现代大学英语精读第六册 的第四课和第九课课文 原文

...............精品资料...............【精品资料】第PAGE4页现代大学英语精读第六册的第四课和第九课课文NettlesOurfarmwassmall-nineacres.Itwassmallenoughformetohaveexploredeverypartofit.Eachofthetreesontheplacehadanattitudeandapresence-theelmlookedsereneandtheoakthreatening,themaplesfriendly,thehawthornoldandcrabby.Eventhepitsontheriverflatshadtheirflatshadtheirdistinctcharacter.Thegirlsaswellastheboysweredividedintotwosides.Eachgirlhadherownpileofballsandwasworkingforpaticularsoldiers,andwhenasoldierfellwoundedhewouldcalloutagirl’sname,sothatshecoulddraghimawayanddresshiswoundsasquicklyaspossible.ImadeweaponsforMike,andminewsthenamehecalled.Therewasakeenalarmwhenthecrycame,awirezingingthroughyourwholebody,afanaticfeelingofdevotion.WhenMikewaswoundedheneveropenedhiseyes.HelaylimpandstillwhileIpressedslimylargeleavestohisforeheadandthroatand-pullingouthisshirt-tohispaletenderstomach,withitssweetandvulnerablebellybutton.Onemorning,ofcourse,thejobwasallfinished,thewellcapped,thepumpreinstated,thefreshwatermarvelledat.Andthetruckdidnotcome.Thereweretwofewerchairsatthetableforthenoonmeal.MikeandIhadbarelylookedateachotherduringthosemeals.Helikedtoputketcuponhisbread.Hisfathertalkedtomyfather,andthetalkwasmostlyaboutwell,accidents,watertables.Aseriousman.Allwork,myfathersaid.Yet-he-Mike’sfather-endednearlyeveryspeechwithalaugh.Thelaughhadalonelyboominit,asifhewerestilldownthewell.SunnyandIhadbeenfriendsinVancouveryearsbefore.Ourpregnancieshaddovetailed,sothatwehadmanagedwithonesetofmaternityclothes.Inmykitchenorinhers,onceaweekorso,distractedbyourchildrenandsometimesreelingforlackofsleep,westokedourselvesuponstrongcoffeeandcigarettesandlaunchedoutonarampageoftalkaboutourmarriages,ourpersonaldeficiencies,ourinterestinganddiscreditablemotives,andourforgoneambitions.WereadJungatthesametimeandtriedtokeeptrackofourdreams.Duringthattimeoflifethatissupposedtobeareproductivedaze,withthewoman’smindallswampedbymaternaljuices,wewerestillcompelledtodiscussSimonedeBeauvoirandArthurKoestlerand“TheCocktailParty”.Hehadsleptintheguestbedroomthenightbeforebuttonighthe’dmoveddownstairstothefold-outsofainthefrontroom.Sunnyhadgivenhimfreshsheetsratherthanunmarkingandmakingupagainthebedhehadleftforme.Lyinginthosesamesheetsdidnotmakeforapeacefulnight.Iknewthathewouldn’tcometosee,nomatterhowsmalltheriskwas.Itwouldbeasleazythingtodo,inthehouseofhisfriends.AndhowcouldhebesurethatitwaswhatIwanted?Orthatitwaswhathereallywanted?EvenIwasnotsureofit.Uptillnow,Ihadalwaysbeenabletothinkofmyselfasawomanwhowasfaithfultothepersonwhoshewassleepingwithatanygiventime.Mysleepwasshallow,mydreamsmonotonouslylustful,withirritatingandunpleasantsubplots.Allnight-oratleastwhenenerIwokeup-thecricketswresingingoutsidemywindows.AtfirstIthoughtitwasbirds.Ihadlivedincitieslongenoughtohaveforgottenhowcricketscanmakeaperfectwaterfallofnoise.Thebushesrightattheedgeofthegrasslookedimpenetrable,butcloseuptherewerelittleopenings,thenarrowpathsthatanimalsorpeoplelookingforgolfballshadmade.Thegroundslopedslightlydownward,andwecouldseeabitoftheriver.Thewaterwassteelgray,andlookedtoberolling.Betweenitandustherewasameadowofweeds,allinbloom-goldenrod,jewelweedwithitsred-and-yellowbells,andwhatIthoughtwerefloweringnettleswithpinkish-purpleclusters,andwildasters.Eventhemostfrail-stemmed,delicate-lookingplantshadgrownupalmostashighas,orhigherthan,ourheads.Whenwestoppedandlookedupthroughthemwecouldseesomethingcoming,fromthedirectionofthemidnightclouds.Itwastherealrain,comingatusbehindthesplatterweweregetting.Itlookedasifalargeportionoftheskyhaddetacheditselfandwasbearingdown,bustlingandresolute,takinganotquiterecognizablebutanimateshape.Curtainsofrain-notveilsbutreallythickandwildlyslappingcurtains-weredeivenaheadofit.Wecouldseethemdistinctly,whenallwewerefeelingwerelightwerelight,lazydrops.Itwasalmostasifwewerelookingthroughawindow,andnotquitebelievingthatthewindowwouldshatter,untilitdid,andrainandwindhitus,alltogether,andmyhairwasliftedanfannedoutabovemyhead.Ifeltasifmyskinmightdothatnext.Weremainedlikethisuntilthewindpassedover.Thatcouldnothavebeenmorethanfiveminutes,perhapsonlutwoorthree.Tainstillfell,butnowitwasordinaryheavyrain.Hetookhishandsaway,andwestoodup,shakly.Ourshirtsandslackswerestuckfasttoourbodie.Wetriedtosimle,buthadhardlythestrengthforit.Thenwekissedandpressedtogetherbriefly.Thiswasmoreofaritual,arecognitionofsurvivalratherthanofourbodies’inclinations.Ourlipsslidagainsteachother,slickandcool,andthepressureoftheembracemadeusslightlychilly,asfreshwaterwassquishedoutofourclothing.ThebluesteyeTheyhavetheeyesofpeoplewhocantellwhattimeitisbythecolorofthesky.Suchgirlsliveinquietblackneighborhoodswhereeverybodyisgainfullyemployed.Wherethereareporchswingshangingfromchains.Wherethegrassiscutwithascythe,wherethegrassiscutwithascythe,whereroostercombsandsunflowersgrowintheyardsandpotsofbleedinghearts,ivy,andmother-in-lawtonguelinethestepsandwindowsills.Suchgirlshaveboughtwatermelonandsnapbeansfromthefruitman’swagon.Theyhaveputinthewindowthecardboardsighthathasapoundmeasureprintedoneachofthreeedges-qolbs.,25lbs.,50ibs.–andNOICEonthefourth.ThesepaticularbrowngirlsfromMobilandAilenarenotlikesomeoftheirsisters.Theyarenotfretful,nervous,orshrill;theydonothavelovelyblacknecksthatstretchasthoughagainstandinvisiblecollar;theireyesdonotbite.Thesesugar-brownMobilgirlsmovethroughthestreetswithoutastir.Theyareassweetandplainasbuttercake.Theygotoland-grantcolleges,normalschools,andlearnhowtodothewhiteman’sworkwithrefinement:homeeconomicstopreparehisfood;teachereducationtoinstructblackchildreninobedience;musictosoothethewearymasterandentertainhisbluntedsoul.Heretheylearntherestofthelessonbeguninthosesofthouseswithporchswingsandpotsofbleedingheart:howtobehave.Thecarefuldevelopmentofthrift,patience,highmorals,andgoodmanners.Inshort,howtogetridofthefunkiness.Thedreadfulfunkinessofpassion,thefunkinessofnature,thefunkinessofthewiderangeofhumanemotions.Whattheydonotknowisthatthisplainbrowngirlwillbuildherneststickbystick,makeitherowninviolableworld,andstandguardoveritseveryplant,weed,anddoily,evenagainsthim.Insilencewillshereturnthelamptowheresheputitinthefirstplace;removethedishesfromthetableassoonasthelastbiteistaken;wipethedoornobafteragreasyhandhastorchedit.Asidelonglookwillbeenoughtotellhimtosmokeonthebackporch.Childrenwillsenseinstantlythattheycannotcomeintoheryardtoretrieveaball.Butthemendonotknowthesethings.Nordotheyknowthatshewillgivehimherbodysparinglyandpartially.Thecatwillsettlequietlyonthewindowsillandearessherwithhiseyes.Shecanholdhiminherarms,lettinghisbackpawsstuggleforfootingonherbreastandhisforepawsclingtohershoulder.Shecanrubthesmoothfurandfeeltheunresistingfleshunderneath.Athergentlesttouchhewillpreen,stretch,andopenhismouth.Andshewillacceptthestrangelypleasantsensationthatcomeswhenhewrithesbeneathherhandandflattenshiseyeswithasurfeitofsensualdelight.Whenshestandscookingatthetable,hewillcircleaboutherfingerstremblealittleinthepiedough.Juniorusedtolongtoplaywiththeblackboys.MorethananythingintheworldhewantedtoplayKingoftheMountainandhavethempishhimdownthmoundofdirtandrolloverhim.Hewantedtofeeltheirhardnesspressingonhim.Smelltheirwildblackness,andsay“Fuckyou”withthatlovelycasualness.Hewantedtositwiththemoncurbstonesandcomparetheshapenessofjackknives,thedistanceandcrcsofspitting.Inthetoilethewantedtosharewiththemthelaurelsofbeingabletopeefarandlong.Heoulledherintoanotherroom,evenmorebeautifulthanthefirst.Moredoilies,abiglampwithgreen-and-goldbaseandwhiteshade.Therewasevenarugonthefloor,withenormousdark-redflowers.ShewasdeepinadmirationoftheflowerswhenJuniorsaid,“here!”Pecolaturned.“Hereisyourkitten!”hescreeched.Andhethrewabigblackcatrightinherface.Shesuckedinherbreathinfearandsurpriseandfeltfurinhermouth.Thecatclawedherfaceandchestinanefforttorightitself,thenleapednimblytothefloor.