下载掌阅APP，畅读海量书库
立即打开
LESSON 8
1. The monkey is a very cunning
little animal, and is found in many parts of the world.
2. A lady once had a monkey, which had been brought to her as a present. This monkey, like all others, was very fond of mischief and of doing whatever he saw others do.
3. His mistress found him one day sitting on her toilet table
, holding in one hand a little china mug with water in it, and in the other her toothbrush, with which he was cleaning his teeth, looking all the time in the glass.
4. Her little daughter, Maria, had a large doll with a very handsome head and face. She one day left this doll in the cradle, and went out of the room. The monkey came in, took the doll in his arms, and jumping upon the washstand, he began to wash its face.
5. He first rubbed it all over with soap. Then seizing the towel, he dipped it in the washbowl, and rubbed it so hard that the doll’s face was entirely spoiled, the paint being all washed off.
6. There have been many tales of monkeys who, armed with sticks, have joined together and made war or resisted
their enemies with great effect. These are not true, as it is known that in their native state monkeys have no idea of weapons.
7. The sticks and other missiles
said to be thrown at travelers as they pass under the branches of trees, are usually the dead branches, etc., accidentally broken off, as the monkeys, with the natural curiosity of their tribe, pass along the tops of trees to watch the actions of the people below.
8. They can, however, be taught to use a stick, and to use it well. Some time ago, two Italians together owned an organ and a monkey, by means of which they earned their living. During one of their exhibitions
, a dog flew at the little monkey, which made its owners very angry.
9. They and the owner of the dog quarreled about it, and at last it was agreed that the dog and the monkey should fight it out; the monkey, because he was smaller, was to be allowed a stick.
10. The monkey was taught what he was to do in the following manner: One of the Italians crawled on his hands and knees, barking like a dog, while the other got on his back, grasped his hair, and beat him about the head with a stick.
11. The monkey looked on with great gravity
, and, when the instruction
was over, received the stick with the air of a man who knew his work and meant to do it.
12. Everything being settled the dog flew at the monkey with open month.
The monkey immediately leaped on his back, and, grasping the dog’s ear, beat away at his head with such good will that his adversary speedily gave in. The monkey, however, was not content with a mere victory, but continued pounding at the dog’s head until he left him senseless
on the ground.
EXERCISES.—What kind of an animal is a monkey? Where did the lady find the monkey one day? What was he doing? What did he do with Maria’s doll? Do monkeys in their native state know how to use sticks as weapons? Can they be taught to use them? Relate the story of the two Italians. What is the meaning of “etc.” in the seventh paragraph?
【中文阅读】
1. 猴子是一种非常灵巧的小动物，人们在世界上很多地方都发现了它们的踪影。
2. 一位女士曾经有一只猴子，是别人送给她的礼物。这只猴子和它的同类们一样，非常淘气，总喜欢看别人做什么就做什么。
3. 一天，它的女主人发现它坐在梳妆台上，一只手里握着一个小瓷杯，里面盛着水，另一只手里举着主人的牙刷，从始至终对着镜子清理它的牙齿。
4. 女主人的小女儿玛丽亚有一个很大的娃娃，娃娃的头和脸都非常漂亮。有一天，她把娃娃放在摇篮里，随后出了房间。猴子跑了过来，把娃娃抱在怀里，跳到盥洗池边，开始给娃娃洗脸。
5. 它首先把盥洗池里搓满了肥皂，然后拽来一条毛巾，把毛巾在洗脸池里蘸了蘸，拿毛巾用力地擦洗娃娃的脸，使得她的脸上一片狼藉，原来的颜料全部被洗掉了。
6. 曾经有很多关于猴子的传说，说它们用木棍武装起来，并肩作战，有效地和敌人战斗或是打退它们的敌人。可这些并不是事实，因为众所周知的，猴子的头脑中生来并没有武器的概念。
7. 当游客们经过树下，那些所谓向他们扔下来的棍子和投掷物通常都是些枯树枝之类的东西，偶然间折断了，又由于猴子种群好奇的天性，从树顶上一路跑来想看看人们在树下的活动。
8. 当然，人们可以教它们使用棍子，它们可以用得很自如。之前，有两名意大利人拥有一架风琴和一只猴子，这两样是他们谋生的手段。在他们的一次公开表演中，一只狗扑向了小猴子，这让猴子的主人们非常恼火。
9. 他们和狗的主人争吵了起来，最后达成一致，狗和猴子要一决雌雄，打出个结果来。因为猴子个头小，允许它使用棍子。
两个意大利人教猴子接下来该怎么做：其中一个人用手和膝盖撑在地上匍匐，像狗一样叫着；另一个人从背后搂住他，用手抓他的头发，用棍子敲击他的头部。
11. 猴子非常认真地看着，当演示过程结束，它就接过棍子，神态俨然一个知道自己的任务并准备完成任务的人。
12. 当一切就绪，那只狗张开大嘴扑向了猴子。猴子敏捷地跳到他的背后，一把抓住了大狗的耳朵，开始用力地击打它的头部，以至于它的对手很快败下阵来。但是猴子并没有满足于单纯的胜利，而是仍然不停地敲击他的头部，直到大狗被打得躺在地上失去知觉为止。