英语 英语 日语 日语 韩语 韩语 法语 法语 德语 德语 西班牙语 西班牙语 意大利语 意大利语 阿拉伯语 阿拉伯语 葡萄牙语 葡萄牙语 越南语 越南语 俄语 俄语 芬兰语 芬兰语 泰语 泰语 泰语 丹麦语 泰语 对外汉语

儿童英语读物 The Mystery of the Lost Village CHAPTER 7 A Surprise Visit

时间:2017-08-01 06:25来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
特别声明:本栏目内容均从网络收集或者网友提供,供仅参考试用,我们无法保证内容完整和正确。如果资料损害了您的权益,请与站长联系,我们将及时删除并致以歉意。
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

“This doesn’t look good,” Mr. Lightfeather said the following morning. The whole family was gathered at the breakfast table, as he read a letter from the tribal1 council. “The developer has gotten his permit approved. He’s going to start digging up the forest next week.”

“Oh, no.” Mrs. Lightfeather sat down slowly. She looked very upset. “I was afraid this would happen.”

“Cheer up, Mom.” Amy reached across the table to pat her mother’s arm. “There’s still time for us to save the forest.” She looked at the Aldens encouragingly.

“We need to find something important at the dig,” Henry said thoughtfully. “Something that will prove that it’s an historic site. Then the real archaeologists can take over.”

“I wish I still had my bowl,” Violet said glumly2. “At least that was a start.”

“What about the arrowheads I found?” Benny asked.

“I’m afraid they’re not enough, Benny,” Mr. Lightfeather told him. “They prove that people hunted there once, but we need to show that they lived there.”

The Aldens finished their breakfast quickly, eager to get to the dig. “Maybe we’ll be lucky today,” Violet said to Amy as they cleared the table.

“I hope so,” Amy answered. She glanced out the kitchen window at the forest. It was hard to believe that in a short time it might be gone forever!

A half hour later, the Aldens were working at the dig with Amy and Joe when Rita Neville appeared.

She stomped3 angrily over to Henry, and thrust a paper in his face. “I got your note,” she said coldly.

“A note? What are you talking about?”

Rita gave a harsh laugh. “The one you kids slid under my door at the motel. If you think you’re going to scare me off, you’re wrong!”

“Ms. Neville, what are you talking about?” Amy asked.

“Read it for yourself!” Ms. Neville retorted. “Maybe you didn’t write it, but one of your little friends did!”

Amy glanced at the paper Henry was holding. “Stay away from the forest. There is danger in the shadows,” she read aloud. “Ms. Neville, we didn’t write this!”

“Do you expect me to believe that?” Rita Neville stared at the group that was assembled around her. “I’ll give you a little warning. The next time you bother me, you’ll be the ones who are in danger!” She snatched the paper away from Henry, tore it into shreds4, and threw it on the ground. Then, without another word, she turned and left.

“Wow,” Benny said when she was out of sight. “She was really mad!”

“I wonder who wrote that note?” Jessie asked.

“I can’t imagine,” Joe said. “If none of us did it, who did?”

“Well, we’re not going to figure it out by standing5 here,” Henry reminded them. “Let’s get back to work.”

“Do you think we should look for that glowing rock we saw the other night?” Benny asked. “It was really creepy!”

“We can’t take the time,” Henry told him. “It’s more important to look for artifacts.”

Jessie picked up her shovel6. “It probably only glows at night, Benny. We wouldn’t have much chance of spotting it in the daylight.

It was mid-afternoon when Violet found a flat stone that was hollowed out on one side. “Is this anything important?” she asked Joe was working a few feet away.

“It looks like a baking stone,” he said, pleased.

“The Navajos used to bake stones?” Benny was puzzled.

Amy laughed. “No, they used stones to bake bread.” She held the stone up so Benny could see it. “They used to build a fire here, under the rounded part. Then when the stone got hot underneath7, the bread would cook on top.”

“Maybe you should keep digging in the same area, Violet,” Henry said. “In fact, I’ll help you. It seems like you have the best square.”

Henry and Violet worked side by side. They dug for a while. Henry uncovered part of a tomahawk. The handle was broken off, but the blade portion was in good condition.

“I can’t believe it!” Amy said excitedly. “That’s two finds in one day. Maybe we should all join Violet!”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Joe agreed. “She seems to be digging in the right spot, and she’s dug down the deepest.” Everyone started digging in the square next to Violet’s and, half an hour later, Benny let out a whoop8.

“Look what I found!” he said, holding up a handful of dazzling stones. They gleamed like jewels in the bright sunlight.

“What are they?” Violet asked.

“They’re called butterfly stones,” Amy explained. “We use them for jewelry9.” She turned one over. “You see how smooth the surface is? Someone polished them to bring out their true colors.”

“Put them in the box, so they don’t get chipped,” Henry suggested.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, and Jessie found a stick that was beautifully carved and decorated with beads10. “Oh, this is pretty,” she said, brushing away clumps11 of dirt. “What is it?”

“It looks like a magic wand,” Benny offered.

“That’s close, Benny,” Joe told him. “It’s called a baton12. It’s a special wand that only the chiefs and the elders carry.”

Jessie examined the beads that hung from threads. “These are beautiful,” she said, admiring the little balls of quartz13 and copper14. Suddenly she noticed some pointed15 white beads at the end of the string. “Wait a minute. These don’t look like beads, they look like … teeth!”

Amy nodded. “I think they’re probably from a wolf,” she explained. “Our ancestors often used teeth for decoration.” She smiled when Jessie made a face. “They thought that teeth were just as beautiful as beads.”

“I think I have something!” Joe shouted. He threw down his trowel and began digging with his bare hands.

“What is it?” Amy said excitedly.

“It’s some kind of a basket …” He lifted out a coiled basket that was lopsided. “It’s heavy,” he said, setting it down next to him.

“How come it’s all black inside?” Benny asked, rushing over to take a look at it.

“That’s pitch,” Joe explained. “This is a cooking basket, right, Amy?”

Amy knelt down to examine it. “Yes, it is.” She ran her hand around the smooth black interior. “This is the nicest one I’ve seen.”

“How can you cook anything in a basket?” Violet asked.

“It’s not an ordinary basket,” Amy said. “The pitch makes the basket watertight. All you have to do is fill the basket with water and drop a heated stone in it. Once the water gets hot, you add the food.”

After everyone had a look at the basket, Joe stood up and stretched. The sun was setting and a cool breeze had sprung up. “I think we should call it a day,” he said. “It’s almost dinnertime, and everybody’s tired.”

“And hungry!” Benny added, rubbing his legs. He felt cramped16 from squatting17 in one position so long.

Later that evening, Mr. and Mrs. Lightfeather gathered in the dining room to admire the treasures.

“Do you think we have enough to convince people that there really is an ancient village?” Joe asked his mother.

“I think we have a good chance.” She smiled and gave him a hug. “I still can’t believe how much you children found today.”

“What’s going to happen next?” Violet asked.

“I think it’s time to talk to the council,” Mr. Lightfeather said. “In fact, we should call an emergency meeting.”

“I’ll speak to Kinowok soon,” Mrs. Lightfeather offered. “Probably the best time to do it will be after the Pow-Wow.”

“The Pow-Wow!” Benny said excitedly. “I almost forgot!”

“It’s tomorrow,” Joe reminded him. “Are you finished with your belt?”

“Almost,” Benny said. “I just have three more rows of beads to do.”

“We need to practice for the dance,” Amy reminded Jessie. She glanced at her watch. “Do you want to work on it right now?”

“Yes, let’s get started.” Amy had promised her that the steps were simple, but Jessie still felt a little nervous about dancing in front of a lot of people.

“You’ll see a lot of complicated dances at the Pow-Wow,” Amy said a few minutes later. “But I’ve chosen an easy one for us to do.” They were in Amy’s bedroom, and a drumbeat was playing on a cassette deck.

“What do I do?” Jessie asked. She was standing self-consciously in the center of the room.

“Just close your eyes for a minute and listen to the rhythm,” Amy told her.

Jessie shut her eyes and listened. The drum beat was interesting and unusual. THUMP18 … thump, thump, thump. There seemed to be four beats and the first one was the loudest. She was surprised to find herself swaying to the music.

“Good,” Amy said approvingly. “Now I’ll show you how to do the Swan Dance.” She opened her dresser drawer and pulled out two bright orange shawls. She handed one to Jessie. “Step side to side, and raise and lower the shawl. Do it really slowly so the shawl drifts in the air for a moment.”

Amy and Jessie stood side by side, moving to the music. Jessie was so interested she forgot to be nervous. “Bow your head a little when the shawl comes down,” Amy added. Jessie followed her movements and, when the song ended, Amy applauded. “You dance just like a Navajo girl,” she said happily.

It was almost nine o’clock when Mr. Lightfeather summoned Joe and Henry. “How about a hand with these boxes?” he asked. “I’ve packed all the artifacts you found at the dig. I think we should put everything in the basement for safekeeping.”

“I’ll help!” Benny offered.

“I think you need to finish your belt,” Joe said gently. “You still have one more row of beads to do.”

“I guess you’re right.” Benny wanted to take a last look at the tomahawk, but he knew it was more important to finish his belt.

Joe and Henry carried six sturdy cardboard boxes downstairs, and Mr. Lightfeather unlocked a green metal storage container. After they arranged the boxes on the shelves, Mr. Lightfeather closed the sliding door and snapped the padlock shut. The noise echoed in the dimly lit cellar. “At least we know they’ll be safe in here,” Joe said.

“That’s right, son,” his father agreed. “And as soon as the Pow-Wow is over, we’ll present them to the tribal council. Once they see the artifacts, the council will stop the developers in their tracks!”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 tribal ifwzzw     
adj.部族的,种族的
参考例句:
  • He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
  • The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。
2 glumly glumly     
adv.忧郁地,闷闷不乐地;阴郁地
参考例句:
  • He stared at it glumly, and soon became lost in thought. 他惘然沉入了瞑想。 来自子夜部分
  • The President sat glumly rubbing his upper molar, saying nothing. 总统愁眉苦脸地坐在那里,磨着他的上牙,一句话也没有说。 来自辞典例句
3 stomped 0884b29fb612cae5a9e4eb0d1a257b4a     
v.跺脚,践踏,重踏( stomp的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She stomped angrily out of the office. 她怒气冲冲,重步走出办公室。
  • She slammed the door and stomped (off) out of the house. 她砰的一声关上了门,暮暮地走出了屋了。 来自辞典例句
4 shreds 0288daa27f5fcbe882c0eaedf23db832     
v.撕碎,切碎( shred的第三人称单数 );用撕毁机撕毁(文件)
参考例句:
  • Peel the carrots and cut them into shreds. 将胡罗卜削皮,切成丝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I want to take this diary and rip it into shreds. 我真想一赌气扯了这日记。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
5 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
6 shovel cELzg     
n.铁锨,铲子,一铲之量;v.铲,铲出
参考例句:
  • He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
  • He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。
7 underneath VKRz2     
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面
参考例句:
  • Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
  • She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣,里面套着一条连衣裙。
8 whoop qIhys     
n.大叫,呐喊,喘息声;v.叫喊,喘息
参考例句:
  • He gave a whoop of joy when he saw his new bicycle.他看到自己的新自行车时,高兴得叫了起来。
  • Everybody is planning to whoop it up this weekend.大家都打算在这个周末好好欢闹一番。
9 jewelry 0auz1     
n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
参考例句:
  • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
  • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
10 beads 894701f6859a9d5c3c045fd6f355dbf5     
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链
参考例句:
  • a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
  • Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。
11 clumps a9a186997b6161c6394b07405cf2f2aa     
n.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的名词复数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声v.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声
参考例句:
  • These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了,剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 baton 5Quyw     
n.乐队用指挥杖
参考例句:
  • With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
  • The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒,乐队开始演奏起来。
13 quartz gCoye     
n.石英
参考例句:
  • There is a great deal quartz in those mountains.那些山里蕴藏着大量石英。
  • The quartz watch keeps good time.石英表走时准。
14 copper HZXyU     
n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的
参考例句:
  • The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
  • Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。
15 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
16 cramped 287c2bb79385d19c466ec2df5b5ce970     
a.狭窄的
参考例句:
  • The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤,但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
  • working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作
17 squatting 3b8211561352d6f8fafb6c7eeabd0288     
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。
参考例句:
  • They ended up squatting in the empty houses on Oxford Road. 他们落得在牛津路偷住空房的境地。
  • They've been squatting in an apartment for the past two years. 他们过去两年来一直擅自占用一套公寓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 thump sq2yM     
v.重击,砰然地响;n.重击,重击声
参考例句:
  • The thief hit him a thump on the head.贼在他的头上重击一下。
  • The excitement made her heart thump.她兴奋得心怦怦地跳。
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎点击提交分享给大家。
------分隔线----------------------------
顶一下
(0)
0%
踩一下
(0)
0%
最新评论 查看所有评论
发表评论 查看所有评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:
听力搜索
推荐频道
论坛新贴