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儿童英语读物 The Mystery at the Crooked House CHAPTER 3 Hold the Mushrooms!

时间:2017-09-30 03:01来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

“Well,” said Grandfather Alden, patting his stomach, “I couldn’t eat another bite if you paid me!” They were sitting in a booth at Joe’s Restaurant.

“Nor could I!” agreed Mrs. McGregor.

“I think I have room for more,” Benny piped up. There was one slice of pizza left. It was Benny’s favorite kind—topped with special tomato sauce, extra cheese, and pepperoni. “Unless somebody else wants it,” he added politely.

Jessie shook her head. “Go ahead, Benny,” she said. “I’m stuffed!”

Benny used both hands to pick up the pizza. “I eat like a bird!” he said. Then he added with a grin1, “But just remember, even a hummingbird2 eats every ten minutes!”

Everyone laughed at Benny’s joke. Then Mrs. McGregor took a sip3 of her tea. “That pizza really did hit the spot. And not a single mushroom in sight!” she said with a laugh.

“It’s good to see you in better spirits, Mrs. McGregor,” Grandfather said.

“How could anyone not be in good spirits around the Aldens? But I really must leave for Riddle4 Lake tomorrow,” Mrs. McGregor added as she grew serious again. “Oh, dear! I really will miss my family home when it’s sold!”

“We missed our old home, too,” admitted Jessie, “until Grandfather surprised us one day!”

The Alden children looked gratefully at their grandfather, remembering the day he had moved the boxcar all the way from the woods to the backyard of their Greenfield home.

Mrs. McGregor nodded. “Any place that has been a home will always be very dear to the heart,” she said. “But I’m afraid my sister is right. We just can’t afford to keep the Crooked5 House now that the resort has opened.”

Grandfather was thumping6 a finger against his chin. He put down his coffee cup and said, “It seems to me that if you were to advertise, business just might pick up. I’m sure there are plenty of people who would prefer the peace and quiet of the Crooked House to the hustle7 and bustle8 of a big resort.”

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny all leaned forward when their grandfather spoke9. James Alden knew all there was to know about business.

“Yes,” agreed Mrs. McGregor. “Advertising would help. But it takes money to advertise. And money is the one thing we don’t have.”

“If I knew what the Crooked House looked like,” Violet said in her gentle voice, “I’d draw a picture of it for you, Mrs. McGregor. Then you could see it whenever you wanted.”

Mrs. McGregor drew in her breath as a sudden thought came to her. “Why don’t you come along?” she suggested. Then, turning to James Alden, she added, “Do you think you could spare your grandchildren for a few days? I know they’d have a wonderful time at Riddle Lake.”

“We would miss you, Grandfather,” said Jessie, “but we would like to see Mrs. McGregor’s family home!”

“May we go, Grandfather?” asked Violet. “Then I really could draw that picture for Mrs. McGregor!”

“Plus there’s tobogganing!” Benny managed to say as he took the last bite of his pizza.

“And skating!” added Henry, who sounded very excited.

“Well, now,” said Grandfather Alden, his eyes twinkling, “perhaps I could make do on my own for a few days—if Watch stays behind and keeps me company.”

“Hooray!” cried Benny. “Riddle Lake, here we come!”

“As a matter of fact,” Grandfather went on, “I have business not far from there. I’d be happy to drive you up to Riddle Lake tomorrow. That is, if you don’t mind leaving after lunch. I’m afraid I have a meeting to attend in the morning.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Mrs. McGregor sounded very pleased.

“I’ve been wondering about something,” said Jessie. “Why do they call it Riddle Lake?”

“Nobody knows how the lake got its name,” replied Mrs. McGregor. “I suppose that’s a riddle in itself.”

“And a riddle is a kind of question, isn’t it?” asked Benny.

“Yes, it is!” said Mrs. McGregor. “You find the answer by trying to figure out the clues.”

“Just like a mystery!” observed Violet.

“Right!” agreed Mrs. McGregor. “A riddle is exactly like a mystery.”

“I know a riddle!” piped up Benny.

Grandfather laughed. “Tell us, Benny! I like a good riddle.”

“What’s black and white and red all over?”

“That’s easy,” said Henry. “The answer is a newspaper! It’s black and white—and it gets read all over!”

Benny shook his head. “Nope! The answer is a sunburned zebra!”

Everybody laughed. Then Mrs. McGregor said, “When we get to the Crooked House, I will tell you a riddle that I have never been able to solve! When I was your age, I spent hours and hours trying to guess the answer.”

“Won’t you tell us now?” pleaded10 Benny.

Mrs. McGregor laughed. “I’ll tell you when we get to the Crooked House,” she promised. Then she added in a hushed voice, “But I will say this much: The answer is supposed to lead to a hidden treasure!”

The Alden children were staring wide-eyed at their housekeeper11. The thought of a mystery waiting to be solved had them very excited.

How could anyone sell a house with a treasure inside? thought Violet.

Once again the Aldens were about to embark12 on an adventure!


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 grin D6iyY     
n./vi.露齿而笑,咧嘴一笑
参考例句:
  • I know she is joking because she has a big grin on her face.我知道她是在开玩笑。因为她满脸笑容。
  • She came out of his office with a big grin on her face.她笑容满面地走出他的办公室。
2 hummingbird BcjxW     
n.蜂鸟
参考例句:
  • The hummingbird perches on a twig of the hawthorn.小蜂鸟栖在山楂树枝上。
  • The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backward.蜂鸟是唯一能倒退向后飞的鸟。
3 sip Oxawv     
v.小口地喝,抿,呷;n.一小口的量
参考例句:
  • She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
  • Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。
4 riddle WCfzw     
n.谜,谜语,粗筛;vt.解谜,给…出谜,筛,检查,鉴定,非难,充满于;vi.出谜
参考例句:
  • The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
  • Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。
5 crooked xvazAv     
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指,示意我们到他那儿去。
  • You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。
6 thumping hgUzBs     
adj.重大的,巨大的;重击的;尺码大的;极好的adv.极端地;非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词);狠打;怦怦地跳;全力支持
参考例句:
  • Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
7 hustle McSzv     
v.推搡;竭力兜售或获取;催促;n.奔忙(碌)
参考例句:
  • It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
  • I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。
8 bustle esazC     
v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹
参考例句:
  • The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深,喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
  • There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。
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 pleaded 1180b0c3eadb43bd3420016b36aaf0a9     
恳求,请求( plead的过去式和过去分词 ); 提出…为借口[理由]; (向法庭)陈述案情; (在法庭)申辩,认罪,辩护
参考例句:
  • She pleaded with him not to go. 她恳求他不要离开。
  • She wept and pleaded until he agreed to do as she wished. 她哭着恳求他,一直到他答应按她的愿望去做。
11 housekeeper 6q2zxl     
n.管理家务的主妇,女管家
参考例句:
  • A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
  • She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家,一家人吃得很省。
12 embark qZKzC     
vi.乘船,着手,从事,上飞机
参考例句:
  • He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
  • Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。
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