江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读 The elephant manWord格式.docx

江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读 The elephant manWord格式.docx

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Theshop'

sclosingnow.Youcancomebacktomorrow.'

msorry,'

Isaid.'

ButIwouldliketoseehimnow.Ihavenotimetomorrow—Ihavealotofworktodo.ButIcangiveyoumorethan2pence.'

Themanlookedatmecarefully.Thenhetookthecigaretteoutofhismouthandsmiledwithhisyellowteeth.

Allright,sir,'

hesaid.'

Givemetwelvepencethen.'

Igavehimthemoneyandheopenedadooratthebackoftheshop.Wewentintoalittleroom.Theroomwascoldanddark,andtherewasahorriblesmell

init.

Acreaturesatonachairbehindatable.Isayacreature,becauseitwasnotamanorawoman,likeyouorme.Thecreaturedidnotmoveorlookatus.Itsatveryquietlyonthechairinthecold,dark,dirtyroom,andlookedatthetable.Thecreaturehadaclothoveritshead,becauseofthecold.Onthetableinfrontofit,therewasadeadflower.

Standup!

'

saidtheshopkeeper,loudly.

Thecreaturestoodupslowly.Ittooktheoldclothoffitshead,andputitonthechair.

Ilookedatthecreatureandfeltsad.Iamadoctor,soIknowalotaboutaccidentsandillpeople.Iseehorrible,uglythingseveryday.Butthiscreature,thisthing,wastheworstofall.Therewerenomenorwomeninthehospitallikehim.

Heworesomeoldtrousers,butnoshirt,coat,orshoes,soIcouldseehisbodyverywell.Hisheadwasthemostinterestingthing.Itwasvery,verybig—likeanenormousbagwithalotofbooksinit.Theheaddidnothavemuchhair,andtherewasanotherbagofbrown,dirtyskinatthebackofit.Thisskincamedownbelowhisneck.Icouldnotseeoneofhiseyesverywell,becausealotofskincamedowninfrontofhisface,too.

Anenormousredtoothcameoutofhismouth,underhisnose.Itlookedlikeanelephant'

stooth.Themouthandnosewerelikeholesintheface.Thefacecouldnotsmileorlaughorlookangryorsad,becausetheskincouldnotmove.Itwasdead,likeanelephant'

sface.

Thereweremorebagsofdirtyskinonthefrontandbackofthecreature'

sbody.Thesebagscamedowntohislegs.Therightarmwasenormous,andtherewerebagsofskinonit,too.Therighthandwaslikeaman'

sfoot.

Buttheleftarmandthelefthandwerebeautiful!

Theleftarmhadwonderfulskin,andthefingersofthelefthandwerelongandbeautiful.Itwaslikeayoungwoman'

shand!

Walk,Merrick!

saidtheshopkeeperangrily.'

Comeon,quickly,move!

Hehitthecreaturewithhishand.

Slowly,thecreaturewalkedacrosstheroom.Buthecouldnotwalkwell.Hislegswereverybigandfat,andhehadabadback.Hecouldnotwalkfarwithoutastick.

Allright,thankyou,'

Lethimsitdown.Idon'

twanttoseeanymore.'

Ifeltill,andthesmellintheroomwasverybad.

Yes,sir,'

saidtheshopkeeper.'

Sitdown,Merrick.'

Wewentoutoftheroomandclosedthedoor.Theshop－keepersmiledatmewithhisyellowteeth.

Wonderful,sir,isn'

tit？

ThebestElephantManinEngland!

Hundredsofpeoplecometoseehim,youknow,hundreds!

Itakehimalloverthecountry,Ido!

Yes,veryinteresting,'

CanIsitdown？

Yes,sir,ofcourse.Here'

sachair.'

Helookedatme,smiling.'

Wouldyoulikeaglassofwater,sir？

Yes,please,'

ThenIlookedatthethingsinthedirtyshop.Thereweretwoorthreebadapplesandsomeoldblackbananas：

thatwasall.'

Er,no…no,thankyou.I'

mallright,'

Didyou…didyoucallthecreatureMerrick？

That'

sright,sir.JosephMerrick.ThebestElephantManinEngland!

Itakehimalloverthecountry,youknow.Lotsofpeoplewanttoseehim.'

Yes,Isee.Doyougetalotofmoney？

Well,sometimeswedo,sir,yes.Butit'

sdifficult,yousee,sir,becauseofthepolice.Thepolicedon'

tlikeus,yousee,sir.Sowecan'

tstayinatownverylong.Weusuallymoveeveryweek.'

Yes,Isee.Well,a

nyway,Mr.…er？

Silcock,sir.SimonSilcock.'

Yes,well,Mr.Silcock,I'

madoctorattheLondonHospital.MynameisDrTreves.Ithinkthis…er…thismanJosephMerrickisveryinteresting,andIwouldliketoseehimatthehospital.Iwanttolookathimmorecarefully,yousee.

Yessir,Isee.Buthowcanhegettothehospital？

It'

sgoingtobedifficult.'

Why,man？

Thehospital'

snotfarfrom

here.'

Well,yes,sir.Iknow.But,yousee,Merrickcan'

twalkverywell.Heneedshelp.'

Youcancomewithhim.Doyouwantmoremoney？

Isthatit？

Well,yes,sir,Ido.But,yousee,peopleareafraidofhimtoo…Intheroad,littleboysalwaysrunafterhimandhithim.Thenthepolicegetangrybecausepeopleareafraid.Sometimestheytakeustoprison.'

Isee,'

Well,howcanhecometothehospital,then？

Bringacab,sir,'

saidSilcock.'

Youcantakehimtothehospitalinacab.'

Chapter2TheCard

Sonextday,atseveno'

clock,Icametotheshopinacab.Therewerenotverymanypeopleintheroad,becauseitwasearlyinthemorning.InNovemberitisdarkatseveno'

clockinthemorning,andIcouldnotseetheshopverywell.Iwaitedfiveminutes.Apostmanwalkedpast.Thenthedooroftheshopopened,andthecreature,Merrick,cameout.

Icouldnotseehisfaceorhisbody.Hehadanenormousblackhatonhishead,likeabigbox.Agreyclothcamedownfromthehat,infrontofhisface.Therewasaholeintheclothinfrontofhiseyes.HecouldseeoutoftheholebutIcouldnotseein.Heworealongblackcoat,too.Thecoatbeganathisneck,andendedathisfeet,soIcouldnotseehisarms,hisbody,orhislegs.Onhisfeetheworebigshoes,likeoldbags.

Hehadastickinhislefthand,andhewalkedveryslowly.Iopenedthedoorofthecab,andgotout.

Goodmorning,Mr.Merrick,'

Canyougetin？

Elpmyupasteps,'

hesaid.

msorr

y,'

Idon'

tunderstand.'

Foraminutehestoodbythedoorofthecabandsaidnothing.Thenhehitthecabwithhisstick.

STEPS!

hesaidloudly.'

Helpmeupthesteps!

ThenIunderstood.Therewerethreestepsupintothecab,andhecouldnotgetupthem.

Yes,Isee.I'

Letmehelpyou.'

Itookhislefthandandbegantohelphim.Myrighthandwasbehindhisback.Ifeltverystrange.Hislefthandwaslikeayoungwoman'

s,buthisbackunderthecoat,washorrible.Icouldfeelthebagsofoldskinonhisbackunderthecoat.

Heputoneenormousfootonthefirststep,andthenhestopped.Afteraminute,hemovedhissecondfootslowly.Thenhestoppedandwaitedagain.

Hello,sir.CanIhelpyou？

Ilookedbehindme.Itwasthepostman.Andbehindhim,Icouldseethreeyoungboys.O

neoftheboyslaughed.

Thepostmansmiled.'

Isthegentlemanill？

Ithoughtquickly.'

Yes.Butthisisalady,notagentle-man.I'

madoctor,andshe'

sill.Takeherhand,soIcanhelpherbetter.'

ThepostmantookMerrick'

slefthand,andIhelpedhimwithtwohandsfrombehind.Slowly,veryslowly,Merrickwentupthestepsandintothecab.

Oneboywasverynearthecab.Hecalledtohisfriends.'

Comeandseethis,boys!

Afatladyinablackcoat!

Andlookatthatenormoushat!

Theboyslaughed.Theywereverynearthecabtoo,now.Iclosedthedoorquickly.'

Thankyou,'

Isaidtothepostman.

sallright,sir,'

She'

sastrangelady,sir,isn'

tshe？

sill,that'

sall,'

Isaidquickly.'

We'

regoingtothehospital.Goodbye,andthankyou.'

Thecabdrovedowntheroadtothehospital.IlockedatMerrick.'

Thatwasdifficult,wasn'

Atfirsthesaidnothing,butthenhespoke.Hisvoicewasverystrange,butIlistenedtohimcarefully,andIcouldunderstandhim.

Thestepswereverydifficult,'

Butmostthingsaredifficultforme.'

Yes,'

Nothingiseasyforyou,isit？

No,'

hesaid.Hewasveryquietforaminute.Thenhesaid,'

Whoareyou,sir？

WhoamI？

Oh,I'

msorry,MynameisDrTreves.Here,thisismycard.'

Igavehimacardwithmynameon.ThenIthought,'

Thatwasnogood.Thismancan'

tread.'

ButMerricktookthecardandlookedatitverycarefully.Thenhep

utitinhistrouserspocket.

Ididnottalktohimverymuchatthehospital.Ilookedathisheadandarmsandlegsandbodyverycarefully.ThenIwrotetheimportantthingsabouthiminalittlebook.Anursehelpedme.Merricklookedathersometimes,butshedidnotsmileathimortalktohim.Ithinkshewasafraidofhim.IthinkMerrickwasafraidtoo,becausehewasveryquiet.

Atfouro'

clockItookhimbacktotheshopinacab.ThenextdayIlookedintheshopwindowagain,butthepicturewasnotthere.

Chapter3ALetter