《神奇树屋》 第二十二册 Revolutionary War on Wednesday 04 Commander In Chief
时间:2018-12-06 作者:英语课 分类:汪培珽儿童英文分级书单《神奇树屋》
Jack 1 and Annie ran along the riverbank. The windwhooshed over the cold water. Wet snowflakes hissedin the dark.
But then Jack heard other sounds. He heard voices,lots of voices.
He and Annie soon came upon hundreds andhundreds of soldiers gathered near the dark river.
Many carried oil lanterns. The lanterns gave aneerie glow to the snowy twilight 2.
"The captain and his men must be heresomewhere," said Jack, looking around.
Boats like giant canoes were tied near the river.
Men were leading horses and loading cannons 3 ontothe boats.
"What are they all doing?" said Annie. Jack pulledout their Revolutionary Warbook. He read in a whisper:
On Wednesday, December 25, 1776-"December 25? That's Christmas!" said Annie.
"Today's Christmas!""Cool," said Jack. He started reading again:
On Wednesday, December 25, 1776, the patriotswere losing the war. Ragged 6 and weary, many wereready to give up. Then something began to happenthat would turn the war around. About 2,400American patriots 5 gathered on the west bank of theDelaware River in Pennsylvania. They prepared tocross the river to go on a secret mission.
"A secret mission? Oh, man...," said Jack. He startedto pull out his notebook.
"Attention, troops! The commander-in-chief." asoldier shouted.
Jack and Annie saw a man in a dark cape 7 and athree-cornered hat ride up on a white horse.
The commander-in-chief loomed 8 above the crowdof soldiers. His cape flapped in the wind.
He sat calmly and with dignity on the back of hishorse.
Even at a distance, Jack thought the commander-inchieflooked familiar, very familiar. But he couldn'tfigure out why.
"A dangerous mission lies before you all," the manshouted above the wind. "But I want you to havecourage. You must remember the words of ThomasPaine."The commander-in-chief held up a piece of paper.
He read to his men:
"'These are the times that try men's souls. Thesummer soldier and the sunshine patriot 4 will, in thiscrisis, shrink from the service of their country. But hethat stands it now deserves the love and thanks ofman and woman....
"Wow, that's great," whispered Annie.
Listening to the powerful words, Jack felt his spiritsrise, too.
"'The harder the conflict, the more glorious thetriumph,"' the commander-in-chief read on. "'Whatwe obtain too cheap, we esteem 9 too lightly. It isdearness only that gives everything its value."'
There was a silence, as if everyone were thinkingabout the words the man had read. Then the soldiersstarted cheering and clap-ping. They didn't seem tiredat all anymore.
Now they seemed eager to set out on their mission.
8The commander-in-chief saluted 10 his men. Hesteered his horse toward the flyer.
As the horse moved past them, Jack got a betterlook at the rider.
He gasped 11.
Of course! he thought. He'd seen that face before-ondollar bills!
Jack grabbed Annie's arm.
"I know who the commander-in-chief is!" heexclaimed. "He's George Washington!"
- I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
- He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
- Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
- Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。
- Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
- He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。
- Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
- These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死,也不愿投降。
- A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
- Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
- I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
- She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。
- A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
- The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
- The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。