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儿童英语读物 The Creature in Ogopogo Lake CHAPTER 1 A Monster Lurks

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“Do you think it’s true?” asked six-year-old Benny. The youngest Alden had his nose pressed up against the window of their rental1 car. “Is there really a monster in Ogopogo Lake?” His eyes were huge.

“You mean, Okanagan Lake,” corrected twelve-year-old Jessie, who often acted like a mother to her younger brother and sister. “Ogopogo is the name of the famous Canadian monster that lives in Okanagan Lake.”

“I like Ogopogo Lake better,” insisted Benny. “After all, it’s the monster’s home.”

Henry, who was sitting up front beside Grandfather, smiled back at his little brother. “There’s no real proof the monster exists, Benny.” Henry was fourteen. He was the oldest of the Aldens.

Grandfather slowed down for a curve in the road. “They’ve even used underwater cameras to search for the creature,” he said, “but nothing’s turned up. Of course, that doesn’t stop folks from keeping their eyes peeled. Everybody hopes to catch a glimpse of Ogopogo.”

“Good thing I brought along my binoculars2.” Benny grinned.

“And I packed my camera,” put in Violet, who was ten. Photography was one of Violet’s hobbies. She almost always brought her camera along when they went on vacations.

James Alden and his four grandchildren—Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny—had just arrived for a holiday in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. They were on their way to the Ogopogo Resort in Peachland. Grandfather was renting a cabin from his good friend Abby Harmon.

“Should I check the map, Grandfather?” asked Jessie, who was the best map-reader in the family.

“That’s okay, Jessie. I haven’t forgotten how to get to Peachland.”

“Oh, that’s right,” said Jessie. “You used to come here all the time. Didn’t you, Grandfather?”

“We came every summer when I was growing up. My parents always rented a cabin from the Harmon family. Abby was about my age, and we soon became great friends.”

“And you never lost touch,” said Violet. “Right, Grandfather?”

“No, we didn’t.” Grandfather smiled at his youngest granddaughter through the rear view mirror. “We’ve been pen pals3 ever since. After Abby’s father died,” he went on, “she inherited the Ogopogo Resort. She still rents out cabins and runs a small gift shop.”

“Sounds like fun,” said Henry.

“Abby does enjoy it,” said Grandfather. “But …”

“But what?” asked Violet.

“The place is getting old,” Grandfather answered. “From what I hear, it’s badly in need of repair. I’m afraid, with all the new resorts springing up everywhere, people aren’t coming to stay at Abby’s cabins.”

Henry looked puzzled. “Why doesn’t she just spruce the place up a bit?”

“Abby doesn’t have the money for repairs, Henry. In fact, she’s even been thinking of selling the resort.”

“How sad!” Violet sighed.

“Abby hasn’t made her mind up yet, Violet,” Grandfather told her. “But someone said he would buy it. She’s trying to decide what to do.”

“That must be hard for Abby,” Jessie said. “To make a decision like that, I mean.”

Grandfather nodded. “The Ogopogo Resort is the only home she’s ever known.”

“We kept our old home,” Benny said. “Thanks to you, Grandfather.”

After their parents died, the four Alden children had run away. When they discovered an abandoned boxcar in the woods, they made it their home. Then their grandfather found them and brought them to live with him in his big white house in Greenfield. He even surprised his grandchildren by giving the boxcar a special place in the backyard. The Aldens often used the boxcar as a clubhouse.

They were all enjoying the car ride as they looked out the windows and saw the beautiful green orchards4 and vineyards. In the distance, dry brown hills were scattered5 with tall trees. Benny was the first to break the silence.

“I was just wondering,” he said, sounding a bit uneasy. “What exactly does it look like?”

Grandfather seemed puzzled, but only for a moment. “Oh, you mean Ogopogo. Well, it’s supposed to be a long, snakelike creature with a head like a sheep. Some people say it’s a plesiosaur.”

Benny made a face. “A what?”

“A plesiosaur,” said Grandfather. “A creature left over from the dinosaur6 era, Benny. It was thought to be extinct for more than one million years.”

“Has Abby ever seen the leftover7 dinosaur?” Violet asked.

“Not that I know of,” answered Grandfather. Then he chuckled8. “Back when we were kids, we thought we’d spotted9 Ogopogo swimming in the lake. Turned out to be logs floating in the water.”

“Ogopogo is a funny name for a monster,” Jessie noted10.

Henry nodded. “Not exactly a scary name, that’s for sure.”

“Ogopogo is supposed to be quite harmless,” Grandfather informed them. “If there is a monster in the lake, it seems to keep pretty much to itself.”

Benny looked relieved to hear this.

“I bet Ogopogo doesn’t like being around strangers,” guessed Violet. She was shy, and meeting new people often made her nervous.

As Grandfather slowed to a stop beside a fruit and vegetable market, Benny clapped his hands. “You read my mind, Grandfather!” he chirped11. “I was just getting hungry.”

“Benny, you’re always hungry!” Henry teased. The youngest Alden was known for his appetite. They all got out and stretched their legs.

“I thought we’d stock up for the week,” said Grandfather as they went inside. “The Okanagan Valley is famous for its fruit.”

In no time at all, they were all busy filling their baskets. Jessie was checking out the cherries when she heard someone talking on a cell phone nearby.

“Of course, I’ll do whatever it takes!” a woman was saying, sounding annoyed. “Look, I need this sale. I won’t come in second. Not again. Not this year!”

Jessie didn’t mean to eavesdrop12. But from where she was standing13, it was impossible not to overhear.

“I know how to handle Abby.” The woman was talking loudly now. “I’ll get that rundown resort sold, if it’s the last thing I do!” With that, the woman pocketed her cell phone and hurried away.

Violet couldn’t help wondering if she’d heard right. Was that smartly dressed woman with the dangly14 earrings15 talking about Abby Harmon?
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 rental cBezh     
n.租赁,出租,出租业
参考例句:
  • The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
  • We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。
2 binoculars IybzWh     
n.双筒望远镜
参考例句:
  • He watched the play through his binoculars.他用双筒望远镜看戏。
  • If I had binoculars,I could see that comet clearly.如果我有望远镜,我就可以清楚地看见那颗彗星。
3 pals 51a8824fc053bfaf8746439dc2b2d6d0     
n.朋友( pal的名词复数 );老兄;小子;(对男子的不友好的称呼)家伙
参考例句:
  • We've been pals for years. 我们是多年的哥们儿了。
  • CD 8 positive cells remarkably increased in PALS and RP(P CD8+细胞在再生脾PALS和RP内均明显增加(P 来自互联网
4 orchards d6be15c5dabd9dea7702c7b892c9330e     
(通常指围起来的)果园( orchard的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园,把平地变成了粮仓。
  • Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。
5 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的
参考例句:
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来,塞进文件夹里。
6 dinosaur xuSxp     
n.恐龙
参考例句:
  • Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击?
  • He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。
7 leftover V97zC     
n.剩货,残留物,剩饭;adj.残余的
参考例句:
  • These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
  • Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。
8 chuckled 8ce1383c838073977a08258a1f3e30f8     
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
  • She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情,她就轻轻地暗自发笑。
9 spotted 7FEyj     
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
参考例句:
  • The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
  • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
10 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
11 chirped 2d76a8bfe4602c9719744234606acfc8     
鸟叫,虫鸣( chirp的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • So chirped fiber gratings have broad reflection bandwidth. 所以chirped光纤光栅具有宽的反射带宽,在反射带宽内具有渐变的群时延等其它类型的光纤光栅所不具备的特点。
  • The crickets chirped faster and louder. 蟋蟀叫得更欢了。
12 eavesdrop lrPxS     
v.偷听,倾听
参考例句:
  • He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.他藏在壁橱里,以便偷听。
  • It is not polite to eavesdrop on the conversation of other people.偷听他人说话是很不礼貌的。
13 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。
14 dangly 36ae2df865bad56993a260122bd20d48     
悬摆的,摆晃的
参考例句:
15 earrings 9ukzSs     
n.耳环( earring的名词复数 );耳坠子
参考例句:
  • a pair of earrings 一对耳环
  • These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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