The Sorcerer's Gift
The sorcerer didn't speak.He stared through the eyeholes of the owl mask.
"Help us,please,"said Annie.
The sorcerer threw a rope into the pit.Jack grabbed it.
- sorcerer,表示“巫师;魔法师;术士”。
- stared through:是个短语,意为“透过……凝视”,例如:He stared through the window at the people outside.(他透过窗户凝视着外面的人。)
- eyeholes:名词,指“(面具等上的)眼洞;窥视孔”,比如:The eyeholes of the mask were big enough to see clearly.(面具上的眼洞足够大,可以看得清楚。)
- threw:是动词“throw”的过去式,意为“扔;抛;投掷”,例如:She threw the ball to me.(她把球扔给了我。)
- rope:名词,意思是“绳子;绳索”,像:They tied the boat with a thick rope.(他们用一根粗绳子系住了船。)
- pit:名词,有“坑;陷阱;矿井”等含义,例如:The pit was full of water.(这个坑里全是水。)
- grabbed:是动词“grab”的过去式,意为“抓住;抓取;夺(得)”,比如:He grabbed my arm and stopped me.(他抓住我的胳膊拦住了我。)
"He wants to pull us up,"said Annie.Jack looked up.The sorcerer was gone."Where did he go?"Jack said."Tug on the rope,"said Annie.
Jack tugged.The rope tightened.It began rising."I'll go first!"said Annie cheerfully."Annie,this isn't a game,"warned Jack."Don't worry,I'll be careful."
- pull up:短语动词,意为“(使)停下;(使)拔起;(使)提升”,例如:The driver pulled up at the traffic lights.(司机在红绿灯处停了下来。)在这里表示把人往上拉的意思。
- tug:可作名词和动词,动词时意思是“(用力地)拉,拖,拽”,如:He tugged at the door handle but it wouldn't open.(他用力拉门把手,但门打不开。)文中指用力拉绳子。
- tightened:是tighten的过去式和过去分词形式,意为“(使)变紧;(使)绷紧”,例如:She tightened her belt.(她把腰带系紧了。)文中指绳子因被拉而绷紧了。
- rising:是rise的现在分词形式,作形容词时可表示“上升的;上涨的;正在升起的”,在文中指绳子开始往上升起。
- cheerfully:副词,意为“欢快地;高兴地;愉快地”,用来修饰动词,像文中修饰“said”,体现出说话时的欢快情绪,例如:He greeted us cheerfully.(他愉快地跟我们打招呼。)
- warned:是warn的过去式,意为“警告;告诫;提醒”,例如:The teacher warned the students not to be late.(老师警告学生们不要迟到。)文中杰克提醒安妮这不是游戏,要小心。
Jack gave her the rope."Okay.But hold on tight,"he said.
Annie held the rope with both hands.She pushed her feet against the side of the pit.She rose into the air with the rope.
She kept pressing against the side of the pit—until she reached the top.
Jack saw the sorcerer reappear and help Annie up.Then they moved out of sight.
- tight:形容词,常见意思为“紧的;牢固的;紧身的”,在这里“hold on tight”表示“紧紧抓住”,例如:The knot is so tight that I can't untie it.(这个结太紧了,我解不开。)
- pushed:是动词“push”的过去式,“push”意为“推;推动;挤”,文中“pushed her feet against”表示“用脚蹬,用脚推挤”,比如:He pushed the door open.(他把门推开了。)
- side:名词,有“边;侧面;旁边”等含义,“the side of the pit”就是“坑壁;坑的侧面”,例如:There is a hole on the side of the box.(盒子的侧面有个洞。)
- pressing:是动词“press”的现在分词形式,“press”意为“按;压;挤”,“kept pressing against”表示“一直挤压;持续按压”,例如:She was pressing the button continuously.(她一直在按那个按钮。)
- reappear:动词,意为“再次出现;重新露面”,例如:The magician disappeared and then reappeared in an instant.(魔术师消失了,然后瞬间又出现了。)
- sight:名词,有“视力;视觉;看见;景象”等意思,“out of sight”是个固定短语,意为“看不见;在视野之外”,比如:The plane flew out of sight soon.(飞机很快就飞出了视野。)
Jack was puzzled.The sorcerer had used both hands to help Annie.So who held the other end of the rope?
"Wow!"came Annie's voice.
What's going on?Jack wondered.
The sorcerer came back and threw the rope down again.
Jack grabbed it.And the rope started to rise.
Jack held on tight.He started up.His hands burned.His arms felt as if they were being pulled out of their sockets.
- puzzled:形容词,意为“困惑的;迷惑的;茫然的”,常用来形容人对某事不理解、感到疑惑的状态,例如:He looked puzzled when he heard the strange news.(听到这个奇怪的消息时,他看上去很困惑。)
- wondered:是动词“wonder”的过去式,“wonder”有“想知道;对……感到疑惑;琢磨”等意思,例如:I wondered why she was late.(我想知道她为什么迟到了。)
- burned:是动词“burn”的过去式,可表示“燃烧;烫伤;使……有烧灼感”等,在这里“His hands burned.”意思是“他的手火辣辣地疼”,例如:The hot water burned my finger.(热水烫伤了我的手指。)
- pulled out:是短语动词“pull out”的过去式,有“拔出;抽出;(使)脱离”等含义,文中“were being pulled out of”表示“正被从……拽出来”,例如:He pulled out a book from the shelf.(他从书架上抽出一本书。)
- sockets:名词“socket”的复数形式,常见意思为“插座;孔;窝;臼”等,“their sockets”这里指“(胳膊的)关节窝”,例如:The light bulb fits into the socket.(灯泡插进插座里。)
But he kept his hold on the rope and his feet against the side of the pit.
At the top the sorcerer pulled Jack onto the snowy ground.
"Thanks,"said Jack,standing.
The sorcerer was tall.He wore a long fur robe.Jack could see only his eyes through the owl mask.
- fur:名词,常见释义为“(动物的)软毛;皮毛;毛皮”,例如:The rabbit has soft white fur.(这只兔子有柔软的白色皮毛。)也可表示“水垢;水锈”等意思。
- robe:名词时指“长袍;礼服;睡袍”等,比如:The judge wore a black robe.(法官穿着一件黑色长袍。)还可作动词,意为“(给……)穿上长袍;覆盖”等。
"Hey!"Annie called.Jack turned.
Annie was sitting on a woolly mammoth.Squeak.Peanut was sitting on the mammoth's head.
The mammoth looked like a giant elephant with shaggy reddish hair and long,curved tusks.
- woolly:作形容词时,意为羊毛的、似羊毛的,如“woolly hat”(羊毛帽子);也可表示模糊的、不清楚的,如“woolly thinking”(模糊的想法)。
- shaggy:形容词,指多粗毛的、毛发蓬松的,如“shaggy dog”(毛发蓬松的狗);还能形容表面参差不齐、毛茸茸的,如“shaggy carpet”(毛茸茸的地毯)。
- reddish:形容词,意思是微红的、略带红色的,如“reddish hair”(微红的头发)、“reddish brown”(红褐色)。
- curved:既可用作形容词,意为弧形的、曲线的,如“curved line”(曲线);也可用作动词curve的过去式和过去分词,意为“(使)弯成弧形”,如“The road curved around the mountain.”(道路绕山弯曲)。
- tusks:是tusk的复数形式,作名词时,指(象、野猪等动物的)长牙、獠牙,如“the tusks of an elephant”(大象的象牙)。
The other end of the rope was around the mammoth's huge neck.
"Lulu pulled us up,"said Annie."Lulu?"said Jack.
"Don't you think she looks like a Lulu?"said Annie."Oh brother,"said Jack.He walked up to the mammoth.
"Hey,mammoth starts with M,"said Annie."Maybe Lulu's the special thing!"
"I don't think so,"said Jack.
The great creature knelt down,just like a circuselephant.
"Whoa!"said Annie.She clutched the mammoth's ears to keep from falling off.
- creature:名词,通常指生物、动物,尤指(不熟悉的)奇异的动物或怪物等,例如:The forest is home to many strange creatures.(这片森林是许多奇异生物的家园。)在文中指猛犸象这个大型动物。
- knelt down:是“kneel down”的过去式,意为“跪下;跪倒”,表示双腿弯曲,膝盖着地的动作,例如:He knelt down to pick up the coin.(他跪下来捡起那枚硬币。)
- circus:名词,指马戏团、马戏表演,例如:We went to the circus last night and saw many interesting shows.(昨晚我们去看了马戏,看到了很多有趣的表演。)
- clutched:是动词“clutch”的过去式,意为“紧握;抓住;抱紧”,常表示因害怕、紧张等情绪而用力抓住某物,例如:She clutched her bag tightly when she walked in the dark street.(她走在漆黑的街道上时,紧紧地抓着自己的包。)
- falling off:是“fall off”的动名词形式,意为“掉落;脱落;摔下来”,例如:Be careful not to let the book fall off the table.(小心别让书从桌子上掉下来。)文中“keep from falling off”表示防止掉下去。
The sorcerer helped Jack climb onto the mammoth.
"Thanks,"said Jack.
Then the sorcerer reached into a pouch.He pulled out a smooth white bone and handed it to Jack.
The bone was hollow.It had four holes along one side.And two on the other.
- reached into:是短语动词“reach into”的过去式,意为“把手伸进……里面”,例如:He reached into his pocket to find his keys.(他把手伸进口袋找钥匙。)
- pouch:名词,意思是“小袋子;口袋;育儿袋”等,例如:The kangaroo has a pouch for carrying its baby.(袋鼠有个育儿袋来装它的幼崽。)
- pulled out:是“pull out”的过去式,有“拔出;掏出;抽出”等含义,比如:She pulled out a book from the shelf.(她从书架上抽出一本书。)
- smooth:形容词,可表示“光滑的;平滑的;顺利的”等,例如:The surface of the table is very smooth.(桌面很光滑。)
- hollow:形容词,意为“中空的;空心的;凹陷的”,例如:The bamboo is hollow inside.(竹子里面是中空的。)
- one side:表示“一侧;一边”,例如:There is a mark on one side of the box.(盒子的一侧有个标记。)
“Oh man,I think it's his flute,"said Jack."The book said they make flutes from mammoth bones."
Jack tried to give the flute back to the sorcerer."Nice,"he said politely.
But the sorcerer held up his hand."He wants you to keep the mammoth bone,"said Annie.
“Mammoth bone,"whispered Jack."Hey,maybe this is the third thing."
Jack looked at the sorcerer."Do you know Morgan?"he asked.
The sorcerer did not answer.But his eyes sparkled with kindness.
- flute:名词,意为“长笛;笛子”,例如:She plays the flute beautifully.(她笛子吹得很动听。)在文中指用猛犸象骨头做成的笛子。
- politely:副词,用于修饰动词,表示“有礼貌地;客气地;文雅地”,比如:He greeted us politely.(他有礼貌地跟我们打招呼。)文中是说杰克很有礼貌地评价那根笛子。
- sparkled:是动词“sparkle”的过去式,“sparkle”意为“闪耀;闪烁;发光”,常用来形容物体表面有光亮闪烁,或人的眼睛等有神采、发亮,例如:Her eyes sparkled with excitement.(她的眼睛因兴奋而闪闪发光。)文中指巫师的眼睛闪烁着友善的光彩。
- kindness:名词,意思是“仁慈;善良;好意;友好的行为”,例如:Thank you for your kindness.(谢谢你的好意。)文中“with kindness”表示带着友善的状态。
He turned away from Jack and untied the mammoth's rope.Then he whispered in the ear of the giant woolly creature.
When the mammoth stood up,Jack gripped Annie's coat to keep from falling off.He felt miles above the ground.
He nestled behind Annie,in the dip between the mammoth's head and huge curved back.
- untied:是动词“untie”的过去式,意为“解开;松开”,例如:He untied the knot easily.(他轻松地解开了那个结。)文中指解开绑猛犸象的绳子。
- woolly:形容词,有“羊毛的;似羊毛的;毛茸茸的”等意思,比如:The woolly sweater is very warm.(这件羊毛毛衣很暖和。)在文中用来形容猛犸象身上毛茸茸的样子。
- miles:是“mile”的复数形式,“mile”为名词,意思是“英里”,常用来表示距离,例如:The town is ten miles away from here.(那个小镇离这儿有十英里远。)“miles above the ground”是一种夸张的表达,形容离地距离很高。
- nestled:是动词“nestle”的过去式,意为“依偎;舒适地坐(或躺);半隐半现地处于”,例如:The baby nestled in its mother's arms.(婴儿依偎在母亲的怀里。)文中描述杰克依偎在某个位置的状态。
- dip:名词,可表示“凹陷处;低洼处;浸;蘸”等意思,例如:There is a dip in the road.(路上有一处低洼。)这里指猛犸象的头和后背之间的凹陷部位。
- curved:形容词,意为“弯曲的;弧形的”,例如:The curved path led to a beautiful garden.(这条弯曲的小路通向一座美丽的花园。)文中用来形容猛犸象后背的形状。
The mammoth took slow,plodding steps across the snow,then picked up speed.
"Where are we going?"said Jack as they bumped up and down.
"To the tree house!"said Annie."How does he know where it is?"said Jack.
"She just knows,"said Annie.
Jack looked back.
The sorcerer was standing in the snow,watching them.
But at that moment the clouds parted,and the sun came out.
Jack was blinded by sunlight on the snow.He squinted to see—but the sorcerer had vanished.
- plodding:形容词,意为“沉重缓慢的;单调乏味的”,常用来形容步伐、进展等缓慢且费力的状态,例如:The plodding horse was moving slowly along the path.(那匹脚步沉重的马沿着小路缓慢前行。)文中形容猛犸象缓慢沉重的步伐。
- steps across:“step”作名词时表示“脚步;步伐;步”,作动词意为“跨步;迈步;行走”,“steps across”表示“跨过;穿过(某地)行走”,例如:He took several steps across the room.(他在房间里走了几步。)文中指猛犸象迈着步子穿过雪地。
- picked up:是短语动词“pick up”的过去式,有“捡起;拾起;(开车)接人;加快;获得”等多种意思,在这里“picked up speed”表示“加快速度”,例如:The car picked up speed on the highway.(汽车在高速公路上加快了速度。)
- bumped:是动词“bump”的过去式,“bump”意为“碰撞;颠簸;撞击”,常指物体之间的碰撞或人因路面不平、交通工具晃动等而上下颠簸,例如:The bus bumped along the rough road.(公交车在崎岖的道路上颠簸前行。)文中指杰克随着猛犸象的行走而上下颠簸。
- clouds:名词“cloud”的复数形式,意为“云;云朵”,例如:There are many white clouds in the sky.(天空中有许多白云。)
- parted:是动词“part”的过去式,“part”作动词时有“分开;使分离;散开”等意思,“the clouds parted”表示“云层散开了”,例如:The curtains parted and the stage came into view.(幕布拉开,舞台映入眼帘。)
- squinted:是动词“squint”的过去式,“squint”意为“眯着眼看;斜视;瞟”,常因光线太强、想看清楚远处或细小的东西等原因而眯起眼睛,例如:He squinted at the small print on the page.(他眯着眼看页面上的小号字体。)文中指杰克眯着眼去看巫师。
- blinded:是动词“blind”的过去式,“blind”作动词时意为“使失明;使目眩;使眼花缭乱”,“be blinded by”表示“被……晃得睁不开眼;因……而目眩”,例如:I was blinded by the headlights of the oncoming car.(我被迎面驶来汽车的前大灯晃得睁不开眼。)文中指杰克被雪地上反射的阳光晃得睁不开眼。
- vanished:是动词“vanish”的过去式,“vanish”意为“消失;突然不见;绝迹”,例如:The magician made the rabbit vanish in a second.(魔术师瞬间让兔子消失了。)文中指巫师突然消失不见了。