the Tunnel
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
“Well this is a fine predicament you’ve gotten yourselves into,” says the cat as it trots beside Sarah.
猫在莎拉身边摇晃地说,
On her other side, Jake giggles, as he does every time the cat speaks.
在她的另一边,杰克笑了, 就像他每次猫说话一样。
They have been marching for some time through the charred remains of the fields.
他们已经走了一段时间 穿过被烧焦的地盘
After the village burned, the creatures surrounded Sarah, Jake, and the cat, and started silently shuffling them along.
村庄被烧毁后,生物们包围了莎拉,杰克和猫,并开始悄悄地把他们打乱.
“How was I supposed to know?”
“我怎么会知道? “
Sarah whispers, keeping an eye on the creatures.
莎拉低声说话,看着那些生物.
They haven’t actually stopped them from talking, but something tells her they don’t really like it.
他们并没有阻止他们说话,
“You wouldn’t know a trap if it came up and smacked you on the face—I can say that with confidence,” the cat snaps.
你根本不知道一个陷阱, 我可以自信地说,“猫会崩溃。
Sarah rubs her cheek and feels her face grow hot.
莎拉擦出她的脸颊,觉得她的脸变热了.
Jake snickers.
杰克・斯尼克斯。
“If you’re so smart, what were you doing there?”
“如果你这么聪明,你在那里做什么? “
Sarah asks.
莎拉问.
“Following them!
“跟着他们去!
Why is my own business,” the cat says, flicking its tail and flattening its ears.
这只猫说,为什么我自己的事业是“闪出尾巴并平平了耳朵。
“Young man, if you laugh at me one more time, I swear I’m going to give you such a swipe.”
“年轻人,如果你再嘲笑我一次,我发誓我会给你这样一招。 “
“You’re a talking cat!
"你是一个说话的猫!
That’s amazing!”
这真是惊人!
Jake says, too loudly for comfort.
Jake说,太大声了 安慰。
Sarah glances around and gets the sense that if these creatures could scowl, they would be doing it now.
Sarah四处找找 觉得如果这些生物能爬出水面 他们现在就会这么做
“I’ve always been able to speak—just the cat part is new.
我总是能说话,
It’s not like I had a choice in the matter.”
我并没有选择。 “
The cat huffs and shoots Sarah a disgruntled look before pausing to scratch its ear with its hind leg.
猫大呼小叫并射出莎拉一副不高兴的表情,然后才用后腿抓起耳朵来.
“This place has changed so much since I was last here,” it continues.
“自从我上次来到这里以来,这个地方发生了很大变化。”
“Everything is starting to fray around the edges, which would explain why Mother sent us.”
母亲为何派我们来, “
“You’re just talking in riddles,” Sarah says.
Sarah说,
“I hoped you’ d have figured it out by now—it’s me, Thomas,” the cat says with a smile, as much as a cat can smile.
“我希望你现在已经明白,
“ Aren’t you a boy like me?”
“...... 你不是像我这样的男孩吗? “
Jake asks.
杰克问。
“I was, more or less, until I went through the ornate door behind Sarah and your sister.
“我几乎是,直到我穿过莎拉和你的姐姐后面的自然之门。
I didn’t think I could go through, but here I am, transformed into a cat.
我没想到自己能走过去,
I’m guessing you have more questions.”
我猜你还有更多的问题。 “
“That’s an understatement,” Sarah says.
Sarah说,
“Let me see if I can answer them all.
“让我看看能否回答所有问题。
You’re in a new world, and the ornate door brought you here.
自然之门把你带到这里。
I’m guessing, given your costume, you were thinking about cats at some point during the transition between your world and this world, hence the change in my appearance as I followed you.
我猜,鉴于你的相貌, 在你的世界和这个世界的过渡过程中, 你一直在思考猫的问题,
You haven’t realized this yet, but in this realm, you have immense power.
你还没有意识到这一点,但在这个领域,你拥有巨大的力量。
The kind of power that could make your wildest dreams come true—the kind of power that will allow you to find your mother.
那种能让你最疯狂的梦想成真的力量 那种能让你找到你母亲的力量
I’m here to help make that happen.”
我是来帮助实现这一点的。 “
“You know where my mom is?”
“你知道我妈妈在哪吗? “
Sarah squeals.
莎拉叫声。
“Do you know where Odie and Qynn are?”
“你知道奥迪和克恩在哪里吗? “
Jake asks.
杰克问。
“Not exactly, but I have a good idea of someone who does—getting to her won’t be easy or safe, though.”
但我有很好的想法, “
“I don’t feel very safe as it is, so if it will get me closer to my mom, I’ll give anything a try.”
我并不觉得安全, 所以如果这能让我更接近我妈妈, “
“That’s what I wanted to hear,” Thomas hisses happily.
“这就是我想听到的,”托马斯·希斯高兴地说:
“These things are actually extremely stupid.
“这些事情实际上是极其愚蠢的。
I’m going to cause a commotion, and when they’re distracted, you and Jake can make a break for it.
我将引起骚动, 当他们分心时,
They’re dumb, but they’re fast, so as soon as you’re free and I give you the word, imagine you’re running into a cave—a long, deep, dark cave.”
所以只要你自由了, 我就会告诉你, 想象你正跑入一个洞穴——一个长而深而暗的洞穴。 “
“I don’t get it,” Sarah says.
Sarah说,
“Just trust me—you trust me, right?”
"相信我,你相信我,对吧? “
Sarah isn’t sure, but she wants to—she has to.
Sarah并不确定, 但她想,
What choice does she have other than remaining a prisoner of these terrifying creatures?
除了被这些可怕的生物囚禁之外 她还有什么选择?
Sarah nods, and Thomas’s tail flicks back and forth.
Sarah点头, 托马斯的尾巴反倒闪起来。
“Get ready to run,” Thomas says.
托马斯说,“准备好逃跑吧。”
He springs up to Sarah’s shoulder and then explodes toward the largest, meanest looking creature—hissing, claws extended, tail puffed to three times its normal size.
他跳到Sarah的肩膀上,然后向着最大、最卑鄙的外观生物爆炸 -- -- 他的长相、爪子、尾巴膨胀到正常大小的三倍。
The other creatures seem frozen in shock as the fluffy white cat pummels the thing with his paws.
其他生物似乎在被惊吓地冻住 被松动的白猫用爪子砸出东西
The creature’s tentacles begin to swat wildly, but Thomas is a white blur.
人类的触角开始疯狂地挥发,
The other things begin to swarm over each other to help their fellow creature until they become a mass of dark, writhing tentacles interspersed with glimpses of white fur.
其他的东西开始相接相接地相接地来帮助同伴生物,直到它们变成一团黑暗的花纹相接的触角相接相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接地相接
Sarah grabs Jake’s arm and starts to sprint in the opposite direction.
萨拉抓住 Jake的手臂开始向相反方向跑去。
At first, the creatures don’t seem to notice, but a quick glance behind shows that at least a few have turned away from the chaos caused by Thomas.
起初,这些生物似乎并没注意到,但从后面的一瞬间看,至少有几个生物已经避开了托马斯造成的混乱。
Sarah’s legs are already burning after the long day of marching.
Sarah的腿在漫长行进后已经烧焦了。
A white streak zips past Sarah and Jake, and she hears Thomas yell, “NOW!”
她听到托马斯大叫“诺瓦!
Without stopping, Sarah begins to imagine a long, dark cave.
没有停下来,莎拉开始想象一个漫长而黑暗的洞穴.
The Cave of the Lost comes to mind, and Qynn’s quacking duck light, and how terrified they’ d been of the children’s laughter and footsteps.
以及他们对于孩子们的欢笑和脚步的恐惧。
That was nothing compared to now.
跟现在相比,这不算什么
Sarah can feel that the creatures are at their heels, even though they move silently.
莎拉可以感觉到这些生物在他们的后跟,尽管它们默默地移动.
She imagines the entrance to the cave, weathered rocks and gray-green lichen, the cool air just beyond the mouth promising a long, safe darkness.
她想象洞穴的入口 风化的岩石和灰绿色地衣 嘴外的凉爽空气 预示着漫长安全的黑暗
As she holds this image in her mind, she feels the ground begin to rumble slightly, and then more violently.
当她把这个形象放在她心目中时,她觉得地面开始轻微地翻滚,然后更加暴力.
There before her, rising out of the ground as if summoned, is the cave entrance she just imagined.
在她面前,从地上爬出,仿佛被召唤, 是她刚刚想象的洞口。
If the creatures weren’t right behind them, she would stop to marvel at the phenomenon that just took place.
如果生物不在他们身后,
Instead, she follows Thomas as he darts into the darkness.
相反,她跟随托马斯飞入黑暗中.
They’re running blind now, Sarah hoping none of them trip or smack their heads in the enveloping blackness.
他们眼睁睁地看着,
“We need a cave-in,” Thomas shouts, his voice echoing.
“我们需要一个洞穴,”托马斯呼喊,他的声音呼应。
“Imagine the tunnel behind us collapsing.
“想象我们后面的隧道倒塌。
Hurry, they’re coming!”
他们来了!
Even though she can’t actually see anything, she visualizes the passageway, their footsteps like thunder shaking the walls.
尽管她无法真正看到任何东西,
Cracks form and split wide as the weight of the ground above forces the rock to give way.
裂缝形成并被宽裂,因为地上重量迫使岩石让位.
She imagines each step sending powerful reverberations behind them and immediately hears the rumbling caused by their steps increasing.
她想象每一步都会在他们身后发出强烈的反响,并立即听到由他们步高所引发的隆起.
Stone breaks and shatters like gunshots and the tunnel behind them collapses.
石块会像枪声一样被打碎 后面的地道会倒塌
Sarah slows to a walk and then stops completely, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath.
Sarah走得慢,然后完全停止 她的胸口在呼吸时颤抖
“That was exciting!
“这令人兴奋!
Let’s do it again,” Jake says beside her.
Jake说,
“I’ d rather not,” Sarah says.
Sarah说,
Sarah starts to run again, but slower this time.
Sarah又开始跑了 但这次要慢一点
“We can’t stop.
“我们不能停下来。
They’re even faster in the dark,” Thomas says in front of them.
在黑暗中,
“The collapse will only slow them down for a while, and we have a long way to go.
“崩溃只会使他们暂时放慢,我们还有很长的路要走。
Keep moving!”
继续前进!”
“I wish we had some light,” she says, and just then she hears the sound of quacking.
“我希望我们有一些光,”她说,就在那时,她听到了震动的声音。
Then, she sees a warm yellow glow before them that grows until it almost hurts her eyes.
然后,她看到一个温暖的黄色发光 在他们面前,它生长 直到它几乎伤害她的眼睛。
“I love this place!”
"我爱这个地方!"
Jake calls over the quacking.
Jake打过来了
As her eyes adjust, Sarah sees they’ve run right into a flock of ducks with brightly glowing bills.
Sarah看到他们正撞上一群光亮照亮的账单的鸭子。
They waddle about the tunnel floor, seemingly happy as can be.
他们抱怨着隧道的地上, 似乎可以快乐。
Sarah can’t help but laugh at their adorableness.
Sarah忍不住嘲笑他们的可爱。
One of the ducks nips at Thomas’s tail, and he growls.
其中一只鸭子在托马斯的尾巴,他咆哮.
“Let’s keep moving.”
" 让我们继续前进。 “
They continue down the tunnel at a steady pace, the ducks with glowing bills doing their best to waddle along, and then flapping over the trio to light the way ahead.
他们继续稳步地走下地道, 有发光的账单的鸭子们尽了最大努力地走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走着走
The raucous light coming from the ducks comforts Sarah just as Qynn’s flashlight did in the Cave of the Lost.
鸭子所发出的光能安慰莎拉,
Sarah hopes Qynn is okay, wherever she is.
萨拉希望 琴没事,不管她在哪
They continue for a long time—what seems like days to Sarah.
它们持续了很长一段时间——对莎拉来说似乎是几天。
The tunnel twists and turns, sometimes sloping up or down.
隧道会曲折地转,有时会向上或向下倾斜.
Sarah asks where they are going, but Thomas says they should trust the tunnel to take them where they need to be.
莎拉问他们要去哪里,但托马斯说,他们应该信任隧道,把他们带到他们需要的地方去.
Jake seems oblivious to the dangers or strangeness, which is good, Sarah thinks.
Jake似乎忽略了危险或奇怪 这很好 Sarah认为
Only occasionally does he ask her if she thinks Odie is okay.
只是偶尔他会问她,如果她觉得 奥迪没事
He even asks Thomas if he knows where the dog is, but Thomas doesn’t know.
他甚至问托马斯是否知道狗在哪里,
The ducks are incessant.
鸭子是不停地。
What started out as adorable quacking has become the most obnoxious sound ever.
一开始的可爱的叫声成为了有史以来最讨厌的声音.
Sometimes, Sarah looks behind them and thinks she can see the writhing of the creatures following, but they never come into the light.
有时,莎拉看着他们身后,认为她可以看到随行生物的花纹,但是它们从未入出过光明.
Finally, they see a different kind of light illuminating the tunnel walls—daylight.
最后,他们看到不同种类的光照亮了隧道的墙壁——日光。
Sarah breaks into a sprint and leaps into the glorious day, shielding her sensitive eyes.
莎拉冲入跑道并跳入了辉煌的一天,遮住她敏感的眼睛.
The air smells of grass and other green things.
空中闻有草等绿事.
When she can see again, Sarah realizes that she’s standing in a forest clearing.
Sarah意识到自己站在一片森林中。
A swift stream burbles around the edge, flanked by the tallest trees she’s ever seen.
由她见过的最高的树木相接而来。
Before her is a large, wooden house with colored glass in the windows and a water wheel spinning lazily in the back.
在她之前是一栋大木屋,窗户有彩色玻璃,后部有水轮在懒惰地旋转.
“It’s good to be home,” Thomas says as he bounds across the grass toward the front door.
托马斯说,“回家真好,”当他穿过草地到前门时。
The ducks mill about at the entrance to the cave, their panicked quacks striking Sarah as a warning.
在洞口的鸭子磨坊 他们惊慌失措地袭击了莎拉作为警告
She pushes the thought out of her mind.
她把想法推出她的脑海
She trusts Thomas.
她信任托马斯
Sarah takes Jake’s hand and begins to walk toward the house.
Sarah牵着Jake的手,
She doesn’t see the sign hanging behind the lamp next to the door that reads, “Porter’s Mill.”
她没有看到灯后挂着的标志, “