这部小说以家庭生活为描写对象，以家庭成员的感情纠葛为线索，描写了马奇一家的天伦之爱。马奇家的四姐妹中，无论是为了爱情甘于贫困的海格，还是通过自己奋斗成为作家的乔，以及坦然面对死亡的贝思和以扶弱为己任的艾米，虽然她们的理想和命运都不尽相同，但是她们都具有自强自立的共同特点。描写了她们对家庭的眷恋；对爱的忠诚以及对亲情的渴望。

名著阅读

CHAPTER ONE第一章

PLAYING PILGRIMS 朝圣

"Some handkerchiefs, all hemmed," said Beth.

“我要送些镶边小手帕，”贝思说。

"I'll get a little bottle of cologne. She likes it, and it won't cost much, so I'll have some left to buy my pencils," added Amy.

“我会送一小瓶古龙香水。因为妈妈喜欢，而且不用太花钱，我还可以省点钱给自己买铅笔，”艾美接着说。

"How will we give the things?" asked Meg.

“我们怎么个送法呢？”梅格问。

"Put them on the table, and bring her in and see her open the bundles. Don't you remember how we used to do on our birthdays?" answered Jo.

“把礼物放在桌上，把妈妈带进来，让她在我们面前亲自拆开礼物。你忘记我们是怎样过生日的吗？”乔回答。

"I used to be so frightened when it was my turn to sit in the chair with the crown on, and see you all come marching round to give the presents, with a kiss. I liked the things and the kisses, but it was dreadful to have you sit looking at me while I opened the bundles," said Beth, who was toasting her face and the bread for tea at the same time.

“每当我坐在那张大椅子上，头戴花冠，看着你们一个个上前送上礼物，吻我一下时，心里真是慌得很。我喜欢你们的礼物和亲吻，但要在众目睽睽之下把礼物拆开，我就吓得心里直打鼓儿，”贝思说，边烘茶点，边取暖。

"Let Marmee think we are getting things for ourselves, and then surprise her. We must go shopping tomorrow afternoon, Meg. There is so much to do about the play for Christmas night," said Jo, marching up and down, with her hands behind her back, and her nose in the air.

“先别告诉妈咪，让她以为我们是为自己准备的，给她一个惊喜。我们明天下午就得去办货，梅格，圣诞夜的话剧还有许多事情要准备呐。”乔说话的时候倒背着手，仰着头，来回踱步。

"I don't mean to act any more after this time. I'm getting too old for such things," observed Meg, who was as much a child as ever about 'dressing-up' frolics.

“演完这回，以后我就不演了。我年岁大，该退出了，”对"化装游戏"一直童心未泯的梅格说。

"You won't stop, I know, as long as you can trail round in a white gown with your hair down, and wear gold-paper jewelry. You are the best actress we've got, and there'll be an end of everything if you quit the boards," said Jo. "We ought to rehearse tonight. Come here, Amy, and do the fainting scene, for you are as stiff as a poker in that." "I can't help it. I never saw anyone faint, and I don't choose to make myself all black and blue, tumbling flat as you do. If I can go down easily, I'll drop. If I can't, I shall fall into a chair and be graceful. I don't care if Hugo does come at me with a pistol," returned Amy, who was not gifted with dramatic power, but was chosen because she was small enough to be borne out shrieking by the villain of the piece.

“你不会停止的，我知道，只要你能够披下头发，戴上金纸做的珠宝，身披白长裙摇曳而行，你就不会的。因为你是我们的最佳演员，如果你退出，那么一切都完了，”乔说，”我们今晚应该排练一下。来，艾美，试演一下晕厥那一场，你演这幕时生硬得像根拨火棍。”“有什么办法！我从来没见过人晕倒，我也不想像你一样直挺挺地摔倒，弄得自己青一块紫一块的。如果我可以轻轻地倒在地上，我就倒下，否则，还不如体面地倒在椅子上。即使雨果真的用枪指着我也是这句话，”艾美回答。她的表演天赋并不高，被选派这一角色是因为她年纪小，碰上歹徒的尖叫声由她发出更可信。

"Do it this way. Clasp your hands so, and stagger across the room, crying frantically, 'Roderigo! Save me! Save me!'" and away went Jo, with a melodramatic scream which was truly thrilling.

“这样来：两手这样握着，摇摇晃晃地走过房间，发狂般地叫喊：'罗德力戈！救救我！救救我！'"乔做示范，夸张地尖叫一声，令人毛骨悚然。

Amy followed, but she poked her hands out stiffly before her, and jerked herself along as if she went by machinery, and her "Ow!" was more suggestive of pins being run into her than of fear and anguish. Jo gave a despairing groan, and Meg laughed outright, while Beth let her bread burn as she watched the fun with interest. "It's no use! Do the best you can when the time comes, and if the audience laughs, don't blame me. Come on, Meg."
　　
艾美跟着模仿，但她伸出的双手僵硬无比，发出的尖叫声与情景相差万里。她那一声"啊！”不像是感到恐惧和极度痛苦，倒像是被针戳了一下。乔失望地叹了一声，梅格却放声大笑，贝思看得有趣，把面包也烤糊了。 “不可救药！演出时尽力而为吧，如果观众笑你，别怪我。来吧，梅格。”

词汇释义

1.hem n. 边缘 v. 缝边, 包围, 关闭

Can you help me to hem the skirt?
你能帮我给裙子缝边吗？

2.cologne n. 科隆香水

On days there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne.
每逢有重要的考试，汤普林夫人总不忘那科龙香水。

3.frolic adj. 嬉戏的 v.&n. 嬉戏

The children froliced in the garden after school.
孩子们放学后在花园里嬉戏。

4.gown [gaun] n. 长袍, 长外衣

She wears a translucent silk gown.
她穿着半透明丝质长袍。

5.rehearse vt. 预演, 排演, 预先演习 vi. 参加彩排

The actors were rehearsing the play.
演员们一直在排练这出戏。

6.shriek n. 尖叫, 叫喊 v. 尖叫

Suddenly he began to shriek loudly.
突然他开始大声尖叫起来。

7.villain n. 坏人, 恶根

The king is represented as a villain in the play.
在这出剧中把国王刻画成一个反面人物。

8.melodramatic adj. 通俗剧风格的, 戏剧似的, 甚为感伤的

a melodramatic paperback novel.
一种情节剧的平装小说。

9.thrilling adj. 毛骨悚然的, 令人兴奋的

It was a real thrill to meet the Queen.
能见到女王的确是令人兴奋的事.

10.jerk v. 痉挛, 急拉, 急推, 急动

The bus jerked to a stop.
公共汽车猛然刹车停住了。