文章原文：

Mary and her husbandDimitri lived in the tiny village of Perachora in southern Greece. One ofMary's prize possessions was a little white lamb which her husband had givenher. She kept it tied to a tree in a field during the day and went to fetch itevery evening. One evening, however, the lamb was missing. The rope had beencut, so it was obvious that the lamb had been stolen.

When Dimitri came infrom the fields, his wife told him what had happened. Dimitri at once set outto find the thief. He knew it would not prove difficult in such a smallvillage. After telling several of his friends about the theft, Dimitri foundout that his neighbour, Aleko, had suddenly acquired a new lamb. Dimitriimmediately went to Aleko's house and angrily accused him of stealing the lamb.He told him he had better return it or he would call the police. Aleko deniedtaking it and led Dimitri into his backyard. It was true that he had justbought a lamb, he explained, but his lamb was black. Ashamed of having acted sorashly, Dimitri apologized to Aleko for having accused him. While they were talkingit began to rain and Dimitri stayed in Aleko's house until the rain stopped.When he went outside half an hour later, he was astonished to find the littleblack lamb was almost white. Its wool, which had been dyed black, had beenwashed clean by the rain!

精读笔记：

1. One of Mary'sprizepossessionswas a little whitelambwhich her husband had given her.

prize: being the mostvaluable or most important example of its type.

另外，还有一个常见的意思something valuable, such as an amount of money, that isgiven to someone who succeeds in a competition or game or that is given tosomeone as a reward for doing very good work.

possession: something that youown or that you are carrying with you at a particular time.

lamb: a young sheep, or the flesh of ayoung sheep eaten as meat.

2. She kept ittiedto a tree in a fieldduring the day and went tofetchit every evening.

tie: to fasten things together or hold them in

a particular position using a piece of string, rope etc.

fetch: to go and get something or someoneand bring them back.

例句：She fetched another chair from the dining room.

3. The rope had beencut, so it was obvious that the lamb had been stolen.

在这句话里，it是先行词，在句中无实际含义，起到形式主语的作用，that引导的从句才是真正的逻辑主语，这样避免句子显得头重脚轻。

4. After tellingseveral of his friends about the theft, Dimitri found out that his neighbour,Aleko, had suddenlyacquireda new lamb.

acquire: buy or obtain an asset or objectfor oneself.

例句：I managed to acquire all the books I needed.

此外，还有另外一个常见意思learn or develop a skill, habit, or quality.

例句：Elsie acquired a good knowledge of Chinese.

I've acquired ataste for whiskey.

5. Dimitriimmediately went to Aleko's house and angrilyaccusedhimofstealing the lamb.

accused: to say that you believe someone isguilty of a crime or of doing something bad.

常用表达accuse somebody of (doing) something

例句：He was accused of murder.

Smith accused her oflying.

6. He told him hehad better return itorhe would call thepolice.

had better: used to giveadvice about what someone should do, or to say what you should do or need to do.

例句：You'd better phone Julie to say you'll be late.

此外，还有另外一个含义used to threaten someone.

例句：You’d better keep your mouth shut about this.

or: used to say that something bad couldhappen if someone does not do a particular thing.

例句：Hurry up or we’ll be late.

7. Alekodeniedtaking it and ledDimitri into his backyard.

deny: to say that something is not true,or that you do not believe something.

①deny doing something

例句：Two men have denied murdering a woman at a remote picnicspot.

②deny a charge/allegation/claim

例句：The men have denied charges of theft.

③deny that

例句：I’ve never denied that there is a housing problem.

8.Ashamed of having acted sorashly, Dimitri apologized to Aleko for having accused him.

ashame:feeling very sorry and embarrassedbecause ofsomething you have done.

常用表达ashamed of

例句：I felt ashamed of the things I’d saidto him.

Ashamed of having

acted so rashly在句中作原因状语。

apologize: to tell someone that you are sorrythat you have done something wrong.

常用表达apologize for (doing) something

例句：He later apologized for hisbehaviour.

I apologize for losing my temper.

9. 从这篇课文还联想到一个表达the black sheep或者the black sheep of the family，可以理解为中文里的害群之马，a person who has done something bad

that brings embarrassment or shame to his or her family. If you describe

someone as the black sheep or the black sheep of the family, you mean that the

other people in their family disapprove of them and consider their behaviour to

be bad. 在这篇文章里就是说的Aleko.

来源：The term originated from theoccasional black sheep which are born into a flock of white sheep. Black woolwas considered commercially undesirable because it could not be dyed. In 18thand 19th century England, the black color of the sheep was seen as the mark ofthe devil.

例句：Mary is the black sheep of the family.She’s always in trouble with the police.