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儿童英语读物 The Poison Frog Mystery CHAPTER 4 The Jammed Window

时间:2017-09-25 08:44来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Jessie and Henry were at home fixing breakfast for everyone when the phone rang. Henry was trying to balance four plates of bacon and eggs at the same time, so Jessie answered it after wiping her hands on her apron1.

“Hello?”

“Jessie?” It was Lindsey, and she sounded frantic2.

“Lindsey? What’s wrong?”

“The California condors3 are missing!”

“Missing? You mean they’ve—”

“Yes, I’d appreciate it if you could all come down as soon as you can!” Lindsey said.

Then the line went dead.

The Alden children gobbled up their breakfast and rushed down to the zoo on their bicycles.

They found Lindsey in one of the back rooms of the Bird Barn. It looked similar to the back room in the mammal house, except for a huge enclosure at one end that had been made by closing off part of the room with long strips of wood and lots of chicken wire.

“That was where they were,” Lindsey said. “Up until last night.”

The floor of the cage was bedded with sand, wood chips, and huge rocks. In the center was a small tree. There were no leaves on it, just bare branches. It sort of looked like a giant hand reaching for the ceiling.

“The same person did it?” Jessie asked.

Lindsey nodded. She looked as though she were trying to fight back tears.

“I’m sure,” she said. “We found the lock on the floor, all broken up. It’s on that table over there if you want to look at it. The door to the cage was wide open when the birdkeeper came in. And that window back there ...” she said, pointing toward the other end of the room, “that’s where the thief came and went. The latch5 is broken. And another bag of food is missing. The right kind this time. I checked.”

Benny picked up the broken lock and began examining it. It looked pretty much the same as the last one—mangled and beaten. There was some chalky dust on the corners, which he wiped away. This dust made him think of the special dust detectives use to find fingerprints6. He wished he had some of that right now.

Henry went over to the window and pushed it open. The latch, just like Lindsey said, had been broken. Whoever broke it must have been very strong or used a very forceful tool, he thought, because it was made of steel.

He noticed that the window could be opened, but not by much. Only about eight or nine inches, in fact. Then it sort of got stuck.

“Lindsey, the thief really came and left through this window? Are you sure?”

“Positive,” she said. “The lock wasn’t broken yesterday. In fact, Jordan and Mr. Colby issued a strict order after the black-footed ferrets were stolen for everyone to make sure the windows were locked tight before they went home. The head birdkeeper swears he locked that window. If it hadn’t been locked, why would the thief break the latch?”

Henry frowned. “That’s not what puzzles me. It’s the size of the opening.”

“What do you mean?”

Henry pushed the window up as far as it would go. Then he put his hand through the opening.

“Look at how little room there is here. This window seems to be jammed.” Henry tried opening it all the way, but it wouldn’t budge7. “Wouldn’t the person who slipped through it have to be incredibly thin?”

“Yes, of course. That’s a good point!” Lindsey said. “Some of these windows tend to jam up like that.”

Benny, still playing with the broken lock, said, “I’m only six years old, and I don’t think I could fit through there!”

“But someone must have,” Violet added. “Unless ... the thief broke in somewhere else.”

Lindsey shook her head. “No, we’ve looked. No other signs of forced entry anywhere.”

Violet also thought maybe the thief had a key, but that couldn’t be possible, could it? Would someone who worked here actually do something like that? Wouldn’t it be too obvious? She tucked the idea in the back of her mind for the time being.

“What does ‘forced entry’ mean?” Benny asked.

“This,” Henry answered, pointing to the broken latch, “is forced entry. And so is that,” he continued, pointing to the broken lock in Benny’s hand. “When you have to force your way in, that’s forced entry.”

“Oh,” Benny nodded. “I get it.”

“And,” Henry said, turning back to the window and putting his hands on his hips4, “how could anyone fit two California condors through an opening that size? Aren’t they big birds?”

“Yes, they are, but it can be done. Birds are, unfortunately, very ‘squeezable.’ That’s why magicians use doves in their magic tricks—they can be squished into tiny places.”

“That doesn’t sound very nice,” Violet said.

“If it’s done gently it doesn’t really hurt them,” Lindsey quickly pointed8 out, “but I’m sure the birds aren’t too happy. If the thief did that with the condors, I’ll bet he or she had to fight with them. Condors are mean, tough birds. The thief probably got a fair share of bites and scratches.”

They walked back over to the empty enclosure. “What about these little dents9 on the floor?” Jessie asked, pointing. There were maybe a dozen of them, all small and close together, a few feet from the cage door. “Same as last time?”

Lindsey nodded. “Exactly the same. And still just as puzzling.”

Jessie knelt down and gently ran her hand over them.

“Just like in the mammal house,” she said softly.

“Right,” Lindsey said, “and they weren’t here before the theft. I asked the head birdkeeper, just to be sure.”

Henry said, “I wonder if they were caused by the thief’s shoes. Maybe the thief was wearing cleats, or those shoes that mountain climbers use. They have spikes10 on the bottom.”

“I doubt it,” Lindsey replied. “If that were the case, why wouldn’t the marks be all over the floor? Why only in one spot?”

Henry nodded. “That’s true. I can’t really think of anything else, though.”

“Me neither,” Lindsey said.

Jordan Patterson walked in at that moment, hands deep in the pockets of his jeans.

“Any good news, Jordan?”

He shook his head. “No news at all. Same as last time. I have to admit, whoever the thief is, he or she is very good; left no clues, no trail, nothing.” He turned to the Aldens. “How are you kids coming along with your own investigation11? Anything turn up?”

Henry told Jordan about his thoughts on the open window.

“That makes a lot of sense,” Jordan said. “I’ll mention that if and when the police get involved. Good point.”

“Thanks,” Henry said. “Does Mr. Colby know yet?”

Jordan frowned. “Yeah, I just finished talking to him.”

“I assume he didn’t take it too well?” Lindsey asked.

Jordan smiled at her, but there was no happiness in it. “No, he didn’t. In fact, he was downright furious. He said he was going to hire a night guard. He has a friend whose son has guard experience. He’s pretty good, from what I’ve heard.”

“Well, that should help,” Jessie said.

“I guess,” Jordan replied. “It’s a shame we have to go this far. Having a guard ...” He shook his head. “This is a zoo, not a prison.”

“But these thefts won’t make us look very good to the public,” Lindsey told the Aldens. “They’ll make us look irresponsible and careless.”

“Darren must think the same thing,” Jordan said to Lindsey, “because he said something else, too.”

“Oh?”

“He said he was going to shut down the breeding program if one more animal was taken.” Jordan put up a finger. “Just one.”

Lindsey’s face paled. “You’re kidding.”

“No, I’m not. And I’m not surprised, either. He’s been very worried about the possible response from the newspapers.”

“But what about the endangered animals?” Violet asked.

Jordan shook his head. “I guess another zoo will have to take them.”

“Oh, no!”

Jordan shrugged12. “What else can we do? We can’t risk losing any more of them.”

He turned back toward the door. “Okay, I have to go back and talk to him again. Keep up the good work, kids.”

“Thanks,” Henry said.

“I hope they catch the thief soon,” Lindsey said sadly after Jordan had gone. “Or we do, or someone does. Shutting down the program is going to be a huge blow to this zoo.”

“Well, let’s keep looking around for more clues,” Henry said. “Who knows? The key piece to the whole puzzle might be right in this room.”

“Maybe,” Lindsey said, but she didn’t sound as enthusiastic as Henry.

Henry went back to the window, Benny investigated the supply shelves, and Violet searched around inside the condors’ empty cage.

Jessie, on the other hand, knelt down beside the dents in the floor again. There was something about them that seemed important to her—something way in the back of her mind. She could feel that they fit into the picture, but she couldn’t quite figure out how.

She would, though, very soon.

It was early afternoon, and Violet and Benny were standing13 in Amphibian14 Hall. After the Aldens finished examining the room where the condors had been stolen, they had lunch, then decided15 to see the rest of the zoo before returning home. Benny insisted that Violet see the frog display.

Inside a huge glass-fronted enclosure were some of the most beautiful tropical plants Violet had ever seen, with huge green leaves attached to thick vines and branches. A little pipe that ran across the ceiling sprayed a fine mist of water. There were rocks and bubbling water pools, and even a tiny waterfall. It was perfect, Violet thought, even without the animals.

But the animals were what Benny had insisted she must see—and Violet was happy he had. They were frogs, but not like any other she’d ever seen. Most of them were so small they looked more like large bugs16. One was blue and black, another was red and blue. A third was black and orange. One was a very bright yellow, and a few were a pure royal blue. These were the ones that took Violet’s breath away.

“Benny, they’re unbelievable!”

Her little brother smiled proudly. “I thought you’d like them.”

“I certainly do.”

She read the information plaque17 on the wall. It said that these amphibians18 were called poison-arrow frogs, named because natives of South America used to coat the tips of their arrows with the poison that covered the frogs’ skin. In spite of the frogs’ small size, the poison was strong enough to cause severe rashes and other painful skin irritations19 in humans.

“Wow,” Violet whispered. She was amazed at how animals so beautiful could be so dangerous at the same time.

Benny and Violet decided to get a snack after seeing the rest of Amphibian Hall. They walked to the outdoor food court and chose a table in a patch of shade to sit and share an order of french fries. Benny was happily munching20 away when someone familiar caught his eye. A strongly built young man wearing sunglasses and a brightly colored flowered shirt had made his way off the paved walkway that wound between the exhibit houses. He was standing on tiptoe behind some bushes, peering into back rooms of the Bird Barn.

“Violet,” said Benny, “look at that guy over there peeking21 into the Bird Barn. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen him at the zoo before ... Wouldn’t it be much easier for him to see the birds if he just went inside to the exhibit?”

“You’re right, Benny, but I don’t think he is an ordinary zoo visitor. Look, he’s taking notes.”

The young man had flipped22 open a notebook and was writing in it. Then he seemed to be startled by a noise coming from the other side of the Bird Barn window. He looked around quickly, flipped his notebook closed, and hurried away.

Benny looked thoughtfully down at his french fries. “Now I remember,” he said excitedly. “I did see him here before. When we ate lunch with Lindsey and she explained to us all about the California condors. He seemed to be listening to Lindsey and he was taking notes then, too!”

Violet and Benny looked at each other.

“Do you think we found another suspect?” asked Benny.

“I think so,” answered Violet, “but who is he?”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 apron Lvzzo     
n.围裙;工作裙
参考例句:
  • We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
  • She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
2 frantic Jfyzr     
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的
参考例句:
  • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
  • He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
3 condors 084a80ec4ee2f15a20bb076fbb4bea48     
n.神鹰( condor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • What would our condors feed on if no one was in danger? 你不发生危险,那我们秃鹰吃啥呢? 来自互联网
  • Yo mama so fat she has been declared a natural habitat for Condors. Yomama是如此之肥,她被定为秃鹰的自然栖息地。 来自互联网
4 hips f8c80f9a170ee6ab52ed1e87054f32d4     
abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯,耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 );[建筑学]屋脊;臀围(尺寸);臀部…的
参考例句:
  • She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
  • They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 latch g2wxS     
n.门闩,窗闩;弹簧锁
参考例句:
  • She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。
  • The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。
6 fingerprints 9b456c81cc868e5bdf3958245615450b     
n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。
  • They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套,以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 budge eSRy5     
v.移动一点儿;改变立场
参考例句:
  • We tried to lift the rock but it wouldn't budge.我们试图把大石头抬起来,但它连动都没动一下。
  • She wouldn't budge on the issue.她在这个问题上不肯让步。
8 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。
9 dents dents     
n.花边边饰;凹痕( dent的名词复数 );凹部;减少;削弱v.使产生凹痕( dent的第三人称单数 );损害;伤害;挫伤(信心、名誉等)
参考例句:
  • He hammered out the dents in the metal sheet. 他把金属板上的一些凹痕敲掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Tin dents more easily than steel. 锡比钢容易变瘪。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
10 spikes jhXzrc     
n.穗( spike的名词复数 );跑鞋;(防滑)鞋钉;尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 );偷偷地给某人的饮料加入(更多)酒精( 或药物);把尖状物钉入;打乱某人的计划
参考例句:
  • a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
  • There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉,以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
12 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 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。
14 amphibian mwHzx     
n.两栖动物;水陆两用飞机和车辆
参考例句:
  • The frog is an amphibian,which means it can live on land and in water.青蛙属于两栖动物,也就是说它既能生活在陆地上也能生活在水里。
  • Amphibian is an important specie in ecosystem and has profound meaning in the ecotoxicology evaluation.两栖类是生态系统中的重要物种,并且对环境毒理评价有着深远意义。
15 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
16 bugs e3255bae220613022d67e26d2e4fa689     
adj.疯狂的,发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 );病菌;虫子;[计算机](制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的)错误
参考例句:
  • All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞,都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
17 plaque v25zB     
n.饰板,匾,(医)血小板
参考例句:
  • There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
  • Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。
18 amphibians c4a317a734a700eb6f767bdc511c1588     
两栖动物( amphibian的名词复数 ); 水陆两用车; 水旱两生植物; 水陆两用飞行器
参考例句:
  • The skin of amphibians is permeable to water. 两栖动物的皮肤是透水的。
  • Two amphibians ferry them out over the sands. 两辆水陆两用车把他们渡过沙滩。
19 irritations ca107a0ca873713c50af00dc1350e994     
n.激怒( irritation的名词复数 );恼怒;生气;令人恼火的事
参考例句:
  • For a time I have forgotten the worries and irritations I was nurturing before. 我暂时忘掉了过去积聚的忧愁和烦躁。 来自辞典例句
  • Understanding God's big picture can turn irritations into inspirations. 明了神的蓝图,将使你的烦躁转为灵感。 来自互联网
20 munching 3bbbb661207569e6c6cb6a1390d74d06     
v.用力咀嚼(某物),大嚼( munch的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was munching an apple. 他在津津有味地嚼着苹果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Munching the apple as he was, he had an eye for all her movements. 他虽然啃着苹果,但却很留神地监视着她的每一个动作。 来自辞典例句
21 peeking 055254fc0b0cbadaccd5778d3ae12b50     
v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 );偷看;窥视;微露出
参考例句:
  • I couldn't resist peeking in the drawer. 我不由得偷看了一下抽屉里面。
  • They caught him peeking in through the keyhole. 他们发现他从钥匙孔里向里窥视。 来自辞典例句
22 flipped 5bef9da31993fe26a832c7d4b9630147     
轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 ); 按(开关); 快速翻转; 急挥
参考例句:
  • The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转,撞毁了。
  • The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。
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