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儿童英语读物 The Cupcake Caper CHAPTER 5 A Visit to BakeMart

时间:2017-12-19 05:52来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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The next afternoon, Grandfather drove the children to the BakeMart factory. When he pulled up in front, he told them, “I have some errands1 to run nearby. I’ll be back for you children in half an hour.”

“Perfect,” Jessie said. “That’s just long enough for us to see who is signed up for Saturday’s contest.”

“We’re looking for more suspects,” Benny told Grandfather, before opening his door and popping out of the car.

“You really think that whoever is doing this to Mama Tova’s store has already entered the contest?” Violet asked Jessie.

“Maybe,” Jessie told her. “Today is the last day to sign up. Even if they don’t have the recipe yet, the thief knows that Mama Tova’s recipe would win for sure. I think they won’t give up looking for it until they have that recipe!”

BakeMart was a large concrete and brick building. “Wow!” Benny said, counting the rows of windows. “Six floors! This place is huge.”

“Yes, it is,” Grandfather said, as the children got ready to go inside. To Benny he said, “Be careful. Be polite. And don’t get lost, or in trouble.”

“I’ve been here before,” Henry said. He reminded Grandfather of the school trip he’d taken. “I know my way around.” Henry assured Grandfather that he’d take care of the others.

“All right. Thirty minutes,” Grandfather repeated. “Then meet me right here.” There was a sign that said BakeMart—Breads.

“We’ll be here,” Henry told him, taking Benny’s hand in his, ready to walk in the front door of the factory.

When Grandfather drove off, Violet pointed2 at the sign. “Look at that. There’s just enough room at the end of the sign to add ‘And Cupcakes,’” she said.

“Mr. Kandinsky can make all the cupcakes he likes,” Benny said, stomping3 his foot. “But not Mama Tova’s.” There was a small room at the side of the long main building. There was a poster and balloons to show where to sign up for the contest.

Benny pulled free from Henry and led the way, going into the room first. “I’ll get that list!” Benny headed toward the counter but on his way he stopped and looked around the room. On long tables were samples of all the products BakeMart made. Benny’s nose led him to a tray of pecan bread slices. He snatched4 one up and was about to eat the whole piece all at once.

“Slow down,” Jessie said. “Remember, Grandfather said to be polite.”

Benny looked down at his treat and took a small bite instead. “Mmmm.”

A girl in a BakeMart uniform came over and handed each of the Aldens a card and a mini pencil. “Please fill out these comment cards. Here at BakeMart, we like to hear what our customers think.”

Benny immediately gobbled up the rest of the pecan bread. “How do you spell ‘Yummy’?” he asked Henry.

“We don’t have time to sample everything,” Henry told Benny. “Did you already forget why we are here?”

“I didn’t forget, but I also didn’t know there’d be snacks!” Benny looked at the trays all around him and said, “Maybe we can eat while we look at the contest list?”

“Sorry.” Jessie shook her head. “Let’s do what we need to first. If there is extra time, we can try a few things.”

They walked over the counter to talk to the girl in the BakeMart uniform. She was brunette, with her hair in a pigtail.

Her name tag said Gretchen.

Violet noticed that she was wearing a gold letter A on a chain around her neck.

She pointed out the necklace to Jessie, saying quietly, “Isn’t that odd? Her name starts with a G.”

“Maybe it’s for her mom’s name or a nickname,” Jessie whispered.

“I swear I’ve seen one kind of like it before.” Violet shook her head to clear her thoughts. “But I can’t remember where.”

Jessie decided5 to see if she could help Violet remember. She went over to Gretchen and said, “I think your necklace is terrific6. I was wondering where you got it.”

Gretchen put her hand on the glittery7 letter and smiled. “It was a present for my birthday. It’s called a ‘Best Friends’ necklace. They are really popular.”

“I like it,” Violet said.

“We can find out where to buy one if you want,” Jessie told her sister.

“I don’t think we need to.” Violet shrugged8. “There’s just something about it pulling at me, but my mind’s blank. Oh well. Not important, I guess.”

“We should really get a look at that list,” Henry told the others.

Benny asked Gretchen, “Can we see who has signed up for the BakeMart Cupcake Contest?”

Gretchen took a list out of a drawer. She looked down at Benny and asked, “Are you signing up?” She held out a pen.

“No,” Benny said. “I don’t make cupcakes. I just eat them.”

Gretchen put the list back away. “Mr. Kandinsky told me that I can only show people the list if they are going to sign up. It’s a contest rule.”

Henry had an idea. He spoke9 up. “But Benny wants to be a chef when he grows up. Right, Benny?”

Benny nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“This is his first contest.” Jessie said. “We are going to write his name down on the list.”

“Are you sure?” Gretchen asked. She had one hand on the drawer with the list, while looking sideways at Benny. “You said you weren’t signing up. Now your brother and sisters say you are. What’s going on?”

“I was confused,” Benny told her. “All the treats around here … I can’t think when I am surrounded by so much bread! It’s like kryptonite. Of course I am going to enter the contest.” He gave Gretchen a very big smile. She could see where he’d lost his front tooth. Gretchen pulled the list back out.

“Put your name here,” she said. She pointed at an empty line.

Henry quickly read over the other names. Benny was nineteenth on the list. There were too many contestants10 and not enough time to study every name. But he saw Gretchen’s name on the list. “You’re entering the contest?” Henry asked.

“Of course,” Gretchen said. “A thousand dollars would be a big boost11 to my college fund.”

She handed Benny a ballpoint pen. “You can sign up, but I wouldn’t bother if I were you. I know I’m going to win. I’ve got a great plan. So you shouldn’t waste your time.”

“But maybe I’ll make a terrific cupcake,” Benny said as he carefully wrote his name. Jessie and Violet peered12 over his shoulder, looking at the other names.

“Maybe,” Gretchen said. “But I am certain that the top prize will be mine!”

When they moved away from the desk, Violet told Jessie, “I think you should put Gretchen on the suspect list, okay?”

“Why?” Jessie asked, opening her notebook to the right page. “Is this about the necklace?”

“No,” Violet said, “I think she’s suspicious13 because Gretchen said she has a plan to win the contest.”

“Maybe stealing the recipe is her plan?” Jessie asked. “Then again, how could she know where it is hidden? She wasn’t at Sweets when Mama Tova told us it was under the flower.”

“It’s possible that someone who was there told Gretchen about it,” Henry said.

“And then Gretchen made her plan?” Benny asked.

Violet shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Speaking of recipes,” Henry said. “We are going to need one for Benny to use.” He looked over at Benny, who was quickly finishing samples from the last tray in the room. In three minutes, he’d managed to taste every single kind of bread!

“It was a great idea to enter Benny in the contest,” Jessie said. “Now we have a real reason to be there. It’ll make checking things out a lot easier.”

“Yeah,” Violet said. “But where are we going to find a cupcake recipe that Benny can make?”

“I’ll find one,” Jessie said. “There are plenty of good recipes on the internet.”

Just before the children left the BakeMart shop Mr. Kandinsky came in.

“The contest is now officially closed,” he told Gretchen with a twitch14 of his moustache. “There can be no more entries.” Mr. Kandinsky took the list from her, gave it a quick glance, folded it and slipped the page into his pocket. “I look forward to tasting your cupcake on Saturday, Gretchen.”

She smiled at him. “It’ll be the best one there, I’m positive.”

“I entered the contest, too!” Benny said, rushing up to Mr. Kandinsky. “I’m so excited.”

“What kind of cupcake are you making?” Mr. Kandinsky asked, bending down to talk to Benny.

Benny looked at Jessie, who looked at Henry. They all turned to Violet.

“Chocolate Surprise,” Violet said. She’d made up the flavor on the spot.

“The cake part will be chocolate, but there will also be a surprise inside!” Benny said, clapping his hands at the idea.

“Sounds delicious,” Mr. Kandinsky said. “I’ll look forward to tasting your entry too.” He stood up and prepared to leave the room. “Mama Tova better learn to make something else, because soon, my cupcakes will be the best sellers in town!”

Back in the car, Jessie asked Grandfather if they could head over to Mama Tova’s shop instead of going straight home. “The contest is only two days away,” she told him. “We need to come up with a plan!”
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 errands 73b17faa22c4125bdd671cd69e0185d6     
n.errand的复数;差使( errand的名词复数 );差事
参考例句:
  • He often runs errands for his grandmother. 他经常给他的祖母跑腿儿。
  • I have a few errands to do in the town. 我在城里有些差事要办。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
3 stomping fb759903bc37cbba50a25a838f64b0b4     
v.跺脚,践踏,重踏( stomp的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He looked funny stomping round the dance floor. 他在舞池里跺着舞步,样子很可笑。 来自辞典例句
  • Chelsea substitution Wright-Phillips for Robben. Wrighty back on his old stomping to a mixed reception. 77分–切尔西换人:赖特.菲利普斯入替罗本。小赖特在主场球迷混杂的欢迎下,重返他的老地方。 来自互联网
4 snatched 8f6583a530f8b71d49187c1b54230c0e     
突然伸手拿取,攫取,抓住( snatch的过去式和过去分词 ); 抓紧时间做; 乘机获得; 夺去
参考例句:
  • The boy snatched a piece of cake and ate it hungrily. 男孩抢过一块饼便贪婪地吃起来。
  • The thief snatched her handbag and ran. 盗贼抢了她的手提包就跑。
5 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
6 terrific 9pwwG     
adj.可怕的,极好的,非常的
参考例句:
  • The game was terrific.那场比赛棒极了。
  • Darren drove at a terrific speed.达伦以惊人的速度驾车。
7 glittery 16d6bc60efb32e6caaa24454cd10240a     
闪光的,闪烁的
参考例句:
  • The evening of concert Mom wore glittery earrings and more makeup than I could remember. 音乐会那天晚上,妈妈戴上亮晶晶的耳环,脸上没见她这么打扮过。 来自名作英译部分
  • The train bowls along the valley of the Elbe by the glittery river. 列车在易北河流域沿着闪闪发光的河流疾驰。
8 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
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》
9 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
10 contestants 6183e6ae4586949fe63bec42c8d3a422     
n.竞争者,参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
  • Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 boost XtHzU     
n.鼓励,激励,提高;v.鼓励,使增强信心
参考例句:
  • This will be a great boost to the economy.这对于经济发展将是一个巨大的促进。
  • These changes will help to boost share prices.这些变化将有助于提高股票价格。
12 peered 20df74dd9059112f4ef8506d8ece8b43     
去皮的
参考例句:
  • He peeled away the plastic wrapping. 他去掉塑料包装。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The paint on the wall has peeled off. 墙上涂料已剥落了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
13 suspicious DrLw1     
adj.可疑的,容易引起怀疑的,猜疑的,疑心的
参考例句:
  • A man was hanging about the house in a suspicious manner.一个男人在房子周围可疑地荡来荡去。
  • He's so suspicious he would distrust his own mother.他这个人疑心太重,连自己的母亲也不相信。
14 twitch jK3ze     
v.急拉,抽动,痉挛,抽搐;n.扯,阵痛,痉挛
参考例句:
  • The smell made my dog's nose twitch.那股气味使我的狗的鼻子抽动着。
  • I felt a twitch at my sleeve.我觉得有人扯了一下我的袖子。
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