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儿童英语读物 The Mystery of the Lost Village CHAPTER 3 Working at the Dig

时间:2017-08-01 06:17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)

“Is everybody ready for another day at the dig?” Amy asked at breakfast the next morning.

“We’re all set,” Henry said, finishing a big plate of bacon and eggs.

“Benny helped me pack sandwiches and a thermos1 of cider,” Joe added, pointing to a picnic basket. “We can work until sundown, if we want to.”

The six children were just heading out the front door when they nearly collided with a young man dressed in jeans and denim2.

“Is Mrs. Lightfeather at home?” he asked politely. “I’m Michael Running Deer.”

“You must be new on the reservation,” Amy said, staring at the stranger.

“He’s not from the reservation,” Mrs. Lightfeather said, suddenly appearing in the front hall. “You didn’t waste any time,” she said, handing him a batch3 of official-looking papers. “This will show you the exact boundaries of the reservation.”

“Thanks,” the young man said, tucking the papers under his arm. “The bulldozers will be here before we know it,” he added heading down the front walk.

“Mom, who was that?” Joe asked, concerned.

His mother sighed. “Michael Running Deer works for the real estate developer,” she said sadly. “I’m afraid we’re very close to losing the forest.”

“Then let’s get going,” Benny said, barreling out the door. “Maybe we can find the lost village today!”

Mrs. Lightfeather smiled. “That would be wonderful, Benny, but don’t count on it.”

It was a bright, sunny day and, by mid-morning, Henry and Joe decided4 to take a break. They had just settled down on a log to drink some cider, when they were surprised by a young woman in a nice dress and high heels, with a video camera slung5 over her shoulder.

“Oh,” she said, startled. “I didn’t expect to find anybody here.” She looked at the grid6 Henry had drawn7 in the soft earth, and the mounds8 of dirt that the children had overturned. “I guess I should introduce myself,” she said in a friendly voice. “I’m Rita Neville.”

“I’m Henry Alden and this is my friend, Joe Lightfeather,” Henry told her.

“What are they doing?” the woman asked, pointing to Jessie and Amy who were vigorously digging with their trowels.

Henry hesitated. The lost village was a secret, and he knew that Joe didn’t feel like sharing it with anyone.

“It looks like a treasure hunt,” she prompted, when no one answered her.

“It’s more like a scavenger10 hunt,” Joe said finally. “We’re playing a game.”

“Well, have fun.” She took another quick look at the dig and turned to leave. “I’ve got to get back to work now.” Her high heels sank into the soft earth, and she nearly stumbled.

“Excuse me, but what are you working on?” Joe asked.

“I’m a television producer,” she said brightly. She patted her camera case. “I’m planning a documentary on Indian life, and I need some location shots.”

“But this isn’t part of the reservation,” Henry told her.

“Oh, I know,” she said quickly. “I just felt like taking a hike. I’m staying at Morton’s Motel.”

“What did you think of her?” Henry asked when Rita Neville was out of earshot.

Joe shrugged11. “I don’t think she wandered here by mistake. Nobody goes for a hike dressed up like that.”

“You’re right. There isn’t even a path.” He squinted12 at the midday sun, just as Violet called to him from the dig.

“Hey, break time is over!” she teased him.

Henry nodded. “I guess we should get back to work.”

It was late afternoon when Violet squealed13 in surprise. “Look what I found!” she said, pointing to a dark red circle in the dirt.

“What is it?” Jessie asked.

“I think it’s the rim14 of a plate, or bowl,” Henry said excitedly. “And it looks like it’s not even broken. You’ll have to be careful getting it out in one piece.”

“I’m going to take my time,” Violet said. She hunched15 over her find and began brushing away layers of earth. After a few minutes, she sank back on her heels. “There it is!”

“It’s beautiful,” Jessie told her. Together they lifted the large earthenware16 bowl out of the sandy soil. “And there’s not even a single chip on it.”

“Violet, I think you found something important,” Joe said.

“I want to find a bowl, too!” Benny said eagerly.

Amy laughed. “All right, Benny. But I don’t think we’ll be lucky twice in one day.”

At the end of the day’s work, the four Aldens were tired, but happy. After congratulating Violet on finding the bowl, Mrs. Lightfeather talked about plans for the Pow-Wow.

“We really need to get started on a project. The Pow-Wow is only a week away,” she said. She turned to the Aldens. “Who wants to be my helper?”

“I’ll volunteer!” Violet spoke17 up. “What are we going to make?”

“Corn pudding.”

“Corn pudding?” Benny wrinkled his nose.

“You’ll love it,” Amy promised. “It’s got cornmeal, molasses, and lots of spices. Mom makes it on the stove, but in the old days, it would have cooked for hours over the fire.”

“What about us? What can we do?” Benny spoke up.

“You and Henry can help me make some belts,” Joe said. “I’ve already cut the leather and made the buckles18, but there’s lots of bead19 work to do.”

“You’re making belts?” Benny looked surprised. “Why not just buy some?”

Joe laughed. “You can’t buy belts like these. Each one is handmade, and they all have designs from our tribe.” He turned to Henry. “We can get started after dinner tonight.”

Later that evening, Amy took Violet and Jessie to see her Appaloosa pony20 named Thunder. It was a short walk from the Lightfeathers’ house to the reservation’s stable, and Thunder whinnied with pleasure when he saw the girls.

“He’s really gentle,” Amy said. She held up a plastic bag filled with apple slices. “This is his favorite treat. You can feed him, if you want to.”

“Could we ride him sometime?” Jessie asked.

“Maybe tomorrow,” Amy said. “After we work at the dig. I’m really getting excited about it, aren’t you?”

Violet was about to answer when a noise behind her made her jump.

“Sorry, girls,” said a tall blond man in his early thirties. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He had come into the stable so quietly that they hadn’t heard him. “Nice horse,” he added, patting Thunder on the neck. “Pinto, right?”

“He’s an Appaloosa,” Amy corrected him. She stared at him, puzzled. She knew he didn’t live on the reservation.

“You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here,” he said casually21. “I’m Ted9 Clark. I’m a genealogist22.” He grinned at the blank looks on the girls’ faces. “A genealogist is someone who traces family trees.”

“Do you mean grandparents and great-grandparents?” Amy asked.

“Even further back than that. I’m hoping to go back five or six generations in my family. The council gave me permission to look through their records.”

“Oh,” Amy said, understanding. “You’re a Navajo?”

“Partly,” Ted Clark said. “Most of my family, I mean my ancestors, come from the northeast. Places like Maine and New Hampshire.”

“Welcome to the reservation,” Amy said.

“Thanks. Nice necklace you’re wearing,” he said, noticing the heavy silver strand23 around Amy’s neck. “That’s a pretty stone in the center. An opal, right?”

Amy touched the bright blue stone. “No, it’s a turquoise24.”

“Oh, I’ve never seen one before. Well, I’d better get going. I’m staying at the motel in town, and I’ve got a lot of work to do. Nice to meet you.”

After he left, Jessie and Violet fed Thunder while Amy used a curry25 brush to smooth his mane.

“Something’s wrong,” Amy said quietly.

“What?” Jessie looked up as Thunder nuzzled her hand.

“Ted Clark.” She shook her head. “He said he’s part Navajo, but he couldn’t even recognize a piece of turquoise.”

Jessie shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t know much about stones.”

“It’s more than that,” Amy persisted. She touched the blue stone around her neck. “Turquoise is very important to my people, and we use it in a lot of our jewelry26. There’s even a legend about it.”

“Oh, tell us,” Violet said. She loved stories and enjoyed hearing tales about the Navajo people.

“I guess you’d call it a fairy tale. Once there was a woman who found a beautiful blue stone — a piece of turquoise. It was the prettiest stone she had ever seen, and she took it to the top of a high mountain. When she set it down, it turned into a goddess right before her eyes.” She paused. “I’ve heard that story ever since I was a little girl. I wonder why Ted Clark had never heard it.”

After they locked the stable, the three girls headed back to the Lightfeather house.

“Jessie, I just realized something,” Amy said. “You don’t have a project for the Pow-Wow. Would you like to do an Indian dance with me?”

“An Indian dance?” Jessie repeated. “Would I be allowed to?”

“We can talk to Kinowok, but I’m sure he’ll say yes. At the Pow-Wow, we can explain that you’re not a Navajo, but you’re a guest. When we dance at the Pow-Wow, sometimes guests join in. It’s our way of sharing our customs with the townspeople.”

“It sounds like fun, but …” Jessie hesitated. “Do you think I’ll be able to learn the dance in time to perform it?”

Amy nodded. “The dance is very simple. The hard part is making the regalia.”

“What’s regalia?” Violet asked.

“It’s an authentic27 Navajo dress from the old days. You would probably call it a costume, but we call it regalia. Don’t worry, Jessie,” she said encouragingly. “I’ll help you with it.”

Later that evening, Jessie noticed Henry and Joe sifting28 through boxes of colored beads29 on the dining-room table. Benny was frowning over a pad of graph paper, nibbling30 the end of his pencil.

“What are you doing?” Jessie asked curiously31.

“We’re working on our beaded belts, but I can’t think of what to draw. Joe says that first you make a picture on this special paper, and then you choose the beads. That’s the fun part.” He pointed32 to some crumbled-up graph paper. “But I’m stuck. I can’t think of anything I want to draw.”

Jessie thought for a moment. “What about an eagle?” she asked, thinking of the beautiful design on her bedspread.

Benny brightened. “That’s a great idea!” He immediately bent33 down and began drawing the outline of an eagle with outspread wings.
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 thermos TqjyE     
n.保湿瓶,热水瓶
参考例句:
  • Can I borrow your thermos?我可以借用你的暖水瓶吗?
  • It's handy to have the thermos here.暖瓶放在这儿好拿。
2 denim o9Lya     
n.斜纹棉布;斜纹棉布裤,牛仔裤
参考例句:
  • She wore pale blue denim shorts and a white denim work shirt.她穿着一条淡蓝色的斜纹粗棉布短裤,一件白粗布工作服上衣。
  • Dennis was dressed in denim jeans.丹尼斯穿了一条牛仔裤。
3 batch HQgyz     
n.一批(组,群);一批生产量
参考例句:
  • The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
  • I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。
4 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。
5 slung slung     
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往
参考例句:
  • He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩,挎在肩上。
  • He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。
6 grid 5rPzpK     
n.高压输电线路网;地图坐标方格;格栅
参考例句:
  • In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下,要用载体把格栅密封起来。
  • Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。
7 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
8 mounds dd943890a7780b264a2a6c1fa8d084a3     
土堆,土丘( mound的名词复数 ); 一大堆
参考例句:
  • We had mounds of tasteless rice. 我们有成堆成堆的淡而无味的米饭。
  • Ah! and there's the cemetery' - cemetery, he must have meant. 'You see the mounds? 啊,这就是同墓,”——我想他要说的一定是公墓,“看到那些土墩了吗?
9 ted 9gazhs     
vt.翻晒,撒,撒开
参考例句:
  • The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
  • She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。
10 scavenger LDTyN     
n.以腐尸为食的动物,清扫工
参考例句:
  • He's just fit for a job as scavenger.他只配当个清道夫。
  • He is not a scavenger nor just a moving appetite as some sharks are.它不是食腐动物,也不像有些鲨鱼那样,只知道游来游去满足食欲。
11 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》
12 squinted aaf7c56a51bf19a5f429b7a9ddca2e9b     
斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 ); 眯着眼睛; 瞟; 从小孔或缝隙里看
参考例句:
  • Pulling his rifle to his shoulder he squinted along the barrel. 他把枪顶肩,眯起眼睛瞄准。
  • I squinted through the keyhole. 我从锁眼窥看。
13 squealed 08be5c82571f6dba9615fa69033e21b0     
v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He squealed the words out. 他吼叫着说出那些话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The brakes of the car squealed. 汽车的刹车发出吱吱声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 rim RXSxl     
n.(圆物的)边,轮缘;边界
参考例句:
  • The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
  • She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。
15 hunched 532924f1646c4c5850b7c607069be416     
(常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦)耸肩弓身的,伏首前倾的
参考例句:
  • He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
  • Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。
16 earthenware Lr5xL     
n.土器,陶器
参考例句:
  • She made sure that the glassware and earthenware were always spotlessly clean.她总是把玻璃器皿和陶器洗刷得干干净净。
  • They displayed some bowls of glazed earthenware.他们展出了一些上釉的陶碗。
17 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。
18 buckles 9b6f57ea84ab184d0a14e4f889795f56     
搭扣,扣环( buckle的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She gazed proudly at the shiny buckles on her shoes. 她骄傲地注视着鞋上闪亮的扣环。
  • When the plate becomes unstable, it buckles laterally. 当板失去稳定时,就发生横向屈曲。
19 bead hdbyl     
n.念珠;(pl.)珠子项链;水珠
参考例句:
  • She accidentally swallowed a glass bead.她不小心吞下了一颗玻璃珠。
  • She has a beautiful glass bead and a bracelet in the box.盒子里有一颗美丽的玻璃珠和手镯。
20 pony Au5yJ     
adj.小型的;n.小马
参考例句:
  • His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
  • They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。
21 casually UwBzvw     
adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地
参考例句:
  • She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
  • I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。
22 genealogist 8bcc9d25bf258a2bc99d5a577fe2433b     
系谱学者
参考例句:
  • Misha Defonseca acknowledged her bestselling Holocaust story as a fake after a genealogist outed her. MishaDefonseca在当一位系谱学者揭露她之后承认自己关于二战犹太大屠杀的畅销书是捏造的。
23 strand 7GAzH     
vt.使(船)搁浅,使(某人)困于(某地)
参考例句:
  • She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
  • The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。
24 turquoise Uldwx     
n.绿宝石;adj.蓝绿色的
参考例句:
  • She wore a string of turquoise round her neck.她脖子上戴着一串绿宝石。
  • The women have elaborate necklaces of turquoise.那些女人戴着由绿松石制成的精美项链。
25 curry xnozh     
n.咖哩粉,咖哩饭菜;v.用咖哩粉调味,用马栉梳,制革
参考例句:
  • Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
  • Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。
26 jewelry 0auz1     
n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
参考例句:
  • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
  • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
27 authentic ZuZzs     
a.真的,真正的;可靠的,可信的,有根据的
参考例句:
  • This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
  • Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。
28 sifting 6c53b58bc891cb3e1536d7f574e1996f     
n.筛,过滤v.筛( sift的现在分词 );筛滤;细查;详审
参考例句:
  • He lay on the beach, sifting the sand through his fingers. 他躺在沙滩上用手筛砂子玩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I was sifting the cinders when she came in. 她进来时,我正在筛煤渣。 来自辞典例句
29 beads 894701f6859a9d5c3c045fd6f355dbf5     
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链
参考例句:
  • a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
  • Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。
30 nibbling 610754a55335f7412ddcddaf447d7d54     
v.啃,一点一点地咬(吃)( nibble的现在分词 );啃出(洞),一点一点咬出(洞);慢慢减少;小口咬
参考例句:
  • We sat drinking wine and nibbling olives. 我们坐在那儿,喝着葡萄酒嚼着橄榄。
  • He was nibbling on the apple. 他在啃苹果。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
31 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
32 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。
33 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
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