(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
The forest was full of shadows as a little girl hurried through it one summer evening in June. It was already 8 o'clock and Sylvie wondered if her grandmother would be angry with her for being so late. Every evening Sylvie left her grandmother's house at 5:30 to bring their cow home. The old animal spent her days out in the open country eating sweet grass. It was Sylvie's job to bring her home to be milked. When the cow heard Sylvie's voice calling her, she would hide among the bushes. This evening it had taken Sylvie longer than usual to find her cow. The child hurried the cow through the dark forest, following a narrow path that led to her grandmother's home. The cow stopped at a small stream to drink. As Sylvie waited, she put her bare feet in the cold, fresh water of the stream. She had never before been alone in the forest as late as this. The air was soft and sweet. Sylvie felt as if she were a part of the gray shadows and the silver leaves that moved in the evening breeze. She began thinking how it was only a year ago that she came to her grandmother's farm. Before that, she had lived with her mother and father in a dirty, crowded factory town. One day, Sylvie's grandmother had visited them and had chosen Sylvie from all her brothers and sisters to be the one to help her on her farm in Vermont.
The cow finished drinking, and as the 9-year-old child hurried through the forest to the home she loved, she thought again about the noisy town where her parents still lived. Suddenly the air was cut by a sharp whistle not far away. Sylvie knew it wasn't a friendly bird's whistle. It was the determined whistle of a person. She forgot the cow and hid in some bushes. But she was too late. "Hello, little girl," a young man called out cheerfully. "How far is it to the main road?" Sylvie was trembling as she whispered "two miles." She came out of the bushes and looked up into the face of a tall young man carrying a gun. The stranger began walking with Sylvie as she followed her cow through the forest. "I've been hunting for birds," he explained, "but I've lost my way. Do you think I can spend the night at your house?" Sylvie didn't answer. She was glad they were almost home. She could see her grandmother standing near the door of the farm house. When they reached her, the stranger put down his gun and explained his problem to Sylvie's smiling grandmother. "Of course you can stay with us," she said. "We don't have much, but you're welcome to share what we have. Now Sylvie, get a plate for the gentleman!"
After eating, they all sat outside. The young man explained he was a scientist, who collected birds. "Do you put them in a cage?" Sylvie asked. "No," he answered slowly, "I shoot them and stuff them with special chemicals to preserve them. I have over 100 different kinds of birds from all over the United States in my study at home." "Sylvie knows a lot about birds, too," her grandmother said proudly. "She knows the forest so well, the wild animals come and eat bread right out of her hands." "So Sylvie knows all about birds. Maybe she can help me then," the young man said. "I saw a white heron not far from here two days ago. I've been looking for it ever since. It's a very rare bird, the little white heron. Have you seen it, too?" he asked Sylvie. But Sylvie was silent. "You would know it if you saw it," he added. "It's a tall, strange bird with soft white feathers and long thin legs. It probably has its nest at the top of a tall tree." Sylvie's heart began to beat fast. She knew that strange white bird! She had seen it on the other side of the forest. The young man was staring at Sylvie. "I would give $10 to the person who showed me where the white heron is."
That night Sylvie's dreams were full of all the wonderful things she and her grandmother could buy for ten dollars. Sylvie spent the next day in the forest with the young man. He told her a lot about the birds they saw. Sylvie would have had a much better time if the young man had left his gun at home. She could not understand why he killed the birds he seemed to like so much. She felt her heart tremble every time he shot an unsuspecting bird as it was singing in the trees. But Sylvie watched the young man with eyes full of admiration. She had never seen anyone so handsome and charming. A strange excitement filled her heart, a new feeling the little girl did not recognize...love. At last evening came. They drove the cow home together. Long after the moon came out and the young man had fallen asleep Sylvie was still awake. She had a plan that would get the $10 for her grandmother and make the young man happy. When it was almost time for the sun to rise, she quietly left her house and hurried through the forest. She finally reached a huge pine tree, so tall it could be seen for many miles around. Her plan was to climb to the top of the pine tree. She could see the whole forest from there. She was sure she would be able to see where the white heron had hidden its nest.
Sylvie's bare feet and tiny fingers grabbed the tree's rough trunk. Sharp dry branches scratched at her like cat's claws. The pine tree's sticky sap made her fingers feel stiff and clumsy as she climbed higher and higher. The pine tree seemed to grow taller, the higher that Sylvie climbed. The sky began to brighten in the east. Sylvie's face was like a pale star when, at last, she reached the tree's highest branch. The golden sun's rays hit the green forest. Two hawks flew together in slow-moving circles far below Sylvie. Sylvie felt as if she could go flying among the clouds, too. To the west she could see other farms and forests. Suddenly Sylvie's dark gray eyes caught a flash of white that grew larger and larger. A bird with broad white wings and a long slender neck flew past Sylvie and landed on a pine branch below her. The white heron smoothed its feathers and called to its mate, sitting on their nest in a nearby tree. Then it lifted its wings and flew away.
Sylvie gave a long sigh. She knew the wild bird's secret now. Slowly she began her dangerous trip down the ancient pine tree. She did not dare to look down and tried to forget that her fingers hurt and her feet were bleeding. All she wanted to think about was what the stranger would say to her when she told him where to find the heron's nest. As Sylvie climbed slowly down the pine tree, the stranger was waking up back at the farm. He was smiling because he was sure from the way the shy little girl had looked at him that she had seen the white heron. About an hour later Sylvie appeared. Both her grandmother and the young man stood up as she came into the kitchen. The splendid moment to speak about her secret had come. But Sylvie was silent. Her grandmother was angry with her. Where had she been? The young man's kind eyes looked deeply into Sylvie's own dark gray ones. He could give Sylvie and her grandmother $10 dollars. He had promised to do this, and they needed the money. Besides, Sylvie wanted to make him happy. But Sylvie was silent. She remembered how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sun rise together from the top of the world. Sylvie could not speak. She could not tell the heron's secret and give its life away. The young man went away disappointed later that day. Sylvie was sad. She wanted to be his friend. He never returned. But many nights Sylvie heard the sound of his whistle as she came home with her grandmother's cow. Were the birds better friends than their hunter might have been? Who can know?
重点解析
1.be angry with 对生气；对...发怒
Don't be angry with him. He's your father after all.
别生他的气了，他毕竟是你的父亲。
2.far away 远方的；遥远的
The two women were sitting as far away from each other as possible.
那两个女人坐在离对方尽可能远的地方。
3.land on 登陆；降落
It can land on a ploughed field.
它可以在耕过的田里降落。
4.give away 泄露；出卖
I was never tempted for a moment to give her away.
我从未想到过要揭她的底儿。
参考译文
这是六月的一个夏夜，树林里满是阴影，有个小女孩匆匆穿过树林。那时已经八点了，西尔维想知道祖母会不会因为她这么晚才回来而生气。每天晚上五点半，西尔维离开祖母的家，出去把母牛赶回来。这头老母牛在野外吃着香甜的青草。西尔维的任务是把她带回家挤牛奶。当母牛听到西尔维叫它时，就会躲进灌木丛中。今天晚上，西尔维花了比平时更长的时间才找到她的牛。小姑娘赶着牛，穿过黑暗的森林，沿着一条狭窄的小路回祖母家。老母牛在一条小溪边停下来喝水，西尔维等着的时候，把光着的脚伸进冰冷的溪水中。她从没在这么晚时，独自一人待在森林里。空气里有种柔软香甜的味道，西尔维觉得自己像融入了灰色的阴影，是在微风中飘动的银色树叶。她开始回想，就在一年前，她是怎么来到祖母的农场。在那之前，她和父母住在一个肮脏拥挤的工业区。一天，西尔维的祖母来看他们，并从她所有的兄弟姐妹中选择了西尔维来帮忙在佛蒙特州的农场工作。
老母牛喝完了水，这个9岁大的孩子匆匆穿过森林走向她所爱的家时，她又想起了父母仍然居住的喧闹的小镇。突然，不远处一声刺耳的哨声打破了夜空。西尔维知道这不是鸟儿发出的友好的鸣叫，而是一个人发出的坚定的哨声。她把老母牛忘得一干二净，自己躲到了灌木丛里，但太迟了。 “你好，小姑娘，”一个年轻人兴高采烈地喊道。“还有多远才能到主路？”西尔维颤抖着低声道：“两英里”，她从灌木丛中走出来，抬头看着这个拿着猎枪的高个子年轻人的脸。西尔维跟着老母牛穿过森林，陌生人走在她的旁边。“我一直在找鸟，”他解释说，“但我迷路了，我可以在你家过夜吗？”西尔维没有回答，她很高兴他们快到家了。她能看见祖母站在农舍门口。他们走进祖母时，陌生人放下猎枪，西尔维的祖母满脸微笑。陌生人向她解释了自己遇到的问题。“你当然可以和我们住在一起，”她说。我们没有太多东西，但我们愿意和你分享我们拥有的东西。西尔维，给这位先生拿个盘子！”
吃完饭，他们都坐在屋外。年轻人解释说，他是一位科学家，在收集鸟类。“你把它们放进笼子里了吗？”西尔维娅问。“不，”他缓缓说道，“我射杀它们，再用特殊的化学物质把它们的身体塞满后保存起来。我的书房里有100多种来自美国各地的鸟。”“西尔维也很了解鸟类，”她的祖母骄傲地说。“她熟知这片森林，她把面包放到手里，野生动物会过来从她手中吃面包。”“这么说，西尔维对鸟类了如指掌。也许她可以来帮我，”年轻人说。“两天前，我在离这儿不远的地方看见一只白苍鹭，从那以后我就一直在找它。这是一种非常稀有的鸟，小白苍鹭。你也见过吗？”他问西尔维。但是，西尔维没说话。他补充说：“如果你看到它，就能认出来。它体型高大，长得也很奇怪，有柔软的白色羽毛和细长的腿。它可能把巢筑在了一棵高大的树木顶部。”西尔维的心脏开始快速跳动，她知道那种奇怪的白鸟！她在森林的另一边看到过它。那个年轻人盯着西尔维看，“谁能告诉我白苍鹭在哪，我就给他10美元。”
那天晚上，西尔维做的梦里都是她和祖母用十美元能买到的所有好东西。第二天，西尔维和那个年轻人一起待在森林里。他给她讲了很多他们看到的鸟的事。如果这个年轻人把枪留在家里，西尔维会更开心。她不明白他为什么要射死那些他似乎很喜欢的鸟。每当他射中一只毫无防备站在树上唱歌的鸟时，她都感到自己的心在颤抖。但是，西尔维用充满钦佩的眼神看着这个年轻人。她从未见过如此英俊迷人的人，一种奇怪的兴奋感充满她的内心，那是一种让这个小女孩未曾有过的新感受......爱。夜晚终于到来了，他们一起把老母牛赶回家。月亮升上夜空后很久，年轻人睡着了，而西尔维仍然醒着。她有一个计划，那就是给祖母10美元，也让这个年轻人开心。太阳快要升起来时，她悄悄离开家，匆忙穿过森林。她终于来到一棵巨大的松树下，这棵树非常高，站在周围好几英里的地方都能看到。她计划爬到松树顶上，她就可以从那看到整片森林。她确信自己能看到白苍鹭藏匿巢穴的地方。
西尔维光着脚，她用脚趾和小手指抓住那棵树粗糙的树干。干枯的树枝像猫爪一样把她划伤，她越爬越高时，松树粘糊糊的松液让她手指感到僵硬、笨拙。西尔维爬得越高，松树似乎也越长越高。东方的天空开始变亮了，西尔维的脸就像一颗苍白的星星，她终于爬上了最高的树枝。金色的阳光洒在翠绿的森林上，两只老鹰在西尔维的下方缓慢地盘旋。西尔维觉得自己也可以在云中翱翔。向西看，她能看到其他的农场和森林。突然，西尔维深灰色的眼睛捕捉到一道白光，那白光越来越大。一只长着白色宽翅膀和细长脖子的鸟从西尔维身边飞过，落在她身下的一根松枝上。白苍鹭停在附近一棵树上的巢里抚平羽毛，呼唤着同伴。然后，它展翅飞走了。
西尔维长叹一口气。现在，她知道了这只野鸟的秘密。她开始慢慢地沿着古老的松树往下爬，爬下树是件很危险的事。她不敢往下看，试图忘记自己的手指受伤了，脚也在流血。她满脑子想的都是自己告诉陌生人在哪能找到白苍鹭的巢穴时，他会对她说些什么。西尔维慢慢爬下松树时，那个陌生人在农场醒来。他笑了，因为他从那个害羞的小女孩看着自己眼神中，可以确定她看到过白苍鹭。大约一小时后，西尔维出现了。她走进厨房时，祖母和年轻人都站了起来。现在该告诉他们自己发现的秘密了。但是，西尔维却沉默了。她祖母很生气，因为不知道她去哪儿了。年轻人慈祥的眼睛深深地注视着西尔维深灰色的眼睛。他可以给西尔维和她祖母10美元。他答应过要这么做，她们也需要钱。而且，西尔维想让他开心。但是，西尔维没有说话。她记得白苍鹭是如何在洒满金色阳光的空气中飞行，他们是如何一起看着太阳从世界的顶端升起。西尔维说不出一句话，她不能说出白苍鹭的秘密，不能让它丧生。那年轻人那天晚些时候失望地走了。西尔维很伤心，她想成为他的朋友，他再也没有回来过。但是，有好几个晚上，西尔维赶着祖母的老母牛回家时，都听到了他的哨声。与猎人相比，这些鸟是否会是更好的朋友呢？谁知道呢？
