美国小学英语教材6:第149课 殖民地时代年轻的爱国者(6)

 Half a mile down the road, however, they came upon a sleepy boy with his head pillowed on a big bundle of crumpled¹ leaves 在这条小路半英里处，他们发现了一名熟睡的男孩，他的头枕在了一大捆皱巴巴的叶子上，

and a tired old plow² horse grazing not far away. But of course, neither of them could tell them anything about the escape of the Americans. 一匹年迈的老役马在不远处吃草，当然，他们二个不知道任何关于美国人逃走的消息。

Humph! said the disappointed British commander as he led his men back to their camp. 失望的英国将领哼了一下，随后带领部队回到自己的营地。

I thought I surely had the Americans in my power at last. 我想我最终掌控了美国人。

But there's no use trying to get the best of that man Washington. He has his spies every place. 试图战胜华盛顿是没有用处的，因为他到处有眼线。

PRAISE FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON 赢得华盛顿将军的赞扬

Of course Joseph was not able to tell General Washington how he had learned of the plans of the British when he gave him the warning. 当约瑟夫向华盛顿将军发出警告时，当然他没法告诉将军他是如何知道英国人的计划的。

But a few days later he was invited to visit the new camp, and this time Priscilla went along, 但几天后，他被邀请参观了新营地，这次普丽西拉一同前往，

and together they told the whole story. In fact, they told it many times, first to General Washington and his officers, 他们一起告诉了整个故事，事实上他们讲了很多遍，首先对华盛顿将军和官员讲，

and then to the men whose lives they had saved. At dress parade in the camp that afternoon, 之后向那些被他们挽救过生命的人讲，一天下午营地举行了阅兵仪式，

the children were the guests of honor and reviewed the troops with General Washington. And after the drill was over, 孩子们是贵宾，并和华盛顿将军一道看阅兵，当阅兵结束后，

the General made a speech to the soldiers in which he told them of the bravery and wisdom of Joseph and Priscilla, 将军向将军发表演讲，他告诉他们约瑟夫和普丽西拉的勇敢和智慧，

and thanked the children on behalf of the whole country. 并代表整个国家感谢孩子们。

After that he mentioned many other brave deeds which the children of the colonies had performed, 之后他多次提到了殖民地孩子们的其它英勇事迹，

and he said that they had many times proved that they were loyal and true to their country. 他称他们多次证明了他们是忠于国家的。

And then, at the very end of his speech, General Washington said something so beautiful that Joseph and Priscilla never forgot it. 随后，在演讲的末尾，华盛顿将军说了一些让约瑟夫和普丽西拉无法忘怀的言语。

You and I, he said earnestly to the soldiers, may finally be beaten by the English. 他向士兵恳切地说，你和我或许最后真的会被英国人打败。

But while our country has sons and daughters as brave as these two children, she can never be conquered! 但我们的国家有像这两名孩子一样勇敢的男孩和女孩，这个国家是永远不会被征服的。

 

1 crumpled   

adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。
• She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。

2 plow   

n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough

参考例句：

• At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
• We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。