书城外语英语PARTY——小品生活
16006800000001

第1章

A Baboon That Has Learned to Count

Cowboy the batoon has learned to count-at least when he is hungry.Dr.Jack Findley of the University of Mary land has taught him to recognize five colors of lights;each light stands for a certain number of beeps from a sound box.

When Cowboy turns on a light by pushing a button,the box begins making beep tones-the number of beeps.Cowboy must count is determined by the color of the light.When the correct number has sounded,Cowboy pushes a second button.This stops the sound and releases a food pellet.If he pushes the button too soon or too late,Cowboy doesn,t get any food.

Cowboy is required to keep track of only five signals now,but he may have to think harder soon.Dr.Findley plans to shine two lights at once,and to require the baboon to push the button when the correct combined number has sounded.

If Cowboy is able to do this,he will have learned how to add.

学会了数数的狒狒

一只取名牛仔的狒狒学会数数了——至少在它肚子饿时是这样。马里兰大学的杰克·芬德利博士已教会它辨认5种灯光的颜色;每种光代表共鸣箱发出的嘟嘟信号音的一个特定数字。

当牛仔按动一只电钮开灯时,共鸣箱便开始发出嘟嘟声——牛仔要数的信号音的数目,是由灯光的颜色来确定的。当正确的数字报出后,牛仔便按动第二只电钮。这一按,声音停止,并有一团食物递送出来。如果牛仔按动电钮过快或过慢,它便什么食物也得不到。

现在只要求牛仔接触5种信号,但不久它也许不得不多动点儿脑筋。芬德利博士计划让两盏灯同时亮,并要求牛仔,在正确的两数之和报出后,由它再按动电钮。

如果牛仔能做到这一点,那它就是学会加法了。

A Boy and His Tree

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow... He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.

Time went by...The little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy.

“I am no longer a kid, I don’t play around trees anymore.” The boy replied, “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I don’t have money...but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He picked all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy didn’t come back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. “Come and play with me.” The tree said. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, but I don’t have a house. But you can cut off my branches to build your house.” So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily.

The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy didn’t appear since then. The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said.

“I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build the boat. You can sail and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and did not show up for a long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you.” the tree said. “ I dont have teeth to bite.” The boy replied. “ No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now.” the boy said. “I really want to give you something...the only thing left is my dying roots.” The tree said with tears. “I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years.” The boy replied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come here, please sit down with me and have a rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears...

This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad... When we grow up, we leave them, and only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could to make you happy. You may think that the boy is cruel to the tree but that s how all of us are treating our parents.

男孩和树

很久以前有一棵苹果树。一个小男孩每天都喜欢来到树旁玩耍。他爬到树顶,吃苹果,在树荫里打盹……他爱这棵树,树也爱和他一起玩。

随着时间的流逝,小男孩长大了。他不再到树旁玩耍了。

一天,男孩回到树旁,看起来很悲伤。“来和我玩吧!”树说。

“我不再是小孩了,我不会再到树下玩耍了。”男孩答到,“我想要玩具,我需要钱来买。”

“很遗憾,我没有钱……但是你可以采摘我的所有苹果拿去卖。这样你就有钱了。”男孩很兴奋。他摘掉树上所有的苹果,然后高兴地离开了。自从那以后男孩没有回来。树很伤心。

一天,男孩回来了,树非常兴奋。“来和我玩吧。”树说。“我没有时间玩。我得为我的家庭工作。我们需要一个房子来遮风挡雨,你能帮我吗?”很遗憾,我没有房子。但是,你可以砍下我的树枝来建房。“因此,男孩砍下所有的树枝,高高兴兴地离开了。

看到他高兴,树也很高兴。但是,自从那时起男孩没再出现,树有孤独,伤心起来。

突然,在一个夏日,男孩回到树旁,树很高兴。“来和我玩吧!”树说。

“我很伤心,我开始老了。我想去航海放松自己。你能不能给我一条船?” “用我的树干去造一条船,你就能航海了,你会高兴的。”于是,男孩砍倒树干去造船。他航海去了,很长一段时间未露面。

许多年后男孩终于回来了。“很遗憾,我的孩子,我再也没有任何东西可以给你了。没有苹果给你……”树说。“我没有牙齿啃。” 男孩答到。“没有树干供你爬。”“现在我老了,爬不上去了。” 男孩说。“我真的想把一切都给你……我惟一剩下的东西是快要死去的树墩。” 树含着眼泪说。“现在,我不需要什么东西,只需要一个地方来休息。经过了这些年我太累了。”男孩答到。 “太好了!老树墩就是倚着休息的最好地方。过来,和我一起坐下休息吧。” 男孩坐下了,树很高兴,含泪而笑……

这是一个发生在每一个人身上的故事。那棵树就像我们的父母。我们小的时候,喜欢和爸爸妈妈玩……长大后,便离开他们,只有在我们需要父母亲,或是遇到了困难的时候,才会回去找他们。尽管如此,父母却总是有求必应,为了我们的幸福,无私地奉献自己的一切。你也许觉得那个男孩很残忍,但我们何尝不是这样呢?

A Cub Reporter,the Important Step Towards a Career in Newspaper Reporting

The student who wants a newspaper career has much hard work ahead of him before he can become even a cub,or beginning,reporter.He may begin by working on his high school newspaper or yearbook.

Then the aspiring reporter may break into newspaper work as a copyboy,running errands and helping staff reporters.He may even be given a chance to write small stories.Sometimes students who are interested in news reporting can get jobs as campus reporters for local newspapers.

Jobs such as these serve to acquaint the beginner with the atmosphere of news gathering.They give him a chance to sharpen his eye for details and teach him to be sure that his facts are accurate,that he reports them correctly,and that he writes his articles clearly.This work may lead to a job as a cub reporter on a newspaper,the important first step toward a career in news reporting.

实习记者-通向新闻生涯的重要一步

想走上新闻生涯的学生,在他成为实习记者以前,就有许多艰苦的工作要做。他可以先在就读中学的校报或年鉴上一显身手。

而有抱负的通讯员开始可去当送稿生,替人跑腿,或充任正式记者的助手,以闯进新闻工作的圈子。别人甚至会给他机会,让他写点短篇报道。有时,对新闻报道感兴趣的学生可以找到为当地报纸当校园记者的差事。

诸如此类的差事,都能帮助实习生熟悉新闻采访的气氛。这些差事给了他机会,使他对细节的观察更加敏锐,并且让他懂得,一定要采集准确的事实,报道无误,文章要写得一目了然。这样的工作便可能使他获得一个实习记者的工作——这是通向新闻报道生涯的重要的第一步。

A Dream Laboratory at the University of Chicago