a matter of...、see to it that...）可直接用于提升作文的句式丰富度和表达准确性。
细节描写：通过“蔓延整个星球、钻透星球、撕成碎片”等具象描写，体现猴面包树的危害，写作中可借鉴这种“具象化危害/问题”的手法，让抽象观点更生动。

三、重点词汇

1. infest [ɪnˈfest]

含义：v. 大批滋生；为患；侵扰
搭配：be infested with 充斥着；到处是
例句：The old building was infested with rats and insects.
翻译：这座老建筑里到处都是老鼠和虫子。
易混辨析：infest vs infect

- infest：（动物、害虫、杂草）大批出没、泛滥
- infect [ɪnˈfekt]：感染（疾病）；传染
例句：The wound was infected with bacteria. 伤口被细菌感染了。

 
2. get rid of

含义：摆脱；除去；清除
搭配：get rid of bad habits 改掉坏习惯；get rid of waste 处理垃圾
例句：It takes time to get rid of the fear of failure.
翻译：摆脱对失败的恐惧需要时间。

 
3. attend (to) [əˈtend]

含义：v. 照料；照顾；处理
搭配：attend to details 关注细节；attend to one’s health 照顾健康
例句：You must attend to your studies if you want to make progress.
翻译：如果你想取得进步，就必须专心学习。
易混辨析：attend vs attend to

- attend：出席；参加（会议、学校）
- attend to：处理；照料；专心于
例句：attend a meeting 出席会议；attend to a patient 照料病人


4. bore [bɔː(r)]

含义：v. 钻孔；钻透；使厌烦
搭配：bore through 钻透；bore a hole 钻孔
例句：The worm bores through the wood to make its nest.
翻译：虫子钻透木头筑巢。
易混辨析：bore / boring / bored / core

- bore v. 钻；使厌烦 / n. 令人厌烦的人/事
- boring adj. 令人厌烦的（修饰事物）
- bored adj. 感到厌烦的（修饰人）
- core [kɔː(r)] n. 核心；果核；中心
例句：
The movie is boring. 这部电影很无聊。
I am bored. 我感到无聊。
the core of the planet 星球的核心


5. resemble [rɪˈzembl]

含义：v. 像；类似于
搭配：resemble sb. in appearance 外貌像某人；resemble sth. in shape 形状上像某物
例句：The two brothers resemble each other very much in character.
翻译：这两兄弟在性格上非常相似。
易混辨析：resemble vs assemble

- resemble：像，类似（无被动）
- assemble [əˈsembl]：集合；组装
例句：assemble a model 组装模型


6. tedious [ˈtiːdiəs]

含义：adj. 乏味的；冗长的；单调的
搭配：tedious work 乏味的工作；tedious story 冗长的故事
例句：Filling out the forms is a tedious task for many people.
翻译：填写表格对很多人来说是一项乏味的任务。
易混辨析：tedious vs boring

- tedious：强调冗长、重复、耗费时间而让人烦
- boring：普通用词，单纯“没意思”


7. neglect [nɪˈɡlekt]

含义：v./n. 忽视；忽略；疏忽
搭配：neglect one’s duties 玩忽职守；neglect to do sth. 忽略做某事
例句：Don’t neglect to lock the door when you leave the house.
翻译：你出门时别忘了锁门。
易混辨析：neglect vs ignore

- neglect：因粗心、懈怠而没做；该做没做
- ignore：故意不理睬、视而不见


8. catastrophe [kəˈtæstrəfi]

含义：n. 灾难；大祸；惨败
搭配：cause a catastrophe 造成灾难；environmental catastrophe 环境灾难
例句：The flood was a great catastrophe for the small village.
翻译：这场洪水对这个小村庄来说是一场大灾难。
易混辨析：catastrophe vs disaster

- catastrophe：规模更大、后果更惨重的浩劫
- disaster：通用词，灾难、灾祸


9. discipline [ˈdɪsəplɪn]

含义：n. 纪律；自律；训练 v. 训练；管教
搭配：keep discipline 遵守纪律；self-discipline 自律
例句：Discipline is essential for a team to achieve its goals.
翻译：纪律对于一个团队实现目标至关重要。


10. distinguish [dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ]

含义：v. 区分；辨别；使杰出
搭配：distinguish A from B 区分A和B；distinguish oneself 脱颖而出
例句：It’s hard to distinguish the two species from each other.
翻译：很难将这两个物种区分开来。
易混辨析：distinguish vs extinguish

- distinguish：区分，辨别
- extinguish [ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ]：熄灭（火）；消灭

四、地道表达

1. it is a question of...

字面误解：这是一个……的问题（易直译为“it is a problem of...”）
地道含义：当涉及……的问题时；关键在于……
原文语境：It is a question of discipline.（这是一个自律/纪律的问题。）
正确用法例句：It is a question of time before the new policy takes effect.（新政策生效只是时间问题。）
错误用法：It is a question of I don’t have enough money.（错误，应为It is a problem that I don’t have enough money.）

2. there is no harm in doing sth.

字面误解：做某事没有伤害（易直译为 there is no damage to do sth.）
地道含义：做某事无妨、做某事没什么坏处
用法要点：in 为介词，后面必须接 doing，不能接动词原形
原文语境：Sometimes, there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day.

3. attend to

字面误解：参加（和 attend a meeting 混淆）
地道含义：照料、处理、打理
易混区分：attend a meeting 参加会议；attend to a problem 处理问题

4. see to it that

字面误解：看着它……
地道含义：确保、务必、保证
用法要点：it 不能省，that 后接完整句子

5. at the very first moment

字面误解：在第一个时刻
地道含义：就在第一时间、一……就……
用法要点：very 在这里表强调，可翻译为“恰恰、就在”

五、实战翻译

原文
Sometimes, there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day. But when it is a matter of baobabs, that always means a catastrophe.

参考译文
有时候，把一件工作推迟到第二天做也没什么坏处，但如果是涉及猴面包树的问题，那就注定会酿成大祸。

翻译要点
固定句型：there is no harm in doing sth. 做某事没坏处（不要直译为“there is no damage in...”）；
固定搭配：it is a matter of... 当涉及……的问题时；
语境化处理：catastrophe结合文中猴面包树的危害，译为“酿成大祸”比直译“灾难”更贴合语境。

六、汉译英实战练习题（答案见文末）

请将下列句子翻译成英文，严格使用本章所学句型与地道表达。

1. 坏习惯一旦长期忽视，就再也无法戒除。
2. 我们必须确保在发现错误的第一时间就改正它们。
3. 每天按时完成任务，这是自律的问题。
4. 感到疲惫时，短暂休息一下没什么坏处。
5. 如果你忽视学习中的小问题，最终会给考试带来大祸。
6. 处理身边的小隐患是责任问题，拖延处理往往意味着灾难。

你完成上面的翻译小练习了吗？欢迎在评论区晒出你的答案～

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