Unit 4 The Lady on Pemberton Street.docx

1、Unit 4 The Lady on Pemberton StreetUnit 4 The Lady on Pemberton StreetReview of Vocabulary for Unit 31. 转化2. 堆起来3. 影响4. 隔绝5. 随意的；偶然的6. 拆毁7. 时尚8. 处理掉9. 垃圾10. 可行性11. 一贯地12. 控制；抑制1. divert sidetrack2. stack to pile 3. impact to influence4. insulate to prevent or reduce the transmission of electricity,

2、heat, or sound to or from (a body, device, or region) by surrounding with a non-conducting material; protect5.casual happening by accident or chance6. demolition destruction 7. fad fashion; craze8. discard to get rid of as useless or undesirable9. garbage worthless, useless, or unwanted matter; rubb

3、ish discarded or waste matter10. viability practicability (of living things) capable of normal growth and development11. consistently regularly; systematically12. hold down to restrain or controlSome related questions1. How is it alike to Unit 3 in theme? 2. What is Mable like? a. she is at least in

4、 her 65, bright eyes between fierce and merry, thin but not frail b. she is a warm-hearted woman though sometimes tough with litter- throwers. c. Mable kept on sweeping the street regardless of the dreadful weather.About the storyProtecting the environment seems a big and sometimes abstract problem,

5、 but it does concern us all. With the disappearing of ozone layer above two poles, the frequent occurrence of acid rain and the sandstorm, environmental problems kept the attention of the scientists as well as the common people. The main idea of the textMable is definitely one of those people who co

6、nsciously protect the environment. Her decades practice of cleaning the block has inspired many people around her to pay more attention to the environment issues and be a conscious cleaner. Have you ever noticed any examples of environmental heroes around you? Text Structure Read the text thoroughly

7、 and comprehend the discourse by dividing it into several parts:Meetthe clean sweep the alley gate the block cleaning the “debt” Words and Phrases: Unit 4 Key Words1. dilapidated: collapsing2. reedy: shrill, loud and unpleasant to hear3. luscious: delicious, attractive4. genuinely: really, truly, au

8、thentically5. commence: start6. admonish: advise, persuade7. incongruous: inharmonious8. infectious: contagious9. festive: joyful 10. skeletal: skinny, bony11. combativeness: aggressiveness12. insomnia: sleeplessness13. vacant: empty14. a rap at the door: a knock at the door 16. a sheaf of advertisi

9、ng circulars The Lady on Pemberton Street 潘伯敦街上的女士by Albert DiBartolomeo艾伯特迪巴特罗门 Shortly after the author and his wife move to a house on a little street called Pemberton, they get acquainted with a special neighbor Mable Howard, who has battled all her life against litter, decay and disorder to mak

10、e life more enchanting in the neighborhood. Here is the moving story of Mable Howard, the beloved block captain. 作者与妻子搬到一条叫作潘伯顿的小街上居住后不久,就结识了一位特殊的邻居 - 梅布尔霍华德。为了使社区的生活变得更美好，她一生都在与乱扔垃圾、腐朽、混乱的现象作斗争。下面是梅布尔霍华德,这位广受爱戴的街区监督员的动人故事。For many years my wife, Sue, and I wanted to live near Philadelphias Center C

11、ity. The only place within our means was a row house on a little street called Pemberton. The house needed work, but I am fairly handy so we had little concern about fixing it up. 多年来,我和妻子苏一直想住到费城的中心城区附近。按收入状况，我们只能住在一条叫做潘伯顿的小街上的联体房屋。房子需要修理，但我手工活做得不赖，所以不担心修缮的事。1) The only place within our means was a

12、 row house on a little street called Pemberton.（按收入状况，我们只能住在一条叫做潘伯敦的小街上的联立房屋。）To live within ones means means to base ones expenditure upon ones income (量入为出地生活)； there is another phrase, to live beyond ones means (过着超过自已收入的生活).a row house: one of a series of identical houses situated side by side a

13、nd joined by common walls.What did concern us was the neighborhood. Some buildings were dilapidated. There was more crime than we had been exposed to in the past. But our block seemed okay, and we decided to buy. After the settlement, we went to our new home. The street was vacant, but I sensed that

14、 we were being watched. Sue was upstairs measuring for blinds when I heard a rap at the door. 让我们担心的是这个街区。一些房屋已经失修。这儿的犯罪比我们过去见过的要多得多。但我们的街区似乎还可以，所以我们决定把房子买下来。一切收拾停当后，我们搬到新家。街上空无一人，但我感到有人在注视我们。苏在楼上测量尺寸，好装窗帘，我听到叩门声。 Hello? a reedy voice called. I opened the door upon a woman with bright eyes somewhere

15、 between fierce and merry. She was at least 65, thin, but not at all frail. Quite the opposite. All tough sinew, she looked like a hawk eyeing prey. “您好？”一个又高又尖的声音喊道。 我打开门，看到一位妇人，明亮的双眼既犀利又透着愉快。她至少65岁，清瘦，但 一点也不虚弱。恰恰相反。 她肌肉强健，看上去像只老鹰盯着它的猎物。Sorry to bother you, my dear, she said. Im Mable Howard, the b

16、lock captain. “对不起，打扰您了,亲爱的”，她说，“我是梅布尔霍华德，这个街区的监督员。I had only a dim awareness of what that meant. But I soon learned that a block captains function was to request city services, report trouble to police and coordinate efforts to keep the block clean and safe. 我对街区监督员的含义所知甚少。但我很快意识到街区监督员的作用就是提出城市的公益服

17、务要求，向警方汇报纠纷以及组织力量保持街区的清洁与安全。 I introduced Mable to Sue, who had come downstairs. Im BLOCK CAPTAIN, Mable told her, after I failed to mention her title. ” 我把梅布尔介绍给下楼来的苏。“我是街区的监督员，”见我忘了提及她的头衔，梅布尔对苏说。 Trash day is on Tuesdays, Mable continued. Dont put any trash out before seven oclock the night before

18、. Sometimes animals get into it and make a mess. It just looks terrible. I try to keep a clean block here. 星期二倒垃圾，”梅布尔继续说道，“星期一晚上七点以前不准把垃圾放到外面。动物有时会钻进垃圾堆，弄得一团糟，实在有碍观瞻。我得设法保持街区清洁。” We noticed, I said. What do you do for a living? “我们注意到了，” 我说。 “你们从事什么职业？”We told her. I also mentioned that I did handi

19、work on the side. 我们告诉了她，我还顺便提到，我兼职做些手工活。2) I also mentioned that I did handiwork on the side. （我顺便提到还兼职做些手工活。）On the side refers to work done or money earned apart from that coming from ones main occupation（工作或收入）额外地，附带. e.g. His nominal wage is fifteen pounds a week, but he makes a few pounds more

20、 on the side.Oh, thats good. She drew out the last word as if responding to the sight of a luscious cake. 喔，很好。”她拉长了声音说出最后一个词，语气就象是看到了美味的蛋糕似的。 We continued to exchange pleasantries until Sue and I had to return to work. I escorted Mable to the door. 我们继续客套着，直到我和苏不得不继续工作。我把梅布尔送到门口。 Did you see the si

21、gn? she asked, pointing to a utility pole. Below a parking sign was one inscribed with Mable Howard, BLOCK CAPTAIN. “看到那个牌子了吗？”梅布尔指着一根告示杆问道。只见在一张停车标牌下面刻着“梅布尔霍华德 - 街区监督员”几个字。 Nice, I said. “很不错，”我说。 When we left the house ten minutes later, Mable was sweeping the sidewalk. 十分钟后我们离家时，梅布尔正在打扫人行道。The Cl

22、ean Sweep. On our first morning on Pemberton Street, the sound of sweeping woke us early. I looked out the window. Mable was swishing her broom down the street. 清扫街区 住在潘伯顿街的第一天，一大早我们就被扫地的声音吵醒了。我向窗外望去，只见梅布尔正挥动扫帚沿街扫地。The next morning began the same way, and the one after that. I soon learned that Mabl

23、e began every day this way. She swept in light rain. She swept in winds that scattered leaves. She swept snow. On such days we shook our heads at her. 第二天早晨也是如此，此后天天如此。 不久，我知道梅布尔的每一天都是这样开始的。细雨中，她仍在扫地；落叶飘舞的风中，她在扫地；大雪天，她在扫地。这样的天气里，我们只能对她摇头。On that first morning, however, this was all new to me. Since

24、I couldnt sleep, I began replacing the front-door locks. It wasnt long before Mable came up. 然而在搬来的第一天早上，这一切对我来说还都是陌生的。 我睡不着，于是就起床开始换前门的锁。不久梅布尔过来了。Good morning, sweetie pie, she began. What a nice toolbox. She seemed to genuinely admire it. I need a lock of my own changed. Maybe you could do that? U

25、h, sure. “早上好，亲爱的，”她先开口说。“多好的一个工具箱啊，”她似乎真喜欢它。“我有把锁需要换一下，也许你能帮我？” “当然。” Mable went back to sweeping. I heard her muttering as she swept up some crack vials. Riffraff, she said, and shook her head in disgust. 梅布尔回去继续扫地。我听到她一边扫着破碎的小瓶子，一边嘟囔着。她说，“渣滓”，厌恶地摇着头。Later I changed Mables lock. The next morning I

26、 found an envelope on my vestibule floor. Inside were three dollar bills and a thank-you note. 后来，我帮梅布尔换了锁。第二天早上，我发现门口走廊的地板上有个信封，里面有三美元和一张致谢的便条。 Love, Mable was scrawled at the bottom. 便条的最后潦草地写着“爱你的，梅布尔。” I knew Mable wanted to pay me, but I wanted no money. While she was at church, I put the envel

27、ope through her mail slot. 我知道梅布尔想付给我钱，但是我不想收。所以当她在教堂做礼拜时，我把信封投进了她的信箱里。 That afternoon the envelope found its way back to me. I promptly returned it again. Mables husband, Jarvis, soon showed up at my door. 当天下午，信封又回来了，我再次迅速地退回。很快，梅布尔的丈夫贾维斯出现在我家门口。 You have to let her pay you, he said, handing me th

28、e envelope. Otherwise, she wont sleep at night. I did not want to be responsible for Mables insomnia, so I kept the three dollars. “你必须让她付给你钱，”说着，他把那个信封交给我。“要不，她晚上会睡不着觉的。”我不想对梅布尔的失眠负责，于是就收下了那三美元。The Alley Gate. 小巷的门 It was not quite 7: 30 on a summer Saturday morning when I left the house with my to

29、olbox and headed toward an alley near the corner. Good morning, Mable, I said, as I came abreast of her. Good morning, sweetie pie. Im going to fix the gate now. Oh, wonderful, she said, and followed me. 一个夏天星期六的早晨，不到七点半我就带着工具箱离开家，朝街道拐角附近的巷口走去。 “早上好，梅布尔,”当我赶上她时说。 “早上好，亲爱的。” “我正要去修巷门。” “呀，太好了，”她说，跟着我

30、向巷门走去。 The wooden gate was in disrepair, and riffraff, according to Mable, were using the alley for Lord knows what. For weeks she had been asking me to replace the broken slats and put a lock on the gate. I finally saw her point. Why should the alley be a private place for crude behavior, just beca

31、use it was public property? 这扇木门已失修多时， 用她的话说，“只有老天知道”那些“渣滓”是怎么用这条巷子的。好几个星期以来，她一直要我把破木板换掉，在门上加把锁。我终于明白她的用意了。为什么仅仅因为这条小巷是公共财产，就该成为野蛮攻击的目标？Shortly, Jarvis came by carrying his daily newspaper. He had been a chef all his life, and now, long retired, he worked a few hours in the cafeteria of a Catholic grade school. He loved the kids, he told me. With Jarviss help, I finished repairing the gate in short time. Mable commenced sweeping up the sawdust while I packed up my tools. 不一会儿，贾维斯手拿日报过来了。他做了一辈子的厨师，早已退休，现在每天在一家天主教学校的自助餐厅工作几个小时。他告诉我，他喜欢那