《神奇树屋》 第十九册 Tigers at Twilight 08 Wonder Dog

　　The huge tiger limped closer and closer to Jack¹ andAnnie.

Jack clapped his hands.

"We come in peace!" he shouted.

But the tiger didn't turn away. His eyes blazed. Hislip curled.

Arf! Arf! Teddy barked fiercely at Annie. "Teddysays run and hide!" said Annie.

She grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him over to thebank.

"Wait--what about Teddy?" he cried.

"Don't worry!" Annie said.

16She pulled Jack down behind the black rock.

"What about Teddy?" Jack asked again.

"He's okay--he told me!" said Annie. Jack heardTeddy's barks turn to fierce growls².

ARF! ARF! GRRR! GRRRR!

The growls grew louder and louder.

"That doesn't sound like Teddy," said Jack. Thensuddenly, there was silence. A strange silence.

"Teddy?" Annie asked. Now she sounded worried.

Annie raised her head. She and Jack both peeredover the rock.

Teddy stood tall and brave in the grass. The tigerwas limping away. He disappeared between the trees.

All the forest seemed to hold its breath-- untilAnnie broke the silence.

"Teddy, you're a wonder dog!" she said.

The langurs clapped and jumped up and down.

Arf! Arf! Teddy was just like a small scruffy³ dogagain. He wagged his tail and ran to Annie and Jack.

Annie scooped⁴ him into her arms. "You saved us!"she said.

"How did you drive away that tiger?" asked Jack,rubbing Teddy's head. "Did you turn into a wilddog?"Teddy just panted and licked them both.

Jack pushed his glasses into place and looked backat the forest.

"Well, I guess we won't be getting a thank-you giftfrom that tiger," he said.

Annie laughed.

"I guess not," she said. "I wonder where our gift is.""And I wonder where the tree house is," said Jack.

Kah and Ko chattered⁵ at Jack. Then they boundeddown the bank, waving their arms.

"They want us to follow them again," said Annie.

"Come on.

She and Jack grabbed their things off the rock. Theyhurried down the stream after the langurs.

The water shimmered⁶ in the early light. Silver fishleaped into the air.

Teddy bounded ahead with Kah arid⁷ Ko. Soon theydisappeared around a bend.

Jack and Annie followed them.

17When they went around the bend, they saw a mansitting cross-legged on a rock. The langurs sat close tohim.

The man's eyes were closed.

He had long white hair and a long white beard. Hisskin was brown.

He looked very peaceful.

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 growls   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的第三人称单数 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• The dog growls at me. 狗向我狂吠。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The loudest growls have echoed around emerging markets and commodities. 熊嚎之声响彻新兴的市场与商品。 来自互联网

3 scruffy   

adj.肮脏的，不洁的

参考例句：

• Despite her scruffy clothes,there was an air of sophistication about her.尽管她衣衫褴褛，但神态老练世故。
• His scruffy appearance does not reflect his character.他邋遢的外表并不反映他的性格。

4 scooped   

v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等）

参考例句：

• They scooped the other newspapers by revealing the matter. 他们抢先报道了这件事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块，在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 chattered   

（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤

参考例句：

• They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
• We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。

6 shimmered   

v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The sea shimmered in the sunlight. 阳光下海水闪烁着微光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A heat haze shimmered above the fields. 田野上方微微闪烁着一层热气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。