Westward Journey
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
How in all creation did I land here?
我怎么会在这里降落?
thought eleven-year-old Jessie Townsend.
以为11岁的杰西・汤森。
The wheels of his family’s covered wagon rolled over the uneven ruts that marked the beginning of a 2,000-mile wagon-train journey west.
他家被覆盖的马车的轮子翻过两千里长的马车火车向西行驶的不均匀的轮子。
Oregon Country promised flowers that bloomed all year, free land ripe for farming, and rivers and streams overflowing with fish; but none of this bounty mattered to Jessie.
俄勒冈州承诺全年开花,自由地成熟可以耕作,河流和溪流溢出鱼;但是这些赏金对杰西来说都无关紧要.
His closest friends and favorite fishing hole remained in Ohio.
他最亲密的朋友和最爱的钓鱼洞留在了俄亥俄州.
With a clenched jaw and downward-fixed eyes, Jessie jostled around—back and forth, up and down—on one of the 36 wagons slowly rolling west, and refused to see the beauty of the wide-open spaces.
Jessie用一双下巴和下接的双眼, 在36辆马车中,
Why did we ever leave Ohio?
为什么我们离开俄亥俄州?
he thought as he leaped down from the wagon.
他从马车上跳下来时想着
With slumping shoulders, he then grabbed a pebble from his shoe and forcefully flung it to the ground.
然后他用倒地的肩膀,从鞋上取出一块卵石并强行将其扔到地上。
Huddled together inside the oxen-pulled wagon were Jessie’s mother and eight-year-old sister.
杰西的母亲和8岁的妹妹一起被牛推倒了。
His mother and sister looked alike with their brightly-colored cotton dresses and bonnets that his mother had hand-sewn.
他的母亲和妹妹长得像 他们的明亮颜色的棉裙和被他母亲手工缝制的被子.
Jessie and his father looked like mirror images in the grey cotton pants, grey shirts, and hats that Jessie’s mother had also sewn.
杰西和他父亲在灰色棉裤,灰色衬衫和帽子上看起来像镜子相像,杰西的母亲也缝过.
Jessie and his father routinely walked side by side during the 10 to 15 miles the wagon train travelled each day.
杰西和他父亲在每天行驶的10到15英里的马车中经常并肩行走.
In the wagon following, another eleven-year- old—a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl named Bessie—noticed Jessie walking on the flat prairie beside his family’s wagon.
在后面的马车上,又一个11岁的金发蓝眼睛女孩叫Bessie,
She thought he looked about her age and wondered whether he might be interested in playing with her and Wag.
她认为他看着她的年龄,并想知道他是否有兴趣与她和瓦格一起玩.
Bessie jumped down from the wagon and threw Wag’s favorite ball into the high prairie grass in the general direction of the boy.
贝西从马车上跳下,将瓦格最喜爱的一球倒入高草原上,朝男孩的大方向走去.
“Come on, Wag,” Bessie coaxed, “go fetch.”
“来吧,瓦格,”贝西说,“去取来。 “
Wag, a four-year-old golden retriever, took off in an instant.
瓦格,一个四岁的取金者,瞬间就起飞了.
He cavorted like a puppy as he sprang forward, hurtled toward the ball, retrieved it, and presented it back to Bessie before she could take more than one step.
他像只小狗跑来跑去 朝球走去 取回了它 并把它还给贝西 在她走多一步之前
The boy ahead barely noticed the ruckus created by the energetic dog’s mad dash for his toy.
前方的男孩几乎没注意到那条精力充沛的狗为他的玩具而疯狂地跑来制造的骚动。
Bessie’s attempt to snare the boy’s attention had failed.
Bessie试图缠住男孩的注意力,但失败了。
Maybe he doesn’t care beans for dogs, Bessie thought.
也许他不在乎狗吃豆子,
Then, Wag distracted her by nudging her hand and dropping the ball into it.
然后,瓦格通过将手裸出并投入球来分散她的注意力.
Though Wag was a dog, he moved as quickly as a rabbit and could play for hours and hours and never tire.
虽然瓦格是只狗,但他动作快得像只兔子,可以玩上几个小时,从不累.
Bessie likened herself more to a tortoise than a hare and was always first to end their fetching games.
贝西更把自己比作一头乌龟,而不是一头兔子,并且总是首先结束他们的取来游戏.
As Bessie walked beside the wagon a few days later, she began to feel dizzy, and the feeling worsened as the day grew longer.
当贝西几天后走在马车旁时,她开始感到头晕,随着白天的长长,感觉更加恶化.
Uh-oh, my stomach is doing flip-flops, she thought.
哦,哦,我的胃在做翻转花,她认为。
And my head is beginning to feel like flour kneaded into pie dough.
我的头开始觉得 面粉被炒成馅饼了
Bessie didn’t want to be treated like a baby and be confined to the wagon—so she hid her illness as long as possible.
Bessie不想被像婴儿一样对待,
At dinnertime, however, when the wagon train set up camp for the night, Bessie could no longer fake feeling well.
然而,在晚餐时间,当马车列车搭起营地过夜时,贝西再也无法假装感觉好.
When her mother, Sarah, caught a glimpse of her in the firelight, she immediately felt Bessie’s forehead and realized that her daughter was burning up with fever.
当她的母亲莎拉在火光中一窥到她时,她立即感觉到了贝西的前额并意识到她的女儿被发烧所烧.
“Go lie down, Bessie,” Sarah ordered.
"去躺下吧,贝西,"莎拉下令。
“I’ll bring you a cupful of bitters to drink.
我将带一杯苦酒来给你们。
I want you lying on that mattress until you’re feeling better.”
我要你躺在床垫上直到你感觉好点为止。 “
“Yes, ma’am, but what about my responsibilities to Wag?
“是的,女士,但我对瓦格的责任呢?
Who will take care of him?”
谁来照顾他? “
“I’ll feed him and give him water,” Sarah said.
Sarah说:"我会喂他,并给他取水"。
“Yes, but who will entertain him?
“是的,但谁来招待他?
He’s used to me playing with him every day.”
他习惯我每天和他玩. “
“I’m sorry, Bessie, but none of us has the time to watch him or play with him,” said her father, William.
" 对不起,贝西,但我们都没有时间看他或和他玩",她说她的父亲威廉.
“Don’t worry.
" 别担心。
He’ll be fine.”
他不会有事的。 “
That night, Bessie slept fitfully as her fever climbed ever higher.
当晚 贝丝睡得安稳,她的发烧愈发高.
Plaguing her sleep were nightmares of Wag being lonely, wandering the vast prairie, and searching for her from far behind the wagon train.
笼罩着她的睡眠,是沃格孤独的噩梦,徘徊于广阔的草原上,从马车列车后方很远的地方寻找她.
Two mornings later as the wagon train prepared to break camp, Jessie walked up to Bessie’s father.
Jessie走到了Bessie的父亲身边。
“Uh, pardon me, sir, where is the little girl who plays with the dog?
“对不起,先生,那个和狗玩的小女孩在哪里?
Is she in good health?”
她身体好吗? “
“I’m afraid our daughter is ill with fever, so she’s abed inside the wagon.”
我们的女儿患了发烧, “
“Oh, sorry,” said Jessie apologetically, knowing others in the wagon train were suffering from a similar affliction.
" 哦,对不起,"杰西很乐观地说,在马车列车上认识的其他人也遭受了类似的痛苦.
“Where’s her dog?”
她的狗在哪里? “
he asked.
他问。
“He sleeps next to her most of the day,” answered Bessie’s father.
贝西的父亲回答说,
“I mean no disrespect, but is he getting any exercise?”
“我的意思不是不尊重他,但他是否得到任何锻炼? “
Jessie asked.
杰西问。
“Is anyone paying attention to him when he’s rambling around?”
" 有人在闲逛时注意他吗? “
“We’re too busy to worry about that, I’m afraid,” said Sarah as she reloaded the breakfast supplies.
莎拉在重新装入早餐时说,
“Well, maybe I could come by and tend to his exercise each day,” offered Jessie, “at least until your daughter is feeling better.”
Jessie说:“至少在你女儿感觉好些之前, “
“Well, that would be very kind of you,” said Sarah.
莎拉说,“那么,那会是非常好的你,”
“Bessie would truly appreciate your taking an interest in Wag.”
“贝西会非常感激你对瓦格的兴趣。”
“Oh, it’s no trouble, ma’am,” said Jessie.
Jessie说,
“I’ll come back later this afternoon to tend to him.”
" 我今天下午晚些时候回来照顾他。 “
That night, Bessie’s illness became as severe as her parents had ever seen.
当晚,贝西的病情变得像她父母所见过的一样严重.
Chills shook Bessie’s body as Sarah spoon-fed her all the medicine they had to make her well.
寒冷震撼了贝西的身体,
It seemed as though nothing improved her condition.
似乎没有什么能改善她的状况。
Earlier that morning, an elderly woman had died from sickness.
当天早晨早些时候,一名老年妇女因疾病而死亡。
Sarah could not bear the thought of losing her child.
Sarah无法忍受失去孩子的念头。
Bessie awoke delirious several times in the night but didn’t notice her mother’s tear-stained cheeks.
Bessie在晚上醒了几次,
About an hour before dawn, Bessie’s fever broke.
贝西的发烧在黎明前一小时就爆发了。
Sarah’s shoulders shook as she wept with joy, and William comforted her.
莎拉的肩膀在她欢快地哭泣时摇晃,威廉安慰她.
After a brief amount of restful sleep, Sarah and William had their team of oxen plodding along the trail when a thunderous boom echoed across the countryside.
在短暂的安眠后,莎拉和威廉在小道上有他们队的克牛花花花相伴而行,当时雷鸣的轰鸣在乡村各地回响.
“Hurry, circle the wagons,” shouted the trail leader from a few wagons ahead.
“快把马车圈起来”,前面几辆马车向小道长喊叫。
Bessie’s parents hurried to do as they were told though their daughter was oblivious to the trouble heading in their direction.
Bessie的父母匆忙忙地按他们说的做,尽管女儿忘记了朝他们方向走去的困难。
“Circle the wagons.
“绕行马车。
Unwelcome company’s about to charge past us.
不受欢迎的公司要对我们收费。
Round up the animals and the children.
集畜生等众生.
Make sure everyone and everything is accounted for.
确保每个人和所有事情都得到说明。
We don’t have much time!”
我们时间不多了!
Although he advised everyone not to panic, it was clear in listening to the voice of the wagon- train leader that he too was frightened.
虽然他建议大家不要惊慌,但听了马车长的声音,很明显他也很害怕.
His warning traveled like wildfire throughout the train, and everyone scurried to direct their wagons into a circular pattern, placing the oxen in the center so the vital animals wouldn’t stampede.
他的警告像野火一样横行在火车上, 每个人都急于把马车引向一个圆形的模式,
the herd had passed by.
牧群经过。
When it was again quiet enough to hear the call of a bird, the pioneers felt it was safe to venture out.
当再次安静地听到鸟叫声后,先锋们觉得冒险是安全的.
They moved their wagons back to their usual single-file line and began heading west once again.
他们将马车运回了通常的单文件线,并再次向西行驶.
“Where’s Wag?”
" 瓦格在哪里? “
asked a weak voice from inside the wagon.
问一个弱的声音 从马车内部。
“I don’t know,” said William.
“我不知道,”威廉说。
“I haven’t seen him since before the buffalo stampede.”
自水牛出事后, “
“Oh no, you don’t suppose he got scared and ran off.
"哦,不,你不认为他害怕而跑出.
do you?”
是吗? “
asked Bessie.
问贝丝。
“I don’t know, Bessie, but I’m afraid that’s very possible,” answered her father.
“我不知道, 贝西, 但我恐怕这非常可能,
“Well, I’m going to go search for him,” she said with purpose.
“好吧,我要去找他,”她说得有目的。
“No, you’re not.
" 不,你没有。
Your fever may have broken overnight, but you’re far from well.
你的发烧可能一夜之间就断了,
I don’t want you wandering about, getting dizzy again, and falling and hurting yourself or worse.”
我不希望你徘徊、又晕倒、摔倒并伤害自己, “
“I don’t care about any of that.
我并不在乎这些。
I only care about Wag.
我只关心瓦格
Please, you know I HAVE to find him.
拜托 你知道我必须找到他
We can’t leave him out here alone.”
我们不能把他一个人留在这里。 “
Visions of Bessie’s nightmare haunted her.
Bessie梦魇的景象困扰着她。
“We don’t really have a choice,” said her father sadly, wishing he’d done more to discourage his daughter from becoming so attached to an animal.
他希望他能做更多事来劝阻女儿不要如此依恋动物。
“I think I have what you’re looking for,” said Jessie, who seemed to appear out of thin air with Wag trailing along behind him.
Jessie似乎与Wag相随而来,
“Wag, boy, you’re safe!”
“哇,孩子,你安全了!”
exclaimed Bessie as color returned to her cheeks for an instant, and she climbed down from the wagon despite her mother’s protests.
欢呼 她不顾母亲的抗议,从马车上爬下。
Jessie explained that he’d found Wag hiding under his family’s wagon just before the buffalo herd stormed past.
Jessie解释他发现Wag躲在家中的马车下,
Wag nearly bolted out into the herd, but Jessie was able to coax him into the wagon, where he was content to play tug-of-war with a section of old rope Jessie had.
瓦格几乎跑入了牧群,但杰西能够把他拉入马车,在那里他满足于用老绳子杰西的一部份来玩拖拉战.
Bessie scratched Wag behind his ears and looked warily at Jessie, who couldn’t help but crack a giant grin as Wag started to lick every inch of Bessie’s face.
贝丝被刮伤了 在Wag开始舔Bessie一寸的脸时,
Bessie couldn’t help but giggle, which set Jessie to hooting.
Bessie忍不住笑着,
Wag happily swished his tail back and forth and nearly knocked Bessie over with his enthusiastic tongue bath.
瓦格快乐地挥起尾巴 并差点用热情的舌头把贝西打倒
“I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t saved Wag,” said Bessie, serious once more.
Bessie说, “如果你没有救出Wag, 我不知道我会做什么,
“I know exactly how you feel,” Jessie said, pausing to remember the friends he’d most likely never see again.
Jessie说:「我知道你的感受,
“When you’re feeling better, how about the three of us play fetch together?”
“当你感觉好些了,我们三个一起玩怎么样? “
he asked tentatively.
他暂时问。
“You bet,” agreed Bessie, figuring that if Wag thought this boy was all right, she could give him a chance, too.
“你敢打赌,”贝西同意,他想如果瓦格觉得这个男孩没事,她也可以给他一个机会。
Having another friend with whom to spend time might make the demanding journey ahead a little easier to take—for both of them.
另一位朋友与他共度时光,