小故事

The Smartest Dog
最聪明的狗
A butcher is working, and really busy. He notices a dog in his shop and shoos him away.
一个肉贩在工作，而且很忙。他发现一只狗在他的店里，就把它轰走了。
Later, the dog is back again. He walks over to the dog, and notices the dog has a ten-dollar bill and a note in his mouth. The butcher takes the note, and it reads, "Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please?"
过了一会儿，那只狗又回来了。肉贩走近它，注意到它的嘴里有一张10元的钞票和一张字条。他把字条拿出来看，上面写着：“请给我十二根香肠和一只羊腿。”
Amazed, the butcher takes the money, puts the sausages and lamb in a paper bag, and places it in the dog's mouth.
肉贩大为惊奇，他拿过钱，把香肠和羊腿装进一只纸袋，放到狗的嘴里。
Since it's closing time, he decides to close up shop and follow the dog. So, off he goes. The dog is walking down the street and comes to a crossing. The dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the crossing button. Then he waits patiently, bag in mouth, for a green light. Then he looks both ways and trots across the road, with the butcher following.
已经到了打烊的时间，肉贩决定把在店关上，跟着那只狗。于是肉贩就跟上那只狗。它沿街走到一个十字路口，放下纸袋，跳起来按行人过街灯的按钮。然后它把纸袋叼在嘴里，耐心地等待绿灯。它两边看看，然后穿过马路。肉贩跟在它后面。
The dog then comes to a bus stop, and checks the timetable. The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checks out the times, and sits on one of the seats to wait for the bus.
随后，那只狗来到一个汽车站查看时刻表。肉贩对此充满敬畏。那只狗看好时间后就坐在一张椅子上等车。
When a bus arrives, the dog walks to the front of the bus, looks up at the number, and goes back to his seat. Later another bus comes. Again the dog walks around to the front and looks up at the number, notices it's the right bus, and boards the bus. The butcher, by now open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus.
一辆车来了，那只狗走到车前，抬头看看是几路车，又走回去坐在椅子上。过了一会儿，又来了一辆车。那只狗又走到车前，抬头看看是几路车。这回是它要坐的，它上了车。肉贩看得目瞪口呆，跟着上了车。
The bus travels through town and out to the suburbs. Eventually the dog gets up, moves to the front of the bus, and standing on his back paws, pushes the button to stop the bus. The dog gets off, groceries still in his mouth, and the butcher still following.
汽车穿过城区，来到郊外。终于，那只狗起身，走到车头，用后脚撑地站起来，按下停车按钮。它叼着纸袋下了车，肉贩还跟在后面。
The dog runs up to a house. He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step. Then he walks back down the path, takes a big run and throws himself-whap!-against the door. He goes back down the path, takes another run, and throw himself!-whap!against the door again!
那只狗走向一所房子，它沿着小道走过去，把纸袋放在门前的台阶上。然后它转身走回到小道上，加速跑，“砰”的一声撞向大门。它转身走回到小道上，再次加速跑，又一次“砰”的一声撞向大门。
There's no answer at the door, so the dog goes back down the path, jumps up on a wall, and walks around the garden. He gets to a window, and beats his head against it several times. He walks back, jumps off the wall, and waits at the front door. The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts laying into the dog, really cursing him.
没有人来应门，于是那只狗又走向小道，跳上一面墙，绕过花园。它来到一扇窗下，用头撞了窗户几下。它走回来，跳下墙，在大门外等着。肉贩看到一个大个子打开门，就开始恶语相向地责骂那只狗。
The butcher runs up and stops the guy, "What the hell are you doing? This dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for God's sake!" To which the owner responds, "Genius, my ass. It's the second time this week he's forgotten his key!"
肉贩跑上前去打断那个人：“你在做什么？这只狗是个天才。天哪，它都可以上电视了！”狗主人答道：“天才，才不呢。它这已经是这星期第二次忘带钥匙了。”

重点讲解

重点讲解：
1. shoo sb. away
（挥手）赶走；
eg. You'd better shoo him away.
你最好把他赶走。
eg. I shooed him out of the room.
我把他赶出了房间。
2. close up
（通常因离开）关上，关闭；
eg. Just close up the shop.
把店关了就好了。
eg. The summer house had been closed up all year.
这座消夏别墅关了整整一年。
3. be in awe
对…无比崇敬；对…敬畏；
eg. Caroline hardly dared talk in Alex's presence, she was so in awe of him.
卡罗琳在亚历克斯面前几乎不敢说话，她对他很是敬畏。
eg. I was always a little in awe of Great aunt Stephina Roos.
我对斯蒂菲娜老姑总是怀着敬畏之情。
4. open-mouthed
（因震惊、恐惧、兴奋等而）张大嘴的，瞠目结舌的，目瞪口呆的；
eg. They watched almost open-mouthed as the two men came towards them.
他们几乎目瞪口呆地看着那两个人朝他们走过来。
eg. The finale had 50,000 adults standing in open-mouthed wonderment.
终场一幕让50，000名成年观众惊叹得张大嘴站了起来。
5. lay into
痛打；攻击；抨击；
eg. A mob of women laid into him with handbags and pointed shoes.
一帮女人用手提包砸他，用鞋尖踢他。
eg. She used to lay into Gareth about how much he spent.
她以前常常责备加雷思花钱如何如何厉害。
6. for God's sake
（用于加强请求、疑问的语气或表示厌烦、恼怒）看在上帝份上，天哪，行行好，拜托；
eg. For God's sake stop dithering and make up your mind!
看在上帝面上，别再犹豫了，快拿定主意吧！
eg. For God's sake, say no more of his partners.
天哪，不要提他那些舞伴了吧。