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Following Jason’s suggestion, the Aldens headed to the dining room. It was a bright, pretty room, and the smells coming from the kitchen were delicious. Each table was covered with a clean white cloth and decorated with a small vase of flowers. Tonight was Taco Night, and several students and instructors1 were enjoying the food and lively music. The children noticed that there were also several guide dogs, each one sitting quietly under its owner’s chair.
After dinner the children took a stroll2 around the beautiful wooded grounds and then went back to their rooms to get ready for bed.
“I hope all those dogs don’t bark and wake us up the way Watch sometimes does,” said Benny.
But the dogs didn’t make a sound.
The next morning the Aldens ran into Jason on their way to breakfast. He was cheerful and friendly, and he seemed to have forgotten whatever had upset him the night before. After a hearty3 breakfast of eggs and bacon, toast, and milk, the children went outside and watched as Jason worked with Zach and some other dogs.
Around noon, the children ran into Mrs. Carter, who was walking with a girl just four years older than Henry. She was very pretty and had shiny black hair that hung almost to her waist. The girl had one hand on Mrs. Carter’s arm, and in the other hand she held a suitcase.
“Hello!” Mrs. Carter greeted the Aldens. “This is Anna Chang, a student who’s come to start working with a guide dog. I was just telling her about you. This is Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.”
Anna smiled and said hello as each Alden shook her hand.
“Would you please take Anna up to her room? It’s right next to yours. Then maybe you could all have some lunch,” Mrs. Carter suggested.
“Sure,” said Benny. “I’m really hungry!”
“I bet I’m even hungrier!” Anna said, and everyone laughed. The Aldens knew they had found a friend.
Anna placed her hand on Henry’s elbow so that he could guide her. Jessie took Anna’s suitcase. Once they were in Anna’s room, Anna asked how the room was laid out. Violet showed her where the bed, dresser, desk, and chair were. Anna paid close attention, placing a hand on each. She wanted to be sure she would be able to find everything later, on her own.
During lunch, Anna told the children how excited she was to be getting a guide dog. “I’ve been blind since I was born,” Anna told them, “and I’ve never really felt independent. Whenever I want to go somewhere — to school or a store or a friend’s house — I always have to ask someone to help me.”
“I can’t imagine not being able to just get on my bicycle and go wherever I want,” said Benny between bites of his grilled4 cheese sandwich.
“It must be really hard,” Violet agreed.
“I’ve seen blind people using canes,” said Henry, taking a sip5 of his milk. “Have you tried that?”
“Yes, but it’s hard to get around. A guide dog gives you complete freedom. I start college in the fall, and for the first time in my life I want to really be on my own.” Anna smiled broadly as she thought about her future.
“Your dog will be your best friend,” said Jessie.
“Yes,” Anna said. But the children noticed her smile had faded a little.
“What’s wrong?” asked Violet.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Anna said. She picked up her ham sandwich and then put it back down on her plate. “It’s just that . . . I’ve never had a pet before. I hope I’ll know what to do.”
“Don’t worry,” Jessie said. “I’m sure they’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
After lunch, the Aldens took Anna out to the kennel6, where she’d been told to meet Jason.
“This is Anna Chang,” Henry said when they spotted7 Jason.
“Nice to meet you,” Jason said. “I’ll be teaching you how to work with your dog.”
While Jason and Anna were talking, Benny thought he heard a rustling8 noise in the woods behind them. He walked over to see what it was. He wondered if one of the dogs had gotten out of the yard.
Benny saw someone peering9 through the trees. The person was very tall and dressed in a dark suit. That’s odd, Benny thought. Why would someone be walking around in the woods behind the kennels10? He started to wave, but as he lifted his arm, the person ducked behind a tree, as if he or she didn’t want to be seen.
“Benny!” called Henry.
“Henry, there’s someone — ” Benny began.
“Come on!” Jessie cried. “Anna’s first lesson is starting.”
Not wanting to miss anything, Benny forgot about the person in the woods and hurried over to the others.
Jason was showing Anna the dog harness that he’d shown the children the day before. She felt the leather and held it the way Jason showed her. Then Jason held the bottom of the harness and they practiced for quite a while, with Anna giving the commands he had taught her, and Jason leading her back and forth11 on the grass.
“Make sure your voice is firm,” Jason reminded her. “The dog needs to know that you’re the boss. Well, are you ready to meet your dog?”
Anna nodded, a nervous look on her face. “I guess so.”
“I’ll be right back,” Jason said. He slipped into the exercise yard and came back out a moment later with a dog on a leash12. It was Ginger13!
“Here she is,” he told Anna. “Her name is Ginger. She’s a golden retriever with a reddish golden coat.”
Anna reached out her hand and Ginger sniffed14 it. Then Anna cautiously15 put her hand on Ginger’s soft back and slowly began stroking her. A warm smile spread across Anna’s face.
“I think you two should have a little time by yourselves, to get to know each other,” Jason said.
“We’ll go stop by Mrs. Carter’s office and see if she has any work for us,” Jessie said.
As they turned to say good-bye to Anna, they saw her sitting on the grass, speaking softly to Ginger. It looked as if she and the dog were going to get along just fine.
“Am I glad you’re here!” Mrs. Carter told the children when they entered her office. “My secretary is on vacation, and I have to run to a meeting.” She quickly explained what she needed them to do: file papers, move stacks of folders16, answer the phone. “I’ll be back in about an hour,” she said as she left.
The children set to work sorting the papers on Mrs. Carter’s desk. When the phone rang, they took turns answering it and writing down the messages.
After a short while Benny noticed a shadow through the smoked glass of Mrs. Carter’s door. He wondered who it was and why the person didn’t just come in. Then he remembered the figure he’d seen in the woods. Could it be the same person?
At last, whoever it was knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Henry called.
The door opened slowly, and a man walked in and looked around. He was wearing a dark suit with a flower on the lapel. His hair was neatly17 groomed18 and he had a little mustache. He seemed confused.
“Can we help you?” Jessie asked.
“Yes . . . uh . . . I’m looking for the director,” he said at last.
“Mrs. Carter’s not here right now. Can we give her a message?” Henry replied.
“That dog out on the lawn. I want to buy her,” the man said.
“But — ” Jessie began.
“She’s a beautiful golden retriever. I simply must have her,” he went on.
“I don’t think she’s for sale,” Henry said, realizing the man must mean Ginger. “She’s a guide dog.”
“What do you mean she’s not for sale?” the man said. “That’s ridiculous. Just tell me the price.”
“I’m sorry, sir. You’ll have to ask Mrs. Carter,” Jessie said.
The man looked around the room at the children and drew in a deep breath. Then he turned on his heel and left, as abruptly19 as he’d come.
“That was strange!” Violet said when the door had shut behind the man.
“It certainly was!” Henry agreed.
“I wonder if he’s the same person I saw in the woods,” Benny said.
“What person in the woods?” Jessie asked.
Benny told the others what he’d seen earlier that day.
“There seem to be some strange things going on around here,” Jessie said.
“Yes. Remember that scene between Jason and that woman — Mrs. Davis — yesterday?” Violet reminded them.
“I’m not sure about this,” Henry said, “but I think we may have another mystery on our hands!”
收听单词发音 |
1
instructors
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| 指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
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stroll
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| n.闲逛，漫步；v.闲逛，漫步 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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grilled
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| adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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peering
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| v.凝视( peer的现在分词 )；盯着看；同等；比得上 | |
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10
kennels
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| n.主人外出时的小动物寄养处，养狗场；狗窝( kennel的名词复数 )；养狗场 | |
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11
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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13
ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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14
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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15
cautiously
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| adv.小心地，谨慎地；小心翼翼；翼翼 | |
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folders
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| n.文件夹( folder的名词复数 )；纸夹；（某些计算机系统中的）文件夹；页面叠 | |
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17
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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groomed
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| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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