每日英語 #062: The Classic Hero Zorro

ESLPOD

The Classic Hero Zorro

Zorro was created by the writer Johnston McCulley. He wrote his first of many stories about Zorro in 1919. The story was called “The Curse of Capistrano.” (A “curse” is something you say to get a supernatural force to do harm to someone you don’t like, and Capistrano is a place.) It was a “serialized story” (with each part of the story published in the next issue of a magazine or newspaper, until the entire story is told) in a “pulp magazine” (inexpensive magazine printed on thin, cheap paper) called All-Story Weekly. The story was later published as a “novella” (short novel; short fiction book) in 1924 with the title The Mask of Zorro.

左羅是由作家約翰斯頓·麥卡利創造的。他在1919年寫了第一個關於左羅的故事。這個故事叫做《卡皮斯特拉諾的詛咒》。（“詛咒”是指你說一些話讓超自然力量去傷害你不喜歡的人，而卡皮斯特拉諾是一個地方。）它是一個“連載故事”（每部分故事都在雜誌或報紙的下一期發表，直到整個故事講完）刊登在一本叫做《全故事週刊》的“低俗雜誌”（印在薄且便宜的紙上的廉價雜誌）上。這個故事後來在1924年以《左羅的面具》為題發表為“短篇小說”（短小說；短篇虛構書籍）。

Zorro is a “native Californian” (born in California). He lived in “present-day” (what is known as now, but not back then) Los Angeles when it was still part of Mexico. Zorro’s real name in the original stories was Diego de la Vega, and he was a “nobleman” (man whose family has a high and respected position in society). He “adopted” (took; got) a secret identity so he could “anonymously” (without anyone knowing who he is) “avenge” (hurt someone in return for some harm he/she had done) people who were too weak to do it themselves, help people who were “oppressed” (suffering under the power of someone else), and punish bad and “cruel” (causing pain and suffering) politicians.

左羅是“加州本地人”（出生在加州）。他住在“現在的”（現代所知的，但當時不是這樣稱呼）洛杉磯，當時這裡仍然是墨西哥的一部分。在原始故事中，左羅的真名是迭戈·德拉維加，他是一名“貴族”（家族在社會中地位高且受人尊敬的男子）。他“採用了”（獲得；採取）一個秘密身份，這樣他就可以“匿名地”（沒有人知道他是誰）“復仇”（為所受到的傷害傷害他人）那些太弱無法自我復仇的人，幫助“被壓迫的”（受制於他人力量之下受苦的）人們，並懲罰壞的和“殘忍的”（造成痛苦和折磨的）政客。

Zorro has been featured in many stories, books, films, TV shows, and radio dramas, and his character has changed since his introduction in 1919. However, what has not changed is the focus on his amazing skills. He is an incredible “acrobat,” able to jump, flip, and “seemingly” (seem to; appear to) fly from building to building and jump from great “heights” (high or tall places). He is a “master” (with great skill) “swordsman” (a man who uses a “sword” (similar to a very long knife) to fight) and “marksman” (someone who is able to shoot a gun very well). Not only that, he was also a great “tactician,” able to carefully plan actions to defeat his enemy.

左羅出現在許多故事、書籍、電影、電視節目和廣播劇中，自1919年問世以來，他的角色有所變化。然而，不變的是他驚人的技能。他是一個令人難以置信的“雜技演員”（能夠跳躍、翻轉和“似乎”（看起來；似乎）在建築物間飛行，從高處跳躍）。他是一個“劍術大師”（有高超技能的人），擅長使用“劍”（類似於非常長的刀）戰鬥和“神射手”（能夠非常好地射擊的人）。不僅如此，他還是一位出色的“戰術家”，能夠仔細策劃行動來擊敗敵人。

重點單字

• Curse [kɜrs] 詛咒
• Serialized [ˈsɪəriəˌlaɪzd] 連載的
• Pulp Magazine [pʌlp ˌmægəˈzin] 低俗雜誌
• Novella [noʊˈvɛlə] 短篇小說
• Native Californian [ˈneɪtɪv ˌkæləˈfɔrniən] 加州本地人
• Present-day [ˈprɛzənt deɪ] 當代的
• Nobleman [ˈnoʊbəlmən] 貴族
• Adopt [əˈdɒpt] 採用
• Anonymously [əˈnɒnɪməsli] 匿名地
• Avenge [əˈvɛndʒ] 復仇
• Oppressed [əˈprɛst] 被壓迫的
• Cruel [krul] 殘忍的
• Acrobat [ˈækrəˌbæt] 雜技演員
• Seemingly [ˈsimɪŋli] 似乎
• Heights [haɪts] 高處
• Master [ˈmæstər] 大師
• Swordsman [ˈsɔrdzmən] 劍客
• Sword [sɔrd] 劍
• Marksman [ˈmɑrksmən] 神射手
• Tactician [tækˈtɪʃən] 戰術家