英语 英语 日语 日语 韩语 韩语 法语 法语 德语 德语 西班牙语 西班牙语 意大利语 意大利语 阿拉伯语 阿拉伯语 葡萄牙语 葡萄牙语 越南语 越南语 俄语 俄语 芬兰语 芬兰语 泰语 泰语 泰语 丹麦语 泰语 对外汉语

儿童英语读物 The Mystery on Stage CHAPTER 1 Stagestruck

时间:2017-08-09 05:32来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
特别声明:本栏目内容均从网络收集或者网友提供,供仅参考试用,我们无法保证内容完整和正确。如果资料损害了您的权益,请与站长联系,我们将及时删除并致以歉意。
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

One fall day, Jessie Alden stood outside a bookstore in Greenfield. In the window was a large poster:

WANTED

Actors, actresses to perform in
The Wizard of Oz

Auditions2 held Saturday, November 4th
9AM–4PM
Greenfield Community Playhouse
Scripts available in bookstore.

The bookstore was closed, but Jessie stood staring at the poster for a time. She did not even notice when another girl also stopped to look in the window.

“Oh, I love The Wizard of Oz,” the new girl whispered aloud.

Jessie jumped and whirled around to face the girl. “I didn’t think anyone else was here — you scared me,” twelve-year-old Jessie said.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” the girl answered.

Jessie smiled. “I’m Jessie Alden,” she said. “Will you be trying out for a part in this play?”

The older girl did not return Jessie’s smile. She seemed to look beyond Jessie, far off into space. “I’m Sarah Bellamy,” she finally answered. “And yes, I will be. I want the part of Dorothy.” Sarah spoke3 in a deep, clear voice.

“Oh, I’d like to try for that part, too,” Jessie said. “I’ve never tried out for a big role like that before. Have you?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Sarah asked sharply.

“I’m sorry,” Jessie said, looking down at the sidewalk.

Sarah looked a little ashamed of herself. “I didn’t mean to snap at you,” she said as she pulled her purple coat more tightly around her shoulders. “I’m just in such a hurry. You must excuse me.”

Before Jessie could say another word, Sarah turned and walked quickly away. Jessie stared after her. Sarah’s long dark hair blew in the wind. Her hair and her purple coat seemed to float around her body as she moved down the street. “She looks just like a dancer,” Jessie said aloud.

Suddenly, a big gust4 of wind blew a pile of yellow leaves from the trees. Jessie shivered and buttoned her red jacket before she, too, hurried home.

“Violet, you’ll never guess what I saw!” Jessie exclaimed to her ten-year-old sister when she burst into her house.

Jessie was so excited, she let the front door bang behind her, which was unusual. Jessie never banged doors.

Violet looked up from the picture she was drawing of Watch, the family dog. “What?” she asked as she stretched her legs.

“Well, the Community Playhouse is putting on The Wizard of Oz.” Jessie sank into her grandfather’s overstuffed armchair. “I really want to try out for the part of Dorothy.”

Watch ran to Jessie wagging his tail. “Oh, Watch,” Jessie said, laughing. She patted Watch’s soft fur. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your portrait.”

“He wasn’t sitting still anyway.” Violet shook her head and pretended to give Watch a cross look.

The front door opened again, and in came the girls’ grandfather with their elder brother, Henry. Watch bounded over to Henry.

“Oh, Watch, can’t you see my hands are full?” Henry, who was fourteen, laughed and nudged Watch with his foot. Henry and Grandfather were each carrying several logs of wood.

“Oh, good, you’re building a fire,” Jessie said. “It will be cozy5 on a night like this.”

“It sure will.” Benny came into the living room from the kitchen. He held a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie in his hand.

“These cookies just came out of the oven,” Benny said proudly. “I helped Mrs. McGregor make them.” Mrs. McGregor was the Alden’s housekeeper6.

“Oh, Benny, don’t spoil your appetite before dinner.” Jessie tried to sound stern, but she couldn’t help smiling at her six-year-old brother. He always seemed to be eating.

“Nothing could spoil Benny’s appetite,” Henry said. He crouched7 by the fireplace and lit the logs with a match. Soon a small fire blazed merrily.

The four Alden children looked happily around their big cozy living room, while the firelight flickered8 on the walls. They hadn’t always lived with their Grandfather. In fact, after their parents died, they did not even want to meet him because they’d heard he was a mean man. They laugh about that now because nothing could be further from the truth.

When Grandfather found his grandchildren, they had been living by themselves in an old abandoned boxcar in the woods. It was a happy day for the family when he brought them all to live with him in his big wonderful house in Greenfield. He even moved the boxcar to his backyard, so his grandchildren could play in it whenever they wanted.

“Jessie has some exciting news,” Violet announced to her family. “She’s trying out for a big part in The Wizard of Oz.”

“Oh, Jessie, that’s wonderful.” Grandfather came over to put his arm around his granddaughter. “I read about the play in the paper.”

“I have some exciting news, too,” Benny said. He wiped cookie crumbs9 onto his blue pants. “Soo Lee is coming to dinner with Joe and Alice.”

Jessie beamed. “Oh, good! We haven’t seen them in a long time.”

Benny nodded. “I wonder if Soo Lee knows the story of The Wizard of Oz?”

“If she doesn’t, I’m sure she’d like to hear it, Benny.” Grandfather chuckled10. He knew Benny had a special fondness for his seven-year-old cousin.

“Alice told me Soo Lee is reading everything she can in English, and she’s asking lots of questions,” Jessie said.

Benny grinned. He remembered how shy Soo Lee had been when he first met her at the airport not too long ago. The children’s cousins, Joe and Alice, had adopted Soo Lee from Korea.

When the doorbell rang, Benny was the first to answer. Joe swept him up in a big bear hug. Alice kissed each of her cousins in turn. Benny took Soo Lee by the hand and led her into the dining room.

At dinner, the Aldens ate roast chicken, mashed11 potatoes, peas, and salad. No one could stop talking about the play. “I could help you learn your lines, Jessie,” Mrs. McGregor said as she put a bowl of cranberry12 sauce by Joe’s elbow.

Jessie gave Mrs. McGregor a grateful look. “That would be wonderful,” she told her. “I’m planning to go pick up the script tomorrow. The auditions will be held in two days.”

“The what?” Benny asked.

“That’s when you go and try out for the part you want,” Henry explained to Benny.

Jessie nodded. “I really need to practice,” she said. “I met someone today who wants the same part I do.” Jessie told her family about the girl who rushed away as soon as Jessie started asking her about the play. “The strange thing is Sarah did not seem to be in a hurry until I started talking to her.” Jessie finished her story and took a drink of water.

“It sounds like she didn’t want you to ask her any questions,” Henry pointed13 out.

“But why not?” Jessie asked.

“Jessie, not to change the subject,” Grandfather said, “but maybe you should tell Soo Lee a little about Dorothy.”

Jessie nodded. “Dorothy,” she began, “is a little girl from Kansas who gets swept away to the land of Oz in a tornado14.”

“Her dog, Toto, goes with her,” Benny chimed in.

Soo Lee nodded. “I know that story, Jessie. I saw the movie.” Soo Lee looked at Jessie with her big brown eyes. “I think you’ll be a very good Dorothy.”

Alice laughed. “Soo Lee loved the part where Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion and the Tinman.”

“But I didn’t like the Wicked Witch of the West at all.” Soo Lee shook her head. “I’m glad you don’t want that part.”

Benny pushed his peas to one side of his plate. He seemed deep in thought. “Jessie,” he finally said, “do you think Watch could try out for the part of Toto?”

Everyone laughed. “I don’t see why not,” Joe finally answered. He stopped laughing and wiped his eyes with his napkin. “Watch is well trained, and he would have no trouble following Jessie around.”

“If Watch can get a part, maybe the rest of us should, too,” Henry said. “I don’t think I want to act, but I could build scenery or help with the lighting15.”

“And I could make costumes.” Violet’s eyes glowed. She loved to sew.

“Could I do something?” Soo Lee looked at Jessie. “I’d like to.”

“You could help paint the scenery, Soo Lee,” Jessie said returning Soo Lee’s smile.

Benny swallowed his peas with some effort. “I could train Watch for his part,” he volunteered.

“Benny, there’s a lot you could do,” Henry said. “They probably need several people to help with scenery in a play like that.”

“Well, it’s all settled then,” Violet said. “When you go for your audition1, Jessie, we’re all coming with you.”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 audition 8uazw     
n.(对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱等)
参考例句:
  • I'm going to the audition but I don't expect I'll get a part.我去试音,可并不指望会给我个角色演出。
  • At first,they said he was too young,but later they called him for an audition.起初,他们说他太小,但后来他们叫他去试听。
2 auditions e5157b20249609404011a5fbf4ffb336     
n.(对拟做演员、歌手、乐师等人的)试听,试音( audition的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Find modeling auditions, casting calls& acting auditions, all in one place. 找一个立体感试听,铸造呼叫和表演试听一体的地方。 来自互联网
  • We are now about to start auditions to find a touring guitarist. 我们现在准备找一个新的吉他手。 来自互联网
3 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
4 gust q5Zyu     
n.阵风,突然一阵(雨、烟等),(感情的)迸发
参考例句:
  • A gust of wind blew the front door shut.一阵大风吹来,把前门关上了。
  • A gust of happiness swept through her.一股幸福的暖流流遍她的全身。
5 cozy ozdx0     
adj.亲如手足的,密切的,暖和舒服的
参考例句:
  • I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯,因为他们是舒适的。
  • We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
6 housekeeper 6q2zxl     
n.管理家务的主妇,女管家
参考例句:
  • A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
  • She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家,一家人吃得很省。
7 crouched 62634c7e8c15b8a61068e36aaed563ab     
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
  • The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身,准备猛扑。
8 flickered 93ec527d68268e88777d6ca26683cc82     
(通常指灯光)闪烁,摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The lights flickered and went out. 灯光闪了闪就熄了。
  • These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着。
9 crumbs crumbs     
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式
参考例句:
  • She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
  • Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊,天哪!都这会儿啦?
10 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。
11 mashed Jotz5Y     
a.捣烂的
参考例句:
  • two scoops of mashed potato 两勺土豆泥
  • Just one scoop of mashed potato for me, please. 请给我盛一勺土豆泥。
12 cranberry TvOz5U     
n.梅果
参考例句:
  • Turkey reminds me of cranberry sauce.火鸡让我想起梅果酱。
  • Actually I prefer canned cranberry sauce.事实上我更喜欢罐装的梅果酱。
13 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。
14 tornado inowl     
n.飓风,龙卷风
参考例句:
  • A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
  • The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。
15 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎点击提交分享给大家。
------分隔线----------------------------
顶一下
(0)
0%
踩一下
(0)
0%
最新评论 查看所有评论
发表评论 查看所有评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:
听力搜索
推荐频道
论坛新贴