Lesson 16 Harry and Annie

Harry and Annie lived a mile from town, but they went there to school every day. It was a pleasant walk down the lane^①, and through the meadow^② by the pond.

I hardly know whether they liked it better in summer or in winter. They used to pretend^③ that they were travelers exploring a new country, and would scatter^④ leaves on the road that they might find their way back again.

When the ice was thick and firm^⑤, they went across the pond. But their mother did not like to have them do this unless someone was with them.

“Don’t go across the pond today, children,” she said, as she kissed them and bade^⑥ them good-bye one morning; “it is beginning to thaw^⑦.”

“All right, mother,” said Harry, not very good-naturedly, for he was very fond of running and sliding^⑧ on the ice. When they came to the pond, the ice looked hard and safe.

“There,” said he to his sister, “I knew it hadn’t thawed any. Mother is always afraid we shall be drowned. Come along, we will have a good time sliding. The school bell will not ring for an hour at least.”

“But you promised mother,” said Annie.

“No, I didn’t. I only said ‘All right,’ and it is all right.”

“I didn’t say anything; so I can do as I like,” said Annie.

So they stepped on the ice, and started to go across the pond. They had not gone far before the ice gave way, and they fell into the water.

A man who was at work near the shore, heard the screams of the children, and plunged^⑨ into the water to save them. Harry managed to get to the shore without any help, but poor Annie was nearly drowned before the man could reach her.

Harry went home almost frozen, and told his mother how disobedient^⑩ he had been. He remembered the lesson learned that day as long as he lived.

Notes

① lane [le?n] n. 小路，小巷；航道，車道； [籃球]罰球區

② meadow ['med??] n. 草地；牧場

③ pretend [pr?'tend] vt. 假裝，偽裝；假稱

vi.扮演；自稱；假裝

④ scatter ['sk?t?(r)] vt.（使）散開，（使）分散

vi.撒開；分散

⑤ fi rm [f??m] adj. 堅固的，堅牢的；堅定的；嚴格的

vt.& vi. 使堅固；使堅實

⑥ bid [be?d] vt. 出價，投標（過去式bade） ；懇求；命令；說（問候話）

⑦ thaw [θ??] vi. 解凍，融雪；變緩和

vt.使融化

⑧ slide [sla?d] vi. 滑落；下跌；打滑

⑨ plunge [pl?nd?] vt. 用力插入；使陷入

vi. 跳入；全心投入；突降，俯沖

n. 投入，陷入；游泳，跳水

⑩ disobedient [?d?s?'bi?d??nt] adj. 不服從的；違抗的

Exercises

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

1. [Give the reason] Why did the children’s mother ask them not to go across the pond on that day?

A. Because there were sharks in the pond.

B. Because the ice was beginning to thaw.

C. Because the children couldn’t swim.

2. [Give the reason] Why did Harry still think they could slide on the ice after their mother’s warning?

A. Because he thought the ice was hard and safe.

B. Because he was angry with his mother.

C. Because he didn’t want to go to school.

3. [Check the details] What happened to the two children at last?

A. They were both drowned.

B. Harry was saved but Annie was drowned.

C. They were both saved.

Ⅱ. Read for words.

Choose the best paraphrase or Chinese meaning for the underlined words or expressions.

1. They used to pretend that they were travelers exploring a new country, and would scatter leaves on the road that they might find their way back again. (Para. 2, Line 2)

A. 破壞                         B. 建立                               C. 探索

2. “All right, mother,” said Harry, not very good-naturedly, for he was very fond of running and sliding on the ice. (Para. 5, Line 1)

A. 風度翩翩地

B. 和藹地；好脾氣地

C. 嚴格地

3. They had not gone far before the ice gave way, and they fell into the water. (Para. 10, Line 2)

A. 坍塌                       B. 融化                       C. 凍結

Ⅲ. Writing practice.

In no more than 120 words rewrite the story “Harry and Annie.”

Answer these questions in note form to get your points:

1. What did the children’s mother tell them?

2. How did they fell into the water?

3. What lesson did they learn?

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