《夏洛的网》英文版精读训练(21)

查词乐趣多

这一章,小猪威尔伯就好像是一个初出茅庐的年轻人,全身充满能量与勇气,什么都想尝试,觉得自己只要肯做,什么都难不倒。

虽然威尔伯尝试织网以失败告终,但竭尽全力之后,即使失败,对勇敢尝试的年轻人来说,也是很有价值的经历,至少可以修正自己发展的方向。

语言精华:

"Got a piece of string I could borrow?" asked Wilbur. "I need it to spin a web."

"Yes, indeed," replied Templeton, who saved string. "No trouble at all. Anything to oblige" He crept down into his hole, pushed the goose egg out of the way, and returned with an old piece of dirty white string. Wilbur examined it.

以上是小猪威尔伯向老鼠坦普尔顿借绳子的片段。表面看,没有什么特别华丽的修辞,但如果你仔细体会,就会发现作者用平常动词展现生动画面的功夫。

语法点滴:

通常在讲故事的时候,选择使用一般过去时的情况比较多,因为在讲述已经发生的事情。但是本章第一段开头选择使用了一般现在时:

A spider's web is stronger than it looks. Although it is made of thin, delicate strands, the web is not easily broken. However, a web gets torn every day by the insects that kick around in it, and a spider must rebuild it when it gets full of holes. 

作者此处描述的情况是普遍的,规律性的事实,一般现在时正好就是能发挥这样的功能。也就是说不管过去,现在,还是将来,蜘蛛的网一直都是很结实,也一直都有可能会被各种昆虫弄破,蜘蛛也会一如既往的修补下去。

这里我想到了生活本身,其实每天我们的生活也会出现各种各样的问题,就像蜘蛛的网会时不时被弄破一样,而我们要做的,也许就应该像夏洛一样,耐心的一点一点把破洞修好,一个接一个把问题解决掉。

查词乐趣:

bolt upright : to sit or stand with your back very straight, often because something had frightened you.

本章中,当夏洛说出自己腿部七个部分的名称时,小猪威尔伯被吓了一跳,所以它笔直站立。

scramble: to climb up , down, or over something quickly and with difficulty, especially using your hands to help you.

另外,炒鸡蛋可以说“scramble an egg”

chubby: slightly fat in a way that looks healthy and attractive

可以想象胖胖的小宝宝的样子。

check: to stop something bad from getting worse or continuing to happen.

这个词早就学过,但现在查字典才知道,原来它还有“阻止”的意思。

thump: the dull sound that is made when something hits a surface.

thud: the low sound made by a heavy object hitting something else.

表达“撞击”的声音,本章就能积累积累好几个。


附第九章原文第一部分:

Chapter 9 Wilbur's Boast  (1)

A spider's web is stronger than it looks. Although it is made of thin, delicate strands, the web is not easily broken. However, a web gets torn every day by the insects that kick around in it, and a spider must rebuild it when it gets full of holes. Charlotte liked to do her weaving during the late afternoon, and Fern liked to sit nearby and watch. One afternoon, she heard a most interesting conversation and witnessed a strange event.

"You have awfully hairy legs, Charlotte," said Wilbur, as the spider busily worked at her task.

"My legs are hairy for a good reason," replied Charlotte. "Furthermore, each leg of mine has seven sections---the coxa, the trochanter, the femur, the patella, the tibia, the metatarsus, and the tarsus."

Wilbur sat bolt upright. "You're kidding," he said. 

"No, I'm not, either."

"Say those names again, I didn't catch them the first time."

"Coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, and tarsus."

"Goodness!" said Wilbur, looking down at his own chubby legs. "I don't think my legs have seven sections."

"Well," said Charlotte, "you and I lead different lives. You don't have to spin a web. That takes real leg work."

"I could spin a web if I tried," said Wilbur, boasting. "I've just never tried."

"Let's see you do it," said Charlotte. Fern chuckled softly, and her eyes grew wide with love for the pig.

"O.K.," replied Wilbur. "You coach me and I'll spin one. It must be a lot of fun to spin a web. How do I start?"

"Take a deep breath!" said Charlotte, smiling. Wilbur breathed deeply. "Now climbed to the highest place you can get to, like this." Charlotte raced up to the top of the doorway. Wilbur scrambled to the top of the manure pile.

"Very good!" said Charlotte. "Now make an attachment with your spinnerets, hurl yourself into space, and let out a dragline as you go down!"

Wilbur hesitated a moment, then jumped out into the air. He glanced hastily hehind to see if a piece of rope was following him to check his fall, but nothing seemed to be happening in his rear, and the next thing he knew he landed with a thump. "Ooomp!" he grunted. 

Charlotte laughed so hard her web began to sway.

"What did I do wrong?" asked the pig, when he recovered from his bump.

"Nothing," said Charlotte. "It was a nice try."

"I think I'll try again," said Wilbur, cheerfully. "I believe what I need is a little piece of string to hold me."

The pig walked out to his yard. "You there, Templeton?" he called. The rat poked his head out from underr the trough.

"Got a piece of string I could borrow?" asked Wilbur. "I need it to spin a web."

"Yes, indeed," replied Templeton, who saved string. "No trouble at all. Anything to oblige" He crept down into his hole, pushed the goose egg out of the way, and returned with an old piece of dirty white string. Wilbur examined it.

"That's just the thing," he said. "Tie one end to my tail, will you, Templeton?"

Wilbur crouched low, with his thin, curly tail toward the rat. Templeton seized the string, passed it around the end of the pig's tail, and tied two half hitches. Charlotte watched in delight. Like Fern, she was truly fond of Wilbur, whose smelly pen and stale food attracted the flies that she needed, and she was pround to see that he was not a quitter and was willing to try again to spin a web.

While the rat and the spider and the little girl watched, Wilbur climbed again to the top of the manure pile, full of energy and hope.

"Everybody watch!" he cried. And summoning all his strength, he threw himself into the air, headfirst. The string trailed behind him. But as he had neglected to fasten the other end to anything, it didn't really do any good, and Wilbur landed with a thud, crushed and hurt. Tears came to his eyes. Templeton grinned. Charlotte just sat quietly. After a bit she spoke.

"You can't spin a web, Wilbur, and I advise you to put the idea out of your mind. You lack two things needed for spinning a web."

"What are they?" asked Wilbur, sadly.

"You lack a set of spinnerets, and you lack knowhow. But cheer up, you don't need a web. Zuckerman supplies you with three big meals a day. Why should you worry about trapping food?"

Wilbur sighed. "You're ever so much clever and brighter than I am, Charlotte. I guess I was just tryingt to show off. Serves me right."

Templeton untied his string and took it back to his home. Charlotte returned to her weaving.

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