C1レベルの短編小説から学んでみた　「The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass, Colorado」

自分の英語力はB2なのでC1レベルで短編に挑戦することにした。

探してみると下記の2つのストーリーを見つけた。ChatGPTで計測したら両方C1だったのでここから単語や表現を学ぶことにした。

The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass, Colorado

The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass, Colorado – Legends of America

原文

Soon after the rails were laid across Marshall Pass, Colorado, where they go over a height of twelve thousand feet above the sea, an old engineer named Nelson Edwards was assigned to a train. He had traveled the road with passengers behind him for a couple of months and met with no accident, but one night as he set off for the divide he fancied that the silence was deeper, the canon darker, and the air frostier than usual.

A defective rail and an unsafe bridge had been reported that morning, and he began the long ascent with some misgivings. As he left the first line of snow-sheds he heard a whistle echoing somewhere among the ice and rocks, and at the same time the gong in his cab sounded and he applied the brakes.

The conductor ran up and asked, “What did you stop for?”

“Why did you signal to stop?”

“I gave no signal. Pull her open and light out, for we’ve got to pass No. 19 at the switches, and there’s a wild train climbing behind us.”

Edwards drew the lever, sanded the track, and the heavy train got underway again; but the whistles behind grew nearer, sounding danger-signals, and in turning a curve he looked out and saw a train speeding after him at a rate that must bring it against the rear of his own train if something were not done. He broke into a sweat as he pulled the throttle wide open and lunged into a snowbank.

The cars lurched, but the snow was flung off and the train went roaring through another shed. Here was where the defective rail had been reported. No matter. A greater danger was pressing behind. The fireman piled on coal until his clothes were wet with perspiration, and fire belched from the smoke-stack. The passengers, too, having been warned of their peril, had dressed and were anxiously watching at the windows, for talk went among them that a mad engineer was driving the train behind.

As Edwards crossed the summit he shut off steam and surrendered his train to the force of gravity. Looking back, he could see by the faint light from new snow that the driving wheels on the rear engine were bigger than his own, and that a tall figure stood atop of the cars and gestured franticly. At a sharp turn in the track, he found the other train but two hundred yards behind, and as he swept around the curve the engineer who was chasing him leaned from his window and laughed. His face was like dough.

Snow was falling and had begun to drift in the hollows, but the trains flew on; bridges shook as they thundered across them; wind screamed in the ears of the passengers; the suspected bridge was reached; Edwards’s heart was in his throat, but he seemed to clear the chasm by a bound. Now the switch was in sight, but No. 19 was not there, and as the brakes were freed the train shot by like a flash. Suddenly a red light appeared ahead, swinging to and fro on the track. As well be run into behind as to crash into an obstacle ahead. He heard the whistle of the pursuing locomotive yelp behind him, yet he reversed the lever and put on brakes, and for a few seconds lived in a hell of dread.

Hearing no sound, now, he glanced back and saw the wild train almost leap upon his own–yet just before it touched it the track seemed to spread, the engine toppled from the bank, the whole train rolled into the canyon and vanished.

Edwards shuddered and listened. No cry of hurt men or hiss of steam came up–nothing but the groan of the wind as it rolled through the black depth. The lantern ahead, too, had disappeared. Now another danger impended, and there was no time to linger, for No. 19 might be on its way ahead if he did not reach the second switch before it moved out. The mad run was resumed and the second switch was reached in time. As Edwards was finishing the run to Green River, which he reached in the morning ahead of schedule, he found written in the frost of his cab window these words:

“A frate train was recked as you saw. Now that you saw it you will never make another run. The engine was not out of control and four sexshun men wor killed. If you ever run on this road again you will be recked.”

Edwards quit the road that morning, and returning to Denver found employment on the Union Pacific. No wreck was discovered the next day in the canyon where he had seen it, nor has the phantom train been in chase of any engineer who has crossed the divide since that night.

ChatGPTの評価

C1レベルだと評価された

This story exhibits a rich narrative with elements of suspense and danger, effectively capturing the reader's attention from beginning to end. The setting, the challenges faced by the protagonist, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the events create a captivating atmosphere.

In terms of language proficiency, the story demonstrates a high level of English language use, with a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures. It effectively conveys the plot and engages the reader through vivid descriptions and dramatic tension.

Considering the complexity of the language and the storytelling techniques employed, I would rate this story as C1 level on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). It demands a proficient level of English comprehension and an ability to understand nuanced narrative techniques and descriptive language.

学んだ単語/表現

be laid across = spread over
The rails are laid across the country.

go over
I went over to you to ask directions.
The train goes over a mountain.


be assigned to a train = given duty on a train = report for duty
A driver has assigned to a train.


travel the road with passengers behind = journey with passengers in tow
The bus driver cruise the route with passengers behind him

meet with no accident = encounter no mishap
The bus has met with no accident.

set off for = embark towards
The train set off for the destination

fancy that = imagine that = come to think
I fancied that the temperature of today is lower than usual.


defective = faulty
That is defective plan to execute.

be reported = be notified
A defective plan and an unsafe place has been reported to the company

begin the long ascent with = commence the lengthy climb with
Since it is a defective rail, the driver began the long ascent with some misgivings




apply the brakes = engage the brakes
Hearing a strange sound, I applied the brake.

signal to stop = indicate to halt
Given signal to stop, I applied the brake.


draw the lever = pull the lever
I draw the lever to initiate the machine.


get underway again = resume the journey
After drawing the lever, the machine has gotten underway again.
The train will get underway at 9:00pm.



grow nearer = approach closer
speeding
at a rate
if something weren't done / if not done
While driving, hearing a strange sound, the sound behind grew nearer, sounding danger-signal. I saw a car speeding after me at a rate that must bring it against the rear of my own car if something weren't done.




break into a sweat = start to perspire
lunge into a snowbank = plunge into a snowdrift
Finally my car lunged into a snowbank, I was safe, breaking into a sweat.



lurch = suddenly jerk
Since it is windy, the train lurch back and forth.

be flung off = be thrown off
go roaring through = speed through loudly
The train go roaring through and flung off the snow

Here is where = This is where
perspiration = sweat
pile on coal = add coal
Here is where the strange train was reported. It seems a danger was coming after me, piling on coal until my clothes are wet with perspiration.

Here is where he is wrong.


be warned of = be alerted to
anxiously = nervously
The passengers have been warned of the peril they are facing, anxiously watching at the windows.



surrender to gravity
The stuff on the earth surrender to gravity


fly on = continue swiftly
The plane is flying on.


be reached = be able to go
be in sight = be visible = be discovered = be found
Hearing no sound = Without hearing any noise
there was no time to linger = there was no time to delay
The lantern ahead = The lantern up front
ahead of schedule = earlier than expected
There can be reached by the train. After a few minutes later, you can be in sight soon. The place will be discovered. The train has arrived without time to linger. I saw a watch hanged on the wall ahead, I've arrived ahead of schedule.