听美国故事练听力 19

　　Mrs. Henry Miller¹ had lived alone for several years. Her husband wasdead. But he had left her a comfortable amount of money. He also hadleft her a nice apartment in New York City near the East River. Therewere three other apartments in the large brown building where Mrs.
Miller lived with her bird, a yellow canary name Tommie. Mrs. Millerwas 61 years old. She had no friends and no special interests.
One evening in January, Mrs. Miller saw an advertisement² for a movie.
It looked so interesting that Mrs. Miller decided³ to go to see it.
There was a long line of people waiting to buy tickets for the movie.
Mrs. Miller stood at the end of the line. Looking around her, Mrs.
Miller noticed a little girl standing⁴ near the line. The child's hairwas absolutely⁵ white, silver⁶ white in fact. The child was thin anddelicate. She wore a blue silk dress under her red velvet⁷ coat. Mrs.
Miller felt strangely excited. And when the little girl looked at her,Mrs. Miller gave her a warm smile.
The little girl walked over to her and said, "Would you do me a favor⁸?
Would you buy a ticket for me? They won't let me go into the moviesalone."She handed Mrs. Miller the money and they stood together in the line.
Mrs. Miller felt there were something strange about the little girl.
Her eyes were gray and very large. But they did not seem like the eyesof a child.
"What's your name, dear?" Mrs. Miller asked.
"Miriam." The child replied.
Mrs. Miller smiled "Why isn't that funny? That's my name too. I amMiriam Miller."The little girl was silent⁹. By this time, they had reached the ticketoffice. Mrs. Miller bought two tickets.
She gave one to Miriam and said, "It was nice to meet you, but I mustgo now."Miriam just nodded¹⁰ her head.
The next week one evening after dinner, Mrs. Miller's doorbell rang.
She opened the door. The little girl in the red coat was standingthere.
"Hello," said Miriam.
Mrs. Miller did not know what to say. Miriam stepped into theapartment. She took off her red velvet coat and dropped it on thechair. The dress made a soft swishing sound as Miriam walked aroundthe room.
"What do you want?" Mrs. Miller asked, "And how did you know where Ilive?"Miriam laughed, "Let's talk about something else." She said.
She walked over to the birdcage, which was covered by a piece ofcloth. Mrs. Miller raised her voice, "Leave my bird alone.""All right." Miriam said, "But I am hungry.""Look," Mrs. Miller said, "If I prepare something for you to eat, willyou be a good girl and go home?""I promise." The little girl said.
Mrs. Miller's hands were shaking as she made the sandwich and put aglass of milk for Miriam. She kept asking herself who this little girlwas and why she had come to her house. Mrs. Miller carried the foodinto the living room. The room was empty. Mrs. Miller began to feel alittle frightened. She went into her bedroom. Her jewelry¹¹ box was openand Miriam was looking at Mrs. Miller's jewels¹². The child turned tothe old woman looking deeply¹³ into her eyes.
"I want this pearl¹⁴ necklace." She told her.
"Put that back." Mrs. Miller ordered, "You can't have it. Thatnecklace was a gift from my husband.""But I want it." Miriam insisted¹⁵, "It's beautiful. Give it to me."Mrs. Miller suddenly felt very weak. She felt if she was going tofaint. Miriam put on the pearl necklace and went into the living room.
She ate the sandwich and drank the milk quickly.
"That’s very nice." She said when she had finished the food. "But Iwish I had some cookies or chocolates."Mrs. Miller sat on the sofa. Her face was very white and her eyes werestaring into space. "You promise to leave if I made the sandwich." Shesaid.
Miriam picked up her coat and put it on. Then she walked to Mrs.
Miller "Kiss me that night." She ordered.
Mrs. Miller trembled¹⁶ "Please." The old woman whispered¹⁷ "I, I do notwant to.""All right." Miriam said, "lifting in eyebrow¹⁸."She walked slowly to the door, turned and looked at Mrs. Miller. Thenshe was gone.
Mrs. Miller spent the next day in bed. The day after that, Mrs. Millerwoke up feeling much better. The sun was shining and when she openedher bedroom window. She discovered the weather felt almost likespring. The day was so beautiful. She decided to walk along the wideavenues of New York's East Side. When she came to a big * shop,something strange happened. Mrs. Miller could not stop her feet fromcarrying her inside the store. She spent ten dollars for a bag ofchocolates and some cookies. The weather had changed again. By thetime, Mrs. Miller came out of the big * shop.
Winter clouds through gray shadows¹⁹ over the sun. A cold wind blew inthe streets. Soon, snow began to fall. Mrs. Miller hurried home. Assoon as she entered her apartment, she put the chocolates on a platewith the cookies. At exactly five o'clock, the doorbell rang.
"Is that you?" Mrs. Miller called.
"Of course." Answered Miriam. "Open the door.""Go away," Said Mrs. Miller.
She sat down on the sofa. Mrs. Miller did not move for ten minutes.
Then she walked quietly to the door and opened it a little bit. Miriamwas sitting on a large box outside the door. She was holding abeautiful French doll.
"Really," Miriam said, "I thought you never open this door. Help meget this box into your apartment. It's very heavy."Mrs. Miller felt as if she were in a dream as she carried the heavybox into her living room. Miriam sat on the sofa watching Mrs. Miller.
She picked up a chocolate and put it into her mouth.
"I will come to live with you." She said.
Mrs. Miller's face turned into a mask²⁰ of ugly red lines. She began tocry and ran out of her apartment. She ran down the steps and beganknocking loudly at the first door she came to. A short man with redhair opened the door. A young woman stood behind him.
"Please," cried Mrs. Miller, "I am your neighbor. I live upstairs."She covered her face with her hands. "I know I am some crazy. But I amafraid of a little girl in my apartment. She won't live. She hasalready stolen my pearl necklace. I just know she wants to dosomething terrible to me.""Calm down." The young woman said, "Harry²¹ will go upstairs and takecare of her."Mrs. Miller sat down. "You are very kind." She told the young woman,"and I am sorry to cause you any trouble."After a few minutes, they heard Harry coming down the stairs. Harrycame into his apartment shaking his head.
"Nobody is there." He said.
Mrs. Miller stood up. "Did you see a large box or a doll?""No man." Harry said slowly.
Mrs. Miller went back to her apartment. The chocolates and cookieswere still there. But the room was empty.
Where was Miriam? Where was she? Mrs. Miller sat down. The room wasdark and getting darker. Mrs. Miller closed her eyes and beganthinking. Maybe there was no girl named Miriam. Maybe she had imaginedeverything like a dream. Mrs. Miller began to feel better. She wasMrs. Henry Miller. She lived in this apartment. She cooked her ownmeals. She owned canary. Mrs. Miller knew who she was. She felt safeand relaxed.
Then she heard the songs coming from her bedroom. Someone was openingand closing the drawers of her bureau²². Mrs. Miller sat with her eyesclosed tightly²³. She heard the soft swishing sound of a silk dress. Thesound grew louder and louder until the walls of the apartment began toshake. Mrs. Miller opened her eyes.
"Hello," said Miriam.
You have just heard the story called "Miriam". It was written byTruman Capote and adopted²⁴ for Special English by Donald Discenctus. Itwas published²⁵ by the Commdenest Company in 1967. Your storyteller wasKeglant. This is Shep O'Neal.

1 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

2 advertisement   

n.广告，启事，广告宣传

参考例句：

• Please post up this advertisement for our concert in your shop window.请把这张我们音乐会的海报贴在贵店窗户上。
• I wish to insert an advertisement in your newspaper.我想在贵报上登一则广告。

3 decided   

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。

4 standing   

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。

5 absolutely   

adv.绝对地；完全地

参考例句：

• The plane absolutely refused to start.这架飞机完全发动不起来。
• All the car parks are absolutely full.所有的停车场都停满了车。

6 silver   

adj.银色的，银的；n.银，银币，银器；vt.镀银，变成银白色

参考例句：

• I like taking a walk under the silver moon.我喜欢在银色的月光下散步。
• The family must come together for the parents' silver wedding.全家必须聚会庆祝父母的银婚。

7 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

8 favor   

n.好感；赞同；好事；vt.赞同，喜爱；有利于

参考例句：

• She is out of favor with her employer.她失去了雇主的欢心。
• The new teacher finds favor in the eyes of the parents.那位新老师很受家长的欢迎。

9 silent   

adj.安静的，不吵闹的，沉默的，无言的；n.(复数)默剧

参考例句：

• Immediately on his beginning to speak,everyone was silent.他一讲话，大家顿时安静下来。
• The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。

10 nodded   

v.点头( nod的过去式和过去分词 )；打盹；打瞌睡；点头致意

参考例句：

• He nodded absently, his attention absorbed by the screen. 他专心注视着屏幕，只是心不在焉地点了点头。
• She nodded her head in agreement. 她点头表示同意。

11 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

12 jewels   

n.宝石，宝石饰物( jewel的名词复数 )；受珍视的人[物]；宝贝，手表的宝石轴承

参考例句：

• The family jewels are locked away in a safe. 家里的珠宝首饰都锁在保险柜里。
• The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。

13 deeply   

adv.深刻地，在深处，深沉地

参考例句：

• I do feel deeply the strength of the collective.我确实深深地感到了集体的力量。
• We're deeply honoured that you should agree to join us.您能同意加入我们，我们感到很荣幸。

14 pearl   

n.珍珠，珍珠母

参考例句：

• He bought his girlfriend a pearl necklace.他给他女朋友买了一条珍珠项链。
• The crane and the mother-of-pearl fight to death.鹬蚌相争。

15 insisted   

坚持

参考例句：

• Figlio, vai anche tu a vedere spesso il sangue? -insiste' il nonno. 他爷爷继续说：“我儿，你也常去卖血？”。 来自互联网

16 trembled   

v.发抖( tremble的过去式和过去分词 )；焦虑；颤动；轻轻摇晃

参考例句：

• They all trembled at the prospect of an enemy invasion. 他们想到敌人可能入侵都不寒而栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The whole house trembled as the train went by. 火车开过时，整座房子都颤动了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 whispered   

adj.耳语的，低语的v.低声说( whisper的过去式和过去分词 )；私语；小声说；私下说

参考例句：

• She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来，对我耳语了几句。
• His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 eyebrow   

n.眉毛，眉

参考例句：

• Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
• With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬，似乎既感到吃惊，又觉有趣。

19 shadows   

n.阴影( shadow的名词复数 )；影子；（坏）影响；形影不离的人[物]

参考例句：

• The afternoon shadows lengthened. 下午影子渐渐变长了。
• The children were having fun, chasing each other's shadows. 孩子们追逐着彼此的影子，玩得很开心。

20 mask   

n.屏蔽，面具，假面具，掩饰，石膏面像；vt.戴面具，掩饰，使模糊；vi.化装，戴面具，掩饰

参考例句：

• Who is wearing the mask?谁戴着面具呢？
• Why are you wearing a mask?你为什么要戴面具？

21 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

22 bureau   

n.提供或收集消息的机构；局，司，处；署

参考例句：

• The weather bureau makes daily reports on weather conditions.气象局每天报告天气状况。
• The Tourist Bureau arranged everything for our journey to Rome.旅游局已为我们去罗马旅行准备了一切。

23 tightly   

adv.紧紧地，坚固地，牢固地

参考例句：

• My child holds onto my hand tightly while we cross the street.横穿马路时，孩子紧拉着我的手不放。
• The crowd pressed together so tightly that we could hardly breathe.人群挤在一起，我们几乎喘不过气来。

24 adopted   

adj.被收养的，被采用的v.采用( adopt的过去式和过去分词 )；收养；正式接受；吸收（外来词语）

参考例句：

• Danny is their adopted son. 丹尼是他们的养子。
• She adopted a brisk businesslike tone. 她用一种公务口吻，说话干脆利落。

25 published   

v.出版( publish的过去式和过去分词 )；（在互联网上）发表；公布；在报刊)发表

参考例句：

• The findings of the commission will be published today. 委员会的调查结果将于今天公布。
• His diary was not published during his lifetime. 他的日记在他生前未曾发表过。