
The hardy colonist, and the trained European who fought at his side, frequently expended months in struggling against the rapids of the streams, or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains, in quest of an opportunity to exhibit their courage in a more martial conflict.(The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper)注:effect =(難関などを)突破する/通過する
英文を前から読んでいくために、語句のかたまりを作ります。こんな具合に課題文をスラッシュ(斜め線)で区切ります(スラッシュリーディング)。語句のかたまりを意識すると、リスニングで英語の意味をつかむのが楽になります。
The hardy colonist, and the trained European/(関係代名詞の前)who fought at his side,/(コンマの後)frequently expended months/(前置詞の前)in struggling against the rapids of the streams,/(接続詞の前)or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains,/(前置詞の前)in quest of an opportunity to exhibit their courage/(前置詞の前)in a more martial conflict.
語句のかたまりを前から訳していきます。
The hardy colonist, and the trained European
屈強な植民地住民と、熟練したヨーロッパ人は
who fought at his side,
植民者の側に立つ
frequently expended months
しばしば数カ月を費やした
in struggling against the rapids of the streams,
小川の急流に立ち向かうことに
or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains,
あるいは、険しい山道を越えて行くことに
in quest of an opportunity to exhibit their courage
勇気を示す機会を求めて
in a more martial conflict.
より激しい戦闘で
The hardy colonist, and the trained European who fought at his side, frequently expended months in struggling against the rapids of the streams, or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains, in quest of an opportunity to exhibit their courage in a more martial conflict.
The hardy colonist→ この場合の「the+単数名詞」は、種族や種類の全体という意味です。
expended months in struggling〜 → expend (時間) in 〜ing =「〜することに(時間)を費やす」(spend でも同じ意味になります。expend のほうが spend より硬い表現です)
The hardy colonist, and the trained European who fought at his side, frequently expended months in struggling against the rapids of the streams, or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains, in quest of an opportunity to exhibit their courage in a more martial conflict.
屈強な植民地住民と、植民者と共に戦う熟練したヨーロッパ人は、より激しい戦闘で勇気を示す機会を求めて、小川の急流に立ち向かったり、険しい山道を越えて行ったりすることにしばしば数カ月を費やした。
・The hardy colonist, and the trained European who fought at his side, frequently expended months→ 英文の骨格(主語+動詞+目的語)です。
・in struggling against the rapids of the streams,→ expended months(「数カ月を費やした」)の内容説明です(何をしたのか)。
・or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains,→ 上の行と同じく、expended months の内容説明です
・in quest of an opportunity→ expended months〜 の目的です(「〜を求めて」)。
・to exhibit their courage in a more martial conflict.→ an opportunity を後ろから説明する不定詞句です。
動画の後半部分でリスニング用音声が流れます。
