英语美文：夏季的温馨采浆果

 　　Sweet, wild berries plucked from roadside patches are a delightful¹ side benefit of camping. Each summer, my husband Bob and I would send the kids off with their little metal buckets and the next day we would all enjoy the fruits of their labor²: raspberry pancakes turned on the grill³ or firm blackberries to dot a hot cooked-on-the-campfire peanut butter sandwich.

　　The children looked forward to picking. We could usually find just about anything, from blueberries in early summer to raspberries and blackberries in August. Every year - except one.

　　"There's nothing around here to pick!" five-year-old Julie complained, poking⁴ a stick into the dying fire one late summer evening.

　　The season had been too dry; what few blackberries were left on the bushes were hard as marbles.

　　"Yeah. I looked all over," added four-year-old Brian. "Wish there was something."

　　That night, after the kids were zipped into their sleeping sacks and I was sure they weren't awake, I handed Bob a bag of large marshmallows and I grabbed a bag of the miniatures.

　　"Get the lantern and follow me," I said. "We're going to make a memory."

　　"What?" He looked puzzled.

　　I told him about the kids'campfire conversation and Bob grinned, "Let's go!"

　　The next morning over pancakes, I said, "Kids, I think you're going to have something to pick today."

　　"Really!" Julie's eyes shone. "What?"

　　"What?" echoed Brian.

　　"Marshmallows," I said, as though I'd said it every summer. "Last night Daddy and I walked down toward the lake and it looks as though they're just about ready to pick. It's a good thing we're here now. They only come out one day a year."

　　Julie looked skeptical⁵, and Brian giggled⁶. "You're silly, Mom! Marshmallows come in bags from the store."

　　I shrugged⁷. "So do blackberries, but you've picked those, haven't you? Somebody just puts them in bags."

　　"Daddy, is that true?" He demanded.

　　Bob was very busy turning pancakes. "Guess you'll just have to go find out for yourself," he answered. "Okay!"

　　They were off in a flurry, little metal buckets reflecting the morning sun.

　　"You nut," Bob said to me, laughing. "It won't work."

　　"Be a believer," I answered.

　　Minutes later our two excited children rushed into the clearing.

　　"Look! I got some that were just babies!" Julie held up a miniature.

　　"I picked the big ones!" said Brian. "Boy, I want to cook one! Light the fire, Daddy, quick!"

　　"All right, all right, settle down." Bob winked⁸ at me. "They won't spoil." He lit some small sticks while the kids ran for their hot dog forks.

　　"Mine will be better because they're so little," predicted Julie. Brian shrugged, mashing⁹ two large ones on his fork.

　　We waited for the culinary verdict.

　　"Wow! Brian's eyes rounded with surprise. "These are sure better than those old ones in the bags!" He reached for another. "These are so good!"

　　"Of course," I said. "These are really fresh!"

　　Julie looked puzzled. "How come all those marshmallow bushes don't have the same kinds of leaves?"

　　"Just different kinds, that's all," I replied quickly. "Like flowers."

　　"Oh." She licked her fingers, seemingly satisfied with my answer. Then, studying the next marshmallow before she popped it into her mouth, she looked up with the sweetest smile and said softly, "We're so lucky that they bloomed today!"

1 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 grill   

n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问

参考例句：

• Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。
• I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

4 poking   

n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
• He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 giggled   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The girls giggled at the joke. 女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。
• The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 winked   

v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
• He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 mashing   

捣碎

参考例句：

• Long ago, they served as a useful third set of mashing molars. 许多年前，它们可是有用的第三套磨牙系统。
• During continuous mashing, filter 2 is filled when filter 1 is full. 在连续糖化过程中，当压滤机1填满后即填充压滤机2。