猴爪.The.Monkey's.Paw Chapter 1

　　Chapter¹ 1

　　It was² cold and dark³ out in the road and the rain did⁴ not stop for a minute．But in the little living－room of number 12 Castle⁵ Road it was nice and warm．Old Mr White and his son， Herbert， played chess and Mrs White sat⁶ and watched them． The old woman was happy because her husband⁷ and her son were good friends and they liked to be together．'Herbert's a good son，' she thought⁸．'We waited a long time for him and I was nearly⁹ forty when he was born¹⁰， but we are a happy family．' And old Mrs White smiled．

　　It was true¹¹．Herbert was young and he laughed a lot， but his mother and his father laughed with him． They had¹² not got¹³ much money， but they were a very happy little family．

　　The two men did not talk because they played carefully¹⁴． The room was quiet， but the noise of the rain was worse¹⁵ now and they could¹⁶ hear it on the windows． Suddenly¹⁷ Old Mr White looked up．'Listen to the rain！' he said¹⁸．

　　'Yes， it's a bad night，' Herbert answered．'It's not a good night to be out． But is your friend， Tom Morris，coming tonight？'

　　'Yes， that's right． He's coming at about seven o'clock，'the old man said．'But perhaps¹⁹ this rain…'

　　Mr White did not finish because just then the young man heard a noise．

　　'Listen！'Herbert said．'There's someone²⁰ at the doornow．'

　　'I didn't hear a noise，' his father answered， but he got up from his chair and went to open the front door． Mrs White got up too and began to put things away．

　　Mr White said，'Come in， come in， Tom． It's wonderful to see you again． What a bad night！ Give me your coat and then come into the living－room． It's nice and warm in there．'

　　The front door was open， and in the living-room²¹ Mrs White and Herbert felt the cold． Then Mr White came²² back into the living－room with a big，red-faced man．

　　'This is Tom Morris，' Mr White told his wife²³ and son． 'We were friends when we were young． We worked together

　　before Tom went to India²⁴． Tom， this is my wife and this is our son， Herbert．'

　　'Pleased²⁵ to meet you，' Tom Morris said．

　　'Pleased to meet you， Mr Morris，' Mrs White answered．'Please come and sit down．'

　　'Yes， come on， Tom，' Mr White said．'Over here．It's nice and warm．'

　　'Thank you，'the big man answered and he sat down．

　　'Let's have some whisky²⁶，'Old Mr White said．'You need something to warm you on a cold night．' He got out a bottle of whisky and the two old friends began to drink and talk． The little family listened with interest²⁷ to this visitor²⁸ from far away and he told them many strange²⁹ stories．

　　1

　　外面的马路上又冷又黑，雨一直下个不停。但城堡路12号的一间小客厅里却满暖和。老怀特先生和他的儿子赫伯特在下象棋，怀特太太坐在一旁看着他们。老妇人因她的丈夫和儿子是好朋友并乐于在一起而高兴。“赫伯特是一个好孩子，我们等了很长时间才要到的孩子，他出生的时俟我都快四十岁了，但我们的家庭很幸福。”老怀特太太想着、想着，脸上露出了笑容。

　　这是事实，赫伯特年轻又爱笑，他的母亲和父亲也总跟着乐。他们并没有很多钱，但他们有一个幸福的小家庭。

　　两个男人无言地下着棋。房间里很安静，但雨声现在更大了，他们能听到雨点打在窗上的声音。突然，老怀特先生抬起头说，“听听雨声！”

　　“是的，这是一个糟糕的夜晚，”赫伯特答道，“这样的夜晚不宜外出，但你的朋友汤姆·莫里斯今晚不是要来吗？”

　　“是的，你说得对。他将在7点钟左右到，但也许这雨……”老汉说。

　　怀特先生没有说下去，因为就在这时，年轻人听到了一种声音。

　　“听！”赫伯特说，“现在门外有人。”

　　他的父亲答道，“我没有听到声音。”但他还是从椅子上起来去开门，怀特太太也站起来开始收拾东西。

　　怀特先生说，“汤姆，快请进，快请进。又见到你真高兴。多么糟糕的夜晚！把外套给我，到客厅里去，那儿暖和。”

　　前门打开了，客厅里的怀特太太和赫伯特感觉到一阵寒气。怀特先生领着一位高大的红脸汉子回到了起居室。

　　“这是汤姆·莫里斯，”怀特先生告诉他的太太和儿子，“我们年轻的时候是好朋友，在汤姆去印度之前我们在一起工作过。汤姆，这是我太太，这是我儿子，赫伯特。”

　　“很高兴见到你们，”汤姆·莫里斯说。

　　“我们也很高兴见到你，莫里斯先生。”怀特太太答道，“请过来坐下吧。”

　　“对，过来，汤姆，到这儿来，这儿舒服暖和一点。”怀特先生说。

　　“谢谢你。”高大的汉子答应着坐下了。

　　“我们喝一点威士忌吧，”老怀特先生说，“这样寒冷的夜晚，你需要一点东西暖和暖和身子。”他拿出一瓶威士忌，两位老朋友边喝边谈。这个小家庭饶有兴趣地倾听着这位来自远方的造访者告诉他们许多离奇的故事。 

1 chapter   

n.章，篇，重要章节

参考例句：

• I will skip the next chapter.我将略过下一章。
• Go and open a wonderful new chapter.去开启美好的新篇章。

2 was   

v.(is,am的过去式)是，在

参考例句：

• He said he was right.他说他是正确的。
• He was cold and hungry.他又冷又饿。

3 dark   

adj.黑色的；暗的；黑暗的

参考例句：

• The night is too dark for us to see.夜间太暗，我们看不见。
• The sky was dark blue and clear when the moon came up.月亮出来时，天空是深蓝色的，非常晴朗。

4 did   

v.动词do的过去式

参考例句：

• How many goals did you score in the last game?上一场比赛你们进了几个球？
• Why did you choose basketball in the first place?你为何首先选择篮球呢？

5 castle   

n.城堡，象棋中的车；vt.置于城堡中，筑城堡防御

参考例句：

• We had to give up the castle.我们不得不放弃这座城堡了。
• He took a photograph of the castle.他拍了一张这个城堡的照片。

6 sat   

v.（sit的过去式，过去分词）坐

参考例句：

• He sat on a chair.他坐在椅子上。
• The mother sat by the sick child all night long.妈妈整夜守在生病的孩子身旁。

7 husband   

n.丈夫

参考例句：

• My husband just lost his job.我老公刚刚失业了。
• I visited my daughter and her husband.我去看望我的女儿和女婿。

8 thought   

n.想法，思想，思维，思潮，关心，挂念；v.vbl.think的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• It was just a thought.这仅仅是一个想法。
• She thought he had a cold.她认为他感冒了。

9 nearly   

adv.将近，几乎，差不多

参考例句：

• I nearly missed the bus.我险些错过了公交车。
• It is nearly two years since I came here.我来这儿快两年了。

10 born   

v.动词bear的过去分词；adj.出生的，与生俱来的

参考例句：

• The baby can cry as soon as he is born.婴儿生下来就会哭。
• I feel as if I had been born again.我有一种再生之感。

11 true   

a.真实，不假的；忠实，可靠的；正确无误的

参考例句：

• He who doesn't reach the Great Wall is not a true man.不到长城非好汉。
• I will come and see if it is true.我要来了解一下，是否真有其事。

12 had   

vbl.have的过去式和过去分词；conj.有

参考例句：

• I just had a good idea!我有个好主意！
• The boy had a small branch of a tree in his hand.这个男孩手上拿一条小树枝。

13 got   

v.(get的过去式)得到，猜到，明白

参考例句：

• I just got some bad news.我刚得到一些坏消息。
• I have got far too much work to do.我要做的事太多了。

14 carefully   

adv.仔细地；小心地

参考例句：

• If you watch carefully you will see how to do it. 如果你仔细观察，你就会看出如何做此事了。
• Now listen carefully everybody.请大家仔细地听。

15 worse   

adj.更坏的，更差的；adv.更坏，更差

参考例句：

• I have even worse news for you.我有更坏的消息告诉你。
• The weather got worse during the day.白天天气更坏了。

16 could   

v.能，可能(can的过去式)；aux.v.(can的过去式)能；可以

参考例句：

• Could I open the window?我可以打开窗子吗？
• I could wait ten minutes.我可以等十分钟。

17 suddenly   

adv.突然，忽然

参考例句：

• The weather changed suddenly.天气陡变。
• He suddenly cried out at the top of his voice.他声嘶力竭地大叫。

18 said   

v.动词say的过去式、过去分词

参考例句：

• He said to me that he could not come.他对我说他不能来。
• He said to his mother that he would do it by himself.他对他的母亲说他将自己独立做那件事。

19 perhaps   

adv.也许，可能

参考例句：

• Perhaps it will rain in the afternoon.下午可能有雨。
• Perhaps I can help you.也许我能帮帮你的忙吧。

20 someone   

pron.某人，有人

参考例句：

• I can hear someone knocking.我听到有人敲门。
• Someone wants to see her.有人找她。

21 living-room   

n.起居室，客厅

参考例句：

• He keeps a parrot in a birdcage in his living-room.他在客厅的鸟笼里养了一只鹦鹉。
• The living-room connects with the toilet.客厅与卫生间相连。

22 came   

v.动词come的过去式

参考例句：

• I was surprised why he came here so early.他为什么那么早到这里，我很惊奇。
• The doctor came in time to save his life.医生及时来抢救他的生命。

23 wife   

n.妻子，太太，老婆

参考例句：

• She is my wife.她是我妻子。
• He is a tall man but his wife is a short woman.他是个子很高的男人，但他妻子很矮。

24 India   

n.印度（亚洲）

参考例句：

• New Delhi is the capital of India.新德里是印度的首都。
• In India,there are fifteen official languages.印度有15种官方语言。

25 pleased   

adj.高兴的，快乐的，喜欢的，满意的

参考例句：

• She was pleased to hear good news about him.听到他的好消息，她很高兴。
• Whichever day you come,we will be pleased to see you.无论你哪一天来，我们都很高兴。

26 whisky   

n.威士忌酒

参考例句：

• I'm sure this whisky has been watered down.我敢肯定这瓶威士忌掺过水了。
• She poured herself a large tot of whisky.她给自己倒了一大杯威士忌。

27 interest   

v.引起…关注；使…感兴趣

参考例句：

• She lost interest in him.她对他失去兴趣。
• He developed an interest in science.他养成了对科学的兴趣。

28 visitor   

n.参观者，访问者

参考例句：

• He has a visitor right now.他现在正好有客人。
• He is nothing but a visitor.他只是一个参观者。

29 strange   

adj.奇怪的；古怪的

参考例句：

• She's a strange policewoman.她是个作风奇特的女警。
• I heard a strange sound.我听到一种奇怪的声音。