Between Iffley and Oxford is the most difficult bit of the river I know (между Иффли и Оксфордом расположен самый трудный участок реки, /который/ я знаю). You want to be born on that bit of water, to understand it (необходимо родиться на этом участке, чтобы понять его). I have been over it a fairish number of times, but I have never been able to get the hang of it (я проходил его изрядное число раз, но так и не постиг; to get the hang of — раскусить, понять, освоиться). The man who could row a straight course from Oxford to Iffley ought to be able to live comfortably, under one roof (человек, который сумел бы пройти на веслах прямым курсом из Оксфорда в Иффли, наверное, мог бы жить уютно = ужиться), with his wife, his mother-in-law (со своей женой, с тещей), his elder sister, and the old servant who was in the family when he was a baby (старшей сестрой и старой служанкой, которая была в семье, когда он был маленьким ребенком).

First the current drives you on to the right bank, and then on to the left (сначала течение несет вас к правому берегу, потом к левому), then it takes you out into the middle, turns you round three times (затем выносит на середину, поворачивает три раза), and carries you up stream again, and always ends by trying to smash you up against a college barge (и несет снова вверх по реке, все время заканчивает тем, что пытается разбить вас о какую-нибудь университетскую баржу).

Of course, as a consequence of this, we got in the way of a good many other boats, during the mile (конечно, в результате этого мы помешали порядочному числу других лодок на протяжении этой мили), and they in ours, and, of course, as a consequence of that, a good deal of bad language occurred (а они — нашей лодке, и, конечно, вследствие этого много скверных слов было сказано; to occur — происходить, случаться).

servant ['s:vnt] consequence ['knskwns]

Between Iffley and Oxford is the most difficult bit of the river I know. You want to be born on that bit of water, to understand it. I have been over it a fairish number of times, but I have never been able to get the hang of it. The man who could row a straight course from Oxford to Iffley ought to be able to live comfortably, under one roof, with his wife, his mother-in-law, his elder sister, and the old servant who was in the family when he was a baby.

First the current drives you on to the right bank, and then on to the left, then it takes you out into the middle, turns you round three times, and carries you up stream again, and always ends by trying to smash you up against a college barge.

Of course, as a consequence of this, we got in the way of a good many other boats, during the mile, and they in ours, and, of course, as a consequence of that, a good deal of bad language occurred.