常春藤生活英语【33】Squizzy the Black Squirrel松鼠史

A seven-year-old African-American girl, Marsha, was told by her teacher to make a new friend each day. Marsha wondered how she could do this because she saw the same kids in class every single day. She felt like she was already friends with everyone who was just like her. One day, she went to the park to play on the swing and saw a cute black squirrel¹. Marsha was attracted to the animal and became excited when suddenly the squirrel said his name was Squizzy.

Marsha then started asking Squizzy questions like "How did you learn to speak English?" and "Can other squirrels² talk like you?" Squizzy didn't like the attention that Marsha was giving him and he became annoyed. Squizzy kept running away and asked Marsha to leave him alone, which upset Marsha a lot. Marsha soon apologized because she liked Squizzy and just wanted to be friends. She told Squizzy that she had never seen a black squirrel before and that he was special.

一个七岁的非裔美国籍女孩马莎，被老师要求每天要交一位新朋友。马莎很纳闷该怎么做，因为她每天在班上都见到同样的小孩。她觉得她已经跟每个像她一样的人做朋友了。有一天她到公园荡秋千，看到了一只可爱的黑松鼠。马莎迷上了这只动物，当松鼠突然开口说他叫史奎奇时，马莎变得很兴奋。

接着马莎开始问史奎奇问题，像是『你是怎么学会说英文？』，还有『其它松鼠可以跟你一样开口说话吗？』史奎奇不喜欢马莎把注意力放在他身上，所以他有点被惹恼了。史奎奇一直逃得远远的，并要马莎别来烦他，这让马莎很担心。马莎喜欢他，而且只是想跟他做朋友，所以她很快就道了歉。她告诉史奎奇说她以前从没见过黑色松鼠，而且他很特别。

Building Your Vocabulary

1.annoyed　a. 恼怒的，气恼的
I was annoyed when Dan scratched my car.
我很气阿丹刮花了我的车子。

2.upset　vt. 使担心；使生气
Paul's poor grades upset his parents.
保罗的烂成绩让他爸妈很生气。

3.apologize　vi. 道歉
You don't need to apologize to me.
你不必跟我道歉。

Phrases for Learning³

1.be friends with...　　和……做朋友
Everyone wants to be friends with Catherine.
大家都想跟凯瑟琳做朋友。

2.be attracted to...　　受……吸引
Flora⁴ was attracted to the roses in the garden.
芙劳拉被花园里的玫瑰吸引住了。

3.leave + 人 + alone　　避免打扰某人
Leave me alone. I'm in a bad mood.
别来烦我。我心情不好。

参考字词

1.African-American　a. 非裔美国人的
2.swing　n. 秋千
3.squirrel　n. 松鼠

Grammar Check

Squizzy kept running away and asked Marsha to leave him alone, which upset Marsha a lot.
（史奎奇一直逃得远远的，并要马莎别来烦他，这让马莎很担心。）

which除了可以代替之前句子中表人或事物的名词外，亦可用以代替前句中的部分概念或整个句子，在此情况下，which 之前需置逗点。上述句子即为此例，且 which 在所引导的形容词子句中作主词用。
Kevin never shows up on time, which makes his girlfriend angry.
（凯文从不准时出现，这使得他女朋友很生气。）

1 squirrel   

n.松鼠，松鼠的毛皮；vt.贮藏以备用

参考例句：

• The squirrel makes a store of nuts for the winter.松鼠贮藏坚果以备过冬。
• A squirrel hoards nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬贮藏坚果。

2 squirrels   

n.松鼠( squirrel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Squirrels are arboreal creatures. 松鼠是栖于树上的动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Red squirrels are now very rare in Britain. 红色松鼠在英国已十分罕见了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

4 flora   

n.(某一地区的)植物群

参考例句：

• The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
• All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。