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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Right after breakfast the next morning, the Aldens marched up the mountain to the observatory1.
“I think we should take another look at that log,” said Jessie. “There was something odd about the way Eugene Scott made Mark leave. Mark said it was his turn.”
“Mark was so sure he put down the right time,” Henry agreed.
An early morning mist drifted among the trees like ghostly scarves.
“It’s spooky up here,” Violet said in a soft voice. “Listen to how quiet it is.”
She was right. No birds sang. Not even a small breeze ruffled2 the treetops.
“It is creepy,” Jessie agreed.
Henry caught his sister’s hand. “I know what you mean.”
“Do you mean creepy like ghosts?” Benny’s eyes grew round. “Is this mountain haunted?”
“No, it’s not,” Henry hastily replied, not wanting to frighten his little brother. “It’s just so quiet.”
At the top of the mountain, the Aldens saw that the parking lot was empty.
“Nobody’s here,” said Benny.
“Let’s try the door anyway.” Jessie went up to the front door and turned the handle. “Hello?” she called down the corridor. “Anybody here?”
“Just us mice!” boomed Randy’s voice. He came out of his office, a clipboard in one hand.
“We didn’t know anyone was here,” Henry said. “Your van isn’t out front.”
“Sometimes I walk up the mountain. Try to get a little exercise. What can I do for you folks?”
Violet spoke3 up. “We wondered if we could take a look at that log — the one the astronomers4 sign to use the telescope. Last night Eugene came in and said Mark was using his time.”
“I heard about that,” Randy said, leading them to the sign-in desk. “I’ve never had two scientists sign up for the same clock of time, not since I’ve been keeping the log.” He opened the notebook.
“There it is.” Violet pointed5 to last night’s entry. “It does say Eugene Scott.”
Jessie bent6 her head closer. “But look — see those marks? It looks like somebody erased7 a name and wrote Eugene’s name over it.”
Randy studied the page. “Hmmm. You could be right, Jessie. Mark’s name might have been erased. But I don’t know when this could have happened. I’m here all day.”
“Maybe one of the students came in early to change the names,” Henry suggested.
Randy shook his head. “Astronomers rarely get up early. They stay up all night working in the observatory. They usually sleep late.”
As they left, Henry had a thought. Randy was the log keeper. He could have changed the names.
On their way into the dining room for lunch, Jessie stopped to read a poster.
“ ‘Party time! Join us for the Perseid meteor shower, tomorrow night in the observatory,’ ” she read aloud.
“What kind of a party is that?” Benny asked.
“Oh, I think you should go,” a voice said behind them. Mark ruffled Benny’s hair. “They’re meteors. Falling stars!”
They found a table by the window. Once more, Mark sat with them.
“Actually, falling stars are not stars at all, but stone fragments,” Mark went on. “When these fragments break through our atmosphere, they leave a tail of light. It’s like watching fireworks.”
Just then Grandfather came in. He pulled up a chair. “I finally got a break from the conference. May I join you?”
“Please do, Mr. Alden,” Mark said. “I was just telling your grandchildren about the upcoming meteor shower.”
“We’re going to see falling stars!” Violet said. “Can we stay up that late?”
“Absolutely,” Grandfather promised. “It isn’t every day you get to see a meteor shower from an observatory.”
Rachel Cunningham came by with menus. When everyone had ordered, she bustled8 off, but left the menus on the table.
When she came back with a tray full of drinks, Jessie handed her the menus. “You forgot these,” she said.
“I don’t know where my mind is today,” Rachel said. Then she began passing the drinks.
“I didn’t want Coke,” Benny told her. “I ordered ginger9 ale.”
“And I’m afraid I didn’t ask for iced tea,” Grandfather said apologetically.
Rachel hastily snatched up the wrong drinks. “That’s right — you said you wanted lemonade. I’ll be right back.” She hurried away, nearly tripping over another diner.
“She seems awfully10 nervous,” Jessie observed.
“I can see why,” Grandfather said. “It’s a lot of extra work for her, taking care of conference people and the summer-school students at the same time.”
“Still,” Mark put in, “Rachel volunteered for the job.”
This time Rachel returned with a tray overloaded11 with the right drinks and their entrees12.
Henry saw the tray dip dangerously and jumped up to help but it was too late.
Grandfather’s tossed salad landed upside down in his lap.
“Oh, no!” Rachel stood rooted to the floor, her gray eyes horrified13. “Look what I’ve done!”
Grandfather plucked a radish off his shirt. “It’s all right, dear girl. Not to worry. I’ll go up to my room and change.” Trying to make her feel better, he joked, “I did ask for a tossed salad.”
“You don’t understand!” Rachel cried. “I’ve ruined everything!” Wheeling around, she flung the tray on an empty table and ran across the room.
Jessie started after her. “Rachel! Come back!”
But Rachel was already out the door.
Jessie stared at Henry. “I’ve never seen anyone so nervous.”
Henry nodded. “I wonder what could be bothering her.”
The children spent the afternoon exploring the stream that ran alongside the campus. Jessie showed Benny how to make boats out of sticks and leaves. Violet and Henry took pictures of the scenery.
“These should be good enough to enter in a contest,” Henry told Violet. “You’ve got some really nice shots.”
Benny launched a fleet of leaf boats down the rushing creek14. “Here comes the navy!” he cried gleefully.
Henry measured the progress of the sun over the treetops. “We’d better head back. It’s nearly dinnertime.”
Scooping15 his “navy” from the water, Benny neatly16 lined up the soggy boats on a sandbar. “I’m ready now,” he declared. “I’m starving.”
“Dinner is supposed to be another picnic,” Jessie said. “I wonder if Rachel will be there.”
They found out later, when the conference people were gathered once more on the lawn. Rachel Cunningham was rushing between groups, serving drinks. Jessie noticed the young woman’s eyes were red-rimmed.
“At least we can eat when we want to,” Benny said. The long tables were laden17 with an assortment18 of cold dishes, breads, and salads. The dessert table made Benny’s eyes pop.
“Hey, there!” Eugene Scott bounded up to the children. “Haven’t seen you around today. What have you been up to?”
Henry was surprised by the young man’s sudden friendliness19. “We’ve been busy,” he said.
“That’s good!” Eugene said jovially20. “Are you coming to the closing ceremony on the last day of the conference?”
“I don’t know,” Jessie replied. “Grandfather hasn’t mentioned anything about it.”
“You should come,” Eugene said. “I want everybody to come. I’ve made a terrific discovery! The world will find out what it is that day!”
“Mark has a discovery too,” Benny put in.
A cloud seemed to drop over Eugene’s eyes. “You can believe that my discovery is a thousand times better than his!” With that, he stomped21 off.
Violet shook her head. “Boy, he’s kind of weird22.”
Jessie pointed to a stage that had been set up near the trees. “There’s Rachel with a guitar. I bet she’s going to sing! Let’s go listen.”
After a brief introduction by Dr. Porter, Rachel stood before a microphone.
“Tonight,” she said shyly, “I’m going to sing a ballad23 my granddaddy taught me. The song was passed down from his granddaddy, so it’s really old.”
She strummed the guitar a few times, then began to sing. Jessie had never heard such a sweet, lilting voice. The words told a story of a family who had to leave their mountain home forever.
When Rachel was through, everyone applauded. Bowing briefly24, the young woman left the stage, brushing away compliments from the guests.
“I wish I could sing like that,” Violet commented to Jessie later, when they were in their dorm room.
“Rachel is like these mountains. She seems different every day,” Jessie mused25, pulling down the covers.
Later on, after the girls had fallen asleep, they heard a knock at the door.
It was Hazel Watson, the housekeeper26.
“Have you seen Rachel?” she asked the girls. “I can’t find her anywhere!”
收听单词发音 |
1
observatory
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| n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台 | |
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2
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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3
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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astronomers
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| n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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erased
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| v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除 | |
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8
bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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9
ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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overloaded
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| a.超载的，超负荷的 | |
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12
entrees
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| n.入场权( entree的名词复数 )；主菜 | |
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13
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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14
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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15
scooping
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| n.捞球v.抢先报道( scoop的现在分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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17
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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19
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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21
stomped
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| v.跺脚，践踏，重踏( stomp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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23
ballad
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| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
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24
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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26
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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