人教全日制普通高中英语（必修）高三UNIT10-2

 At seven o'clock the coffee was made and the pan¹ was on the back of the stove, hot and ready to cook dinner. Jim was never late. Della doubled the watch chain in her hand and sat on the comer of the table near the door. When she heard his steps on the stairs away down on the first flight, she turned pale for just a moment. She had a habit for saying little silent² prayers³ about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered⁴: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."
 
      The door opened. Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two -- and to be burdened⁵ with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.
 
      Jim stopped inside the door. His eyes were fixed⁶ upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read. It terrified⁷ her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor a look showing that he did not approve, nor horror⁸, nor any of the feelings that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her with that strange expression on his face.
 
      Della got up and walked towards him. "Jim, honey," she cried, "don't look at me that way. lhad my hair cut off and sold it because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow again -- you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows very fast. Say 'Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice -- what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you."
 
      "You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim. "Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, aren't I?" Jim looked about the room. "You say your hair is gone?" he asked. "You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you -- sold and gone. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went out of love for you. Shall I put dinner on, Jim?"
 
      Jim seemed to awake. He hugged his Della. He drew a small package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table. "Don't make any mistake about me, Della," he said. "I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut⁹ or a shampoo that could make me love my girl any less. Would you stop loving me if I'd had a shave? No. But if you open that package, you may see why I was upset at first."
 
      Della tore at the string and paper. She gave a scream 0f joy, and then broke out in tears and cries. For there lay the Combs -- the set of combs that Della had been looking at so many times in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoiseshell, with jewels on the edges¹⁰ --just the right shade to wear in her beautiful hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and she had dreamed that she could have them. And now, they were hers, but her hair had gone. However, she hugged them to her breast¹¹, and at length she was able to look up and smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"
 
      Just then Della jumped up and cried, "Oh, oh!" Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him upon her open palm¹². The dull precious¹³ metal seemed to flash, as if reflecting her bright spirit. "Isn't it grand¹⁴, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it."
 
      Instead of obeying, Jim threw himself down on the couch¹⁵ and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled. "Della," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. So let's forget about it now and have our dinner, shall we?"

1 pan   

n.平底锅；v.严厉批评

参考例句：

• The water had all boiled away and the pan was burned.水煮干了，锅也烧坏了。
• The eggs were frying in the pan.鸡蛋正在锅里煎。

2 silent   

adj.安静的，不吵闹的，沉默的，无言的；n.(复数)默剧

参考例句：

• Immediately on his beginning to speak,everyone was silent.他一讲话，大家顿时安静下来。
• The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。

3 prayers   

祈祷( prayer的名词复数 )； 祈祷（习惯）； 祈祷文； 经文

参考例句：

• to say your prayers 祷告
• He says his prayers every night before he goes to bed. 他每晚睡觉前都做晚祷。

4 whispered   

adj.耳语的，低语的v.低声说( whisper的过去式和过去分词 )；私语；小声说；私下说

参考例句：

• She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来，对我耳语了几句。
• His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 burdened   

adj. 负荷的 动词burden的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She was burdened with a large quantity of parcels. 她吃力地捧着一大堆包裹。
• The economy was further burdened by a flood of refugees. 难民大批涌来使经济负担愈加沉重。

6 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

7 terrified   

adj.很害怕的，极度惊慌的，吓坏了的v.使恐怖，使惊吓，恐吓( terrify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the crying of terrified children 小孩受了惊吓的哭声
• I'm terrified of flying. 我十分害怕坐飞机。

8 horror   

n.惊骇，恐怖，惨事，极端厌恶

参考例句：

• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation.公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。
• The thought of working nights fills me with abject horror.一想到要夜间工作我就觉得惨兮兮的。

9 haircut   

n.理发，剪发的方式

参考例句：

• Get yourself a haircut!快去理个发吧！
• He is going to have a haircut.他要去理发。

10 edges   

n.边( edge的名词复数 )；优势；（悬崖、峭壁的）边缘；锋利

参考例句：

• Blood began to coagulate around the edges of the wound. 血液开始在伤口的边缘凝固。
• a surface with rounded edges 带圆边的面

11 breast   

n.胸部；胸怀

参考例句：

• The coat is too tight at the breast.这件衣服胸部太紧了。
• He was wearing a nameplate on his left breast.他左胸前佩带着一张名牌。

12 palm   

n.手掌，棕榈，胜利；vt.与…握手，藏…于掌中

参考例句：

• That woman had her husband in the palm of her hand.那女人牢牢地控制住她丈夫。
• Palm trees grow all around the island.岛上到处长着棕榈树。

13 precious   

adj.宝贵的，珍贵的，过于精致的，珍爱的

参考例句：

• Each life is precious.生命都是宝贵的。
• Spring rain is as precious as oil.春雨贵如油。

14 grand   

adj.豪华的，宏伟的，壮丽的，主要的，重大的；n.(美俚)一千美元

参考例句：

• The pianist played several pieces of music on a grand piano.钢琴家在一架大钢琴上弹了几首乐曲。
• Come on,I'll give you the grand tour of the backyard.跟我来，我带你去后院来一次盛大的旅游。

15 couch   

n.睡椅，长沙发椅；vt.表达，隐含

参考例句：

• Lie down on the couch if you're feeling ill.如果你感觉不舒服就躺到沙发上去。
• The rabbIt'sprang from its grassy couch.兔子从草丛中跳出。