Pre-reading

Question: How did Robinson’s financial situation get better?

Intensive Reading

I started to produce sugar. I didn’t produce much for the first two years. But then my plantation grew fast.

我开始生产蔗糖。头两年我的产量不高。但之后我的种植园很快扩大。

I was single but my life was good. I was independent. My financial situation was better every month.

我虽是单身但生活很好。我可以自力更生。我的经济状况每个月都在变好。

We paid only small taxes in Brazil. The society was new. We didn’t have many rules from the government.

在巴西我们只需交很少的税。社会是崭新的。政府管得不多。

Soon I had enough money. I could hire a lady for cleaning my house. I asked my friends if they knew about any good woman.

很快我就有足够的钱了。我可以雇一位女士来打扫我的房子。我问我的朋友们是否知道一些合适的女性人选。

One of my friends said, “I have a daughter who is eighteen years old. I think that she could work for you. She is also a very good cook.”

我其中一位朋友说，“我有一个18岁的女儿。我觉得她可以为你工作。她也是一位不错的厨师。”

The next day his daughter came to my house. She was friendly but a little shy. She was also a very pretty girl.

第二天，他女儿来到我家。她很友好，但有一点腼腆。她长得也很漂亮。

We talked shortly. I told her what I needed. The next day she came to my house.

我们简短地交谈了一会。我告诉她我需要什么。第二天她来到我家。

She cleaned the dirty floor and my furniture. She took out the rubbish. She came to my house every morning on Monday and on Thursday.

她打扫了脏地板和我的家具。她倒了垃圾。她每周一四上午到我家来。

She stayed in my house for 4 hours. She cleaned the house. She also cooked for me. She gave food to my cat too.

她在我家待4个小时，她打扫房子。她还替我做饭。她还给我的猫喂食。

I was always happy to see the girl. Sometimes we had breakfast or lunch together and we talked.

我见到女孩过来总是很开心。有时我们一起吃早餐或午餐，一块聊聊天。

Notes:

1. plantation: 种植园，种植场，一般指种植咖啡、甘蔗、烟草、茶叶这类作物的地方。

2. independent: 独立的，自力更生的

3. financial: 财政的，经济状况方面的

4. pay taxes: 交税，交的税少可以说pay small taxes或者pay low taxes，交的税多可以说pay high taxes。

5. good: 这里指的是“合适的”，比如“某人适合适合一份工作”我们可以说someone is good for the job.

Exercise:

What did the girl do for Robinson?