美国小学英语教材4:第198课 惊喜圣诞(1)

 A SURPRISE CHRISTMAS 惊喜圣诞

Marian Willard 作者玛丽安·威勒德

This story is called "A Surprise Christmas," but perhaps² just as¹ good a name would³ be "The Animals' Santa Claus." 这个故事叫做《惊喜圣诞》，但也许叫《动物们的圣诞老人》更合适。

As you read, see whether⁴ you think so, too. 在你阅读时，看看你是否也这么认为。

WHY BETTY AND BOB WERE UNHAPPY⁵ 为什么贝蒂和鲍勃不高兴

It was⁶ Christmas morning—the day when Bob and Betty should have been having the merriest⁷ time in the world. 那是圣诞节的早晨，鲍勃和贝蒂本该度过世界上最快乐的时光。

But they were not merry⁸ at all; they sat⁹ and looked at each other and hardly¹⁰ knew whether to laugh or to cry. 但他俩一点也不快乐；他们坐着看着对方，不知道该笑还是该哭。

"That letter is the best present we could¹¹ have had¹², anyway,” said¹³ Betty as she looked again at the big special-delivery stamp. “不管怎么样，这封信是我们能收到的最好的礼物，”贝蒂一边说，一边又看了看那张大大的快递邮票。

"Mother is now out of danger¹⁴, and we will be home in a few¹⁵ weeks." “妈妈已经脱离危险，我们几周后就能回家了。”

When Mother had become sick, just after Thanksgiving¹⁶, the children had been sent to Uncle Ben's farm. 感恩节过后妈妈就生病了，孩子们被送到叔叔本的农场。

They had played in the meadows¹⁷, gone to school in the little schoolhouse, and watched for the postman to bring letters from home. 他们在草地上玩耍，在乡村校舍上学，等着从家里捎来信件的邮递员。

Christmas at home meant days of shopping, fun with Uncle Tom when he came¹⁸ back from college¹⁹, parties at the church²⁰ and at the schoolhouse. 在家里过圣诞节可以去买东西，等汤姆叔叔从学校回来后一起玩耍，还能在教堂和校舍聚会。

Besides²¹, Christmas at home meant planning²² a gift for some little child that was poor. 而且，在家过圣诞节还要为一些穷孩子准备礼物。

"I wish we could have some kind of Christmas this year," said Bob, "just to keep us from forgetting what day it is. “希望今年我们的圣诞节，” 鲍伯说，“能让我们记住今天是什么日子，

There isn't even²³ snow," and he looked at the bare²⁴, brown fields²⁵. 都没有下雪，”他看着光秃秃的棕色田野。

"At home they've all been so worried²⁶ about Mother that probably²⁷ no one has had time to buy us any presents." “家里人都很担心妈妈，可能没人有时间给我们买礼物。”

"Well, Bobby, Mother is better, and that is the best present in all the world for us," and Betty smiled bravely²⁸ at her brother. “哦，鲍比，妈妈好多了，这对我们来说是世界上最好的礼物。”贝蒂勇敢地对弟弟笑了笑。

 

1 as   

conj.按照；如同

参考例句：

• He got work in a hotel as a waiter.他在一家旅馆找到了当服务生的工作。
• In the hotel,the old men were drinking away as usual.在旅馆里，这些老人和往常一样喝个不停。

2 perhaps   

adv.也许，可能

参考例句：

• Perhaps it will rain in the afternoon.下午可能有雨。
• Perhaps I can help you.也许我能帮帮你的忙吧。

3 would   

aux.will的过去式；愿，要；常常；大概；将要，会

参考例句：

• Why would you say that?为什么你会这么说？
• Would you please help me?你能帮帮我吗？

4 whether   

conj.是否…，是不是…；是否…，是不是…

参考例句：

• I cannot say whether it was Saturday or Sunday.我无法肯定那天是星期六还是星期天。
• I don't care whether it rains,I am happy.我才不在乎下不下雨呢，我快活着呢。

5 unhappy   

adj.不幸的，不愉快的，不幸福的

参考例句：

• With all his money,he is unhappy.尽管他有那么多钱，他也并不愉快。
• I'm unhappy about the work you did for me.你替我做这件事我不太满意。

6 was   

v.(is,am的过去式)是，在

参考例句：

• He said he was right.他说他是正确的。
• He was cold and hungry.他又冷又饿。

7 merriest   

adj.愉快的( merry的最高级 )；高兴的；喝得微醉的；（圣诞节祝贺语）圣诞快乐

参考例句：

• Hoping this Christmas will be your merriest ever! 愿今年圣诞是您最欢乐的圣诞节！ 来自互联网

8 merry   

adj.高兴的，愉快的，欢乐的，兴高采烈的

参考例句：

• I wish you a merry Christmas.祝你圣诞快乐。
• She is in a merry mood.她心情愉快。

9 sat   

v.（sit的过去式，过去分词）坐

参考例句：

• He sat on a chair.他坐在椅子上。
• The mother sat by the sick child all night long.妈妈整夜守在生病的孩子身旁。

10 hardly   

adv.几乎没有，刚刚，几乎不，勉强是

参考例句：

• I could hardly believe my eyes.我简直不相信自己的眼睛。
• The hens hardly laid any eggs in summer.母鸡夏天几乎不下蛋。

11 could   

v.能，可能(can的过去式)；aux.v.(can的过去式)能；可以

参考例句：

• Could I open the window?我可以打开窗子吗？
• I could wait ten minutes.我可以等十分钟。

12 had   

vbl.have的过去式和过去分词；conj.有

参考例句：

• I just had a good idea!我有个好主意！
• The boy had a small branch of a tree in his hand.这个男孩手上拿一条小树枝。

13 said   

v.动词say的过去式、过去分词

参考例句：

• He said to me that he could not come.他对我说他不能来。
• He said to his mother that he would do it by himself.他对他的母亲说他将自己独立做那件事。

14 danger   

n.危险，危险物，威胁

参考例句：

• It's a danger to peace.这是对和平的威胁。
• The people are in danger;we must help them off.人们处境危险，我们必须帮助他们离开。

15 few   

adj.很少的，不多的，少数的；int.少数的

参考例句：

• There are few woods in that area.那个地区几乎没有森林。
• I have a few questions.我有些问题要问你。

16 Thanksgiving   

（=Thanksgiving Day）感恩节；n.感谢；感恩

参考例句：

• It's traditional to eat turkey at Thanksgiving.感恩节吃火鸡是传统。
• She will go home to take part in the Thanksgiving dinner this weekend.周末她要回家参加感恩节餐会。

17 meadows   

草地，牧场， （河边的）低洼地( meadow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The trail wends its way through leafy woodland and sunny meadows. 这条小径穿过葱郁的林区和洒满阳光的草地。
• They have railed the meadows off from the new railway cutting. 他们已用栏杆把草地和新铁道的路堑隔离开来。

18 came   

v.动词come的过去式

参考例句：

• I was surprised why he came here so early.他为什么那么早到这里，我很惊奇。
• The doctor came in time to save his life.医生及时来抢救他的生命。

19 college   

n.学院；高等专科学校

参考例句：

• The college drama society is going to put on a play.大学戏剧协会正准备上演一个剧目。
• I was hot on playing basketball when I was in college.我上大学时热衷于打篮球。

20 church   

n.教堂，礼拜堂；教会

参考例句：

• Mary joined a church yesterday.玛丽昨天加入了教会。
• She was standing on the church steps.她正站在教堂门前的台阶上。

21 besides   

adv.此外；并且；prep.于…之外；除…以外

参考例句：

• He had other people to take care of besides me.除了我以外，他还需要照料其他人。
• Besides English, he has to study German and French.除英语外，他还要学德语和法语。

22 planning   

n.规划，设计，策划

参考例句：

• A special subcommittee adjudicates on planning applications. 有一个特别小组委员会裁决规划申请项目。
• the local family planning clinic 当地的计划生育诊所

23 even   

adj.平坦的，偶数的，相等的；adv.甚至，恰好，正当

参考例句：

• It was cold yesterday,but it's even colder today. 昨天冷，今天更冷了。
• He's the best teacher even though he has the least experience.尽管他经验最少，但教得最好。

24 bare   

adj.赤裸裸的，无遮蔽的；空的，无设备的；稀少的，仅有的，勉强的；vt.露出，暴露

参考例句：

• The boy likes to walk on the sand with bare feet.这男孩喜欢赤足在沙滩上走。
• She got shocked when she touched the bare wire.她摸了裸线，遭电击了。

25 fields   

n.田( field的名词复数 )；（作某种用途的）场地；（学习或研究的）领域；运动场

参考例句：

• The only access to the farmhouse is across the fields. 去那农舍的唯一通路是穿过田野。
• We had to make a detour around the flooded fields. 我们只得绕道避开被洪水淹没的田野。

26 worried   

adj.烦恼的，为难的，焦虑的

参考例句：

• He was worried about the safety of me.他为我的安全担心。
• He worried his father to buy a new car.他苦苦缠着父亲要买一辆新车。

27 probably   

adv.大概，或许，很可能

参考例句：

• Next year I shall probably be looking for a job. 明年我很可能找份工作。
• We're going on holiday soon,probably next month.我们很快要去度假了，可能是下个月。

28 bravely   

adv.勇敢地；鲜艳地；华丽地；极好地

参考例句：

• Our men wiped them out,but the enemy fought bravely and well.我们的部队歼灭了敌人，但敌人也进行了顽强的抵抗。
• Mr Kim bravely stood up to authority.金先生勇敢地向权威挑战。