Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса

The average life expectancy of a Martian after the age of maturity is about three hundred years, but would be nearer the one-thousand mark were it not for the various means leading to violent death. Owing to the waning resources of the planet it evidently became necessary to counteract the increasing longevity which their remarkable skill in therapeutics and surgery produced, and so human life has come to be considered but lightly on Mars, as is evidenced by their dangerous sports and the almost continual warfare between the various communities.

There are other and natural causes tending toward a diminution of population (существуют и другие, естественные причины, ведущие к уменьшению населения; to tend — иметь тенденцию; diminution — уменьшение, сокращение), but nothing contributes so greatly to this end (но ничто не способствует этой цели столь сильно; end — конец; цель) as the fact that no male or female Martian is ever voluntarily without a weapon of destruction (как тот факт, что ни один марсианин, будь то мужчина или женщина, никогда добровольно /не появляется/ без смертоносного оружия).

As we neared the plaza and my presence was discovered (когда мы подошли к площади и мое присутствие было замечено), we were immediately surrounded by hundreds of the creatures (мы были немедленно окружены сотнями созданий) who seemed anxious to pluck me from my seat behind my guard (которые, казалось, изо всех сил стремились стащить меня с моего сиденья позади моего стража; anxious — стремящийся, страстно желающий; to pluck — срывать, выдергивать). A word from the leader of the party stilled their clamor (одно слово руководителя отряда успокоило их крики; to still — успокаивать, утихомиривать; clamor — шум, крики), and we proceeded at a trot across the plaza (и мы проследовали рысью через площадь) to the entrance of as magnificent an edifice as mortal eye has ever rested upon (ко входу в здание, настолько великолепное, насколько когда-либо могли видеть глаза смертного; edifice — здание, сооружение).

diminution ["dImI'njHSn], anxious ['xNkSqs], edifice ['edIfIs]

There are other and natural causes tending toward a diminution of population, but nothing contributes so greatly to this end as the fact that no male or female Martian is ever voluntarily without a weapon of destruction.

As we neared the plaza and my presence was discovered, we were immediately surrounded by hundreds of the creatures who seemed anxious to pluck me from my seat behind my guard. A word from the leader of the party stilled their clamor, and we proceeded at a trot across the plaza to the entrance of as magnificent an edifice as mortal eye has ever rested upon.