【英语原著】哈利·波特与魔法石 （10）

Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn’t approve of imagination.
As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw –and it didn’t improve his mood –was the tabby cat he’d spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . Bloomsbury. Kindle Edition.

Knowledge Point

• "Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot."
  ⇒ rooted to the spot
  unable to move
  （因害怕或惊讶）呆住不动，呆若木鸡。
  root的原意是“根”，在这里形象的表现出站着“仿佛是生了根似的”。
  ⇒ Mr Dursley呆呆的站着。

• "He had been hugged by a complete stranger."
  ⇒ 尝试翻译：他被一个完全陌生的人抱过了。

• "He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled."
  ⇒ rattled [adjective]
  worried or nervous
  ⇒ "whatever that was"
  在这里接近“Anyway”，表示：“随便啦；无所谓”
  ⇒ 尝试翻译：他还觉得自己被称为Muggle，随便他们怎么叫去吧。他的心乱了。

• "He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn’t approve of imagination."
  ⇒ set off 出发
  ⇒ 尝试翻译：他匆忙上车动身回家，脑袋里希望他是在幻想，这可是他从前从不希望的，因为他压根不赞成幻想。

• "As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw –and it didn’t improve his mood –was the tabby cat he’d spotted that morning."
  ⇒ pull in/pull into somewhere
  If a vehicle pulls in or pulls into somewhere, it moves in that direction and stops there.
  ⇒ driveway 私人车道
  a short private road that leads from a public road to a house or garage
  ⇒ improve [verb] 改善
  to get better
  ⇒ spot [verb]
  to see or notice someone or something, usually because you are looking hard
  ⇒ 尝试翻译：当他把车开进4号的车道停下，第一眼看见的（当然它没有改善他的心情）是他早上发现的那只身着斑点的猫。

• "It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes."
  ⇒ marking [noun]
  a pattern on the body of an animal
  ⇒ 尝试翻译：它现在正坐在他家的花园墙上。他确认（跟他早上看到的）是同一只猫；在她的眼睛周围有着相同的斑点。

  
  【英语原著】哈利·波特与魔法石 （10）