英语博客：The City Mouse and the Country Mouse part 3.

　　The City Mouse and the Country Mouse (part 3).
Alistair led Oliver through the dining room. They hid behind potted plants and raced under tablecloths¹. They waited until the chef went to check something in the dining room, then they scampered² across the kitchen and into the dark pantry where Oliver stumbled over something. "Do be careful," said Alistair. Oliver saw what he'd stumbled over. "It's a-a-a..." "A mousetrap," Alistair knocked it under a shelf with his paw. "You will learn to stay away from them." Alistair led Oliver up the shelves to the hors d'oeuvres. Alistair gobbled fancy crackers³, nibbled⁴ pasta, and even managed to chew a hole in a tin of smoked salmon⁵. "Now this," said Alistair, patting his tummy, "is fine dining." Oliver was still so frightened, that he barely ate a crumb⁶. "Tonight the chef is preapring roast duck with herbed potatoes in a delicate cream sauce." Alistair's mouth watered. His whiskers twitched⁷. "One taste and you'll never go back to the country." The mice crept out of the pantry. The kitchen seemed empty. Alistair rushed about, gathering⁸ up bits of duck and potatoes. He didn't notice the chef coming back into the kitchen. But the chef noticed Alistair. "You again!" shouted the chef. The chef chased the mice around the kitchen with a broom. Alistair and Oliver escaped through a hole under the sink. "No main course tonight, I'm afraid," said Alistair. "But don't worry, cousin. We'll make up for it with dessert." Alistair showed Oliver the tarts⁹ and pies and cheesecakes. Oliver nibbled the edge of a flaky cream puff¹⁰. It was so delicious! He leaned forward to get a bigger bite and splat! He landed face down right in it. Alistair helped him climb out, and cleaned him off. "I'm not cut out for life in the city," Oliver said. "You take too many risks for your dinner. A mouse could starve to death here, too. I'm going home to the good life." So Oliver dragged his carpet bag back through the crowded city streets, over fields and valleys, until he reached his hole under the roof of the big oak tree. He ate a late supper of acorns¹¹ and wheat seeds, then curled up in his leaf bed. He could hear the crickets chirping¹². Back at his hotel, Alistair curled up in his linen¹³ napkin and listened to the orchestra play. Both mice sighed. "I love being home," they said.

1 tablecloths   

n.桌布，台布( tablecloth的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Champagne corks popped, and on lace tablecloths seven-course dinners were laid. 桌上铺着带装饰图案的网织的桌布，上面是七道菜的晚餐。 来自飘（部分）
• At the moment the cause of her concern was a pile of soiled tablecloths. 此刻她关心的事是一堆弄脏了的台布。 来自辞典例句

2 scampered   

v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The cat scampered away. 猫刺棱一下跑了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The rabbIt'scampered off. 兔子迅速跑掉了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 crackers   

adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘

参考例句：

• That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
• We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 nibbled   

v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬

参考例句：

• She nibbled daintily at her cake. 她优雅地一点一点地吃着自己的蛋糕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several companies have nibbled at our offer. 若干公司表示对我们的出价有兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

6 crumb   

n.饼屑，面包屑，小量

参考例句：

• It was the only crumb of comfort he could salvage from the ordeal.这是他从这场磨难里能找到的唯一的少许安慰。
• Ruth nearly choked on the last crumb of her pastry.鲁斯几乎被糕点的最后一块碎屑所噎住。

7 twitched   

vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
• The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

9 tarts   

n.果馅饼( tart的名词复数 )；轻佻的女人；妓女；小妞

参考例句：

• I decided to make some tarts for tea. 我决定做些吃茶点时吃的果馅饼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They ate raspberry tarts and ice cream. 大家吃着木莓馅饼和冰淇淋。 来自辞典例句

10 puff   

n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气

参考例句：

• He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
• They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

11 acorns   

n.橡子，栎实( acorn的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Great oaks from little acorns grow. 万丈高楼平地起。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Welcome to my new website!It may not look much at the moment, but great oaks from little acorns grow! 欢迎来到我的新网站。它现在可能微不足道，不过万丈高楼平地起嘛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 chirping   

鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The birds,chirping relentlessly,woke us up at daybreak. 破晓时鸟儿不断吱吱地叫，把我们吵醒了。
• The birds are chirping merrily. 鸟儿在欢快地鸣叫着。

13 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。