Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса / Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars

The arena was immense but extremely uneven and unkempt. Around it the Warhoons had piled building stone from some of the ruined edifices of the ancient city to prevent the animals and the captives from escaping into the audience, and at each end had been constructed cages to hold them until their turns came to meet some horrible death upon the arena.

Kantos Kan and I were confined together in one of the cages. In the others were wild calots, thoats, mad zitidars, green warriors, and women of other hordes, and many strange and ferocious wild beasts of Barsoom which I had never before seen. The din of their roaring, growling and squealing was deafening and the formidable appearance of any one of them was enough to make the stoutest heart feel grave forebodings.

Kantos Kan explained to me that at the end of the day one of these prisoners would gain freedom (Кантос Кан объяснил мне, что к концу этого дня один из пленников получит свободу; to gain — выигрывать, добиваться; получать, приобретать) and the others would lie dead about the arena (а другие будут лежать мертвыми на арене). The winners in the various contests of the day (победителей в разнообразных состязаниях дня) would be pitted against each other (будут стравливать друг с другом; to pit against — стравливать, выставлять; pit — яма, углубление, впадина, лунка; арена для петушиных боев) until only two remained alive (пока только двое не останутся в живых); the victor in the last encounter being set free (победитель в последней схватке будет отпущен на свободу), whether animal or man (будь то животное или человек). The following morning the cages would be filled with a new consignment of victims (на следующее утро клетки будут заполнены новой партией жертв; consignment — груз, партия), and so on throughout the ten days of the games (и так далее на протяжении всех десяти дней игр).

Shortly after we had been caged the amphitheater began to fill (вскоре после того, как нас поместили в клетку, амфитеатр начал заполняться) and within an hour every available part of the seating space was occupied (и в течение часа все доступные свободные места: «вся доступная часть пространства для сидения» были заняты). Dak Kova, with his jeds and chieftains (с его джедами и вождями), sat at the center of one side of the arena upon a large raised platform (сидел в центре на одной стороне арены на большой трибуне; raised platform — возвышение: «поднятый настил»).

remain [rI'meIn], consignment [kqn'saInmqnt], occupy ['OkjupaI]

Kantos Kan explained to me that at the end of the day one of these prisoners would gain freedom and the others would lie dead about the arena. The winners in the various contests of the day would be pitted against each other until only two remained alive; the victor in the last encounter being set free, whether animal or man. The following morning the cages would be filled with a new consignment of victims, and so on throughout the ten days of the games.

Shortly after we had been caged the amphitheater began to fill and within an hour every available part of the seating space was occupied. Dak Kova, with his jeds and chieftains, sat at the center of one side of the arena upon a large raised platform.