英國歷史讀本(英漢雙語版)（簡體書）

《英國歷史讀本》與《英國語文》同時使用的英國經典歷史教材，以讓讀者通覽英國歷史，知曉英國文化淵源，掌握最地道的英語。全書涵蓋英國各時期不同的歷史事件，從遠古不列顛原住民的安居到凱撒的入侵；從亞瑟王的傳說，到阿爾弗雷德大帝抗擊丹麥的殖民；從諾曼征服到“獅心王”的十字軍東征；從大憲章的頒布到玫瑰戰爭的結束；從亨利七世開創都鐸王朝，到伊麗莎白擊敗“無敵艦隊”·····英國，作為一個新航路的后起之秀，一個殖民的‘日不落帝國’，更是工業文明的搖籃，的確值得了解。從一個側面，英國的歷史，也反映了世界的進程。
大英帝國的歷史在本書中一一展開，英國不朽的光榮傳統和貴族精神綿綿傳承。讀者既可領略英國歷史的壯美，也可體會出原味英語歷史故事的優美。無論是作為英語學習的課本，還是作為提高英語水平的課外讀物，《英國歷史讀本》都極有價值。
This History Reader was ever published in the United Kingdom for the school children. It consist of a consecutive outline of English History till the end of the 19th Century, interspersed with picturesque narratives of the great events, from the Earliest Time to the Victoria Era. The Bilingual edition is specially prepared for the Chinese children as to improve their language skills meanwhile help them to accumilate more knowledge about the history of the United Kingdom.

這本《英國歷史讀本》，是繼《英國語文》之后引入國內的另一套經典原版教材，由一家全球著名的教材出版公司編寫出版，在２０世紀初廣泛用作學校教材。本書為英漢雙語對照形式出版，便于讀者閱讀學習。全書涵蓋英國各時期不同的歷史事件，帶領讀者感受和品味英國歷史曾經的跌宕起伏，全面了解屬于這個國家的輝煌和榮耀。是一本不可多得的英國歷史學習教材。

THE EARLY BRITONS
早期不列顛人
1. Two thousand years ago, the country in which we live was almost covered with dense forests, where roamed wolves, bears, wild boars, and white-maned bulls. The Britons who lived in it then were the forefathers of the Welsh. But they were a wild and almost savage race. The country was very little known to other nations.a
2. In those days there were no large towns, nor pretty villages, nor well-built houses; no churches, nor school-houses. Here and there, where the forest had been cleared, there were a few poor huts, made of rods tied into the shape of a bee-hive or a sugarloaf, and covered with mud and turf. Perhaps a trench or ditch was cut around the huts, to keep off the wild beasts.
3. The Early Britons did not till the soil. They sowed no corn or other seeds. They lived on roots and fruits, and on the flesh of animals kill in hunting. In winter, they wore skins to keep themselves warm; but in summer they went almost naked; and they painted strange figures on their bodies, to make them look terrible to their enemies.
4. Those who lived near the south coast were not so savage. They traded in tin and in pearls with people who came across the English Channel. From their visitors they learned to till the soil, to grow corn, and to rear cattle. They had also learned to wear gay clothing, and chains of silver and of gold.
5. The Britons were fond of war. They fought with bows and arrows, with spears and clubs. They fought on foot and on horseback, and in chariots armed with scythes, which they drove wildly among their foes.
6. In religion they were pagans. They worshipped the sun and the moon and the serpent; and they looked on the oak, with the mistletoe growing on it, as a sacred tree. Their priests were called Druidsa. They had long beards, and they wore white robes. They made laws, they taught the young, they healed the sick, and they off ered sacrifi ces to their gods. Sometimes these sacrifi ces consisted of men, —criminals and prisoners taken in war, —who were burned in large cages of wicker-work.
中文閱讀
1. 兩千年前，我們如今生活的這片國土幾乎到處都覆蓋著茂密的森林，狼群、黑熊、白鬃牛也時常在各處悠閑踱步。這個時期生活于此的不列顛人，便是今天威爾士人的祖先，不過那時的他們還是一個野蠻的、尚未開化的民族。那時的這片國土還是一塊處女地，幾乎不被外界其他邦國b所知。
2. 在那個時候，沒有大型的城鎮，沒有秀美的鄉村，沒有富麗堂皇的房屋；也沒有教堂，沒有學校。只是在一些森林被砍伐掉的地方，會有一些簡陋的小屋，它們由木棒捆扎成蜂房或圓錐的形狀，被泥土和草皮覆蓋著。在這些小屋周圍可能還挖有溝渠或者坑道，以防止野獸的侵襲。
3. 早期的不列顛先民們不耕種土地，也不播種玉米和其他莊稼。他們以某些植物的根莖、果實以及獵取的動物為食。冬天，他們會穿上動物的皮毛來保暖御寒；夏天，他們則幾乎處于裸奔狀態，并且在身體上畫上許多稀奇古怪的圖案線條，讓自己看起來很可怕，以此恐嚇敵人。
4. 那些生活在南部沿海的先民們卻并非如此野蠻，他們會用錫和珍珠與跨越英吉利海峽而來的人做交易，并從這些來訪者那里慢慢學會了耕種土地、栽種莊稼以及飼養牲口，還學會了穿華麗的衣服，戴金銀項鏈。
5. 不列顛人非常好戰，弓箭、長矛、棍棒都是他們戰斗的武器。他們可以徒步戰斗，也能在馬背上征戰，還可動用裝備有長柄大鐮刀的戰車，駕駛著它們野蠻而粗暴地沖向敵人。
6. 在宗教信仰方面，那時他們算是異教徒。他們崇拜太陽、月亮，還有蛇。當他們看見那些長有槲寄生的橡樹時，也不由得覺得這是神圣的樹木，于是他們的神職祭司就叫做德魯伊b長老。這些長老們留著長胡子，穿著一襲白色長袍。他們為自己的族群制定法律、教育年輕人、給病人治病，不時還要向他們的神祇獻上祭品。這些祭品有時就是大活人，比如罪犯或者戰爭中的俘虜，這些人會被裝進樹枝編制的籠子里，在獻祭時活活燒死。

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