2级-《欧·亨利短篇小说集》-第4课

故事介绍 

索比是一个无家可归的流浪者，麦迪逊广场上的长椅就是他的栖息之地。冬天到了，天气愈加寒冷，他必须得找个地方过冬。按照他往年的习惯，冬天都是在监狱里度过的，于是他决定今年也不例外。为了进监狱，索比做了多次尝试……

故事原文 

O. Henry's Short Stories L4

欧·亨利短篇小说集 L4

Soapy sat on a seat in Madison Square. New York, and looked up at the sky. A dead leaf fell onto his arm. Winter was coming, and Soapy knew that he must make his plans.(2) He moved unhappily on his seat.

索比坐在纽约麦迪逊广场的长椅上,望着天空。一片枯叶落在他手臂上。冬天来了,索比知道一定得早作打算了。他满腹不快地在长椅上辗转反侧。

He wanted three months in a nice, warm prison, with food and good friends. This was how he usually spent his winters. And now it was time, because, at night on his seat in the square, three newspapers did not keep out the cold.(4)

他想找一个温暖宜人的监狱,有食物、有朋友的,去那儿过上三个月。他通常都是这么过冬的。现在又到时候了,因为入夜之后,他躺在广场的椅子上,三张报纸都已经抵挡不住寒意了。

So Soapy decided to go to prison, and at once began to try his first plan.(3) It was usually easy. He ate dinner in an expensive restaurant. Then he told them he had no money and they called a policeman. Nice and easy, with no trouble.

因此索比决定进监狱,并且马上开始尝试第一套方案。通常都是很简单的。他去一家昂贵的餐馆吃上一顿,然后告诉人家自己一个钱都没有,他们就会叫警察来。妙极了,很简单,毫无问题。

So Soapy left his seat, and walked slowly along the street. Soon he came to a bright restaurant on Broadway. Ah! This was all right. He just had to get to a table in the restaurant and sit down.(1) That was all, because, when he sat down, people could only see his coat and his shirt, which were not very old. Nobody could see his trousers. He thought about the meal--not too expensive, but good.

于是,索比离开了长椅,慢慢地沿街走着。他很快到了百老汇大街上一家明亮的餐馆外。啊!这家还不错。他只要走进餐馆,找个桌子坐下,就好了。因为他一旦坐下,人家就只能看到他的外套和衬衫，这两样都不太旧。谁也看不到他的长裤。他想着美餐——不要太贵,可是要吃好。

But when Soapy went into the restaurant, the waiter saw Soapy's dirty old trousers and terrible shoes.

可是索比走进餐馆时,服务员看见了他又脏又旧的长裤,还有破破烂烂的鞋子。

Strong hands turned him round and helped him out into the street again.

几只有力的大手把索比转了个圈儿,把他赶到了街上。

So now he had to think of something different.(5) Soapy walked away from Broadway and soon he found himself on Sixth Avenue. He stopped in front of a shop window and looked at it. It was nice and bright, and everybody in the street could see him. Slowly and carefully he picked up a stone and threw it at the window. The glass broke with a loud noise. People ran round the corner and Soapy was happy, because the man in front was a policeman. Soapy did not move. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, and he smiled 'I'll soon be in prison now,' he thought.

所以他还得想个别的招儿。索比走过百老汇大街,很快到了第六大道。他在一家商店外停下,看着橱窗。这儿明亮、整齐,而且街上人人都看得到他。他慢慢地、小心翼翼地捡起一块石头,照着橱窗砸去。一声巨响,玻璃碎了。人们绕过街角朝这边跑来,索比很高兴,因为跑在前面的就是一位警察。索比没有动。他站在那儿，手插在兜里,微笑着。“很快我就可以进监狱了。”他想。

 （原文中出现高光标示内容请见核心语言点）

核心语言点 

1. sit on… 坐在……上（特指坐在表面）

    sit in… 坐在……上（特指陷进其中）

拓展：sit on the sofa 坐在沙发上

2. make one's plans 做计划

拓展：make your plans for the exam 为你的考试做计划

3. decide to do sth. 决定做某事

例句：I decided to go downstairs to buy something to eat.

我决定下楼买点吃的。

4. keep out 禁止入内

5. think of 想起……

    think about 想起……； 考虑……

例句：Let me think about it. 让我想想看。

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