英语 英语 日语 日语 韩语 韩语 法语 法语 德语 德语 西班牙语 西班牙语 意大利语 意大利语 阿拉伯语 阿拉伯语 葡萄牙语 葡萄牙语 越南语 越南语 俄语 俄语 芬兰语 芬兰语 泰语 泰语 泰语 丹麦语 泰语 对外汉语

双语有声阅读:最好的圣诞节礼物

时间:2016-08-02 05:44来源:互联网 提供网友:yajing   字体: [ ]
特别声明:本栏目内容均从网络收集或者网友提供,供仅参考试用,我们无法保证内容完整和正确。如果资料损害了您的权益,请与站长联系,我们将及时删除并致以歉意。
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)
我对圣诞节最深刻的记忆总是和一只小猫联系在一起。我第一次见到它是我出诊去给安斯沃思太太的一只狗看病。我有点惊奇地瞧着蹲在炉前的那个毛茸茸的黑色小生灵。“我还不知道你有只猫,”我说道。
 
 
 
The Yorkshire Christmas Cat
 
My strongest memory of Christmas will always bound up with1) a certain little cat.I first saw her when I was called to see one of Mrs.Ainsworth’ dogs,and I looked in some surprise at the furry2) black creature sitting before the fire.“I didn’t know you had a cat,”I said.
 
The lady smiled.“We haven1’t,this is Debbie,at least that’s what we call her.She’s a stray.Comes here two or three times a week and we give her some food.I don’t know where she lives but I believe she spends a lot of her time around one of the farms along the road.”
 
As I watched she turned,crept soundlessly from the room and was gone.“That’s always the way with Debbie,”Mrs.Ainsworth laughed.“She never stays more than ten minutes or so,then she’s off.”
 
Mrs.Ainsworth was a plumpish3),pleasant-faced woman in her forties and the kind of client veterinary4) surgeons dream of --well-off ,generous,and the owner of three cosseted5) Basset hounds.And it only needed the habitually2 mournful expression of one of the dogs to deepen a little and I was round there posthaste.
 
So my visits to the Ainsworth home were frequent but undemanding,and I had ample opportunity to look out for the little cat that had intrigued3 me.On one occasion I spotted4 her nibbling5 daintily from a saucer at the kitchen door.As I watched she turned and almost floated on light footsteps into the hall and then through the lounge6) door.The three Bassets were already in residence draped snoring on the fireside rug,but they seemed to be used to Debbie.
 
Debbie sat among them in her usual posture:upright,intent,gazing absorbedly into the glowing coals.This time I tried to make friends with her.I approached her carefully but she leaned away as I stretched out7) my hand.However,by patient wheedling6 and soft talk I managed to touch her and gently stroke her cheek with one finger.There was a moment when she responded by putting her head on one side and rubbing back against my hand,but soon she was ready to leave.Once outside the house she darted7 quickly along the road then through a gap in a hedge,and the last I saw was the little black figure flitting over the rain-swept grass of a field.
 
It must have been nearly three months before I heard from Ainsworth,and in fact I had begun to wonder at the Bassets’ long symptomless run when she came on the phone.
 
It was Christmas morning and she was apologetic.“Mr.Herriot,I’m so sorry to bother you today of all days.I should think you want a rest at Christmas like anybody else.”
 
But her natural politeness could not hide the distress8 in her voice.
 
“Please don’t worry about that,”I said.“Which one is it this time?”
 
“It’s not one of the dogs.It’s...Debbie.”
 
“Debbie?She’s at your house now?”
 
“Yes...but there’s something wrong.Please come quickly.”
 
Mrs.Ainsworth’s home was lavishly9 decorated with tinsel and holly,rows of drinks stood on the sideboard and the rich aroma10 of turkey and sage-and-onion stuffing wafted11 from the kitchen.But her eyes were full of pain as she led me through to the lounge.
 
Debbie was there all right,but this time everything was different.She wasn’t sitting upright in her usual position;she was stretched quite motion less on her side,and huddle12 close to her lay a tiny black kitten.
 
I looked down in bewilderment.“What’s happened here?”
 
“It’s the strangest thing,”Mrs.Ainsworth replied.“I haven’t seen her for several weeks then she came in about two hours ago--sort of staggered into the kitchen,and she was carrying the kitten in her mouth.She took it through the lounge and laid it on the rug,and at first I was amused.But I could see all was not well because she sat as she usually does,but for a long time--over an hour--then she lay down like this and she hasn’t moved.”
 
I knelt on the rug and passed my hand over Debbie’s neck and ribs13.She was thinner than ever,her fur dirty and mud-caked.She did not resist as I gently opened her mouth,a knell14 sounded in my mind.
 
Mrs.Ainsworth’s voice seemed to come from afar.“Is she ill,Mr.Herriot?”
 
I hesitated.“Yes...yes,I’m afraid so.She has a malignant15 growth.”I stood up.“There’s absolutely nothing you can do.I’m sorry.”
 
Mrs.Ainsworth reached out and lifted the bedraggled black morsel16.She smoothed her finger along the muddy fur and the tiny mouth opened in a soundless miaow.“Isn’t it strange?She was dying and she brought her kitten here.And on Christmas Day.”
 
The tears had dried on Mrs.Ainsworth’s cheeks and she was bright-eyed as she looked at me.“I’ve never had a cat before,”she said.
 
I smiled.“Well it looks as though you’ve got one now.”
 
And she certainly had.The kitten grew rapidly into a sleek,handsome cat with a boisterous8) nature which earned him the name of Buster.On my visits I watched his development with delight.
 
As I looked at him,a picture of health and contentment,my mind went back to his mother.Was it too much to think that that dying little creature,with the last of her strength,had carried her kitten to the only haven of comfort and warmth she had ever known in the hope that it would be cared for there?Maybe it was.
 
But it seemed I wasn’t the only one with such fancies.Mrs.Ainsworth turned to me and though she was smiling her eyes were wistful9).“Debbie would be pleased,”she said.
 
I nodded.“Yes,she would...It was just a year ago today she brought him,wasn’t it?”
 
“That’s right.”She hugged Buster to her again.“The best Christmas present I ever had.”
 
最好的圣诞节礼物
 
我对圣诞节最深刻的记忆总是和一只小猫联系在一起。我第一次见到它是我出诊去给安斯沃思太太的一只狗看病。我有点惊奇地瞧着蹲在炉前的那个毛茸茸的黑色小生灵。“我还不知道你有只猫,”我说道。
 
那妇人微笑着说:“我们没有猫,这是戴比,至少我们这么叫它。它没主,一个星期来两三次。我们给它点吃的。我不知道它住哪儿,可我相信它在沿路的一个农场附近待过很长时间。”
 
就在我注视戴比的时候,它转过身,静悄悄地出了客厅走了。“戴比总是这样,”安斯沃思太太笑道。“它从来就只待10分钟左右,然后就走了。”
 
安斯沃思太太40多岁,微胖,慈眉善目。她是那种兽医外科医生理想的客户---富裕、慷慨、3条受宠的短腿猎犬的主人。这几条猎犬惯常就是忧伤的表情,只要有一条加重了一些,我就得火速赶到她家。
 
所以,虽然我经常去安斯沃思太太家出诊,但都不是非急不可的,我总有足够机会留心观察那只激起我好奇心的小猫。有一回,我发现它津津有味地在小口吃着厨房门旁碟中的食物。我注视它时,它转过身来,踩着轻步,几乎是飘游进过道,然后穿过客厅门。那3只短腿猎犬已经四肢舒展地躺在壁炉边的铺垫上呼噜呼噜地睡觉了,但它们看来很习惯戴比。
 
戴比以惯常的姿势蹲在3只狗中间---挺直、专注、目不转睛地盯着燃烧的煤块。这回我试着和戴比建立友谊。我小心翼翼地靠近它,可我伸出手时,它却俯身避开了。然而,我耐心地说了一番甜言蜜语后,终于摸到了它,并用一个手指轻柔地抚摸它的面颊。戴比把头歪向一边,蹭着我的手,但很快它就起身要走了。戴比一出屋就沿路飞奔,然后穿过树篱一处空隙,最后只见那小黑影轻快地在雨淋过的草地上一掠而过。
 
我再次和安斯沃思太太有联系必是在将近3个月以后了。实际上,她来电话前,我已经感到奇怪,这么长时间她那3只短腿猎犬竟然一点病症也没有。
 
那是圣诞节的早上,安斯沃思太太道歉说:“赫里奥特先生,我非常抱歉偏偏在今天打搅你。我想你跟别人一样今天也该休息。”但是这些随口而出的客气话未能掩饰她话语中的不安。
 
“请不必担心,”我说道。“这回是哪一只?”
 
“哪只狗也不是,是……戴比。”
 
“戴比?她此刻在你家吗?”
 
“在……可有点不对劲。请马上来。”
 
安斯沃思太太的家铺张地用金银箔和冬青装饰着,餐具柜上摆着成排的酒水,火鸡和撒尔维亚干叶加葱头填料的浓郁香味自厨房扑鼻而来。但是,安斯沃思太太领我进客厅时,她眼中充满了痛苦。
 
戴比是在客厅里,但是这回情形完全不同。它没有像平常那样挺直地蹲着,而是侧身四肢伸展着一动不动,紧靠它身旁躺着一只小黑猫。
 
我困惑地朝下看。“这儿出了什么事?”
 
“真是再奇怪不过了,”安斯沃思太太回答说。“我已经有几个星期没见过它了。大约两个钟头前它进来了,有点瘸拐地进了厨房,嘴里叼着那只小猫。然后又叼着它进了客厅,把小猫放在铺垫上。开始时,我觉得挺逗乐。可是我能意识到很不对劲,因为虽然戴比像平常那样蹲着,可是这回蹲了很长时间---有一个多小时---后来就这么躺着,再也没动过。”
 
我跪在地毯上,用手摸戴比的脖子和肋骨。它比以前更瘦了,毛很脏还粘着泥块。我轻柔地掰开它的嘴,它没有拒绝。丧钟在我脑海里敲响。
 
安斯沃思太太的说话声像是从远处传来。“赫里奥特先生,它病了吗?”
 
我支吾地回答说:“是的……是的,我想是病了。它长了个恶性肿瘤。”我站起身来。“我很抱歉,你绝对是无能为力了。”
 
安斯沃思太太伸出手举起那在泥水中拖脏的小黑猫仔,用手顺着沾满泥的毛抚摸着。猫仔的小嘴张开做喵叫状,但却没有声音。“是不是有点怪?戴比活不长了,可它把它的孩子带到这儿来,而且是在圣诞节这一天。”
 
安斯沃思太太面颊上的泪珠已经干了,望着我,目光明亮。她说道:“我以前从没养过猫。”
 
我微笑着说,“看来你现在有一只了。”
 
她确实就有了猫。小猫仔很快长得浑身油亮、漂亮,生性调皮,由此赢得“欢闹鬼”的称号。我每次去安斯沃思太太家时,都怀着喜悦的心情看着“欢闹鬼”慢慢长大。
 
我看着它,一副活泼健康、心满意足的样儿,不禁想起了“欢闹鬼”的妈妈。那临终的小生灵用残存的最后一点力量,把自己的后代带到它所知道的惟一能获得温暖和舒适的地方,希望孩子能得到照料。是不是我想得太多了?也许是的。
 
但是,看来有这种想法的不止我一个。安斯沃思太太转向我,虽然微笑着,可眼中流露出思念之情。她说,“戴比会感到高兴的。”
 
我点头称是。“是的,它会的……正好一年前它把‘欢闹鬼’带来的,不是吗?”
 
“没错。”安斯沃思太太又紧抱住“欢闹鬼”。“这是我有过的最好的圣诞节礼物。

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 haven 8dhzp     
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所
参考例句:
  • It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后,这真是一个安乐窝。
  • The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。
2 habitually 4rKzgk     
ad.习惯地,通常地
参考例句:
  • The pain of the disease caused him habitually to furrow his brow. 病痛使他习惯性地紧皱眉头。
  • Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair. 我已经习惯于服从约翰,我来到他的椅子跟前。
3 intrigued 7acc2a75074482e2b408c60187e27c73     
adj.好奇的,被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式);激起…的兴趣或好奇心;“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧!
  • He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。
4 spotted 7FEyj     
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
参考例句:
  • The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
  • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
5 nibbling 610754a55335f7412ddcddaf447d7d54     
v.啃,一点一点地咬(吃)( nibble的现在分词 );啃出(洞),一点一点咬出(洞);慢慢减少;小口咬
参考例句:
  • We sat drinking wine and nibbling olives. 我们坐在那儿,喝着葡萄酒嚼着橄榄。
  • He was nibbling on the apple. 他在啃苹果。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
6 wheedling ad2d42ff1de84d67e3fc59bee7d33453     
v.骗取(某物),哄骗(某人干某事)( wheedle的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He wheedled his way into the building, ie got into it by wheedling. 他靠花言巧语混进了那所楼房。 来自辞典例句
  • An honorable32 weepie uses none of these33) wheedling34) devices. 一部体面的伤感电影用不着这些花招。 来自互联网
7 darted d83f9716cd75da6af48046d29f4dd248     
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了,瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 distress 3llzX     
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛
参考例句:
  • Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
  • Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。
9 lavishly VpqzBo     
adv.慷慨地,大方地
参考例句:
  • His house was lavishly adorned.他的屋子装饰得很华丽。
  • The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour.这本书里有大量全彩插图。
10 aroma Nvfz9     
n.香气,芬芳,芳香
参考例句:
  • The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。
  • The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。
11 wafted 67ba6873c287bf9bad4179385ab4d457     
v.吹送,飘送,(使)浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The sound of their voices wafted across the lake. 他们的声音飘过湖面传到了另一边。
  • A delicious smell of freshly baked bread wafted across the garden. 花园中飘过一股刚出炉面包的香味。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 huddle s5UyT     
vi.挤作一团;蜷缩;vt.聚集;n.挤在一起的人
参考例句:
  • They like living in a huddle.他们喜欢杂居在一起。
  • The cold wind made the boy huddle inside his coat.寒风使这个男孩卷缩在他的外衣里。
13 ribs 24fc137444401001077773555802b280     
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 );(船或屋顶等的)肋拱;肋骨状的东西;(织物的)凸条花纹
参考例句:
  • He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
  • Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。
14 knell Bxry1     
n.丧钟声;v.敲丧钟
参考例句:
  • That is the death knell of the British Empire.这是不列颠帝国的丧钟。
  • At first he thought it was a death knell.起初,他以为是死亡的丧钟敲响了。
15 malignant Z89zY     
adj.恶性的,致命的;恶意的,恶毒的
参考例句:
  • Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
  • He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来,不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。
16 morsel Q14y4     
n.一口,一点点
参考例句:
  • He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
  • The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎点击提交分享给大家。
------分隔线----------------------------
TAG标签:   英语听力  听力教程  英语学习
顶一下
(0)
0%
踩一下
(0)
0%
最新评论 查看所有评论
发表评论 查看所有评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:
听力搜索
推荐频道
论坛新贴