-长腿叔叔

今日关键语导读 Today’s Key Points

《长腿叔叔》作者简·韦伯斯特，通过书信的形式向读者展现了一个孤女四年多的学习和生活。主人公朱蒂从小在孤儿院长大，在她十八岁那年，得到一位“长腿叔叔”的资助而上了大学。从此，在长达四年的时间里，她一直给这位素未谋面的叔叔写信。朱蒂非常独立、自尊心很强，虽然得到了别人的帮助，但是她仍然努力学习，获得学校颁发的奖学金，并立志成为一个作家。同时，她还利用暑假给低年级的学生做家教。在这个过程中，她也得到了两位男性朋友的青睐。最后才发现原来在这两位男性朋友中，有一位正是她一直给她写信的“长腿叔叔”。

障碍词先听为快 Words and Expressions

institution [ˌinstiˈtjuːʃən]　n. 机构；制度；院校；院；学会

originality [ˌəridʒiˈnæliti]　n. 独创性；创造性；创造力；新颖

numb [nʌm]　v. 呆住；知觉麻木；变得麻木不仁

superintend [ˌsjuːpərinˈtend]　v. 监督；主管；管理；主持；指挥

outfit [ˈautfit]　n. 装备；准备；设备；团体；装置　v. 装备；配备；准备；供给

correspond [kɔrisˈpɔnd]　v. 对应；相应；通信；符合；一致

detest [diˈtest]　v. 憎恶；憎恨；恨；嫌；深恶；嫌恶；厌恨；恨之入骨；深恨

platitude [ˈplætitjuːd]　n. 陈词滥调；老生常谈；单调

tentative [ˈtentətiv]　adj. 实验性的；不确定的；尝试的　n. 实验；尝试；试探

befall [biˈfɔːl]　v. 降临；遭遇；发生；碰到；遇到

好英文娓娓动听 Beautiful stories

“It seemed to me that you showed little gratitude in holding up to ridicule the institution that has done so much for you. Had you not managed to be funny I doubt if you would have been forgiven. But fortunately for you, Mr—, that is, the gentleman who has just gone—appears to have an immoderate sense of humour.On the strength of that impertinent paper, he has offered to send you to college.”

“To college?” Jerusha’s eyes grew big. Mrs. Lippett nodded.

“He waited to discuss the terms with me. They are unusual.The gentleman, I may say, is erratic. He believes that you have originality, and he is planning to educate you to become a writer.”

“A writer?” Jerusha’s mind was numbed. She could only repeat Mrs. Lippett’s words.

“That is his wish. Whether anything will come of it, the future will show. He is giving you a very liberal allowance, almost, for a girl who has never had any experience in taking care of money, too liberal. But he planned the matter in detail, and I did not feel free to make any suggestions. You are to remain here through the summer,and Miss Pritchard has kindly offered to superintend your outfit. Your board and tuition will be paid directly to the college, and you will receive in addition during the four years you are there, an allowance of thirty-five dollars a month. This will enable you to enter on the same standing as the other students. The money will be sent to you by the gentleman’s private secretary once a month, and in return,you will write a letter of acknowledgment once a month. That is—you are not to thank him for the money; he doesn’t care to have that mentioned, but you are to write a letter telling of the progress in your studies and the details of your daily life. Just such a letter as you would write to your parents if they were living.

“These letters will be addressed to Mr. John Smith and will be sent in care of the secretary. The gentleman’s name is not John Smith, but he prefers to remain unknown. To you he will never be anything but John Smith. His reason in requiring the letters is that he thinks nothing so fosters facility in literary expression as letterwriting. Since you have no family with whom to correspond, he desires you to write in this way; also, he wishes to keep track of your progress. He will never answer your letters, nor in the slightest particular take any notice of them. He detests letter-writing and does not wish you to become a burden. If any point should ever arise where an answer would seem to be imperative—such as in the event of your being expelled, which I trust will not occur—you may correspond with Mr. Griggs, his secretary. These monthly letters are absolutely obligatory on your part; they are the only payment that Mr. Smith requires, so you must be as punctilious in sending them as though it were a bill that you were paying. I hope that they will always be respectful in tone and will reflect credit on your training. You must remember that you are writing to a Trustee of the John Grier Home.”

Jerusha’s eyes longingly sought the door. Her head was in a whirl of excitement, and she wished only to escape from Mrs.Lippett’s platitudes and think. She rose and took a tentative step backwards. Mrs. Lippett detained her with a gesture; it was an oratorical opportunity not to be slighted.

“I trust that you are properly grateful for this very rare good fortune that has befallen you? Not many girls in your position ever have such an opportunity to rise in the world. You must always remember.”

“I—yes, ma’am, thank you. I think, if that’s all, I must go and sew a patch on Freddie Perkins’s trousers.”

The door closed behind her, and Mrs. Lippett watched it with dropped jaw, her peroration in mid-air.

The Letters of Miss Jerusha Abbott to Mr. Daddy-Long-Legs Smith

长难句解析

It seemed to me that you showed little gratitude in holding up to ridicule the institution that has done so much for you.

在我听起来你在嘲笑着这个把你养大，为你做了这么多的孤儿院，并且没有表示出一点感激。

it 引导的条件状语从句，在此句中“it”做形式主语而“that”引导的从句做真正的主语。

He is giving you a very liberal allowance, almost, for a girl who has never had any experience in taking care of money,too liberal.

他会给你足够多的零用钱，对一个从没理过财的女孩子来说这实在是太多了。

who 引导定语从句；take care of 关心、照料。

His reason in requiring the letters is that he thinks nothing so fosters facility in literary expression as letter-writing.

他要求你写信的原因是他认为没有什么比写信更能培养写作技巧。

that引导宾语从句；nothing so...as...，没有……比……更……

Since you have no family with whom to correspond, he desires you to write in this way; also, he wishes to keep track of your progress.

由于你没有家人可联络，他才希望你写这样信给他；另一方面他也想随时知道你的学习状况。

since 引导的原因状语从句；desire to do sth. 希望做某事，keep track of 与……保持联系。

If any point should ever arise where an answer would seem to be imperative—such as in the event of your being expelled, which I trust will not occur—you may correspond with Mr. Griggs, his secretary. These monthly letters are absolutely obligatory on your part; they are the only payment that Mr. Smith requires, so you must be as punctilious in sending them as though it were a bill that you were paying.

如果有任何紧急事件需要回复的，比如你要被退学啦，这我相信应该不会发生的，你可以跟他的秘书，格利兹先生联络。这些每个月的书信是你绝对要遵守的义务，这也是史密斯先生唯一的要求，所以你一定要一丝不苟地写信，就当做你在付帐单一样。

If 引导条件状语从句；which 引导非限制性定语从句。