《神奇树屋》 第三十六册 Blizzard of the Blue Moon 05 The Cloisters

       Do you see Teddy and Kathleen?" asked Jack¹.

The crowd was swarming² away from the subway platformtoward different exits. Jack couldn't see anyone who looked likethe two young enchanters.

"No," said Annie. "But if we figured out where to get off, I'msure they did, too. Let's hurry and get to the zoo. We can meetup with them there."Jack and Annie moved with the crowd. They passed a changebooth on the way out of the58station. "Wait, I'll ask where to go," said Annie. She waited inline and then leaned forward to talk to the man in the booth.

"Do you know how to walk to the Bronx Zoo from here?" shesaid.

"Walkto the Bronx Zoo? Are you out of your mind?" said the man.

"This isn't the stop for the Bronx Zoo! It's much further north.""You mean we got out at the wrong stop?" said Annie.

"You did, but it doesn't matter," said the man. "You can't getthere now, anyway. The tracks near the zoo are above ground.

And I just got word they're buried in snow.""Oh, no," said Jack.

"Lousy day for the zoo, anyway," said the man. "Next!"Jack and Annie stepped away from the booth and walked outof the subway station. The sidewalk was deserted³. "Oh, man,that girl gave us the wrong information," said Jack.

59"This is terrible," said Annie.

"No kidding," said Jack. He looked around, wondering what todo next.

AH-U-GA! AH-U-GA!

"What's that?" said Jack.

"It looks like a taxi." Annie pointed⁴ at a big yellow car with acheckerboard stripe and writing on the side. Its horn let out aloud squawk:

AH-U-GA! AH-U-GA!

The driver stuck his head out the window. He wore a bigfurry cap that came down over his ears. "Need a taxi?" he called.

"Yes!" shouted Annie. "Come on, Jack! He can take us to thezoo!" Jack hurried after her through the snow.

The taxi driver stepped out of the cab and opened the backdoor. "Hop⁵ in!" he said. His cheerful voice was muffled⁶ through aplaid scarf that covered half his face.

"Thanks!" said Jack. He stepped onto a running board and thenclimbed inside.

60The taxi was very roomy. Jack could stretch his legs out andnot even touch the front seat. "Boy, lots more room in old carsthan ours," he said to Annie.

"Yeah," said Annie. "And there's no seat belts.""Oh, yeah," said Jack. "I guess old cars didn't have any. I hopethis guy is a good driver."The driver slid open a little window that separated the frontseat from the back. "Where to?" he asked.

"Can you please take us to the Bronx Zoo?" said Annie.

"We're in a big hurry to get there," said Jack.

"Sure thing, kiddos," said the driver.

"Great," said Jack.

"Oh, how much will it cost?" asked Annie.

"About thirty cents," said the driver. "Can you afford it?""Sure thing, kiddo," said Annie.

The driver laughed and closed the window.

61Then the taxi began moving through the snow. "Everything'sso cheap here," Annie said to Jack.

"Tousit is," said Jack. "But it's the Great Depression. Lots of peopledon't even have a nickel."The taxi slid over the icy road and bumped over the curb⁷.

"Whoa!" said Jack, slipping off the seat.

"Sorry, kiddos!" called the driver. He got the taxi back onto thestreet. Then he plowed⁸ on through the snow, swerving⁹ this wayand that.

The ride seemed dangerous in the bad weather, but Jack didn'twant to get out now. He stared nervously¹⁰ out the window. Thestreets were empty of people. All the stores were closed andshuttered. Snow was piling up on apartment stoops, fire escapes,and iron balconies. Many of the buildings were shabby andcrumbling, with broken windows.

"Hard times," Annie said softly.

62"Yep," said Jack. He took a deep breath.

The taxi climbed up a road lined with tall evergreen¹¹ trees.

Suddenly it skidded¹² and came to a stop. The engine roared, butthe taxi's wheels only spun¹³ in the snow.

"What's happening?" Jack wondered aloud. He tapped on theglass that separated them from the driver.

The driver slid the window open. "Too bad, kiddos, looks likeI'm stuck," he said.

"Are we near the zoo?" asked Annie.

"It's still a long ways from here, I'm sorry to say," said thedriver. "But this taxi's not going anywhere. I don't know whatelse to tell you.""Oh. Well, thanks," said Annie. "How much do we owe you?""Forget it, kiddo," said the driver. "Good luck!""Good luck yourself, kiddo," said Annie. She opened the door,and she and Jack climbed out into the cold wind. The taxi motorkept running,63but the wheels only spun in place, sending up sprays of dirtysnow.

"I don't believe this," said Jack.

"Maybe there's a subway station somewhere near here," saidAnnie.

"The man in the booth said the subways aren't running all theway to the zoo," said Jack.

"I know, but maybe we can at least get closer," said Annie.

Jack and Annie struggled through the storm until they cameto a steep cliff. Over the edge of the cliff they saw nothing but acloud of windblown snow.

"Where are we?" said Annie.

"I have no idea," said Jack. His teeth chattered¹⁴. His eyes andears stung with the cold, and his hands and feet felt numb¹⁵.

Isn't this what frostbite feels like?

he thought.

Numb?

"Let's go back and sit in that taxi until we figure out what todo," said Jack. "At least get out of the wind."64"Okay," said Annie. "Maybe the driver will get it going again."Jack and Annie headed back the way they'd come. But thetaxi was gone!

"Hey, he must've got unstuck!" said Annie. "And he left us!""Oh, man," said Jack. "We're having really rotten luck. And Ithink I'm starting to get frostbite. Seriously.""It looks like there's a building over there," said Annie. "I see atower.""Yeah, me too," said Jack. "Let's go there and try to figure outwhat to do next."Jack and Annie trekked¹⁶ up what looked like a long drivewayuntil they came to the gray stone building. Jack wiped snowfrom a sign in front.

CLOISTERS¹⁸ OF THE METROPOLITAN¹⁹ MUSEUM, OPEN TOTHE PUBLIC"A museum!" said Annie. "Let's go in and ask them how to getto the zoo.""Yeah, and get warm for a minute," said Jack.

65He and Annie climbed the snow-covered steps of theCloisters. Annie opened the door, and the wind nearly sweptthem inside.

They pushed the door shut.

"Ah! My first visitors all day!" a woman chirped²⁰.

Jack and Annie turned around. A museum lady sat at a deskin a corner. Dressed in a green uniform, she was tall and thinwith a friendly face and short gray hair.

"I'm sorry, but we can't stay long," said Annie. "We just camehere to get warm for a minute and get some information.""What can I tell you?" the woman asked. "We're trying to getto the Bronx Zoo," said Jack. "Is there a subway near here?""Well, the A train is close by," said the museum lady. "Butthat won't take you anywhere near the zoo.""Oh, darn," said Annie.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sad," the woman said66brightly. "If I were you, I'd stay right here and enjoy theCloisters! You won't regret it, I promise. The Cloisters holdsmost of the medieval collection of the world-famousMetropolitan Museum of Art.""What's a cloister¹⁷?" Annie asked.

"It's an enclosed garden or courtyard," said the museum lady.

"We have four in all. They beautifully evoke²¹ medieval times,from the Romanesque period to the light, airy elegance²² of theGothic.""Cool," said Jack politely. He had no idea what she wastalking about.

"I suppose the gardensarecool most days, my dear," said the woman. "But today theyare freezing! Never mind, you don't have to spend time in thegardens to enjoy the museum. Inside, we have many beautifulexhibits. The tapestries²³ are especially lovely. They were wovenwith beautiful yarns²⁴ by weavers²⁵ from the Netherlands. Foryears, they hung in a French castle and managed67to escape destruction during the Revolution. Then, for twogenerations-""Excuse me," said Jack. He was eager to end the woman'sboring lecture so they could be on their way.

But she kept talking excitedly. "The tapestries were used bypeasants to protect potatoes stored in their barns until,eventually, a countess rescued them. They were restored, and in1922, Mr. John D. Rockefeller bought them. Just last year, Mr.

Rockefeller gave them as gifts to-""Oh, that is so cool!" interrupted Jack loudly. He pretended tobe interested so they could escape. "We'dloveto see them! Where are they?""The tapestry²⁶ room is just on the other side of the firstcloister," the woman said, pointing. "Turn that corner, go out thedoor, and then walk through the garden to the door of thetapestry room.""Let's go, Annie. Quick!" said Jack. He and Annie went aroundthe corner, out the door, and into a snowy garden.

68"Whew!" said Jack. "I didn't want to be rude. But we're shorton time.""I know," said Annie.

69"What now?" said Jack, shivering in the cold.

"We need to figure out exactly where we are," said Annie,"and where the Bronx Zoo is. Maybe we can just walk therefrom here.""Come on, let's get inside the tapestry room and check ourresearch book for a map," said Jack.

They walked along the edge of the garden under a coveredwalkway. When they came to a door, Jack pushed it open, andhe and Annie slipped out of the cold into a large, warm room.

Jack closed the door against the storm and unbuckled hisbriefcase to take out their research book.

"Ohh ... wow!" breathed Annie.

"What? What?" said Jack. He looked up.

The walls of the room were covered with cloth hangings-tapestries shimmering²⁷ with gold and silver.

"Oh ... !" whispered Jack.

"A unicorn²⁸!"said Annie.

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 swarming   

密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
• The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

3 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

4 pointed   

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。

5 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

6 muffled   

adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）

参考例句：

• muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
• There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

8 plowed   

v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过

参考例句：

• They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句
• He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句

9 swerving   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• It may stand as an example of the fitful swerving of his passion. 这是一个例子，说明他的情绪往往变化不定，忽冷忽热。 来自辞典例句
• Mrs Merkel would be foolish to placate her base by swerving right. 默克尔夫人如果为了安抚她的根基所在而转到右翼就太愚蠢了。 来自互联网

10 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

11 evergreen   

n.常青树；adj.四季常青的

参考例句：

• Some trees are evergreen;they are called evergreen.有的树是常青的，被叫做常青树。
• There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。

12 skidded   

v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区

参考例句：

• The car skidded and hit a lamp post. 那辆汽车打滑撞上了路灯杆。
• The car skidded and overturned. 汽车打滑翻倒了。

13 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

14 chattered   

（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤

参考例句：

• They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
• We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。

15 numb   

adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木

参考例句：

• His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
• Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵，催着疲惫的马继续往前走。

16 trekked   

v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水

参考例句：

• They trekked for three days along the banks of the Zambezi. 他们沿着赞比西河河岸跋涉了三天。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Six-man teams trekked through the woods, respectively for 72 to 96 hours. 6人一组的小分队，经过长途跋涉，穿过了森林，分别用72小时到96小时不等。 来自互联网

17 cloister   

n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝

参考例句：

• They went out into the stil,shadowy cloister garden.他们出了房间，走到那个寂静阴沉的修道院的园子里去。
• The ancient cloister was a structure of red brick picked out with white stone.古老的修道院是一座白石衬托着的红砖建筑物。

18 cloisters   

n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The thirteenth-century cloisters are amongst the most beautiful in central Italy. 这些13世纪的回廊是意大利中部最美的建筑。 来自辞典例句
• Some lovely Christian Science ladies had invited her to a concert at the cloisters. 有几位要好的基督教科学社的女士请她去修道院音乐厅听一个音乐会。 来自辞典例句

19 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

20 chirped   

鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的过去式 )

参考例句：

• So chirped fiber gratings have broad reflection bandwidth. 所以chirped光纤光栅具有宽的反射带宽，在反射带宽内具有渐变的群时延等其它类型的光纤光栅所不具备的特点。
• The crickets chirped faster and louder. 蟋蟀叫得更欢了。

21 evoke   

vt.唤起，引起，使人想起

参考例句：

• These images are likely to evoke a strong response in the viewer.这些图像可能会在观众中产生强烈反响。
• Her only resource was the sympathy she could evoke.她以凭借的唯一力量就是她能从人们心底里激起的同情。

22 elegance   

n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙

参考例句：

• The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。
• John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。

23 tapestries   

n.挂毯( tapestry的名词复数 )；绣帷，织锦v.用挂毯（或绣帷）装饰( tapestry的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The wall of the banqueting hall were hung with tapestries. 宴会厅的墙上挂有壁毯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rooms were hung with tapestries. 房间里都装饰着挂毯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 yarns   

n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事

参考例句：

• ...vegetable-dyed yarns. 用植物染料染过色的纱线 来自辞典例句
• Fibers may be loosely or tightly twisted into yarns. 纤维可以是膨松地或紧密地捻成纱线。 来自辞典例句

25 weavers   

织工，编织者( weaver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Navajo are noted as stockbreeders and skilled weavers, potters, and silversmiths. 纳瓦霍人以豢养家禽，技术熟练的纺织者，制陶者和银匠而著名。
• They made out they were weavers. 他们假装是织布工人。

26 tapestry   

n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面

参考例句：

• How about this artistic tapestry and this cloisonne vase?这件艺术挂毯和这个景泰蓝花瓶怎么样？
• The wall of my living room was hung with a tapestry.我的起居室的墙上挂着一块壁毯。

27 shimmering   

v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The sea was shimmering in the sunlight. 阳光下海水波光闪烁。
• The colours are delicate and shimmering. 这些颜色柔和且闪烁微光。 来自辞典例句

28 unicorn   

n.(传说中的)独角兽

参考例句：

• The unicorn is an imaginary beast.独角兽是幻想出来的动物。
• I believe unicorn was once living in the world.我相信独角兽曾经生活在这个世界。