向紅

Jerry woke up on Monday. He took a box that he was keeping under his bed. When he came down stairs， his parents asked him what was in it. “Something really fun，” he said， but nothing more.

星期一，杰瑞醒來(lái)后，拿起一個(gè)他放在床下的盒子。當(dāng)他下樓時(shí)，父母問(wèn)他里面是什么，他說(shuō)：“很有趣的東西?！眱H此而已。

Verry walked to the bus stop with the box in his hands. Everybody at the bus stop asked him what was in it. “Its very important，” he said， but nothing more.

杰瑞手里拿著盒子走到公共汽車(chē)站。公共汽車(chē)站的每個(gè)人都問(wèn)他里面是什么。他說(shuō)：“非常重要的東西?！钡珒H此而已。

When he got to school， the teacher asked him what was in his box.

當(dāng)他到學(xué)校時(shí)，老師問(wèn)他盒子里是什么。

“Its a secret1，” he said， but nothing more. At lunch， his friends all crowded2 around and asked him to open it. “I cant. Its a gift，” he said， but nothing more.

“這是一個(gè)秘密?！彼f(shuō)，但僅此而已。午飯時(shí)，他的朋友們都圍了上來(lái)，叫他打開(kāi)它。他說(shuō)：“不行，這是一份禮物。”但僅此而已。

The box sat with him all day， and no one in class could know what it is. His teacher was curious3， too. She decided4 to send him to the principal5 for disturbing6 the class， hoping to get an answer. The principal asked Jerry what he was keeping in the box and if it was dangerous. “Its not for you，” he said， but nothing more.

盒子整天就放在他身邊，班上沒(méi)人知道這是什么東西，他的老師也很好奇。因?yàn)樗麛_亂課堂，她決定帶他去見(jiàn)校長(zhǎng)，希望能得到答案。校長(zhǎng)問(wèn)杰瑞，他盒子里放的是什么，有沒(méi)有危險(xiǎn)。他說(shuō)：“這不是給你的?！钡珒H此而已。

Jerry went back to class and sat down. The class was watching as he handed the teacher a note from the principal. “Well， if its a gift， Jerry， I suggest you deliver7 it now.” Jerry turned around and faced the class. He walked down the aisle8 and stopped at the desk of Oscar.

杰瑞回到教室坐好。整個(gè)班級(jí)都在注視著他把校長(zhǎng)給他的紙條交給老師。“好吧，如果這是禮物，杰瑞，我建議你現(xiàn)在就送出去?！苯苋疝D(zhuǎn)過(guò)身，面對(duì)著全班。他沿著過(guò)道一直走，在奧斯卡的課桌前停了下來(lái)。

Oscars eyes lit up. Nobody paid attention9 to Oscar. Nobody talked to Oscar. And nobody had ever stopped at Oscars desk， until now. Jerry handed him the box， with a new note inside. Oscar read the note， “Dear Oscar， this is my box. Enjoy. P.S. It works better if you dont open it！”

奧斯卡的眼睛亮了。從沒(méi)有人關(guān)注過(guò)奧斯卡，沒(méi)有人和奧斯卡說(shuō)過(guò)話(huà)。直到現(xiàn)在，從來(lái)沒(méi)人在奧斯卡的課桌前停下來(lái)過(guò)。杰瑞把盒子遞給他，里面放著一張新紙條。奧斯卡讀了紙條上的內(nèi)容：“親愛(ài)的奧斯卡，這是我的盒子。好好享受吧。附言：如果不打開(kāi)它會(huì)更好！”

On Tuesday， nobody had more people at his desk than Oscar.

周二，奧斯卡的桌子前面聚集了最多人。

（英語(yǔ)原文摘自：www.gutenberg.org）

【Notes】

1. secret? n. 秘密;秘訣

2. crowd? v. （一批人）（使）擠滿(mǎn);逼近（某人）;聚集

3. curious adj. 好奇的，有求知欲的

4. decide? v. 決定，下決心

5. principal? n. 校長(zhǎng)

6. disturb? ?v. 打擾;使不安

7. deliver v. 交付;遞送

8. aisle n. 走道;側(cè)廊

9. attention? n. 注意力;關(guān)心