The Guest Ranch
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Zach squinted as his mom’s car rumbled forward.
Zach一眼就看着他妈妈的车往前翻了
He was trying to get a better look at Cottonwood Guest Ranch, a long, low building almost the same color as the desert soil it sat on.
他试图让Cottonwood Guest Ranch更好看一看, 一个长而低的建筑,几乎与它所坐的沙漠土壤一样的颜色.
“Why are we on vacation in the middle of nowhere?”
“为什么我们在荒郊野外度假? “
he grumbled.
他发牢骚。
He flicked his thumb idly across his smartphone’s screen.
他在智能手机屏幕上轻轻地闪出拇指。
“The map doesn’t even get a signal.”
地图连信号都没有。 “
“To take a break from all that!”
“从这些事情中走开! “
Zach’s mom replied.
Zach的母亲回应了。
She reached over, plucked his phone from his hands, and lowered the window.
她伸了过来,从他手上取出他的电话,并放下了窗户。
“Smell that?
“闻到了吗?
That’s fresh air out there!
这是新鲜空气,
That’s nature!”
这才是天性!
To Zach, the air smelled like horses and cows.
至札克所出之气有马牛之味.
He could even see the horses tossing their manes as he and his mom parked and headed into the main building.
他甚至看到马扔了他们的男人 当他和他妈妈停了下来,朝主楼走去。
Inside, old-timey photographs of rodeo riders lined the walls beneath a massive longhorn skull.
里面,牛仔骑手的老照片 将墙排入了巨大的长角头骨下
While his mom checked in, Zach leafed through the guest packet, examining photos of the week’s activities.
Zach透过客人包,
There would be horseback riding and hiking, river rafting and rodeo skills, all leading up to a real cattle drive on the last day.
会有骑马和徒步旅行, 河上木筏和跑步技巧, 都导致真正的牛车 在最后一天。
He had to admit that the activities looked pretty cool, especially the riding.
他不得不承认活动看起来相当酷,尤其是骑马.
All day, he had stared out the window, thinking how strange it was to cross the desert by car.
他整天盯着窗外看 想着乘车穿越沙漠有多奇怪
Metal, glass, and air conditioning had shielded him from the elements.
金属、玻璃和空调都挡住了他
It had to be different on horseback.
骑马必须不同
You’ d be a part of it.
你会参与其中。
Still, Zach felt a little uneasy as he followed his mom to their room.
Zach跟随妈妈去他们的房间时 感觉有点不舒服
“Mom, are you sure this place is for us?”
“妈妈,你确定这是给我们的吗? “
he asked.
他问。
“I mean, the people in the photos don’t exactly look like us.”
照片上的人并不像我们。 “
“Give it a chance,” his mom urged gently, kicking off her shoes.
他的妈妈轻轻地劝说,
“Your uncle Grant said they had a great time when they came here last summer.”
“你的叔叔Grant说,他们去年夏天来到这里时玩得很开心。 “
The next morning, Zach embarked on his first horseback-riding lesson, fighting back a yawn.
第二天早上,扎克开始上他的第一个骑马的课,还击了一场打哈欠.
What sort of vacation made you wake up with the Sun?
什么样的假期让你和太阳一起醒来?
While the experienced kids saddled up for a trail ride, Zach and the other beginners learned the basics—the parts of the horse, the parts of the saddle, how not to get stomped or chomped on.
当经验丰富的孩子们骑马去骑小马时,扎克和其他初学者学习了基本知识——马的部分,鞍的部分,如何不被打倒或被打倒.
The riding instructors made everything look easy, but Zach’s horse, Gizmo, had other ideas.
但Zach的马Gizmo也有其他想法。
He had huge teeth and muscles like marble.
他有巨大的牙齿和肌肉 像大理石。
He refused to walk where Zach wanted to go, no matter how hard he tugged on the reins.
他拒绝走扎克想去的地方,不管他多努力地拉着绳子.
Why had nobody ever warned Zach just how big horses were in real life?
为什么没人警告过扎克 现实生活中的马有多大?
The afternoon hike was a relief in comparison: Zach looked up close at cacti, listened for birdcalls, and learned to identify different kinds of animal droppings.
比起下午的徒步旅行, 扎克在仙人掌附近看着,听了鸟叫声,并学会识别出不同种类的动物投放.
But walking around while cacti stabbed you with their spines was nowhere near as fun as a real ride through the desert.
但是在仙人掌刺你的时候走来走去 他们的脊椎和真正的穿越沙漠一样有趣
Would he ever be able to do that?
他能做到这一点吗?
The next day, Zach dragged his feet back toward the stables.
第二天,扎克把脚拖回了马厩。
Gizmo whinnied nervously as soon as he spotted Zach.
吉兹莫一发现扎克就发牢骚
It was going to be a tough week.
这将是一个艰难的一周。
Just then, a tall African American man in a giant white Stetson hat loped by.
刚刚,一个高个子的非裔美国人 戴着一顶巨大的白色斯德森帽被甩了
“ All right, where are my beginners?”
“...... 好吧,我的初学者呢? “
he boomed.
他兴奋了。
Zach blinked.
扎克眨眼了,我看见了
A black cowboy?
一个黑人牛仔?
Working as a ranch hand in New Mexico?
在新墨西哥州当牧场手?
“Saddle up,” the man instructed, and everyone leapt into action except for Zach, who was still staring.
除了Zach, 他仍然盯着他。
The ranch hand gave him a wink.
牧场的手给了他一眨眼。
“The name’s Mitch,” he said, tipping his hat.
他说, " 他的名字是Mitch " ,他顶起帽子。
“Zach,” Zach replied.
“Zach,”扎克回答。
He had no hat to tip.
他没有帽子给小费。
“Pleasure to meet you, Zach.
“很高兴见到你,扎克。
Now hop to it!”
现在跳起来! “
By the end of class, it was clear Zach was not keeping up.
到了课尾,查克显然没有跟上.
The other beginners were trotting, while Zach could barely direct Gizmo’s wanderings.
Zach几乎无法引导Gizmo的流浪者。
“Giddyup,” Zach growled, digging in his heels and wishing he had spurs like a real cowboy.
Zach咆哮地挖起他的脚跟,
But Gizmo stayed still.
但吉兹莫没动静
“Why don’t we spend a little time with Gizmo one-on-one?”
我们为什么不和吉兹莫单独相处一段时间呢? “
Mitch suggested.
米奇建议。
Zach’s face grew warm with embarrassment.
Zach的脸因尴尬而变暖.
“That’s okay,” he mumbled.
“没关系,”他喃喃自语。
“Horseback riding isn’t really my thing.”
骑马不是我的本事。 “
“That’s a load of manure,” Mitch replied.
米奇回答说,
He slipped a sugar cube into Zach’s hand.
他把一块糖放在Zach的手上。
“Sugar’s the first secret to cowboying,” he joked.
他开玩笑说,
“Keep your palm flat, now.”
“现在把你的手放平。 “
Gizmo gobbled up the sugar cube as fast as a jackrabbit.
吉兹莫像兔子一样快地把糖方块挖出
Zach grinned.
扎克笑了起来。
Mitch smiled back, then corrected Zach’s posture, adjusted his knees, and told him to loosen his grip on the reins.
Mitch笑了回来,然后纠正了Zach的姿势,调整了膝盖,并告诉他放松了对绳子的束缚.
“You’re in charge of the horse,” he said.
他说, " 你负责马事 " 。
“ Always remember that.”
“永远记住这一点。 “
Slowly, Zach took Gizmo for a walk around the pen.
慢慢地,扎克带着吉兹莫去走走钢笔.
This time, the horse followed his lead.
这次,马跟随他领跑.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about!
“现在,
You’re a natural,” Mitch declared.
你是天生的,
Zach took three more loops around the pen, a little faster each time, before Mitch told him to bring Gizmo back in.
扎克又绕了三个圈子来回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回
Zach straightened up, clutched the reins, and clucked his tongue—and this time, Gizmo veered wildly off course.
Zach把绳子拉直了 咬住他的舌头 这一次 Gizmo疯狂地偏离了航道
Mitch caught the reins just in time.
米奇及时抓住了绳子
“Whoa, boy.
“哇,孩子。
Whoa,” he cooed, gentling the horse.
哇,"他凝固了, 调侃了马。
“Just a rabbit underfoot.
“只是一只兔子脚下。
That’s all.
仅此而已。
Easy, now.”
慢慢来 “
Carefully, he helped Zach dismount.
他小心地帮助扎克下山
As soon as he reached the ground, Zach realized he was shaking.
扎克一到地上,就意识到自己在发抖.
“I don’t know,” he said, looking out over the land, remembering his earlier daydreams of galloping through the desert on horseback.
「我不知道, 」他说,
“I might not be cut out for this ranch stuff.”
“我可能不会因为这个牧场的事情而被剪除。 “
“Now what’s that supposed to mean?”
“现在这是什么意思? “
“I mean—well, come on,” Zach exclaimed.
"我的意思是,好,来吧," 扎克说。
“Being a cowboy isn’t for black folks, is it?”
“当牛仔不适合黑人, “
“You don’t think I’m a real cowboy?”
“你不认为我是真正的牛仔吗? “
Mitch asked pointedly.
米奇直截了当地问。
“I guess,” Zach said, rolling his eyes.
“我想,”扎克说,“滚动他的眼睛。
“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, son.
“孩子,
What do they teach kids at school these days?
这些天他们在学校教孩子什么?
There’s a long history of black cowboys!
黑人牛仔历史悠久!
In fact, in the old days, one out of every four cowboys was black.”
事实上,过去,每四个牛仔中就有一人是黑人. “
“No way!”
绝对不行!
Zach replied.
扎克回应.
Maybe cowboying could be for him, after all.
也许牛仔是他的,毕竟。
“Yes way,” Mitch said, “including some of the most famous ones!
“是的,”米奇说:“包括一些最出名的人!
Bose Ikard was a tracker in the early Texas cattle drives.
博斯·伊克德(Bose Ikard)是德克萨斯州早期牛群驱动器的追踪者.
Charley Willis was born a slave, died a bronco buster.
查理·威利斯生来就是个奴隶 死后是铜匠
Bill Pickett, rodeo star, started cowboying after fifth grade!”
比尔·皮克特(Bill Pickett),牛仔明星,五年级后开始牛仔生涯".
“Wow,” Zach breathed.
"哇,"扎克喘了口气。
Mitch chuckled.
米奇放弃了。
“It’s true.
" 这是真的。
For more than a hundred years, black cowboys found a special kind of freedom out here in the West.
一百多年来,黑人牛仔在西方发现了一种特殊的自由.
Sometimes they had to do the dirtiest, hardest work, but still they persisted.
有时,他们不得不做最肮脏,最艰苦的工作,但依然坚持不懈。
They proved themselves, rode with the other cowboys—white, Mexican, Native American, you name it.
他们证明了自己 和其他牛仔一起骑... 白人、墨西哥人、美洲原住民,你说的对
All were equals out under the desert sky.”
在沙漠的天空下,一切都是平等的 “
Only that morning, Zach had believed there was no place for him in the cowboy story of the West.
直到那天早晨,扎克才相信在"西部"的牛仔故事中他没有位置.
Suddenly, everything was different.
突然间 一切都不一样了
“Thank you,” he whispered.
“谢谢”,他低声说。
“No problem, bud,” Mitch said, then swept his big white Stetson off his head and plunked it down on top of Zach’s.
Mitch说,“没问题,伙计,”然后将他的大白种人Stetson从他头上扫出并把它倒在了Zach的上方。
The rest of the week, the only thing Zach could think and talk about was riding.
周余所出,而札克所想而论之事也,所出所出之事也.
He had a goal, now: to ride in the cattle drive.
他有一个目标,现在:骑上牛车。
He knew he was not ready yet to learn to lasso or barrel ride.
他知道自己还没有准备好 学会拉索或桶骑。
But he also knew if he kept at it, like Mitch had said, he would be able to prove himself.
但他也知道,如果他继续坚持下去,就像米奇所说,他将能够证明自己.
He started skipping the afternoon activities to saddle up and practice.
他开始跳过下午的活动,去鞍起并练习.
At night, he rode Gizmo in his dreams.
晚上,他在梦中骑着吉兹莫.
That didn’t stop his nerves, of course.
当然,
The morning of the cattle drive, he noticed all the cacti he could topple into, the rocks that could trip Gizmo.
牛车的早晨,他注意到了所有的仙人掌 他可以翻入,岩石可以绊倒吉兹莫。
“Ready, bud?”
“准备好了吗,伙计? “
asked Mitch.
问米奇。
“You bet,” Zach replied, squaring his shoulders, adjusting his Stetson—and then they were off.
扎克回答说,“你打赌,”扎克说,他肩上扎了根,调整了他的斯德森,然后他们就走了。
At first, all Zach could think about was his riding.
起初,扎克所能想到的只是他的骑术.
Back straight, knees up, eyes ahead, reins held low with thumbs up.
向后直走 膝盖向上 向前看 用拇指举起绳子
Mitch’s advice looped through Zach’s head: You’re in charge, but trust the horse.
Mitch的建议贯穿了Zach的头: 但相信马。
All around him rode the ranch hands and other guests.
他周围到处骑着牧场的手和其他客人.
Plenty of them were also beginners, Zach realized.
很多人也是初学者 Zach意识到了
He and Gizmo trotted confidently through the scrub.
他和吉兹莫满怀信心地穿过了洗手间
They weren’t galloping, no, but they were keeping pace!
他们并没有奔跑,
When they reached the herd, the cattle seemed unsure where to go, just like the guests.
当他们到达了牧群, 牛似乎不确定去哪里, 就像客人。
Zach glanced at his mom.
Zach看着他妈妈
How did a cattle drive work, exactly?
牛车怎么开的?
The cowboys knew.
牛仔们知道
“Hang tight!”
抓紧!
Mitch shouted as he and the other ranch hands spurred on their horses.
米奇喊着,当他和其他牧场的手 刺激他们的马。
It was like a big dance.
这就像一个大的舞蹈。
They surrounded the herd and began funneling them toward fresh grazing land.
他们包围了牧群,开始把牧群引向新的牧场。
Excitedly, Zach gave Gizmo a little kick.
令人兴奋的是,扎克给了吉兹莫一脚.
“Stick to the back!”
"站到后面来!"
Mitch called, and Zach scowled.
Mitch打来电话 Zach喊了
Why should he?
为什么?
Then he understood.
然后,他明白了。 \ N
After Mitch had helped move the herd forward, he circled back to Zach and his mom.
在米奇帮助将牛群推向前进后,他回旋了扎克和他的母亲.
“Now we round up the stragglers!
“现在我们围住那些散乱者!
That’s the best part.”
这是最好的部分。 “
Zach caught on quickly.
扎克抓住了迅速。
Whenever a lazy steer or distracted cow wandered off, he, Mitch, and his mom worked together to push it back into the herd.
每当一个懒惰的方向盘或分心的牛徘徊走去时,他,米奇,和他妈妈一起将它推回了牧群.
Cowboying turned out to be hot, sweaty, dirty work.
牛出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出入出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出
It was challenging, keeping track of the cattle and Gizmo at the same time.
追踪牛和吉兹莫,这是很艰难的。
Zach choked on a lot of dust, and his legs ached by the end of the day.
扎克被许多尘埃所窒息,他的腿被白昼所窒息.
Still, he’ d never had so much fun.
不过,
That night, nothing could dim Zach’s smile, though he was so sore that it hurt to walk.
当晚,没有什么能淡化扎克的笑容,虽然他很痛,走路很痛苦.
At the evening campfire, he collapsed beside his mom and crowed, “Best day ever!”
在傍晚的营火中,他倒在了妈妈旁边并叫喊着“最好的一天!
“You were awesome out there,” she said, smiling proudly.
她骄傲地说,“你在那里真棒。”
“Do you want to see?”
“你想看看吗? “
She rummaged in her pocket, and out came the last item Zach expected—his phone.
她从口袋里翻来翻去 最后一件Zach想得到的东西
With a quick swipe, his mom opened his photos.
他妈妈用快速刷子打开了他的相片
There was the cattle drive, in vivid detail: Zach and Gizmo trotting off toward the horizon; the two of them creeping up on a wayward steer; Zach dismounting, covered in dust.
牛的驱使, 生动的细节: 扎克和吉斯莫都奔向地平线;他们俩悄悄地爬上一条方向来;扎克已散去,却被尘埃所覆盖。
Looking through the pictures, Zach was whisked back to the incredible sensation of riding through the open desert, just the land and the sky and him and his horse.
看着照片 Zach 回到了那令人难以置信的感觉 骑着马穿过了沙漠 只有陆地和天空 还有他和他的马
“Oh man, wait until my friends see these!”
"哦,伙计,等我朋友们看到这些! “
Zach exclaimed.
札克赞叹.
But the words gave him pause.
但是这些话让他暂停了
The photos would make for great memories, but they were stealing him away from the here and now: his achy legs, the toasting marshmallows, the starlit sky, and the ranch hands crooning cowboy songs.
照片会给人们留下美好的回忆, 但是现在他们正在把他从这里偷走: 他的脚痛, 干燥的棉花糖, 星光的天空, 以及牧场的手鸣叫牛仔歌曲。
Across the fire, Mitch shot him a wink.
穿过大火,米奇向他眨了眼
“Thanks, Mom,” Zach said and popped a marshmallow into his mouth.
"谢谢,妈妈," Zach说把棉花糖扔进他嘴里
“But you know what?
“但你知道吗?
Right now, I don’t want to be anywhere but here.”
现在,我不想去任何地方, “