VOA慢速英语:'A Princess of Mars,' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Part Four

短语讲解：

1. A short time later, John Carter, the Princess and their friend, the green Martian woman Sola, attempt to escape rather than face death.

rather than而不是...
例句：They thus increased their annual grain production rather than diminished it.
他们这样增加了而不是减少了粮食年产量。

2. I backed away.

back away为了让出地方而后退, 由于害怕而后退
例句：The crowd backed away to let the wounded man pass through.
人群向后退, 让受伤的人通过。

3. As I stood watching him, a rifle fired in the distance, then another and another. 

in the distance在远处,在很远的那边
例句：You can see the mountain in the distance.
你可以看见远处的山。

4. Once again, he took off a metal band from his arm and gave it to me.

once again再次
例句：I have been praised once again.
我再次受到表扬。
take off拿走, 取下; 脱去
例句：I can't take my boots off, they're so tight!
靴子太紧了, 我脱不下来!

5. When we came near, Woola turned to fight us.

turn to转向
例句：More and more people turn to computer science.
愈来愈多的人从事计算机科学研究。

6. Princess, you are no longer in danger.

in danger在危险中, 有…的危险
例句：The sick man is in danger of death.
这位病人有死亡的危险。

7. She held out her hand.

hold out伸出, 张开
例句：They held out the hand of friendship to me.
他们向我伸出了友谊之手。

8. Many people could do nothing but sleep. 

nothing but只有, 只不过
例句：At present I can do nothing but wait.
目前, 我只好等待。

9. I fell asleep on the ground.

fall asleep入睡,长眠,懈怠,静止不动
例句：Because I am tired, I fall asleep quickly
因为我很疲劳，因此很快就睡着了。

10. I looked up to the sky and saw the Red Planet Mars. 

look up to抬头看(某人或某物); 尊重〔敬仰〕(某人)
例句：He is looked up to by everybody there.
他在那里受到众人的尊敬。

11. Did the air reach the people of that planet in time to save them?

in time及时, 不迟
例句：The doctor came in time to save his life.
医生及时来抢救他的生命。