《神奇树屋》 第十九册 Tigers at Twilight 07 Trapped

　　Jack¹ threw his things into his pack and followedAnnie to the forest edge.

Teddy stayed close to them, whining². Kah and Kobounced around, chattering³ nervously⁴.

As Jack got closer, he saw a tiger. The tiger waslying on his side, completely still. His eyes wereclosed. His front paw was caught in a trap.

"Is he dead?" said Jack.

"No, he's still breathing," Annie said. A tear randown her cheek. "He's worn out from struggling. Hemust have gotten caught last night. That's the sadsound we heard.""What can we do?" said Jack.

"We have to free him!" said Annie. She startedtoward the tiger.

"Wait! Wait!" Jack grabbed her. "Tigers eat people,you know." He took a deep breath. "Let's see what thebook says first.""Hurry," said Annie.

Jack opened their India book. He found a chaptercalled "Tiger Traps. " He read:

Poachers catch Indian tigers with steel traps. This isagainst the law. After trapping a tiger, they kill it andsell the body parts for money. Like the rhino⁵, the tigeris a very endangered species.

If the killing⁶ does not end, they both faceextinction. Extinction⁷ means that someday there maybe no Indian tigers or rhinos⁸ left on earth.

"Oh, man, we do have to save him," said Jack.

Under the writing was a picture of a steel trap usedto catch tigers. Jack studied it. It looked horrible anddeadly.

"Okay," he said. He showed the picture to Annie.

"Here's the plan. I'll push down on this part. The trapwill spring open. Then you pull his leg out. Got it?""Got it," said Annie. "Sit, Teddy."The little dog sat.

The langurs watched silently as Jack and Anniemoved closer to the tiger.

15He was the most majestic⁹ creature Jack had everseen. His huge head was a dark orange color. He hadperfect black-and-white stripes around his wide face.

IThe leg in the ugly steel trap was bleeding.

Slowly, silently, Jack pushed down the lever.

He raised the bar off the tiger's leg.

The tiger kept sleeping.

Slowly, silently, Annie freed the tiger's leg. Shestroked his fur gently.

"Get well," she whispered. The tiger didn't move.

Slowly, silently, Jack and Annie stood up.

They turned around. They started tiptoeing backtoward the langurs.

Koo-koo-koo! warned Kah and Ko.

Jack and Annie turned back.

The tiger was on his feet. He stared right at them.

His eyes seemed to glow.

Jack looked about wildly. How could they escape?

The tiger snarled¹⁰ at Jack and Annie.

Then slowly, silently, he started toward them

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

3 chattering   

n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
• I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

4 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

5 rhino   

n.犀牛，钱, 现金

参考例句：

• The rhino charged headlong towards us.犀牛急速地向我们冲来。
• They have driven the rhino to the edge of extinction.他们已经令犀牛濒临灭绝。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

8 rhinos   

n.犀牛（rhino的复数形式）

参考例句：

• There are many reports of people taming and even training Indian rhinos. 有许多关于人们驯养甚至训练印度犀牛的记载。 来自辞典例句
• The rhinos had fed during the night in the rice fields of these villagers. 犀牛夜里在这些村民的庄稼地里也已吃饱了。 来自辞典例句

9 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

10 snarled   

v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》