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美国故事 SENEWS-2005-1001-Feature

时间:2007-05-12 01:43:43

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(单词翻译)

Now the special English program American Stories. Today's story is called "the White Heron". It was written by Sarah Orne Jewett. Here is Kay Gallant1 with the story.

The forest was full of shadows as a little girl hurried through it one summer evening in June. It was already eight o'clock. And Sophie wondered if her grandmother would be angry with her for being so late. Every evening Sophie left her grandmother's house at five thirty to bring their cow home. The old animal spent her days out in the open country eating sweet grass.

It was Sophie's job to bring her home to be milked. When the cow heard Sophie's voice calling her, she would hide among the bushes. This evening it'd taken Sophie longer than usual to find her cow. The child hurried the cow through the dark forest following a narrow path that led to her grandmother's home. The cow stopped at a small stream to drink. As Sophie waited, she put her bare feet in the cold fresh water of the stream.

She had never before been alone in the forest as late as this. The air was soft and sweet. Sophie felt as if she were a part of the gray shadows and so were leaves that moved in the evening breeze2. She began thinking how it was only a year ago that she came to her grandmother's farm. Before that she had lived with her mother and father in a dirty crowded factory town. One day Sophie's grandmother had visited them and had chosen Sophie from all her brothers and sisters to be the one to help her on her farm in Vermont.

The cow finished drinking. And as the nine-year-old child hurried through the forest to the home she loved, she thought again about the noisy town where her parents still lived. Suddenly the air was cut by a sharp whistle not far away. Sophie knew it wasn't a friendly bird's whistle. It was the determined3 whistle of a person. She forgot the cow and hid in some bushes. But she was too late.

"Hello, little girl." A young man called out cheerfully4. "How far is it to the main road?" Sophie was trembling as she whispered: "Two miles." She came out of the bushes and looked up into the face of a tall young man carrying a gun. The stranger began walking with Sophie as she followed her cow through the forest. "I've been hunting for birds." He explained, "But I've lost my way. Do you think I can spend the night at your house?" Sophie didn't answer, she was glad they were almost home, she could see her grandmother standing5 near the door of the farm house.

When they reached her the stranger put down his gun and explained his problem to Sophie's smiling grandmother. "Of course you can stay with us." She said, "We don't have much, but you are welcome to share what we have. Now, Sophie, get a plate for the gentleman."

After eating they all sat outside, the young man explained he was a scientist who collected birds. "Do you put them in a cage?" Sophie asked. "No," He answered slowly, "I shoot them and stuff6 them with special chemicals to preserve them. I have over one hundred different kinds of birds from all over the United States in my study at home."

"Sophie knows a lot about birds, too." Her grandmother said proudly. She knows the forest so well the wild animals come and eat bread right out of her hands." "So! Sophie knows all about birds! Maybe she can help me then!" the young man said, "I saw a white heron, not far from here two days ago. I have been looking for it ever since. It's a very rare bird, the little white heron. Have you seen it, too?" He asked Sophie. But Sophie was silent, "you would know it if you saw it," he added, "it's a tall strange bird with soft white feathers and long thin legs; it probably has its nest at the top of a tall tree."

Sophie's heart began to beat fast. She knew that strange white bird. She had seen it on the other side of the forest. The young man was staring at Sophie, "I would give ten dollars to the person who showed me where the white heron is." That night Sophie's dreams were full of all the wonderful things she and her grandmother could buy for ten dollars.

Sophie spent the next day in the forest with the young man. He told her a lot about the birds they saw. Sophie would've had much better time if the young man had left his gun at home. She could not understand why he killed the birds he seemed to like so much. She felt her heart tremble every time he shot an unsuspecting bird as it was singing in the trees.

But Sophie watched the young man with eyes full of adoration7. She had never seen anyone so handsome and charming8. A strange excitement filled her heart. A new feeling, the little girl did not recognize, love. At last evening came, they drove the cow home together. Long after the moon came out and the young man had fallen asleep. Sophie was still awake. She had a plan that would get the ten dollars for her grandmother and make the young man happy.

When it was almost time for the sun to rise, she quietly left her house and hurried through the forest. She finally reached a huge pine tree. So tall it could be seen for many miles around, her plan was to climb to the top of the pine tree. She could see the whole forest from there. She was sure she would be able to see where the white heron had hidden its nest.

Sophie's bare feet and tiny fingers grabbed9 the tree's rough trunk, sharp dry branches scratched at her like cat's claws. The pine tree's sticky10 sap made her fingers feel stiff11 and clumsy12, as she climbed higher and higher. The pine tree seemed to grow taller, the higher that Sophie climbed.

The sky began to brighten13 in the east. Sophie's face was like a pale star when at last she reached the tree's highest branch. The golden sun's rays hit the green forest. Two hawks14 flew together in slow moving circles far below Sophie. Sophie felt as if she could go flying among the clouds, too. To the west she could see other farms and forests.

Suddenly Sophie's dark gray eyes caught a flash of white that grew larger and larger. A bird with broad white wings and a long slender15 neck flew past Sophie and landed on a pine branch below her. The white heron smoothed its feathers and called to its mate16 sitting on their nest in a nearby tree. Then it lifted its wings and flew away.

Sophie gave a long sigh. She knew the wild bird's secret now. Slowly, she began her dangerous trip down the ancient pine tree. She did not dare to look down and tried to forget that her fingers' hurt and her feet were bleeding. All she wanted to think about was what the stranger would say to her when she told him where to find the heron's nest.

As Sophie climbed slowly down the pine tree the stranger was waking up back at the farm. He was smiling because he was sure from the way the shy little girl had looked at him that she had seen the white heron. About an hour later Sophie appeared, both her grandmother and the young man stood up as she came into the kitchen.

The splendid moment to speak about her secret had come, but Sophie was silent. Her grandmother was angry with her: "Where had she been?” The young man's kind eyes looked deeply into Sophie's own dark gray ones. He could give Sophie and her grand mother ten dollars, he had promised to do this. And they needed the money. Besides, Sophie wanted to make him happy.

But Sophie was silent. She remembered how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sunrise together from the top of the world. Sophie could not speak. She could not tell the heron's secret and give its life away.

The young man went away disappointed later that day. Sophie was sad. She wanted to be his friend. He never returned. But many nights Sophie heard the sound of his whistle as she came home with her grandmother's cow.

Were the birds better friends than their hunter might have been? Who can know?

You have been listening to the story called the White Heron. Written by Sarah Orne Jewett. It was adapted for Special English program by Donald Desanktus. Your narrator was Kay Gallant. Listen again next week at the same time for this Special English program of American stories. This is Shep O'Neal.

附带图片

萨拉·奥恩·朱厄特 (Sarah Orne Jewett, 1849-1909)

生于缅因州南贝里克镇,十几岁时就已开始写作。初期写的短篇,收集在《深港》里(Deephaven, 1877),出版后反应良好,其后又写了一些短篇,几部小说和诗歌,大部写的都是缅因州的生活。一八九六年出版的《针枞之乡》(The Country of the Pointed17 Firs)是她最著名的作品。

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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 gallant 66Myb     
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句:
  • Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
  • These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。
2 breeze 7sRzv     
n.微风;轻而易举的事;vi.来去匆匆,急速走
参考例句:
  • A little breeze is blowing in from the window.微风从窗户里吹进来。
  • The clouds are pale and a light breeze is blowing.云淡风轻。
3 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
4 cheerfully jUhyR     
adv.高兴地,愉快地
参考例句:
  • The train rolled cheerfully into the station.火车欢呼着驶进车站。
  • He takes our advice quite cheerfully.他欣然接受我们的劝告。
5 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
6 stuff Itsw1     
n.原料,材料,东西;vt.填满;吃饱
参考例句:
  • We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
  • He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。
7 adoration wfhyD     
n.爱慕,崇拜
参考例句:
  • He gazed at her with pure adoration.他一往情深地注视着她。
  • The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
8 charming 7wuzfa     
adj.迷人的,可爱的
参考例句:
  • She looked small and gentle and altogether charming.她看起来小巧文雅,十分迷人。
  • She has charming manners.她具有媚人的风姿。
9 grabbed grabbed     
v.抢先,抢占( grab的过去式和过去分词 );(尤指匆忙地)取;攫取;(尤指自私、贪婪地)捞取
参考例句:
  • He was grabbed by two men and frogmarched out of the hall. 他被两个男人紧抓双臂押出大厅。
  • She grabbed the child's hand and ran. 她抓住孩子的手就跑。
10 sticky xGFz4     
adj.粘的,闷热的,困难的,令人不满意的
参考例句:
  • This paste is not sticky enough.这糨糊不黏。
  • Here is a sticky business!这事真难办!
11 stiff 4G8z4     
adj.严厉的,激烈的,硬的,僵直的,不灵活的
参考例句:
  • There is a sheet of stiff cardboard in the drawer.在那个抽屉里有块硬纸板。
  • You have to push on the handle to turn it,becanse it's very stiff.手柄很不灵活,你必须用力推才能转动它。
12 clumsy ZqUz7     
adj.笨手笨脚;不圆滑的,缺乏技巧的
参考例句:
  • He is clumsy with his hands.他的一双手很笨。
  • Its body looks heavy and clumsy when it has eaten its fill.它步态蹒跚,吃饱了的身体更显得笨拙可笑。
13 brighten tS5yn     
vt.使发亮,使开颜;vi.发光,发亮,生色
参考例句:
  • Brighten the kitchen by painting it yellow.给厨房涂上黄色,使它发亮。
  • She has brighten up my whole life.她给我的整个生活带来快乐。
14 hawks c8b4f3ba2fd1208293962d95608dd1f1     
鹰( hawk的名词复数 ); 鹰派人物,主战派人物
参考例句:
  • Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
  • Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。
15 slender 8EYzJ     
adj.苗条的,修长的;微薄的,微弱的
参考例句:
  • Everybody of us admired her slender figure.我们人人都羡慕她的苗条身材。
  • The girl was pretty and slender.那姑娘长得美丽苗条。
16 mate 2B9xE     
n.伙伴,同事;配偶;大副;v.(使)交配
参考例句:
  • Where is the mate to this glove?这副手套的另一只在哪儿?
  • She has been a faithful mate to him.她一直是他忠实的配偶。
17 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

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