【中级类英语听力】27

（单词翻译）

 The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon. The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone¹. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather. It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle. Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen. Once Toto got too near the open trap door, and fell in; and at first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again, afterward² closing the trap door so that no more accidents could happen. Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked³ so loudly all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her. In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing⁴ of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

1. Where was the house during their ordeal⁵?

 On the ground safe and in tact⁶

 Destroyed by a fire

 In the ocean sailing across the sea

 In the air like a balloon

2. What was the dog doing?

 Running around and barking

 Sleeping under the bed

 Outside sniffing⁷ for food

 Resting with Dorothy's aunt and uncle

3. What did Dorothy do after hours passed and nothing was happening?

 Made dinner

 Looked for her aunt and uncle

 Fell asleep on her bed

 Took her dog for a walk

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1. In the air like a balloon

2. Running around and barking

3. Fell asleep on her bed