听播客学英语 31 玛丽怎么啦

 　　The last podcast, about the word “matter”, reminded me of a poem by A A Milne. A A Milne was an author who published books for children in the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote the stories about Pooh Bear, which have been translated into many languages and made into a Disney film. He also wrote poetry for children. It is innocent¹ stuff², from an age before television and computer games.

　　This poem is about a small girl called Mary Jane. She is having a tantrum, because there is rice pudding for dinner and she doesn’t like rice pudding. Rice pudding is a dessert made by baking rice with sweetened milk. There is a link to a recipe³ for rice pudding on the website, if you want to try making it. Personally, I agree with Mary Jane. Here is the poem.

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　She’s crying with all her might and main,

　　And she won’t eat her dinner – rice pudding again.

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　I’ve promised her dolls and a daisy-chain,

　　And a book about animals – all in vain⁴.

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　She’s perfectly⁵ well, and she hasn’t a pain;

　　But, look at her, now she’s beginning again!

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　I’ve promised her sweets and a ride in the train,

　　And I’ve begged her to stop for a bit and explain.

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

　　She’s perfectly well and she hasn’t a pain,

　　And it’s lovely rice pudding for dinner again!

　　What is the matter with Mary Jane?

1 innocent   

adj.无罪的，清白的；无害的；天真的，单纯的

参考例句：

• I'm not quite so innocent as to believe that.我还不至于简单到相信那种事的地步。
• I was very young,and very innocent.我那时非常年轻，幼稚无知。

2 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

3 recipe   

n.食谱，处方，秘诀

参考例句：

• What is your recipe for success?你取得成功有什麽窍门？
• This recipe is certainly interesting and different.这种烹饪法的确很有意思而且与众不同。

4 vain   

adj.徒劳的，徒然的，无效的，空虚的，自负的

参考例句：

• It was in vain that we tried to find his mother.我们百般设法找他的母亲，但毫无结果。
• He's very vain of his abilities.他对于自己的能力很自负。

5 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。