美国语文第二册 第35期:新秤

 LESSON 38 第38课

Herbert  赫伯特

find  发现

inches  英寸

beam¹ 光束

pine  松

groove²  槽

hole  孔

gimlet 螺丝锥

orange  橙子

post  职位

thread  线

thick 厚的

next  下一个

scales⁴  秤

peel  果皮

ribbon⁵ 色带

THE NEW SCALES 新秤

"Herbert, will you please peel my orange?" said Lucy.  “赫伯特，你能帮我剥一下橘子皮吗？”露西说。

Herbert was reading his new book, but he put it down at once, and took the orange from his little sister. 赫伯特正在读他的新书，但他立刻把书放下，从小妹妹手上接过橘子。

"Shall I make a pair of scales, Lucy, for you to use when you play store?" “露西，我来做一杆秤，给你过家家时玩开商店游戏，怎么样？”

"Oh yes! but how can you do that!" “噢，好啊，你怎么做呢？”

"I'll show you. First, we must take the peel off in two little cups, one just as large as the other.  “我来教你。首先，我们必须把橘子皮剥下来，做成两个小杯子，两个要一样大。

While I do this, see if you can find me two nice sticks about ten inches long." 现在我剥橘子皮，你去给我找两根十寸长的棍子来。”

Lucy ran out to the woodhouse to find the sticks. — "Will these do?" 露西跑出木屋去找棍子。“这些行吗？”

"No, they are too hard. Find some pine sticks if you can." “不行，他们太硬了。如果可以的话，去找一些松树枝。”

"Here are some." “这儿有。”

"These will do nicely. Now I must make a scale³ beam and a post.  “这些很不错。现在我要做一个秤杆和秤砣。

Can you find me a little block for a post, Lucy'!" 露西，你能帮我找一个小石块来吗？”

"Will a ribbon block do, Herbert?" “长条儿的可以吗，赫伯特？”

"Yes, if it is not too thick." “可以，不太粗就行。”

"Here is one an inch thick." “这个有一寸粗。”

"That will be just right. Now get the little gimlet." “这个正好。现在把小螺丝刀给我拿过来。”

Herbert worked away until he had made the beam and the post.  赫伯特一直在弄，直到把秤杆和刻度做好。

Then he made a hole in the middle of the block, and put the post in.  然后，他在石块中间打了一个洞，

Next, he put the beam into a little groove at the top of the post, so that it would balance nicely. 再把秤杆插到顶端的一个小槽里。这样就能让它保持很好的平衡。

"Now, Lucy, we must have a needle and some thread.  “露西，现在要找一根针和一些线，

We must put four threads to each cup; then we will tie the threads to the ends of the beam. 我们必须在每个杯子上穿四根线，然后把线系到秤杆的尾端。”

"There, Lucy, what do you think of that?" “做好了，露西，你觉得怎么样？”

"Why, Herbert, that is just as nice as the real scales in father's store;  “赫伯特，它和爸爸商店里的真秤一样漂亮。

and you may have all my orange for making them." 你可以把我所有的橘子都做成秤。”

1 beam   

n.横梁；光束；vi.发光，发热

参考例句：

• The load on this beam is more than it will bear.横梁上的负荷比它能承受的要大得多。
• I could see the beam of his flashlight waving around in the dark.我可以看到他的手电筒光在黑暗中上下舞动。

2 groove   

n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯

参考例句：

• They're happy to stay in the same old groove.他们乐于墨守成规。
• The cupboard door slides open along the groove.食橱门沿槽移开。

3 scale   

n.比例；程度；范围

参考例句：

• The scale of this map is an inch to a mile.这张地图的比例尺是一英寸代表一英里。
• He's in business on a small scale.他做的是小本生意。

4 scales   

n.刻度( scale的名词复数 )；水垢；比例（尺）；鱼鳞

参考例句：

• A fish's scales overlap each other. 鱼鳞一片片上下交叠。
• The new development turned the scales in favor of that school. 新的发展扭转了局面，对那所学校有利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ribbon   

n.缎带，色带，带状物；vt.用丝带装饰，撕成条状；vi.形成带状

参考例句：

• Her hair was tied up with a ribbon.她用一条丝带系着头发。
• We decorated our car with ribbon.我们在汽车上挂满了缎带。