in the Desert
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
After my encounter with the octopus thing chasing me, I can’t bring myself to meander through the woods.
我遇到章鱼追我后,
I can’t just stand around, though, so I follow the narrow strip of land between the forest and the cliff’s edge.
但我不能袖手旁观, 所以我沿着森林和悬崖边缘之间的狭长地带走。
Occasionally, I hear something crashing through the foliage, and I hide until it disappears.
有时,我听到一些东西 坠入叶子, 我隐藏直到它消失。
Eventually, the forest turns off to my right and is replaced by a vast expanse of scorched earth.
最终,森林向右转去,被一幅广阔的焦土所取而代之.
I decide to continue following the forest— something about the charred, smoking ground seems more threatening than the looming trees.
我决定继续跟随森林——关于被烧焦的烟地的事物,似乎比正在倒塌的树木更具威胁性.
I see no indication of Sarah or Jake, though I’m too frightened of attracting attention to yell.
虽然我害怕引起人们的注意,
I hope they’re okay.
希望他们没事,
As I walk, whenever I’m thirsty, I happen upon a trickling stream of cool, clean water just beyond the forest’s edge.
当我走的时候,每当我口渴时,我就会在森林边缘外的一股清凉而干净的水流中发生。
I also find blackberry and raspberry bushes whenever I’m hungry.
我饿的时候也会找到黑莓和树莓树丛。
It seems a little convenient, but I’m just grateful not to starve.
似乎有点方便,
After I trudge ahead for some time, the forest veers off to the right again, and an uninviting ocean of dry, cracked dirt stretches before me.
在我向前推了一段时间后 森林再次向右飘去 一片干燥而破碎的海洋 伸展在我面前
In the distance, beyond radiating waves of heat, I see a dark spot.
在遥远的距离里,超越了热浪的辐射,我看到了一个暗地.
It could be anything, but it seems significant enough to be worth exploring.
它可能是什么,但似乎足够重要,值得探索。
It’s time to alter my approach, so I abandon the forest.
因此我放弃森林。
I guzzle as much water as I can from a nearby stream and set off.
我尽我所能从附近的一条小溪里 塞入出水
The second I step onto the cracked earth, the Sun seems to increase in size and intensity.
我踏入破碎之地的第二步,太阳的体积和强度似乎在增加。
The cool breeze I didn’t even realize I enjoyed by the forest immediately disappears, replaced by radiant heat from all directions.
我甚至没有意识到我享受森林的清凉微风,
Sweat trickles down my neck and back.
汗从我脖子上和背上流下
The place reminds me of our family trip to Death Valley.
这地方让我想起了我们家去死亡谷的旅程
Mom said it had been one of Uncle Jasper’s favorite places—before he disappeared.
妈妈说那是贾斯珀叔叔最喜欢的地方之一,
He liked the desolation, she explained to me.
他喜欢荒凉 她向我解释
He felt he could truly be alone with his thoughts in a place like that.
他觉得自己可以独自在这样的地方思考
I didn’t understand then, but as I walk in the incredible heat, I can’t help but think.
我当时并不明白, 但当我走在不可思议的热量中,
I met Uncle Jasper only once that I can remember.
我只见过贾斯珀叔叔一次 我还记得
It was my birthday, and he gave me a small, leather-bound notebook.
那是我的生日 他给了我一本皮革质的笔记本
He was tall with red hair, and seemed like a stranger.
他身高有红色发型,看起来像个陌生人.
Mom forced me to thank him and give him a hug.
妈妈逼我感谢他 并给他一个拥抱。
I don’t know what happened to that book.
我不知道那本书发生了什么。
As I plod ahead, the dark spot before me grows until I can see it’s a small house with a flat roof, small windows, and a narrow door.
我前方的黑暗地段渐渐长起,
The promise of shelter from the heat encourages me to increase my pace.
避热的诺言鼓励我加快速度。
As I approach the structure, the ground begins to transform.
当我接近结构时,地面开始变形。
The hard, cracked dirt gives way to sand so soft and fine that it feels as if I’m walking on a cloud.
坚硬而破碎的泥土让位于柔软而精致的沙子,
I reach down and pick up a handful.
我伸手拿起几个
It’s cool to the touch, and makes me feel as if I’m holding a breath in my hand as it slips between my fingers.
也让我觉得自己手里有口臭,
My spirits suddenly lift, and I start to walk faster.
我的精神突然升起,我开始走得更快。
The house is quaint, made out of bricks of dirt and coated with a sparkling layer of the soft sand.
房屋为古建筑,由土砖砌成并涂有一层闪闪发光的软沙.
As I place my hand on the wooden door, a dog begins to bark.
当我把手放在木门上,一只狗开始叫叫.
I’d recognize that bark anywhere—Odie!
我会在任何地方都认出树叫 奥迪!
I throw open the door and my brother’s dog dances around my feet.
我打开门,
When I pick him up, he gives me an enthusiastic tongue bath, and for once I don’t mind his awful breath.
他给我一个热情的舌头洗澡,
“Jake!”
贾克!
I call.
我打电话了。
“Jake, are you here?”
"杰克,你在这里吗? “
There’s no response but Odie’s excited whining.
Odie激动地抱怨,
The temperature inside the house feels nearly twenty degrees cooler.
室内温度更凉快20度了
It takes a minute for my vision to adjust to the dimness, but when it does, I see that a table and a couple of chairs sit against one wall, and a comfortable-looking bed sits against the opposite wall.
我的视力需要一分钟才能适应阴暗,但当它出现时,我看到一张桌子和一对椅子坐在一面墙上,而一张舒适的床坐在一面墙上.
At the far end of the room is a fireplace with a small rack and a pot for cooking hanging over a pile of ashes.
房间最远的一端是一个壁炉,有一个小架子和一个锅来做饭,挂在一堆灰烬上.
I also discover a jar of the freshest-tasting water I’ve ever had.
也发现一罐最新鲜的水,
After drinking my fill, and putting some water in a small bowl for Odie, I plan my next move.
喝完我的填料 给Odie放入一碗水后 我打算下一步行动
This place is obviously cared for by someone.
这地方显然有人照顾
I don’t think the person would want some stranger hanging out and drinking all the water.
我觉得他不希望陌生人闲逛,
I’ve been walking for so long, though, and need to rest.
需要休息。
The bed looks so comfortable and inviting.
床看起来很舒服很受欢迎
A small nap couldn’t hurt.
睡一觉不会痛。
I climb onto the bed, and Odie curls up next to me.
我爬到床上 奥迪在我旁边卷起来
In seconds, I’m fast asleep.
我很快就睡着了,
When I wake, it’s dark.
当我醒来时,
Odie snores at my side as I yawn.
Odie打呼噜时在我身边打呼噜
It feels like I’ve been asleep for ages.
似乎我已经睡了好几年。
Moonlight creeps in from the small windows, giving the place a chilling glow.
月光从小窗户爬入,给地上带来寒冷的光芒.
Something shifts in the sands outside, and I freeze.
有东西在外边的沙地上转动 我冻住了
It shifts again, just barely audible above Odie’s gentle snores.
它又在转动,几乎无法在奥迪温和的打呼声上扬起。
Slowly, I climb off the bed.
慢慢地,我从床上爬下来。
I creep to the window and cautiously peek out.
我爬到窗户上,小心地偷看
The sky is an inky indigo, with a spattering of stars that appear unfamiliar.
天空是虚无的地步 有一堆似乎陌生的星星
Pulling myself up more, I can observe the silky sand outside the entrance—and something underneath is moving.
我可以看到入口外有丝质的沙子,
A small lump, a little smaller than Odie, shifts around the area in front of the house.
一个小块子,比奥迪还小一点,在房子前面的地盘上转来转去.
My breath catches in my throat.
我喉咙里有口臭
Could it be one of those things?
会不会是那种东西?
If it is, that flimsy door won’t keep it out, and I have no place to flee.
如果是这样,那扇虚弱的门就挡不住了,我没有地方可逃了。
I can only stare as the lump shifts, the sand shimmering over it in the moonlight.
我只能凝视一阵子的转变 沙子在月光下闪烁
Suddenly, Odie leaps off the bed, and before I can nab him, he’s at the door scratching and whining as though he wants to go outside.
突然,Odie从床上跳出,在我逮到他之前,他正在门口抓挠并抱怨,好像他想出去一样。
“Odie, knock it off,” I hiss.
"Odie,别闹了,"我也是
The dog looks at me, wags his tail with his ears pushed back, and whimpers.
这只狗看着我,用耳朵扭回他的尾巴, 和呜咽。
I return to the window, and the lump has frozen in place.
我回到了窗户, 肿块已经冻结在原地。
Then, with frightening speed, it shoots forward and slams against the wood.
然后,以可怕的速度,它向前射击,并猛击木头.
I dart over and grab Odie, who squirms like an angry snake, but I hold on—my eyes locked on the space under the door.
我飞过去抓着Odie,他像条愤怒的蛇一样挥舞,但我紧紧抓住——我的眼睛锁住门下空间.
Whatever the thing outside is, it’s moving, causing the door to shudder.
不管外面是什么,它都在移动,导致门震动。
It’s definitely attempting to get in.
这绝对是试图进入。
Something long and thin snakes under the door and slowly climbs the inside—it’s a tentacle.
门下有细长的蛇,
I restrain my scream.
我控制我的尖叫声。
Another tentacle wriggles through the crack, and I clutch Odie tighter.
又一个触手从缝隙中扭过 我更紧地抓住了Odie
I have no escape.
我无法逃脱
“I can’t believe he let that mongrel in the house and latched the door,” someone says.
」有人说,
Odie and I are definitely alone.
奥迪和我绝对孤单
The voice is coming from outside.
声从外出.
“Jasper!
“亚斯珀!
Jasper, you in there?”
贾斯珀,你在里面吗? “
The door rattles.
门响起.
“Jasper,” I whisper, confused.
" 亚斯珀,"我低语,感到困惑。
This thing couldn’t be talking about my uncle—could it?
这件事不可能是我叔叔的事,
“I’m not cleaning up any mess that beast created.
「我不会清理野兽所生出的任何混乱。
If you’re in there, open the door,” the thing continues, tentacles flailing.
如果你在里面,打开门,“事情还在继续,触手会飞来飞去。
“Jasper’s not here!”
「贾斯珀不在这里!
I blurt out.
我有点模糊
The thing stops moving for a moment, then it shrieks, “Thief!
事情停止了一瞬间,然后它喊道:“Thief!
Burglar!
盗贼!
Rapscallion!”
强奸!”
“I’m none of those things—I think.
"我不是那些东西... 我觉得
I’m not too sure of the last one,” I reply.
我不太确定最后一件,
“It defines you, you miscreant.
“它定义了你们,你们这个恶棍。
Let me in, and I’ll show you what for.”
让我进去, “
“That doesn’t make me want to open the door for you!”
这并不意味着我想为你开门。 “
The thing pauses, and I can feel it thinking.
事情暂停,我可以感觉到它思考。
“You’re right.
" 你说得对。
I apologize profusely,” it says.
我非常抱歉,”它说。
“It’s dark and frigid out here, and I’m.
「这里很黑又冷淡,
I’m frightened, okay.
我很害怕,好吗?
You’ve bamboozled the truth from me, and now it’s out.
你从我身上抹去真相,
This world is not as benign as it once was—a little vagabond like myself will be captured by those baddies almost immediately.”
这个世界并不像从前那样善良——像我这样的小流浪者几乎会立即被那些坏人所抓住. “
It sounds sincere, and its tentacles have stopped flailing.
这听起来很真诚,它的触角已经停止了闪烁.
“If I let you in, you won’t attack me?
“如果我让你进来,
I’ve already been attacked by one horrible tentacled creature.
我已经被一个可怕的触角生物袭击了。
I don’t think I could handle another.”
我无法应付另一个问题。 “
“I’m hardly horrible,” it scoffs.
我一点也不可怕,
“Calling me such offends my delicate sensibilities.”
“这样叫我会冒犯我的敏感度。 “
I cautiously stand and open the door.
我谨慎地站着,打开了门。
Odie squirms out of my arms and darts outside to do his business.
奥迪从我的手臂和飞镖出门 来做他的事。
The thing and I stare at each other for a moment.
这件事情和我凝视了一会儿
It appears similar to the creature from the forest, though it’s not threatening at all—in fact, it’s kind of adorable.
这似乎与森林中的生物相似,
Its bulbous eyes glint in the moonlight, and its bluish-green skin sparkles where it’s covered in sand.
在月光下,它闪闪发光的双眼闪闪发光,在被沙子覆盖的地方,它闪闪发光的绿色皮肤闪发光。
It moves past me on its tentacles and climbs onto the table.
它在触角上穿过我 爬上桌子
“Fabulous, another human,” it sighs.
“另一个人,令人惊叹”。
“Precisely what we needed.”
“确切地说,我们需要什么。 “