美國語文第三冊 第03期：下雨吧
LET IT RAIN
下雨吧
Rose：See how it rains! Oh dear, dear, dear! how dull it is!Must I stay in doors all day?
羅斯：瞧，又下雨了！唉，天哪，天哪，天哪！多么無聊呀！難道我一整天都要待在家里？
Father：Why, Rose, are you sorry that you had any bread and butter for breakfast, this morning?
爸爸：羅斯，今天的早餐多么豐盛呀，有面包和奶油。你為什么不高興呢？
Why, father, what a question! I should be sorry,indeed, if I could not get any.
為什么，爸爸，您怎么這樣問呀！如果我沒事可干，的確不高興呀。
Are you sorry, my daughter, when you see the flowers and the trees growing in the garden?
親愛的女兒，當你看到花園里盛開的鮮花和茂密的樹木時，也會不高興嗎？
Sorry? No, indeed. Just now, I wished very much to go out and see them,—they look so pretty.
不高興？應該不會吧。剛才，我只是希望能出去看看它們——它們實在太美了。
Well, are you sorry when you see the horses, cows,or sheep drinking at the brook to quench their thirst?
好吧，當你看到小牛、小羊、小馬在溪邊飲水解渴時，也會不高興嗎？
Why, father, you must think I am a cruel girl, to wish that the poor horses that work so hard,
為什么，爸爸，您一定認為我是一個冷酷無情的小女孩，總希望那些可憐的小馬不知疲憊地工作，
the beautiful cows that give so much nice milk, and the pretty lambs should always be thirsty.
希望那些漂亮的小牛只會產奶，希望那些可愛的小羊總會口渴。
Do you not think they would die, if they had no water to drink?
它們若沒有水喝就會死掉，難道你不這樣認為嗎？
Yes, sir, I am sure they would. How shocking to think of such a thing!
是的，現(xiàn)在，我也是這么想的。一想到這些事，多么可怕呀！
I thought little Rose was sorry it rained.
我以為小羅斯因為下雨而不高興了。
Do you think the trees and flowers would grow, if they never had any water on them?
如果沒有水滴落到它們身上，樹木花草還會長大嗎？這些你想過沒有？
No, indeed, father, they would be dried up by the sun.
它們不會長大了，爸爸。它們會被太陽烤干的。
Then we should not have any pretty flowers to look at,and to make wreaths of for mother.
那么，我們也就看不到美麗的鮮花，不能給媽媽編織花環(huán)了。
I thought you were sorry it rained. Rose, what is our bread made of?
我以為你會因為下雨而傷心呢。羅斯，我們吃的面包是由什么做成的？
It is made of flour, and the flour is made from wheat, which is ground in the mill.
是由面粉做的，面粉是由麥子通過磨而制成的。
Yes, Rose, and it was rain that helped to make the wheat grow, and it was water that turned the mill to grind the wheat.
是的，羅斯，正是雨水促使小麥成熟，也正是水使磨盤碾碎了麥子。
I thought little Rose was sorry it rained.
我還以為小羅斯不喜歡下雨呢。
I did not think of all these things, father. I am truly very glad to see the rain falling.
爸爸，我沒有想過這么多事情。我真的很高興看到下雨了。
