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儿童英语读物 The Mystery of the Hidden Beach CHAPTER 3 A Very Special Island

时间:2017-08-07 06:21来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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The next morning, Violet reported the theft to Melanie at breakfast. The counselor’s expression was grim as she noted1 the time that the girls had visited the classroom building.

“Somebody really worked fast,” she said. “I closed up half an hour earlier.” She pushed her plate aside, her food untouched. “I must have forgotten to lock that side door, though,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Why so glum2? The scrambled3 eggs can’t be that bad,” Nick Simon joked, sliding into the seat next to her. He had a plate of pancakes and a steaming cup of coffee.

“Somebody stole Violet’s conch shell,” Benny said. “They took it right out of her aquarium4 last night.”

“Really?” Nick’s eyes darkened.

“I’ll have to report it to the authorities,” Melanie said quietly. “Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

Jessie looked around the crowded cafeteria. It was hard to believe, but the person who stole the conch shell could be eating breakfast in the dining hall at that very moment!

Melanie noticed Violet’s downcast expression. “How about if I take all of you on an outing this morning? I can’t promise you another conch shell, but I’ll show you a beautiful spot.”

Violet brightened. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“To my own hidden beach.” Melanie lowered her voice. “It’s a very special place and no one else knows about it.”

“You own your own beach?” Soo Lee asked.

“Not exactly.” Melanie smiled. “But when I’m all alone there, sitting under a palm tree, I can pretend that I do! It’s my favorite place to be.”

Half an hour later, the Aldens were skimming over the water in a small powerboat. The water shimmered5 in the bright sunlight as Melanie maneuvered6 the craft toward a tiny island.

“We’re going to an island!” Benny exclaimed.

“There are hundreds of islands in the Keys,” Melanie explained. “A lot of them don’t even have names. I discovered this one a few years ago. And ever since, it’s been my special place.”

When they reached the island, Melanie cut the motor and pointed7 to a dense8 thicket9 of mangrove10 trees. “I’m afraid we have to take a little hike to get to my favorite spot.” She handed out large beach towels with the Camp Coral insignia. “Be sure to wrap these around your waists. The undergrowth is pretty thick here, and I don’t want you to get all scratched up.”

A few minutes later, after cutting through a narrow, twisting path, they found themselves on a beautiful stretch of deserted11 beach. Everyone peeled off their beach towels and plunked down happily on the soft white sand.

“Are you sure no one else knows about this place?” Violet asked.

“As far as I know, it’s all mine,” Melanie told her. “Most of the staff members find their own little getaway spots. Sometimes you just want to be by yourself.”

“I think somebody else has discovered your private island,” Henry told her. He reached over and yanked a shiny object out of the sand.

“A chisel13?” Jessie said in surprise. “That’s strange. Why would anyone bring a chisel to the beach?”

Melanie shook her head. “I can’t imagine.” She looked at the bright yellow handle. “It’s not from Camp Coral. We stamp all our tools with a double C.”

“Melanie, can we go swimming?” Benny asked. The bright Florida sun was making him hot.

“Sure, or how about wading14? There’s a really nice coral bed here and we can take a few pictures, if you like.” Melanie reached into her duffel bag and pulled out a small camera and some goggles15. “Who wants to be the photographer?”

“I do.” Violet said, jumping to her feet. “I’ve never seen an underwater camera before.”

“I’ll show you how to use it. It’s really easy,” Melanie told her.

Everyone waded16 out into the warm water, and Melanie led them to a patch of brightly colored coral.

“I thought you had to go way out in the ocean to find coral,” Henry said.

Melanie nodded. “To get to the barrier reef, you do. That’s where we’re going tomorrow. But this kind of coral — shallow bay coral — is found in knee-deep water.” She handed Violet the camera and quickly explained how to use it.

“Remember, don’t touch anything,” Jessie said to Benny. He was staring at a clump17 of coral just a foot away.

Melanie handed out goggles to everyone. “You really have to put your face in the water to get the full effect of the colors. Take a look. That’s golf ball coral right next to your foot. And there’s a nice chunk18 of finger coral over on the right.”

“Something strange is going on down here,” Violet said, startled. She pulled her head out of the water, still clutching the camera. “I tried to get a picture of some coral and it moved!”

Melanie peered into the clear blue water. “Oh, that’s rose coral, Violet. Whenever it gets covered up with sand, it spits out a little jet of water. That’s how it turns itself right side up.”

They waded around for another half hour, being careful not to disturb the coral in any way. Violet took a lot of pictures, and Benny was excited when he spotted19 a strange-looking fish swimming past him.

“Hey!” he yelled to Melanie. “What’s that?” He pointed to a small translucent20 disk bobbing on the water.

“A jellyfish,” she replied.

“Are you sure it’s a fish? It’s got something green trapped inside it,” Jessie said. “It looks like a plant.”

“It is a plant. Some jellyfish carry their food with them,” Melanie explained.

“Just like we put granola bars in our backpacks,” Benny piped up.

“Exactly.”

After they’d eaten a tasty lunch, Melanie took the Aldens back to camp. There they piled into a van with some other campers to visit Key West.

Jessie admired the beautiful old Victorian houses, with tropical plants spilling out of their window boxes. The streets were lined with stately palms and banyan21 trees, and the air smelled like flowers.

They drove toward Mallory Square on a street lined with shops. A vendor22 was cutting open fresh coconuts24 and selling them to a group of children, who raised the rough brown shells to their lips.

“What are they doing?” Violet asked, puzzled.

“They’re sipping25 fresh coconut23 milk,” Melanie told her. “It’s delicious. If we have time, we’ll stop and buy some on the way back.”

After Melanie parked the van, they wandered through an open air market that was filled with tourists. The hot afternoon sun made everyone move slowly. Violet watched as a man made a basket out of palm fronds26. Soo Lee bought a delicate bracelet27 with the money Grandfather had given each of them for souvenirs. Benny looked over a selection of shells, and finally chose a chalky white sand dollar.

After Benny paid for his prize, he looked up in surprise. “Look, there’s Nick Simon from camp.” He pointed to a tall bearded man who was deep in conversation with another man. “I want to show him my new sand dollar.”

Melanie watched as Benny scampered28 over to the marine29 biologist. “That’s funny,” she said.

“What’s that?” Jessie was picking through a pile of tiny brass30 rings.

“I asked Nick Simon if he’d like to ride into Key West with us today, but he told me he had too much to do back at camp,” she said with a shrug31. “I guess he changed his mind.”

“Nick Simon liked my sand dollar!” Benny said, running back to the group. “And guess what — he told me his friend is a real fisherman!”

Henry glanced over at Nick Simon’s friend, a pale, sandy-haired man in his early thirties. The two men quickly turned their backs and headed down to the docks. “He sure doesn’t look like a fisherman,” Henry said. “Look how pale he is. He looks like he never goes in the sun.”

“Everybody else around here is tan,” Jessie said. She shrugged32. “Maybe he’s the captain of the fishing boat, and he stays inside while other people fish.”

“Maybe,” Melanie said, but she didn’t look convinced.

“Where shall we go now?” Violet asked. She sat under a date tree and unfolded her Key West map. “We can go to the Key West Aquarium, or we can see Mel Fisher’s Museum.”

“What kind of museum is it?” Benny was peering over her shoulder.

“It has all kinds of sunken treasure,” Melanie explained. “Mel Fisher discovered the Atocha,a ship that sank hundreds of years ago. It was filled with gold bars, and lots of emeralds and jewelry33.”

“But the aquarium is interesting, too,” Violet pointed out. “It has loads of fish, Benny, and I’ve heard they even let you touch an eel12.”

“Wow!” Benny exclaimed. He was stumped34. Fish or sunken treasure — how could he ever choose? He turned to Melanie. “Could we do both?” he asked. “We could go to the aquarium right now and then come back to Key West another day to visit the museum.”

“That’s fine with me,” Melanie said with a smile. “I can see that you don’t want to miss anything.”

Jessie laughed as Benny hopped35 up and down. No one had more energy than her little brother!
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 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。
2 glum klXyF     
adj.闷闷不乐的,阴郁的
参考例句:
  • He was a charming mixture of glum and glee.他是一个很有魅力的人,时而忧伤时而欢笑。
  • She laughed at his glum face.她嘲笑他闷闷不乐的脸。
3 scrambled 2e4a1c533c25a82f8e80e696225a73f2     
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 aquarium Gvszl     
n.水族馆,养鱼池,玻璃缸
参考例句:
  • The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
  • I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天,我要和父母一起到水族馆去。
5 shimmered 7b85656359fe70119e38fa62825e4f8b     
v.闪闪发光,发微光( shimmer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The sea shimmered in the sunlight. 阳光下海水闪烁着微光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A heat haze shimmered above the fields. 田野上方微微闪烁着一层热气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 maneuvered 7d19f91478ac481ffdfcbdf37b4eb25d     
v.移动,用策略( maneuver的过去式和过去分词 );操纵
参考例句:
  • I maneuvered my way among the tables to the back corner of the place. 我在那些桌子间穿行,来到那地方后面的角落。 来自辞典例句
  • The admiral maneuvered his ships in the battle plan. 舰队司令按作战计划进行舰队演习。 来自辞典例句
7 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。
8 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
9 thicket So0wm     
n.灌木丛,树林
参考例句:
  • A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
  • We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。
10 mangrove 4oFzc2     
n.(植物)红树,红树林
参考例句:
  • It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
  • Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。
11 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
参考例句:
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
12 eel bjAzz     
n.鳗鲡
参考例句:
  • He used an eel spear to catch an eel.他用一只捕鳗叉捕鳗鱼。
  • In Suzhou,there was a restaurant that specialized in eel noodles.苏州有一家饭馆,他们那里的招牌菜是鳗鱼面。
13 chisel mr8zU     
n.凿子;v.用凿子刻,雕,凿
参考例句:
  • This chisel is useful for getting into awkward spaces.这凿子在要伸入到犄角儿里时十分有用。
  • Camille used a hammer and chisel to carve out a figure from the marble.卡米尔用锤子和凿子将大理石雕刻出一个人像。
14 wading 0fd83283f7380e84316a66c449c69658     
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The man tucked up his trousers for wading. 那人卷起裤子,准备涉水。
  • The children were wading in the sea. 孩子们在海水中走着。
15 goggles hsJzYP     
n.护目镜
参考例句:
  • Skiers wear goggles to protect their eyes from the sun.滑雪者都戴上护目镜使眼睛不受阳光伤害。
  • My swimming goggles keep steaming up so I can't see.我的护目镜一直有水雾,所以我看不见。
16 waded e8d8bc55cdc9612ad0bc65820a4ceac6     
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
  • He waded into the water to push the boat out. 他蹚进水里把船推出来。
17 clump xXfzH     
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走
参考例句:
  • A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
  • It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。
18 chunk Kqwzz     
n.厚片,大块,相当大的部分(数量)
参考例句:
  • They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
  • The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。
19 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。
20 translucent yniwY     
adj.半透明的;透明的
参考例句:
  • The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。
  • A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。
21 banyan MyCz2S     
n.菩提树,榕树
参考例句:
  • This huge banyan tree has a history of more than 400 years.这棵大榕树已经有四百多年的历史了。
  • A large banyan tree may look like a forest.大型的榕树看起来象一片树林。
22 vendor 3izwB     
n.卖主;小贩
参考例句:
  • She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
  • He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。
23 coconut VwCzNM     
n.椰子
参考例句:
  • The husk of this coconut is particularly strong.椰子的外壳很明显非常坚固。
  • The falling coconut gave him a terrific bang on the head.那只掉下的椰子砰地击中他的脑袋。
24 coconuts wwozOr     
n.椰子( coconut的名词复数 );椰肉,椰果
参考例句:
  • We found a bountiful supply of coconuts on the island. 我们发现岛上有充足的椰子供应。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Coconuts provide "meat", drink, oil, soap and fiber for fishing line. 椰子提供“肉类”,饮料、油脂、肥皂和做钓(鱼)丝的纤维。 来自百科语句
25 sipping e7d80fb5edc3b51045def1311858d0ae     
v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
  • She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。
26 fronds f5152cd32d7f60e88e3dfd36fcdfbfa8     
n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You can pleat palm fronds to make huts, umbrellas and baskets. 人们可以把棕榈叶折叠起来盖棚屋,制伞,编篮子。 来自百科语句
  • When these breezes reached the platform the palm-fronds would whisper. 微风吹到平台时,棕榈叶片发出簌簌的低吟。 来自辞典例句
27 bracelet nWdzD     
n.手镯,臂镯
参考例句:
  • The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
  • She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。
28 scampered fe23b65cda78638ec721dec982b982df     
v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑,惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The cat scampered away. 猫刺棱一下跑了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The rabbIt'scampered off. 兔子迅速跑掉了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
29 marine 77Izo     
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
参考例句:
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
30 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
31 shrug Ry3w5     
v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)
参考例句:
  • With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩,走出了房间。
  • I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。
32 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
33 jewelry 0auz1     
n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
参考例句:
  • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
  • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
34 stumped bf2a34ab92a06b6878a74288580b8031     
僵直地行走,跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 ); 把(某人)难住; 使为难; (选举前)在某一地区作政治性巡回演说
参考例句:
  • Jack huffed himself up and stumped out of the room. 杰克气喘吁吁地干完活,然后很艰难地走出房间。
  • He was stumped by the questions and remained tongue-tied for a good while. 他被问得张口结舌,半天说不出话来。
35 hopped 91b136feb9c3ae690a1c2672986faa1c     
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花
参考例句:
  • He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
  • He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车,向市区开去。
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