现代大学英语精读3课文电子版.doc

LessonFour：WisdomofBearWoodMichaelWelzenbach1. WhenIwas12yearsold,myfamilymovedtoEngland,thefourthmajormoveinmyshortlife.Myfather'sgovernmentjobdemandedthathegooverseaseveryfewyears,soIwasusedtowrenchingmyselfawayfromfriends.2. Werentedan18th-centuryfarmhouseinBerkshire.Nearbywereancientcastlesandchurches.Lovingnature,however,Iwasmostdelightedbytheendlesspatchworkoffarmsandwoodlandthatsurroundedourhouse.Inthedeepwoodsthatvergedagainstourbackfence,anetworkofpathsledalmosteverywhere,andpheasantsrocketedoffintothedenselaurelsaheadasyouwalked.3. Ispentmostofmytimeroamingthewoodsandfieldsalone,playingRobinHood,daydreaming,collectingbugsandbird-watching.Itwasheavenforaboy—butalonelyheaven.KeepingtomyselfwasmywayofnotformingattachmentsthatIwouldonlyhavetoabandonthenexttimewemoved.ButonedayIbecameattachedthroughnodesignofmyown.4. WehadbeeninEnglandaboutsixmonthswhenoldfarmerCrawfordgavemepermissiontoroamabouthisimmenseproperty.Istartedhikingthereeveryweekend,upalong,slopinghilltoanalmostimpenetrablestandoftreescalledBearWood.Itwasmysecretfortress,almostaholyplace,Ithought.Slippingthroughabarbed-wirefence,I'dleavethebrightsunandthetwitterandrustleofinsectsandanimalsoutsideandcreepintoanotherworld—avaultedcathedral,withtreetrunksforpillarsandyears'accumulationoflongbrownneedlesforasoftlycarpetedfloor.Myownbreathingranginmyears,andtheslighteststirringofanywoodlandcreatureechoedthroughthisprivateparadise.5. OnespringafternoonIwanderednearwhereIthoughtI'dglimpsedapondtheweekbefore.Iproceededquietly,carefulnottoalarmabirdthatmightloudlywarnothercreaturestohide.6. PerhapsthisiswhythefrailoldladyInearlyranintowasasstartledasIwas.Shecaughtherbreath,instinctivelytouchingherthroatwithherhand.Then,recoveringquickly,shegaveawelcomingsmilethatinstantlyputmeatease.Apairofpowerful-lookingbinocularsdangledfromherneck.“Hello,youngman,”shesaid.“AreyouAmericanorCanadian?”7. American,Iexplainedinarush,andIlivedoverthehill,andIwasjustseeingiftherewasapond,andfarmerCrawfordhadsaiditwasokay,andanyhow,Iwasonmywayhome,sogood-bye.8. AsIstartedtoturn,thewomansmiledandasked,“Didyouseethelittleowlfromthewoodovertheretoday?”Shepointedtowardtheedgeofthewood.9. Sheknewabouttheowls?Iwasamazed.10. “No,”Ireplied,“butI'veseenthembefore.Neverclosethough.Theyalwaysseemefirst.”11. Thewomanlaughed.“Yes,they'rewary,”shesaid.“Butthen,gamekeepershavebeenshootingthemeversincetheygothere.They'reintroduced,youknow,notnative.”12. “They'renot?”Iasked,fascinated.Anybodywhoknewthissortofstuffwasdefinitelycool—evenifshewastrespassinginmyspecialplace.13. “Oh,no!”sheanswered,laughingagain.“AthomeIhavebooksonbirdsthatexplainallaboutthem.Infact,”shesaidsuddenly,“Iwasabouttogobackforteaandjamtart.Wouldyoucaretojoinme?”14. Ihadbeenwarnedagainstgoingoffwithstrangers,butsomehowIsensedtheoldwomanwasharmless.“Sure,”Isaid.15. “I'mMrs.Robertson-Glasgow,”sheintroducedherself,extendingherfinehand.16. “Michael,”Isaid,takingitclumsilyinmyown.17. Wesetoff.Andaswewalked,shetoldmehowsheandherhusbandhadmovedtoBerkshireafterhe'dretiredasacollegeprofessorabouttenyearsearlier.“Hepassedawaylastyear,”shesaid,lookingsuddenlywistful.“SonowI'malone,andIhaveallthistimetowalkthefields.”18. SoonIsawasmallbrickcottagethatglowedpinklyinthewesteringsun.Mrs.Robertson-Glasgowopenedthedoorandinvitedmein.Igazedaboutinsilentadmirationatthebookshelves,glass-frontedcasescontainingfiguresofivoryandcarvedstone,cabinetsfulloffossils,traysofpinnedbutterfliesand,bestofall,adozenorsostuffedbirds—includingaglass-eyedeagleowl.19. “Wow!”wasallIcouldsay.20. “Doesyourmotherexpectyouhomeataparticulartime?”sheaskedassheranthewaterfortea.21. “No,”Ilied.Then,glancingattheclock,Iadded,“Well,maybebyfive.”Thatgavemealmostanhour,notnearlyenoughtimetoaskabouteverysingleobjectintheroom.ButbetweenmouthfulsofteaandjamtartIlearnedallsortsofthingsfromMrs.Robertson-Glasgow.22. Thehourwentbymuchtooswiftly.Mrs.Robertson-Glasgowhadtopracticallypushmeoutthedoor.Butshesentmehomewithtwolargetomes,onefullofbeautifulillustrationsofbirds,andoneofbutterfliesandotherinsects.Ipromisedtoreturnthemthenextweekendifshedidn'tmindmycomingby.Shesmiledandsaidshe'dlookforwardtothat.23. Ihadmadethebestfriendintheworld.24. WhenIreturnedthebooks,shelentmemore.SoonIbegantoseeheralmosteveryweekend,andmywellofknowledgeaboutnaturalhistorybegantobrimover.Atschool,Iearnedthenickname“Prof”andsomerespectfrommyfellowstudents.Eventheschoolbullybroughtmeadeadbirdhehadfound,orprobablyshot,toidentify.25. DuringthesummerIspentblissfullylongdayswithmyfriend.Idiscoveredshemadethefinestshortbreadintheworld.WewouldexploreBearWood,munchinghappilyanddiscussingthebooksshehadlentme.Intheafternoonswewouldreturntothecottage,andshewouldtalkaboutherhusband—whatafinemanhe'dbeen.Onceortwicesheseemedabouttocryandlefttheroomquicklytomakemoretea.Butshealwayscamebacksmiling.26. Astimepassed,Ididnotnoticethatshewasgrowingfrailerandlessinclinedtolaugh.Familiaritysometimesmakespeoplephysicallyinvisible,foryoufindyourselftalkingtothehe。