英语美文背诵 多莉姨妈的帽子(上)

Aunt Dolly's Hat

多莉姨妈的帽子

Three things I was sure of as a child: My family loved me. The sun would come up tomorrow. I had a wonderful voice.I figured that was unquestionably true because I participated at the top of my lungs in all the family sing-alongs, and no one ever stopped me. So I was delighted when my second-grade teacher announced her plans for a musical pageant¹ at Christmas.

当我还是小孩子时，曾对3件事情笃信不疑：我的家人都爱我；太阳每天早上都会升起；我的嗓音很美妙。对最后一点我尤其有把握。因为每当全家一起唱歌时，我都会扯着嗓门大喊，从来没有人阻止过我。所以当我的二年级老师凯瑟琳嬷嬷宣布她要在圣诞节当天举行一场演唱会时，我别提有多高兴了。

Sister Kathleen said she would cast singers according to ability. All 26 of us students raised our hands in eager anticipation².

凯瑟琳嬷嬷对全班同学说要根据我们的演唱天赋来编排节目，全班26个人都迫不及待地举起了手。

"Those who feel confident about a solo role, form a line to the right of the piano," Sister said. "If you feel more comfortable as a chorus member, stand to the left."

“想独唱的同学请站在钢琴右侧，想参加合唱的同学请站在钢琴左侧。”

I was first on the solo line before Sister reached the piano. She showed me a list of tunes³, and I picked a family favorite, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." Sister played, and I sang with all the emotion a seven-year-old could muster⁴. "Thank you, Jacquelyn," Sister said, interrupting. "Next, please." I'd barely sung a dozen lines. Some of the kids snickered as I returned to my seat. What had I done wrong?

我就第一个站到了钢琴右侧。她给了我几支曲子，我从中挑选了我们家最喜欢唱的《当爱尔兰眼睛微笑时》。嬷嬷开始弹琴，我则以一个7岁女孩儿所能展示的最丰富的感情开始演唱。可没唱几句就被嬷嬷打断了：“谢谢你，下一位。”当我回到座位上时，看到有些同学在窃笑。难道我做错什么事了吗？

One by one the solo roles were filled. The rest of us were put into the chorus audition⁵ line. Sister listened to each student, then arranged us into small groups of similar voices. I was left alone.

独唱的名额很快就招满了。剩余的都被放入合唱的队列中了。嬷嬷听了每位同学的试唱，然后将声音接近的人编排在同一个声部，最后只剩下我孤零零的一个人。

While the other children studied their music, Sister Kathleen motioned me to her desk. She looked kindly⁶ at me.

当其他同学开始熟悉歌谱时，嬷嬷把我叫到她的桌前，温和地看着我。

"Jacquelyn, have you heard the expression tone-deaf?"

“杰奎琳，你听说过‘音盲’这个词吗?”

I shook my head.

我摇了摇头。

1 pageant   

n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧

参考例句：

• Our pageant represented scenes from history.我们的露天历史剧上演一幕幕的历史事件。
• The inauguration ceremony of the new President was a splendid pageant.新主席的就职典礼的开始是极其壮观的。

2 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

3 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

5 audition   

n.(对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱等)

参考例句：

• I'm going to the audition but I don't expect I'll get a part.我去试音，可并不指望会给我个角色演出。
• At first,they said he was too young,but later they called him for an audition.起初，他们说他太小，但后来他们叫他去试听。

6 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。