animalfarm（动物庄园）英文原版笔记-第十章(6)

他们都在认真地工作，几乎从不抬头看一眼。他们自己也搞不清他们到底是更怕猪，还是更怕人。
But before doing so there were a few words that he felt it incumbent upon him to say.
他说，一会他要请在座各位一起干杯，但干杯之前，他想先说几句话。
incumbent
adj. 在职的；义不容辞的
n. 教区牧师；教会中的任职者
2.ADJ 形容词成为责任的;义不容辞的;必须履行的 If it is incumbent upon you to do something, it is your duty or responsibility to do it.
【搭配模式】：it v-link ADJ upon/on n to-inf
【语域标签】：FORMAL 正式
It is incumbent upon all of us to make an extra effort.
我们所有人都必须加倍努力。
There had been a time -- not that he, or any of the present company, had shared such sentiments -- but there had been a time when the respected proprietors of Animal Farm had been regarded, he would not say with hostility, but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving,by their human neighbours.
曾经有一段时间，无论是他还是在座的各位都没有今天这样的感觉，的确有一段时间，尊敬的动物庄园的主人曾受到邻近的人类的关注，但与其说那是敌意，不如说那只是某种误会。
Too many farmers had assumed, without due enquiry, that on such a farm a spirit of licence and indiscipline would prevail.