典范英语81 刺猬女孩艾蜜.docx

典范英语81 刺猬女孩艾蜜.docx

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典范英语81刺猬女孩艾蜜

AmytheHedgehogsGirl

MiserableMrPeck

HermumwasinthekitchenwhenAmyrushedin.

‘Howwasschool’askedMrsHarris,expectingtheusualanswer,‘OK.’

‘Itwasgreat,’criedAmy.‘Aladygaveusatalkonwildlifeandsheshowedusahedgehogexpert.’

‘Awhat’saidMrsHarris.

‘Ahedgehogexpert.Someonewhoknowsallabouthedgehogs.’

‘That’sgood,’saidMrsHarris.‘You’llneedtogothelibraryandseeifyoucanfindsomebooks.’

‘Ohdear,’Amygroaned.‘I’llhavetoseeMrPeck.’

MrPeckwasthechildren’slibrarian.Hewasameanandmiserablesortofperson.HealsolivednextdoortoAmy.

ThelibrarywasalmostemptywhenAmyarrived.Shelookedalongtheshelves,tryingtofindabookonhedgehogs.

‘Whatareyoudoing’snappedavoicebehindher.

Amynearlyjumpedoutofhersocks.ItwasMrPeck.

‘Iwaslookingforabookaboutanimals.’

‘Animals,indeed,’sniffedMrPeck.‘WhatsortofanimalsTameanimalsWildanimalsAnimalsfromAfricaIndiaBritain’

‘Hedgehogs,’saidAmy.

‘Hedgehogs!

’bawledMrPeck.‘Theveryworstanimalsthereare.Theydigupvegetablesandbitelumpsoutofthem.’

Hepulledabookfromtheshelves.

‘Ifyoumuststudythehorridthings,thisisthebestIcando.’

‘Thankyou,saidAmypolitely.

‘Makesureyoubringitbackontime.Anddon’tyoudarebringhedgehogsintoyourgarden.Yourgardenisnexttomine,don’tforget.IfIseeahedgehognearmycarrots,doyouknowwhatIamgoingtodo’

‘No,’saidAmy.

‘I’mgoingtosquirtitwithmyspraygun.’

Athome,Amyreadthebookonhedgehogs.Shefoundoutthattheyateslugsandsnails.Thebookdidn’tsayanythingaboutvegetables.

Thenextdayshetookthebookbacktothelibrary.

‘What’sthis’saidMrPeck.‘Thisbookisnotduebackforanothertwentydays.’

‘ButI’vereadit,’saidAmy.‘Haveyougotanymorebooksabouthedgehogs’

‘Overthere,’snappedMrPeck,pointingwithhisnose.

Amywalkedslowlyalongtheshelves.WherewerethebooksaboutanimalsShewasjustabouttoriskaskingMrPeck,whenshesawsomething.Itwasanoldcassettetape,called‘CallsoftheWild’.Itlookedasifnobodyhadeverplayedit.

Amytookitdownfromtheshelf.Itwaspartofasetofanimalnoises.Thiswastapenumber12anditwascalledHedgehogs.

AmyaskedMrPeckifshecouldborrowthecassette.

‘Ofcourseyoucan,’hesaidrudely.‘Thoughanybodywhowantstolistentohorridanimalnoisesmustbemad.’

Hestampedthecassettebox.

‘Anddon’tforgettorewindthetape.’

Hedgehogtalk

Amysatinherroomlisteningtothesoundsofhedgehogsonherpersonalstereo,overandoveragain.Amyrepeatedthesoundsherself.

‘I’mtalkinghedgehog,’thoughtAmy.‘IwishIknewwhatIwassaying.Ireallyneedahedgehogtohelpme.I’msurethere’soneinthegarden.IfImakehedgehognoises,perhapsitwillhearme.’

Amyrandownintothegardenandmadehedgehognoisesasloudlyasshecould.

Shestoppedandlistened,butnohedgehogsanswered.Amytriedagain.Butonlyacatcameintothegarden.

‘I’mgoingtokeeptrying,’saidAmy.‘I’msureIcandoit.’Atlastshegotcoldandshewentindoors.

ThenextnightAmytriedagain.Shetriedeverynightforaweek.

‘Whatareyoudoingoutthere’askedMrsHarris.

‘Waitandsee,’saidAmy.

Justthenthedoorbellrang.ItwasMrPeck.Hestoodatthedoorinhisdressinggown.Amynoticedthathishairwaswet.

‘MrsHarris,’saidMrPeck.‘EverynightwhenIhavemybathIcanhearanoise.Itseemstobecomingfromyourgarden.’

Amygiggledbehindherhand.

‘Noise’saidMrsHarris.

‘Somesortofanimal,’saidMrPeck.‘I’dputpoisondownifIwereyou.Thatistheonlywaytodealwithanimals.’

AssoonasMrPeckhadgone,Amydashedoutintothegarden.‘MrPeckthoughtIwasananimal,’shesaidtoherself.‘I’mgoingtotryonemoretime.’

Amywentdownonherkneesandbegantomakeherhedgehogsoundsagain.

Almostatoncetherewasarustlingnoiseandahedgehoglumberedontothelawn.Amywasdelighted.ThehedgehogandAmysnortedandsqueakedateachother.

Suddenlyatorchbeamshoneintheireyes.

‘What’sgoingon’saidavoice.ItwasMrPeck,stillinhisdressinggown.Thehedgehogrolledintoaball.

‘I’mchattingtoahedgehog,’saidAmy.

‘Youcheekyyoungthing.Talkingtohedgehogsindeed.’

‘Excuseme—’beganAmy.

‘Andwhat’smore,’MrPeckcutin,‘hedgehogsaredirtylittlebeastsandtheyeatupallthevegetablesinmygarden.’

‘Rubbish!

’saidAmycrossly.‘Hedgehogsarenotdirty.Andtheydon’teatvegetables.Theyeatslugsandsnails.Now,ifyou don’tmind,Iwastalkingtoahedgehog.’

MrPeckwastooshockedtoanswer.HismouthdroppedopenasAmysnortedgentlytothehedgehog.Slowlyitunrolled.

AslylookcreptacrossMrPeck’sface.

‘Howoftenhaveyoubeendoingthis,mydear’heasked.

‘Neverbefore,’saidAmy.‘Butfromnowon,I’llbeeverynight.’

‘Hm,’saidMrPeck.‘You’regoingtobehereeverynight,yousay.’

Theamazinghedgehoggirl

WhenAmycamehomefromschoolthenextday,MrPeckwasinhisfrontdrive.Hewasfixingalargeboardtothegate.AssoonashesawAmy,hethrewhiscoatoverit.

Amyhadpromisedtoshowhermumthehedgehog.Itwasgettingdarkwhentheysteppedintothegardentoseeherhedgehogfriend.

Amywentdownonherkneesandbegantosnort.Thistimetwohedgehogscameuptoher.

‘Whatareyoutalkingabout’whisperedMrsHarris.

‘Slugs.’

Therewasasoundfromnextdoor.Amyshonehertorchtowardsthefence.Therewerepeoplestaringintohergarden.Theyallhadtheirmouthsopen.

Onepersonstoodout.ItwasMrPeck.

‘I’veaskedafewfriendsover,’hesaidsmoothly.‘Ihopeyoudon’tmind.’

Amywascross,butshealsofeltratherproudthatsomanypeoplehadcometoseeher.‘Youmaywatch.Butpleasedon’ttalkormakeanoise.Andnophotos.’

Thepeoplenodded.

Amywentdownonherkneesandsnortedoncemore.

Thistimethreemorehedgehogscameup.Amymanagedtotellthehedgehogsthattheyhadnothingtofear.Thepeoplejustwantedtoseehowclevertheywere.Amyandthehedgehogstalkedandplayedtogether.

Assoonasthehedgehogshadgone,thepeoplebehindthefencebegantoclapandcheer.OfcoursetheywantedtoknowwhatAmyandthehedgehogshadbeentalkingabout.

‘Theytoldmeabouttheiryoung.Thentheytoldmewhytheycurlupintoaball.Andwheretofindthetastiestgrubs.Oh,andtheytoldmewheretheyaregoingtosleepforthewinter.’

MrsHarrishuggedAmy.

‘Youwerefantastic,’shesaid.‘ComeinandI’llmakeyouanicehotdrink.’

‘Yes.Inyougo,’saidMrPeckcheerily.‘I’msureyoumustbeverytired.’

TherewassomethingstrangeaboutMrPeck.HehadneversaidanythingkindtoAmybefore.Thensheheardanoddnoise.Itwasthesoundofcoinsbeingdroppedintoabox.

‘Itwasworthapoundofanybody’smoney,’sheheardsomeonesay.

‘Ssh,’saidMrPeck.

ThenAmyrememberedtheboardthatMrPeckhadbeenfixingtohisfrontgate.WhyhadMrPecktriedtohideitAmyrushedroundtothefrontofthehouse.Thereontheboardinlargelettersitsaid:

‘Whatanerve,’saidAmy.Thenasmilecreptacrossherface.‘Iknowhowtofixyou,MrPeck.’

SheracedroundtoMrPeck’sgarden.Someofthepeoplewerestillenjoyingacupofteaandbiscuits.

BeforeMrPeckcouldstopher,shesaid,’Ladiesandgentlemen.ThereissomethingImusttellyou.Allthemoneyyouhavegiventonightisgoingtoahedgehoghospitaltolookaftersickhedgehogs.’

Everyoneclappedandnoddedtheirheads.EveryoneexceptMrPeck.Hisfacewentbrightredandhemadeastrangesplutteringnoise.

‘Notonlythat,’wentonAmy,‘butMrPeckhasagreedthatforeverypoundthatyougivetonight,hewillgiveanotherpoundofhisownmoney.

Everyoneclappedagainandcheered.MrPeckwentaverypalecolour.Somehowhemanagedasmile.

Beforehecouldsayanything,Amysaid,’AndIamhappytosaythatthehospitalhasaskedmetotakethemoneyforthem.’

Sheheldoutherhand.Gloomily,MrpeckpassedtheboxovertoAmy.

Then,anevengloomierlookspreadacrosshisfaceashedugintohispocketandpulledouttwotenpoundnotes.‘AbighandforMrPeck,’saidAmy.

Thisisnotquitetheendofthestory.AmyfeltrathersorryforMrPeck.

Aftershehadsentthemoneytothehedgehoghospital,sheaskedthehedgehogstopatrolMrPeck’sgarden.Shetoldthemtomakesurethatnomoreofhisvegetableswereeatenbyslugs.

Afewweekslater,MrPeckwonthirdprizeforhismarrows,runnerbeansandcarrotsatthelocalshow.

ThateveningheleanedoverthefencetoshowAmyhisthreeprizes.

‘It’sallthankstothosehedgehogs,’hesaid.‘IwishIhadknownbeforehowusefultheyare.I’veboughtthemapresent.’Hehandedheronetinofdogfood.

‘I’vejustgotsomenewbooksabouthedgehogsinthelibrary.Ireadthattheyadoredogfood,’heexplained.

Agroupofhedgehogsweresoonbusytuckingin.Amykneltdownbesidethem.

‘Whataretheysaying’askedMrPeck.

‘Well,’saidAmy.‘Hedgehogsareabithardtounderstandwhentheyhavetheirmouthsfull.ButIthinktheyaresayingthanksforthedogfood.’

‘Ishouldthinksotoo,’saidMrPeck.‘Ipaidalotofmoneyforthattin.AndcouldyouteachthemnottospeakwiththeirmouthsfullItissorude.’

‘I’lltry,’saidAmy.

Shelookedatthehedgehogsandsmiled.

Itseemedtoherthattheysmiledback.