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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
"Elizabeth."
Betty Talen turned to her best friend Debby, "I hate it when my mother calls me Elizabeth, it always means1 I have to do some work." Betty made her music louder and the two girls laughed.
Betty and Debby are 12 years old and live in Fairbanks, Alaska. Together, they share schoolwork and movies and talk a lot. Betty is Coyukan, an Alaskan native nation and Debby's ancestors2 came from England.
Mrs. Talen came to Betty's room, "We are going home to our village for a potlatch." she told her daughter.
"What is a potlatch?" asked Debby.
"It is a big ceremony and meal," said Betty, "people cook food and give away blankets, it is really silly."
"Do I have to go?" she asked her mother.
"Yes, it is our responsibility3." Said her mother, "We are flying out tomorrow morning."
The next morning, Betty was flying in a small plane beside her mother. "I really hate this," she said, "why couldn’t I stay with Debby?"
But when the plane landed, Betty was beginning to think the Potlatch might be fun. She would see her uncle Vinsent and aunt Molley and visit with her cousins. But most important was that her father would be at the Potlatch He was often away from home for months working with the tribe4 on environmental5 issues6.
Uncle Vinsent met them at the airport. He had a thick way of talking and a missing7 tooth in the corner of his smile. Uncle Vinsent was a hunter in the village.
"How you folks8 be doing there Fairbanks?" he asked as he drove9 his truck down a snowy road. They drove for almost an hour. Betty thought everything just look frozen10, but to her mother it was the place where she had grown up. She showed Betty the birds and other animals along the road. Suddenly uncle Vinsent stopped the truck and looked into the bushes11. Mrs. Talen watched too, but Betty could see nothing. Then Betty saw a large moose whose breath12 made steam in the winter air. Uncle Vinsent quickly reached for his gun and stepped out of his truck.
Betty looked at her mother, "He is not going to shoot the moose, is he?"
Before her mother could answer there was a loud sound from the gun then silence. Mrs. Talen got out of the truck and stood beside Vinsent. Betty watched them talk softly13, then her mother said, "Come on Betty, we have a moose."
Betty said softly to her mother, "This is so horrible14, I hate it, why can't we just go?" But Mrs. Talent put her finger to her lips15 as a sign to be quiet.
A short way into the woods, they came upon the moose lying at her side on the snow. Betty watched as uncle Vinsent touch different parts of the dead moose, praying quietly and offering16 thanks for the use of the animal. Then he stood up and said, "Betty, run up to the truck and bring back the knives under the seat."
Betty walked through the snow feeling unsure a potlatch was supposed to be fun, now here they were in the middle of the forest with a dead moose. She found the knives in the truck and returned to where her mother and uncle were waiting. "This is so horrible," she said under her breath.
Uncle Vinsent and Mrs Talent both took off their coats. It was freezing, but her mother did not seem cold. She took one of the knives from Betty. "Mom?" asked Betty.
"what? You do not know that I know how to cut the skin of a moose? I used to help my brothers all the time. My mother and I took care of the skins, and we smoke them to make coverings for our feet and hands. When you were born, I used to give you a moose bone to chew17 on to help your baby teeth grow." She said with laugh.
"No way," Betty protested18.
As they worked late into the afternoon Betty thought it was so strange to see her mother working on a moose. Betty was used to seeing her mother working in an office, wearing dresses and nice shoes but not in the middle of the snow taking the skin off a moose. What else didn't she know about her mother? When they were ready to leave Betty saw that the woods did not seem quiet anymore. Black birds called ravens19 were circling high in the sky and a cold wind was blowing.
As they drove along the snowy road Betty thought to herself, "This land is difficult. But her mother was a part of it, because she knew things."
As they drove into the small village, Betty saw that there were no big stores. This was the place her mother had been raised and Betty suddenly felt as though she did not know very much.
Uncle Vinsent stopped by a small house at the far end of the village. There were so many people inside. Betty did not remember any of them but they seemed to know her. Betty was only a baby when she left and her relatives rubbed her cheeks and welcome (\her). She smiled as they put their arms around her. Then, out of the crowd came her father, David Talen.
He picked her up and cried, "Betty, move here, do not call me dad?" but she was still smiling.
She put her arms around him, "We killed a moose for potlatch." Betty did not know where her words came from, but she sensed the importance of this group of family members.
"You got a moose?" asked Betty's father, he smelled her and added20 with a laugh, "You smelled like a moose, did you?"
That night, Betty slept on blankets on the floor, she was so tired from working in the woods with the moose. She dreamed that the moose talked to her and said, "I give myself to you, so your people can eat and live."
When she woke up she thought her dream was real. Betty found her mother having a cup of coffee.
"Mom, I had a dream," she said, "the moose was there and she told me her death was like a gift to us. I do not understand."
Betty's mother held the warm cup of coffee in her hands and explained, "No matter how far we travel from home, when we return this is still our land, the place we come from. This is a place of people, ravens, moose and so many other beings. The bird does not take more than they needs and people do not either. This is the balance of our world. Your moose visited you to let you know that it was all right. She gave up herself to feed your family because we honored21 her and from that you're learning22 to be honorable23. You watch here, how all these meat will be shared. Everyone will be fed from your moose. That is life."
Just then Betty's father joined them, her mother looked up and smiled, "Betty dreamed about the moose."
"Oh I see!" said Betty's father, "Would you feel better if I told aunt Estter makes soft shoes? She will make you a pair from your moose."
Betty smiled, "Really?"
Her father said, "Maybe we should all talk more about our traditions so we do not forget them."
"You are always gone?" said Betty.
"Well, that could change," said her dad, "I am moving back to Fairbanks."
Her mother jumped up and put her arms around him, "That is wonderful David!"
The next day Betty enjoyed the potlatch ceremony. All the people cook big pots of meat and fried24 bread. Older members of the village stood up to speak about the unity25 of the people. They offered prayers26 to the spirits and everyone ate.
"I never ate so much in my life," Betty said to her mother, "my moose was very good."
When Betty flew back to Fairbanks , she looked down at the land, her mother's village looked like little dots on the snowy earth. Back home Betty was happy to see her friend Debby. "Look what I brought you! A pair of soft shoes. My aunt made them!"
Debby said, "I wish I could go to a potlatch."
Betty said, "Maybe next year I will ask my mother if you can come. But if we shoot a moose you have to help."
You have heard the native American story "The animals give themselves" from the book Cloud Walker. It was written by Joe Mountuer and addapted into Special English by Karen Leggett. Your storyteller was Faith Lapidus. The producer was L Davis. Listen again next week at this time for another American story in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty
Betty Talen turned to her best friend Debby, "I hate it when my mother calls me Elizabeth, it always means1 I have to do some work." Betty made her music louder and the two girls laughed.
Betty and Debby are 12 years old and live in Fairbanks, Alaska. Together, they share schoolwork and movies and talk a lot. Betty is Coyukan, an Alaskan native nation and Debby's ancestors2 came from England.
Mrs. Talen came to Betty's room, "We are going home to our village for a potlatch." she told her daughter.
"What is a potlatch?" asked Debby.
"It is a big ceremony and meal," said Betty, "people cook food and give away blankets, it is really silly."
"Do I have to go?" she asked her mother.
"Yes, it is our responsibility3." Said her mother, "We are flying out tomorrow morning."
The next morning, Betty was flying in a small plane beside her mother. "I really hate this," she said, "why couldn’t I stay with Debby?"
But when the plane landed, Betty was beginning to think the Potlatch might be fun. She would see her uncle Vinsent and aunt Molley and visit with her cousins. But most important was that her father would be at the Potlatch He was often away from home for months working with the tribe4 on environmental5 issues6.
Uncle Vinsent met them at the airport. He had a thick way of talking and a missing7 tooth in the corner of his smile. Uncle Vinsent was a hunter in the village.
"How you folks8 be doing there Fairbanks?" he asked as he drove9 his truck down a snowy road. They drove for almost an hour. Betty thought everything just look frozen10, but to her mother it was the place where she had grown up. She showed Betty the birds and other animals along the road. Suddenly uncle Vinsent stopped the truck and looked into the bushes11. Mrs. Talen watched too, but Betty could see nothing. Then Betty saw a large moose whose breath12 made steam in the winter air. Uncle Vinsent quickly reached for his gun and stepped out of his truck.
Betty looked at her mother, "He is not going to shoot the moose, is he?"
Before her mother could answer there was a loud sound from the gun then silence. Mrs. Talen got out of the truck and stood beside Vinsent. Betty watched them talk softly13, then her mother said, "Come on Betty, we have a moose."
Betty said softly to her mother, "This is so horrible14, I hate it, why can't we just go?" But Mrs. Talent put her finger to her lips15 as a sign to be quiet.
A short way into the woods, they came upon the moose lying at her side on the snow. Betty watched as uncle Vinsent touch different parts of the dead moose, praying quietly and offering16 thanks for the use of the animal. Then he stood up and said, "Betty, run up to the truck and bring back the knives under the seat."
Betty walked through the snow feeling unsure a potlatch was supposed to be fun, now here they were in the middle of the forest with a dead moose. She found the knives in the truck and returned to where her mother and uncle were waiting. "This is so horrible," she said under her breath.
Uncle Vinsent and Mrs Talent both took off their coats. It was freezing, but her mother did not seem cold. She took one of the knives from Betty. "Mom?" asked Betty.
"what? You do not know that I know how to cut the skin of a moose? I used to help my brothers all the time. My mother and I took care of the skins, and we smoke them to make coverings for our feet and hands. When you were born, I used to give you a moose bone to chew17 on to help your baby teeth grow." She said with laugh.
"No way," Betty protested18.
As they worked late into the afternoon Betty thought it was so strange to see her mother working on a moose. Betty was used to seeing her mother working in an office, wearing dresses and nice shoes but not in the middle of the snow taking the skin off a moose. What else didn't she know about her mother? When they were ready to leave Betty saw that the woods did not seem quiet anymore. Black birds called ravens19 were circling high in the sky and a cold wind was blowing.
As they drove along the snowy road Betty thought to herself, "This land is difficult. But her mother was a part of it, because she knew things."
As they drove into the small village, Betty saw that there were no big stores. This was the place her mother had been raised and Betty suddenly felt as though she did not know very much.
Uncle Vinsent stopped by a small house at the far end of the village. There were so many people inside. Betty did not remember any of them but they seemed to know her. Betty was only a baby when she left and her relatives rubbed her cheeks and welcome (\her). She smiled as they put their arms around her. Then, out of the crowd came her father, David Talen.
He picked her up and cried, "Betty, move here, do not call me dad?" but she was still smiling.
She put her arms around him, "We killed a moose for potlatch." Betty did not know where her words came from, but she sensed the importance of this group of family members.
"You got a moose?" asked Betty's father, he smelled her and added20 with a laugh, "You smelled like a moose, did you?"
That night, Betty slept on blankets on the floor, she was so tired from working in the woods with the moose. She dreamed that the moose talked to her and said, "I give myself to you, so your people can eat and live."
When she woke up she thought her dream was real. Betty found her mother having a cup of coffee.
"Mom, I had a dream," she said, "the moose was there and she told me her death was like a gift to us. I do not understand."
Betty's mother held the warm cup of coffee in her hands and explained, "No matter how far we travel from home, when we return this is still our land, the place we come from. This is a place of people, ravens, moose and so many other beings. The bird does not take more than they needs and people do not either. This is the balance of our world. Your moose visited you to let you know that it was all right. She gave up herself to feed your family because we honored21 her and from that you're learning22 to be honorable23. You watch here, how all these meat will be shared. Everyone will be fed from your moose. That is life."
Just then Betty's father joined them, her mother looked up and smiled, "Betty dreamed about the moose."
"Oh I see!" said Betty's father, "Would you feel better if I told aunt Estter makes soft shoes? She will make you a pair from your moose."
Betty smiled, "Really?"
Her father said, "Maybe we should all talk more about our traditions so we do not forget them."
"You are always gone?" said Betty.
"Well, that could change," said her dad, "I am moving back to Fairbanks."
Her mother jumped up and put her arms around him, "That is wonderful David!"
The next day Betty enjoyed the potlatch ceremony. All the people cook big pots of meat and fried24 bread. Older members of the village stood up to speak about the unity25 of the people. They offered prayers26 to the spirits and everyone ate.
"I never ate so much in my life," Betty said to her mother, "my moose was very good."
When Betty flew back to Fairbanks , she looked down at the land, her mother's village looked like little dots on the snowy earth. Back home Betty was happy to see her friend Debby. "Look what I brought you! A pair of soft shoes. My aunt made them!"
Debby said, "I wish I could go to a potlatch."
Betty said, "Maybe next year I will ask my mother if you can come. But if we shoot a moose you have to help."
You have heard the native American story "The animals give themselves" from the book Cloud Walker. It was written by Joe Mountuer and addapted into Special English by Karen Leggett. Your storyteller was Faith Lapidus. The producer was L Davis. Listen again next week at this time for another American story in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
means
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| n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富 | |
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2
ancestors
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| n.祖先( ancestor的名词复数 )；祖宗；原型；（动物的）原种 | |
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3
responsibility
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| n.责任，职责 | |
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4
tribe
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| n.部落，种族，一伙人 | |
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5
environmental
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| adj.环境的 | |
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6
issues
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| （水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题 | |
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7
missing
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| adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的 | |
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8
folks
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| n.人们；父母；亲人；家属；人们( folk的名词复数 )；亲属；大伙儿；民间音乐 | |
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9
drove
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| vbl.驾驶，drive的过去式；n.畜群 | |
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10
frozen
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| adj.冻结的，冰冻的 | |
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11
bushes
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| n.灌木（丛）( bush的名词复数 )；[机械学]（金属）衬套；[电学]（绝缘）套管；类似灌木的东西（尤指浓密的毛发或皮毛） | |
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12
breath
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| n.呼吸，气息，微风，迹象，精神，一种说话的声音 | |
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13
softly
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| adv.柔和地，静静地，温柔地 | |
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14
horrible
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| adj.可怕的，极可憎的，极可厌的 | |
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15
lips
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| abbr.logical inferences per second 每秒的逻辑推论n.嘴唇( lip的名词复数 )；（容器或凹陷地方的）边缘；粗鲁无礼的话 | |
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16
offering
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| n.提供，奉献物，牲礼 | |
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17
chew
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| vt.咀嚼，嚼碎；vi.咀嚼，细想；n.咀嚼，咀嚼物 | |
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18
protested
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| v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩 | |
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19
ravens
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| n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
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20
added
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| adj.更多的，附加的，额外的 | |
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21
honored
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| adj.光荣的：荣幸的v.尊敬，给以荣誉( honor的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
learning
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| n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词 | |
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23
honorable
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| adj.光荣的，荣誉的；可敬的，高尚的 | |
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24
fried
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| adj.油煎的；油炒的 | |
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25
unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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26
prayers
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| 祈祷( prayer的名词复数 )； 祈祷（习惯）； 祈祷文； 经文 | |
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