英语听力：简·爱 06. Learning to like school

　　6 Learning¹ to like school

　　Life at Lowood no longer seemed so hard，as spring approached．We enjoyed walking and playing in the surrounding countryside．But，with fog lying constantly² in the valley，it was not a healthy place for a school，and by May more than half the girls were seriously ill with typhus fever．As a result of poor food and bad living conditions，many girls died．

　　While there was fear and death inside the school， the sun shone on the flowers outside，and on the flowing streams in the valleys．So I and the few who had escaped illness enjoyed the beautiful summer weather，with no lessons or discipline³ at all．

　　Helen Burns could not come walking with me，because she was ill，not with typhus but with tuberculosis⁴．At first I had thought she would recover，but when I learned⁵ her illness was serious，I decided⁶ to visit her at night，for what might be the last time．I found her lying in bed，looking pale and weak．

　　'You've come to say goodbye，'she whispered，coughing．

　　'You are just in time．I'm going soon．'

　　'Where，Helen？Are you going home？'I asked．

　　'Yes，to my long home—my last home．'

　　'No，no，Helen！'I was crying at the thought of losing her．

　　'Jane，your feet are cold．Lie down with me and cover them with my blanket．'I did so．

　　'I am happy，Jane，'she continued．'You mustn't cry．By dying⁷ young，I'll avoid suffering．I am going to heaven．'

　　'Does heaven really exist？'I asked．

　　'Yes，I'm sure of it．I'm sure our souls go there when we die，'she answered firmly．'

　　'Will I see you again，Helen，when I die？'

　　'Yes，you will go to heaven too，Jane．'

　　I could not quite believe that heaven existed，and I held tightly⁸ to Helen．I did not want to let her go．We kissed goodnight and fell asleep．In the morning Miss Temple found me asleep with Helen Burns dead in my arms． She was buried in the local churchyard．

　　Gradually⁹ the typhus fever left Lowood，but the number of deaths made the public aware of the poor conditions in which the pupils lived．Money was raised to build a new school in a better position， many improvements¹⁰ were made，and Mr Brocklehurst lost his position as manager．So it became a really useful place of education．I stayed for eight years，for the last two as a teacher．I was busy and happy all that time，relying greatly on the help and encouragement of my dear friend Miss Temple．

　　But when she married and movd to a distant part of the country，I decided it was the moment for me to change my life too．I realized I had never known¹¹ any other world apart from Lowood or Gateshead．Suddenly I wanted freedom…or at least a new master to serve．So I advertised¹² in a newspaper for a job as a governess．When I received an answer from a Mrs Fairfax，who wanted a governess for a girl under ten years old，I accepted，with the permission of the new headmistress¹³ of Lowood．

　　6 开始喜欢学校

　　春天来临，洛伍德的生活似乎不再那么艰难了。我们喜欢到周围的乡村散步、游戏。但是山谷中常常迷雾不散，对学校来说不是个好地方。到了5月，有一半以上的女孩子得了猩红热。由于伙食差，生活条件恶劣，许多孩子都死了。

　　学校里充满了恐怖和死亡，而外面却是阳光照耀着的花朵和山谷间流淌的小溪。因此我和另外几个逃过病魔的孩子尽情享受着美丽的夏日，不用上课，也没有纪律。

　　海伦·伯恩斯不能和我一起散步，因为她病了，得的不是猩红热，而是肺结核。我原以为她会康复，但后来听说她病得很重时，便决定晚上去看她，这很可能是见她最后一面了。我发现她躺在床上，苍白而虚弱。

　　“你来告别了。”她悄声说，并不停地咳嗽。“你来得正是时候，我很快就要走了。”

　　“去哪儿，海伦？你回家吗？”我问。

　　“是的，回我遥远的家，永远的家。”

　　“不，不，海伦！”想到要失去她，我哭了起来。

　　“简，你的脚是冷的。和我一起躺下，用毯子盖上。”我照办了。

　　“简，我很快乐。”她接着说。“你不要哭。早点死，我可以免受痛苦，我要去天堂了。”

　　“真的有天堂吗？”我问。

　　“是的，我敢肯定，我相信我们死时我们的灵魂能上天堂。”她坚定地回答。

　　“海伦，我死的时候会再见到你吗？”

　　“会的，简，你也会进天堂。”

　　我不能完全相信有天堂存在。我紧紧抱着海伦，不想让她走。我们互相亲吻，道晚安，然后就睡着了。早晨，丹伯尔小姐发现我睡着，海伦已死在我怀里。她被埋在当地的教堂院子里。

　　猩红热渐渐离开了洛伍德，但死亡的人数使公众意识到了学生们恶劣的生活条件。人们筹资在较好的位置盖了一所新学校，并做了许多改进。布鲁克赫斯特先生去掉了经理的职位，于是洛伍德变成了名副其实的教育场所。我待了八年，最后两年是做老师。无论何时我都忙忙碌碌、高高兴兴的，在很大程度上，我都依赖我亲爱的朋友丹伯尔小姐的帮助和鼓励。

　　但是，她结婚了，嫁到了一个偏远的地方。我觉得我也该改变自己的生活了。我意识到除洛伍德和盖茨赫德外，我对其他地方一无所知。突然，我想得到自由……或至少去为一个新主人服务。于是我在报上登了做家庭教师的广告。我从费尔法斯太太那儿得到回信，说她要为一个不到10岁的女孩找位家庭教师。经洛伍德新的女学监同意，我答应了下来。

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 constantly   

adv.不变地，不断地，时常地

参考例句：

• The two countries have been warring constantly for years.这两国多年来一直交战。
• We should constantly urge ourselves on to study hard.我们要经常鞭策自己努力学习。

3 discipline   

n.纪律，风纪，训练，训诫；教养，修养，学科

参考例句：

• She needs the discipline of having to write an essay every week.她需要进行每周写一篇文章的训练。
• Everyone should keep discipline and you are no exception.每个人都应该遵守纪律,你也毫无例外。

4 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

5 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

8 tightly   

adv.紧紧地，坚固地，牢固地

参考例句：

• My child holds onto my hand tightly while we cross the street.横穿马路时，孩子紧拉着我的手不放。
• The crowd pressed together so tightly that we could hardly breathe.人群挤在一起，我们几乎喘不过气来。

9 gradually   

adv.逐渐地

参考例句：

• The roaring sea gradually calmed down.咆哮的大海逐渐平静下来。
• Gradually he became silent.渐渐地他变得沉默寡言了。

10 improvements   

增加或修改( improvement的名词复数 )； 改进； 改善； 改良

参考例句：

• improvements in efficiency at the factory 工厂效率的提高
• They've spent a lot of money on home improvements. 他们花了很多钱装修家居。

11 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

12 advertised   

v.公布( advertise的过去式和过去分词 )；宣传；展现；宣传（自己的事）

参考例句：

• The news of his appointment filtered out before it was officially advertised. 他被任命的消息在还没正式公布前就被透漏出去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They advertised their goods. 他们为他们的商品做广告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 headmistress   

n.女校长

参考例句：

• They voted her their headmistress.他们选她做校长。
• She is the deputy headmistress of the school.她是那所学校的代理校长。