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美国故事 SENEWS-2007-0106-Feature

时间:2007-05-14 01:50来源:互联网 提供网友:ahmy88   字体: [ ]
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Mr. Dow's store was widely known1 throughout2 the neighborhood. It sold many different things. Both old and young came here to shop for special items3. They could find kitchens, large and small wallets to hold coins and paper money, packs of playing cards, pins and sewing needles, cigarettes and pipes, and a great many other items. They were nicely placed on the shelves.

Every day after school, little Joy came to the store to look around. He loved to look at the pipes. One pipe especially caught his eye. He kept staring at it every time he came back to the store. He could not take his eyes off it. He imagined that some day he would be a grown man and could smoke a pipe, just like this one.

He did not remember his father, but he knew his Dad smoke the pipe. Joy reached out and touched the pipe. He ran a finger along its stem5. He kept thinking that when he was old enough, he would go to work and his mother could stay home. He would not have to wait three hours after school until she came home from her job. He would leave his job and go straight home. His mother would be there, and supper would be ready waiting for him. After supper they would talk, he would sit back and smoke his pipe as his father did. It was a warm picture of the two of them and their life together. It was an exciting dream. Oh, why? He wondered, did it take so long to grow up and take his father’s place.

He looked around the store. Nobody was looking. He put the bowl of the pipe in his hand. He just wanted to get the feel of it, nothing more. He looked at it with intense6 pleasure. He was lost in his dream, wishing he could be like his father, a father he tried hard to remember.

Suddenly he was shocked out of his dream. He heard footsteps7 behind him. He was frightened, he turned around quickly; it was Mr. Dow, the friendly storeowner. Joy was unable to move.

"Hello, Joy." Mr. Dow said and kept on walking. Joy struggled to answer but could not get his voice out. He swallowed and smiled weakly as Mr. Dow walked away.

Joy's thoughts became unclear. Did Mr. Dow see the pipe in his hand? Was he suspicious8? Suddenly the store seemed extremely9 warm. Joy watched his feet begin to move and take him out of the store. What he was doing was not clear to him. He felt the cool air outside and it was good, yet he felt an emptiness inside himself. Like one walking in his sleep, he moved toward10 the playground. He looked around and saw the empty swings. He slipped11 into one and leaned12 against its chain. The cold metal links hurt his side.

Sitting on the swing, he gave the ground a push with one foot. A sharp pain caught him in the stomach. He almost cried but he stopped himself. He knew it was the pipe he felt. He had walked out of the store with it. A feeling of terror13 now raced through him. He had betrayed14 his mother. He had not obeyed one of God’s commandments. Had he been seen? He had stolen, but he had not really meant to steal. It all happened so quickly. He had wanted only to grow up. But now he did not feel grown-up15 at all. The swing slowed. He did not want to swing, but he continued to sit there because he had no other place to go.

Joy shook in the cold of the evening air. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pipe. He held the bowl of the pipe in his hand and stared at it. He could not get his thoughts straight. Nothing seemed right. Everything was wrong. He looked carefully around the playground. No one could be seen. Joy looked down at his dirty brown shoes and wondered if Mr. Dow had called the police. They would come looking for him. Where were they? He raised his head high enough to see between the trees to the street. No police car was in sight. Perhaps the police were waiting for him at home. Maybe a police car was parked in front of his house. All sorts of thoughts raced through his head. He could say he did not take the pipe. No one had seen him do it. No one would ever know that he had stolen it. Still, he himself would know that he did. And God would know.

Joy swung high in the air and gleamed16 back. He wondered if God ever forgot about little boys' taking things, especially when they had not meant to do so. Joy at last stopped the swing's movement. Usually he liked to swing high in the air, higher than anybody else in the world. But now he did not want to swing at all. He felt sick, his head ached4 and his sweater seemed too tight17. He was sure he even looked different.

Joy looked at the ground and tried hard to clear his thoughts. He could hide the pipe. He could throw it away. He could send Mr. Dow the money for it. His thoughts went around in the same circle again and again. He felt sick all over.

The sun was slipping18 down through the trees and it was time to go home. Time was running out, his mother would look at him and she would know. She always knew. A hot tear ran down his cheek. She trusted him. This was the first year she had left him alone for three hours between school and the time she got home from work. She had to work. He knew that. She had to work to buy his clothes and to pay for their food and for a place to live. He remembered the nice way she said, "You are a little man now, Joy." It made him sad when his mother’s words came back to him. She trusted him.

Remembering this, he felt as if someone had stuck a sharp stick into his side. Her trust in him was all he could think about now. It drove19 everything else from his mind. "She trusted me." He kept saying to himself. "She trusted me. This was most important. Next to this, the pipe and its magic power meant nothing." His dreams of growing up meant nothing.

Joy looked at the long shadows coming toward him. He now knew what he had to do. And he was in a hurry to get it done. He jumped out of the swing and started running. When he took the pipe, he left the store with slow unsure steps. Now his feet were quick, decisive20, taking him straight back to the store like an arrow21. He ran along the sidewalk, pulling in the cold air through his open mouth. He was out of breath22 when he reached the store.

Mr. Dow was just inside the door. The big man smiled. Joy wished he had not. Somehow, bad friendly smile made it more difficult for Joy to do what he wanted to do. Joy was lost for a moment. His feet felt heavy. Suddenly, blindly, he held out the pipe. His voice struggled to come out from deep inside of painful chest23.
"Mr. Dow," he said at last, "I didn't mean to take it."
"Thanks, Joy." Mr. Dow said as he gently took the pipe from the boy's outstretched hand. "How about staying around and helping24 me close up shop?"
Joy felt Mr. Dow’s big hand on his shoulder. And Joy felt his shoulders had become a little broader and stronger.

You have heard the American story "The Pipe". It was written by Katharine Wenersby and adapted for Special English by Harold Berman. It was published in the anthology of short stories copyright25 by Robert Oberfirst. All rights reserved26. Your narrator27 was Shep O’Neal. For VOA Special English this is Susan Clerk

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 known hpKzdc     
adj.大家知道的;知名的,已知的
参考例句:
  • He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
  • He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。
2 throughout goRw2     
adv.到处,自始至终;prep.遍及,贯穿
参考例句:
  • These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
  • Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。
3 items 691d502cfd0e0626cd3b058e5682ad1c     
n.物料项目 (任何一种自制或采购的零部件或组装件,如最终产品、部件、子部件、零件或原材料);条( item的名词复数 );一项;一则;一件商品(或物品)
参考例句:
  • Bulky items will be collected separately. 大件物品将分开收集。
  • Customers with ten items or less can use the express lane. 购买十件商品以内的顾客可使用快速购物通道。
4 ached 3fc5ed9929d183e50002555572f402e0     
v.渴望( ache的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I talked till my jaws ached, trying to bring him around. 我劝了他半天,嘴皮都快磨破了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • His heart ached for her love. 他渴望得到她的爱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 stem ZGrz8     
n.茎,干,船首,词干,血统;vt.堵住,阻止,抽去梗;vi.起源于,发生
参考例句:
  • Cut the stem cleanly,just beneath a leaf joint.把茎切整齐点,正好切在叶根下。
  • The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。
6 intense G5axf     
adj.认真的,专注的;强烈的;紧张的;热情的
参考例句:
  • Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
  • The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。
7 footsteps 6508b080b068283fa9f93b103a1b4406     
n.脚步(声),一步的距离,足迹;脚步(声)( footstep的名词复数 );一步的距离;足迹
参考例句:
  • the sound of footsteps on the stairs 楼梯上的脚步声
  • Their footsteps echoed in the silence. 他们的脚步声在一片寂静中回荡着。
8 suspicious DrLw1     
adj.可疑的,容易引起怀疑的,猜疑的,疑心的
参考例句:
  • A man was hanging about the house in a suspicious manner.一个男人在房子周围可疑地荡来荡去。
  • He's so suspicious he would distrust his own mother.他这个人疑心太重,连自己的母亲也不相信。
9 extremely 2tJzAz     
adv.极其,非常,极度
参考例句:
  • The film is extremely good,I just cannot miss it.这部电影太精彩了,我非看不可。
  • The old man was extremely difficult to get along with.这个老人极难相与。
10 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
11 slipped 4c5c6d788245d18d7f659f5aeaa435f3     
adj.打滑,打滑的v.滑( slip的过去式和过去分词 );滑脱;下降;(健康状况等)变差
参考例句:
  • She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤,摔得鼻青脸肿。
  • The climber slipped and dropped to his death. 攀登者一失足掉下去摔死了。
12 leaned 725f4ee64e460865d2a6749276d2ed06     
v.(使)倾斜,屈身( lean的过去式和过去分词 );倚;依赖;使斜靠
参考例句:
  • He leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly together. 他俯身向前,双手十字交错地紧握着。
  • He leaned back, exulting at the success of his plan. 他向后一靠,为自己计划成功而得意扬扬。
13 terror dI9z3     
n.恐怖;可怖的人(事)
参考例句:
  • We were in mortal terror of being found out. 我们非常害怕被发现。
  • That guy is a proper terror. 那家伙真是讨厌。
14 betrayed 9e13884facd7e05da708c0c2fbbf5471     
对…不忠( betray的过去式和过去分词 ); 背叛; 出卖; 泄露
参考例句:
  • The shakes of the speaker's hands betrayed his nervousness. 发言者双手颤抖,可见他很紧张。
  • He betrayed all his friends on his own account. 他为自己的利益出卖了所有的朋友。
15 grown-up ieWxz     
adj.成熟的,已经成人的;n.成人,大人
参考例句:
  • She has a grown-up daughter who lives abroad.她有一个已经长大成人的女儿,在海外生活。
  • The boy eats like a grown-up.那男孩的食量像个成人。
16 gleamed b4879f8697d786f57a3c0e44cadb2c3e     
(使)闪烁, (使)闪亮( gleam的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The moonlight gleamed on the water. 月光照在水面上泛起粼粼波光。
  • The windows gleamed gold in the shine of the setting sun. 窗子在落日的余晖中金光闪闪。
17 tight toCwI     
adj.紧的;难解的;紧密的
参考例句:
  • Time is going to be tight,so you'd better hurry.时间很紧,你最好抓紧一点。
  • The box is so tight that I can't open it.这个盒子太紧,我打不开。
18 slipping fdf8b0a20674e1c70f1905deb4b33a18     
adj.渐渐松驰的,渐渐不行了的,渐渐变懒的v.滑( slip的现在分词 );滑脱;下降;(健康状况等)变差
参考例句:
  • The stair treads were covered with rubber to prevent slipping. 楼梯踏板上覆盖着橡胶以防滑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I take a firm grasp on the rope from slipping. 我紧握住绳子不让它滑掉。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
19 drove brAxi     
vbl.驾驶,drive的过去式;n.畜群
参考例句:
  • He drove at a speed of sixty miles per hour.他以每小时60英里的速度开车。
  • They drove foreign goods out of the market.他们把外国货驱逐出市场。
20 decisive y9Kyx     
adj.决定性的,坚定的,果断的,决断的
参考例句:
  • A decisive person acts quickly and often succeeds.果断的人行动迅速,常常成功。
  • Man is a decisive factor in doing everything.人是做每件事情的决定性因素。
21 arrow 9NvyE     
n.箭,矢;箭状物,箭头符号
参考例句:
  • He was shot in the shoulder with an arrow.他的肩膀被箭射中。
  • The letter was nailed to the wall with an arrow.一支箭把信钉在了墙上。
22 breath 9SCyv     
n.呼吸,气息,微风,迹象,精神,一种说话的声音
参考例句:
  • I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.我正要出去呼吸新鲜空气。
  • While climbing up the stairs the old man always loses his breath.那老人上楼时总是气喘吁吁的。
23 chest sUMyW     
n.胸,大箱子,金库,资金,一箱,密封室,衣橱
参考例句:
  • The bear's chest is hairy.那只熊的胸部毛茸茸的。
  • Mother has a pain in her chest.母亲胸口疼.。
24 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
25 copyright XZRyV     
n.版权,著作权
参考例句:
  • He retained the copyright of his book.他保留此书的著作权。
  • This company has a proprietorship of the copyright.这家公司拥有版权所有权。
26 reserved NSczV     
adj.预订的;矜持的;储藏着的v.保留[储备]某物( reserve的过去式)
参考例句:
  • The star has a ski slope reserved exclusively for her. 这位明星有一个专门留给她的滑雪场地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He is very reserved. He does not say much. 他是个拘谨的人,不爱多说话。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
27 narrator rFdxT     
n.讲述者;解说员;旁白者
参考例句:
  • He listens and waits for the narrator to explain more.他听著,等待讲的人进一步解释。
  • The story's narrator is an actress in her late thirties.故事的叙述者是位年近四十的女演员。
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