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儿童英语读物 The Mystery in the Computer Game CHAPTER 7 The Computer Talks Back

时间:2017-09-29 06:13来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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Grandfather and Mrs. McGregor were back home when the children returned from QuestMaster.

“I read your note about your meeting at QuestMaster,” Grandfather said to the children. “So how did Watch do on his first day of work?”

“Watch took a long doggie break instead of a coffee break,” Henry said, trying to look serious. “C.D. isn’t sure he wants to hire Watch unless he learns how to type with his paws1.”

Grandfather and Mrs. McGregor laughed at the thought of Watch sitting at the computer instead of under it.

“Seriously, though,” Henry continued, “there wasn’t any meeting. C.D. thought someone at the studio was playing a prank2 on us.”

“You know, I wondered about this meeting,” Mrs. McGregor said, “since Andy Porter3 came by again while you were gone. It seemed odd4 that he wouldn’t be at the meeting, too. Since he worked on the computer before, I let him in. Oh, dear, I hope there isn’t a problem.”

Jessie felt sorry for Mrs. McGregor. She was only trying to help. “That’s okay. We were having a bit of trouble with the computer. Now maybe Andy fixed5 it. Thanks.”

The computer was still on in the den6.

“Gee, why is the Ringmaster II screen on if Andy was working on the network?” Jessie asked.

Henry tried to check his e-mail, but the QuestMaster network still didn’t work. “I guess Andy didn’t have any luck. Now, I wonder why he booted up Ringmaster II.”

Henry hit the start button. The Magician7 came on-screen. “I’m not going to play a real game,” Henry said. “I just want to try a few things, like finding8 Nadje again. When we were with C.D., I was beginning to think we imagined her.”

“There she is, Henry,” Soo Lee said when she saw the two-faced woman again.

“Good. I guess our minds weren’t playing tricks after all,” Jessie said, looking on.

An amazing thing happened when Henry slid the computer mouse over to Jessie. When she mistakenly brushed the right button on the mouse key, a message came out of Nadje’s mouth. Henry read it to the others:

    “I need to discuss the situation as soon as possible. Let’s meet at 3:00 Tuesday. I just hope no one follows me.”

“What does that mean?” Soo Lee asked her cousins. “Is Nadje a real person? Is she going to come over here?”

Henry sat back in his chair. “Something is definitely9 going on that isn’t part of Ringmaster II. Part of a real message got mixed up with the game.”

“This is getting spooky,” Soo Lee said.

Violet10 put her arms around Soo Lee and Benny. Soo Lee was right. This game was getting spooky. The computer seemed to be giving the Aldens messages somehow!

“Okay, there’s Arthur, the older boy character,” Jessie said. “He’s watching Nadje chase11 the Magician, and he looks really worried.”

“Let’s see if Arthur has any spells to rescue the Magician,” Henry said. When Henry clicked on the boy’s saddlebag, a stone fell to the ground and a message appeared.

Violet read the words:

“Now the son must save the father,

So use the spell to help another.

Nadje’s watching, so take care,

To use the stone that’s fallen there.”

Before the Aldens had time to use the computer mouse, Nadje grabbed12 the stone.

“Should we call C.D. and have him come over to see what’s going on with this game?” Henry said. “He didn’t even know about Nadje.”

“Not yet,” Jessie answered. “I have a funny feeling this game is just for us.”

“The only character who can move now is Arthur,” Violet noted13. “He must be the one who has to save the Magician.” The children studied the screen for clues.

Benny noticed a fountain by the side of the road. “Maybe the fountain has magic water. But be careful in case the water is poison like in the other game.”

Like Benny, Soo Lee had sharp eyes. “Look, there are birds drinking the water and flying around. That probably means it’s safe to drink.”

When Violet clicked on the fountain, the children heard the tinkling14 sound of water on the computer speaker. This meant the boy, Arthur, could drink the water.

“The water’s safe!” Henry said. “Good for you for figuring that out. Maybe you can even figure out how to help him get the magic stone away from Nadje.”

Jessie had some ideas. “Can I try? I have a feeling Arthur is the key to freeing the Magician from Nadje.”

Because of the many odd sounds coming from the computer speaker, the children barely15 heard the phone ring.

Finally Henry realized the ringing sound was coming from the hallway, not the computer speaker. He raced to answer the phone. The children heard him talking to someone.

“That was C.D.,” Henry said when he returned to the den. “He’s curious about how we’re doing with the game, but he won’t have time to meet today. He said he’s driving up to Hampstead to get the special chip Jane was supposed to pick up. It turns out she never showed up. And know what else? He can’t find Ned or Andy, either.”

“Did you tell him about all the strange things happening in Ringmaster II?” Violet asked.

Henry shook his head. “Not yet. I want to figure out a few things on our own first. But he said there’s a meeting tomorrow when he gets back. He wants everybody there. Let’s talk with him then.”

“Sure thing. Hey, you know what?” Jessie asked. “We’re not getting anywhere with this game right now. Why don’t we go into town and pick up a copy of Fix-It software so we can fix the network?”

Henry agreed. “Good idea, Jessie. I’ll shut down Ringmaster II.”

“Wait! Not yet!” Benny cried. “Look at the water fountain again. Doesn’t it look just like the one on Old Post Road?”

The other children stared at the screen.

“You know what? You’re right, Benny,” Jessie said. “It’s a copy of the stone fountain they used to use for horses in the days before cars—the one on the road between Greenfield and Burrville.”

“Can we go see it? Maybe it’s a clue. Please? Please?” Benny begged.

“And what about the ‘three o’clock’ message that came out of Nadje’s mouth?” said Violet. “Maybe that is part of the clue, too!” Jessie agreed. “You could be right, Violet. Let’s be at the fountain at three. We can walk. It’s only about a mile away. We’ll stop by Computer City on the way back.”

Henry shut down the game. “I suppose the fountain could be some kind of clue in the game. Or else the designers are copying stuff16 from around Greenfield, like the Brass17 Horn or this fountain, just because they like it.”

Benny was ready for an adventure. “Now we can be in the game, too.”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 paws b78b84c2e20f17cb70ffcff9430ca0ea     
n.爪子( paw的名词复数 );手
参考例句:
  • Take your filthy paws off me! 把你的脏手从我身上拿开!
  • Take your dirty little paws off me! 别用你的小黑手抓着我。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 prank 51azg     
n.开玩笑,恶作剧;v.装饰;打扮;炫耀自己
参考例句:
  • It was thought that the fire alarm had been set off as a prank.人们认为火警报警器响是个恶作剧。
  • The dean was ranking the boys for pulling the prank.系主任正在惩罚那些恶作剧的男学生。
3 porter wOYxZ     
n.搬运工人;守门人,门房
参考例句:
  • The hotel porter will help you.旅馆的门童可以帮你的忙。
  • The porter and I looked at each other and smiled.我和脚夫微笑着你看着我,我看着你。
4 odd P5szQ     
adj.奇特的;临时的;奇数的;n.[pl.]机会
参考例句:
  • She looks a bit odd.I wonder what has happened to her.她的神色有些异样,不知出了什么事。
  • He's an odd character and no mistake!他的确是个怪人!
5 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
6 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
参考例句:
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
7 magician 287zL     
n.魔术师,变戏法的人,术士
参考例句:
  • With a wave of his hand,the magician made the rabbit vanish.魔术师手一挥兔子便不见了。
  • The magician transformed the man into a rabbit.魔术师把那个人变成了兔子。
8 finding 5tAzVe     
n.发现,发现物;调查的结果
参考例句:
  • The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
  • That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。
9 definitely RuJzx0     
adv.一定地,肯定地;明确地,确切地
参考例句:
  • The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛,这个队肯定会输。
  • I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前,我一定回家。
10 violet 8h3wm     
adj.紫色的;n.紫罗兰
参考例句:
  • She likes to wear violet dresses.他喜欢穿紫色的衣服。
  • Violet is the color of wisdom,peace and strength.紫色是智慧的,和平的和力量的颜色。
11 chase qUWyK     
vt.追逐,追赶,追求;n.追赶
参考例句:
  • The police grabbed the robbers after a long chase.警察经过长距离追赶后逮住了抢劫犯。
  • Would you chase me if I did?如果我逃开了,你会来追吗?
12 grabbed grabbed     
v.抢先,抢占( grab的过去式和过去分词 );(尤指匆忙地)取;攫取;(尤指自私、贪婪地)捞取
参考例句:
  • He was grabbed by two men and frogmarched out of the hall. 他被两个男人紧抓双臂押出大厅。
  • She grabbed the child's hand and ran. 她抓住孩子的手就跑。
13 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
14 tinkling Rg3zG6     
n.丁当作响声
参考例句:
  • I could hear bells tinkling in the distance. 我能听到远处叮当铃响。
  • To talk to him was like listening to the tinkling of a worn-out musical-box. 跟他说话,犹如听一架老掉牙的八音盒子丁冬响。 来自英汉文学
15 barely gyFz0w     
adv.仅仅,几乎没有,几乎不
参考例句:
  • The male bird is barely distinguishable from the female.雄鸟和雌鸟几乎无法辨别。
  • He took barely enough money to keep the children in bread.他赚很少的钱仅够孩子们勉强糊口。
16 stuff Itsw1     
n.原料,材料,东西;vt.填满;吃饱
参考例句:
  • We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
  • He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。
17 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
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