《怦然心动》｜单词注释｜Chapter 14
The Basket Boys
1
The Monday after the Loskis' dinner party, Darla
tracked
me down at school and forced Bryce Loski back into my brain.
track /træk/ vt. 跟踪
2
“Jules! Whoa, girl, wait up! How have you been?”
3
“I'm fine, Darla, how are you?”
4
“No, seriously,” she whispered. “Are you doing okay?”
5
She
shifted
her backpack and looked over each shoulder.
shift /ʃɪft/ vt. 挪动
6
“I
got
to thinking, you know, that was just so cold of Bryce. Especially since you've got that
soft spot for him
.”
get /ɡet/ v. 开始
soft spot for sb 对某人情有独钟
7
“Who told you that?”
8
“Like I haven't got eyes? Come on, girl. It's a
given
. Which is why I got to worryin' about you. Are you seriously all right?”
given /ˈɡɪvn/ n. 假定事实
9
“Yes, I am. But thanks for thinking about me.” I eyed her and said, “And Darla? It's not a given anymore.”
10
She laughed. “How long's this
diet
gonna last?”
diet /ˈdaɪət/ n. 规定饮食
11
“It's not a diet. I've just, uh, lost my taste for him.”
12
She looked at me
skeptically
. “Uh-huh.”
skeptically /ˈsk ɛptɪk l..ɪ/ adv. 怀疑地
13
“Well, I have. But thanks for, you know, caring.”
14
All through first period I was still feeling
strong
and right and certain, but then Mrs. Simmons ended the lesson a full fifteen minutes early and said,
strong /strɔŋ/ adj. 牢固的
15
“Clear your desks of everything but a pen or pencil.”
16
“What?” everyone cried, and believe me — I was right along with them. I was not prepared for a
quiz
!
quiz /kwɪz/ n. 〈尤美〉小测验
17
“Everything!” she said. “Come on, you're wasting valuable time.”
18
The room filled with grumbles and the sound of
shuffling
binders
,
shuffle /ˈʃʌfl/ vi. 将纸张变换位置
binder /'baɪndɚ/ n. 活页夹
19
and when we'd all
pretty much
complied
with her request, she picked
a stack of
bright yellow papers off her desk,
fanned
them with an evil grin, and said, “It's time to vote for basket boys!”
pretty much 几乎
comply /kəmˈplaɪ/ vi. 答应
a stack of 一摞
fan /fæn/ vt. 扇
20
A
wave
of relief swept across the room. “Basket boys? You mean it's not a quiz?”
wave /weɪv/ n. (活动、行为的)爆发
21
She
ticked
through the stack, counting
ballots
as she spoke. “It is like a quiz in that I don't want you
conferring
with one another. It's also like a quiz in that you have a limited amount of time.”
tick /tɪk/ vt. 标记号于
ballot /ˈbælət/ n. 选票
confer /kənˈfɜːr/ v. 交换意见
22
She slapped a set of ballots down on the first desk of row one, then went on to the second row.
23
“I will collect them from you
individually
when the bell rings, and I will
inspect
to see that you have
complied
with the
following
instructions
.”
individually /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəli/ adv. 分别地
inspect /ɪnˈspekt/ vt. 检查
comply /kəmˈplaɪ/ vi. 遵从
following /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/ adj. 下述的
instruction /ɪnˈstrʌkʃn/ n. 指示
24
She scooted over to row three. “Choose five, and only five, of the boys on the list. Do not put your name on it, and do not discuss your choices with your neighbors.”
25
She was on to row four now, talking faster and faster. “When you've made your selections, simply turn your sheet over.”
26
She slapped the
remainder
down on the last desk. “Do not, I repeat, do not fold your ballot!”
remainder /rɪˈmeɪndər/ n. 剩余部分
27
Robbie Castinon raised his hand and blurted out, “Why do
guys
have to vote. It's
lame
to have guys vote.”
guy /ɡaɪ/ n. [非正式] 男人
lame /leɪm/ adj. 没有说服力的
28
“Robbie …,” Mrs. Simmons warned.
29
“Seriously! What are we supposed to do? Vote for our friends or our enemies?”
30
A lot of people snickered, and Mrs. Simmons scowled, but he
had a point
.
have a point 有道理
31
Twenty of the school's eighth-grade boys would be made to
pack
a
picnic lunch
for two and be
auctioned
off to the highest bidder.
pack /pæk/ vt. 包装
picnic lunch 便当
auction /ˈɔːkʃn/ vt. 拍卖
32
“Being a basket boy is an honor—” Mrs. Simmons began, but she was interrupted by Robbie.
33
“It's a joke!” he said. “It's embarrassing! Who wants to be a basket boy?”
34
All the guys around him muttered, “Not me,” but Mrs. Simmons cleared her throat and said,
35
“You should want to be one! It's a tradition that has helped
support
the school since it was founded.
support /səˈpɔːrt/ vt. 资助
36
There have been generation after generation of basket boys helping make this campus what it is today.
37
It's why we have
flower beds
. It's why we have
shade trees
and a
grove
of apple trees. Visit another junior high sometime and you'll begin to realize what a little
oasis
our campus really is.”
flower beds 花坛
shade tree 能遮荫的树
grove /ɡroʊv/ n. 树丛
oasis /oʊˈeɪsɪs/ n. 绿洲
38
“All this from the sweat and blood of basket boys,” Robbie grumbled.
39
Mrs. Simmons sighed.
40
“Robbie, someday when your children go to school here, you'll understand. For now, please just vote for whoever you think will earn a high bid. And class,” she added, “
we're down to
nine minutes.”
be down to 只剩下
41
The room fell quiet.
42
And as I read down the list of over one hundred and fifty eighth-grade boys, I realized that to me, there had only ever been one boy.
43
To me, there had only been Bryce.
44
I didn't let myself get
sentimental
.
sentimental /'sɛntə'mɛntl/ adj. 多愁善感的
45
I had liked him for all the wrong reasons, and I certainly wasn't going to vote for him now. But I didn't know who else to vote for.
46
I looked at Mrs. Simmons, who was
eagle-eyeing
the class between glances at the clock.
eagle eye 目光敏锐的
47
What if I didn't choose anybody? What if I just turned it in blank?
48
She'd give me
detention
, that's what.
detention /dɪˈtenʃn/ n. (作为惩罚的)课后留校
49
So with two minutes left to go, I put
dots
next to the boys I knew who weren't jerks or clowns, but were just nice.
dot /dɑːt/ n. 点
50
When I
was through
, there were all of ten names with dots, and of those I circled five: Ryan Noll, Vince Olson, Adrian Iglesias, Ian Lai, and Jon Trulock.
be through 完成
51
They wouldn't make basket boy, but then I wouldn't be bidding, so it didn't really matter.
52
At the bell I handed over my ballot and forgot all about the auction.
53
Until lunchtime the next day, that is. Darla cut me off on my way to the library and dragged me over to her table instead.
54
“Have you seen the list?” she asked.
55
“What list?”
56
“The list of basket boys!” She shoved a
scrawled
copy of twenty names in front of me and looked around. “Your
main dish
is on it!”
scrawl /skrɔːl/ vt. 潦草地写；乱涂
main dish 主菜
57
Five from the top, there it was—Bryce Loski.
58
I should have expected it, but still, this awful
surge
of
possessiveness
shot through me.
surge /sɜːrdʒ/ n. 波涛般汹涌奔腾
possessive /pə'zɛsɪv/ n. 占有欲
59
Who had voted for him? Out of one hundred fifty names he must have gotten a lot of votes!
60
Suddenly I was picturing a swarm of girls waving stacks of
cash
in the Booster ladies' faces as they begged to have lunch with him.
cash /kæʃ/ n. 现金
61
I threw the list back at Darla and said, “He's not my main dish! As a matter of fact, I didn't even vote for him.”
62
“Oooo, girl! You are stickin' to your diet!”
63
“It's not a diet, Darla. I'm … I'm over him, okay?”
64
“I'm glad to hear it, 'cause rumor is, that
bimbette
Shelly is already stakin' her claim on him.”
bimbette /bɪmˈbɛt/ n. 〈俚〉小妞
65
“Shelly? Shelly Stalls?” I could feel my cheeks flush.
66
“That's right.” Darla waved her list in the air, calling, “Liz! Macy! Over here! I've got the list!”
67
Darla's friends
fell all over themselves
getting to her, then
pored over
the paper like it was a
treasure map
.
fall all over oneself 竭尽全力
pored over 集中精神地阅读
treasure map n. 藏宝图
68
Macy cried, “Chad Ormonde's on it! He is so cute. I'd go ten bucks on him, easy!”
69
“And Denny's on it, too!” Liz squealed. “That boy is”— she shivered and giggled—“fi-yi-yine!”
70
Macy's top lip curled a little and she said, “Jon Trulock? Jon Tru lock? How did he get on this list?”
71
For a moment I couldn't believe my ears.
72
I snatched the paper out of Macy's hand. “Are you sure?”
73
“Right there,” she said, pointing to his name. “Who do you suppose voted for him?”
74
“The quiet girls, I guess,” Darla said. “Me, I'm more interested in Mike Abenido. Have I got any competition?”
75
Macy laughed, “If you're in, I'm out!”
76
“Me too,” said Liz.
77
“How about you, Jules?” Darla asked me. “Bringin'
spare change
on Friday?”
spare change 零钱
78
“No!”
79
“You get to miss
the second half
of school….”
the second half 下半场
80
“No! I'm not bidding. Not on anyone!”
81
She laughed. “Good for you.”
82
That afternoon I rode home from school
brooding
about Bryce and the whole basket boy auction.
brood /bruːd/ vt. 沉思
83
I could feel myself
backsliding
about Bryce.
backslide /ˈbækˌslaɪd/ vi. 故态复萌
84
But why should I care if Shelly liked him? I shouldn't even be thinking about him!
85
When I wasn't thinking about Bryce, I was worrying about poor Jon Trulock.
86
He was quiet, and I felt sorry for him, having to
clutch
a basket and be auctioned off in front of the whole student body.
clutch /klʌtʃ/ vt. 抓住
87
What had I done to him?
88
But as I bounced up our drive, basket boys bounced right out of my mind.
89
Was that green I saw poking out of the dirt? Yes! Yes, it was! I dropped the bike and got down on my hands and knees.
90
They were so thin, so small, so
far apart
!
far apart 离得很远
91
They barely made a difference in the
vastness
of the black dirt, and yet there they were. Pushing their way through to the afternoon sun.
vastness /ˈvæstnɪs/ n. 广阔
92
I ran in the house, calling, “Mom! Mom, there's grass!”
93
“Really?” She emerged from the bathroom with her cleaning gloves and a
pail
. “I was wondering if it was ever going to spring up.”
pail /peɪl/ n. 桶
94
“Well, it has! Come! Come and see!”
95
She wasn't too impressed at first.
96
But after I made her get down on her hands and knees and really look, she smiled and said, “They're so delicate….”
97
“They look like they're
yawning
, don't they?”
yawn /jɔːn/ vi. 打呵欠
98
She cocked her head a bit and looked a little closer. “Yawning?”
99
“Well, more stretching, I guess. Like they're sitting up in their little bed of dirt with their arms stretched way high, saying, Good morning, world!”
100
She laughed and said, “Yes, they do!”
101
I got up and
uncoiled
the
hose
. “I think they need a wakeup shower, don't you?”
uncoil /ˌʌn'kɔɪl/ vi. 展开
hose /hoʊz/ n. 胶管
102
My mom agreed and left me to my singing and
sprinkling
.
sprinkle /ˈsprɪŋkl/ vi. 洒
103
And I was completely
lost in
the joy of my little green
blades
of new life when I heard the school bus rumble to a stop up on Collier Street.
lost in 迷恋
blade /bleɪd/ n. 叶片
104
Bryce. His name shot through my brain, and with it came a panic I didn't seem able to control.
105
Before I could stop myself, I dropped the hose and dashed inside.
106
I locked myself in my room and tried to do my homework.
107
Where was my peace? Where was my
resolve
? Where was my
sanity
?
resolve /rɪˈzɑːlv/ n. 坚决
sanity /ˈsænəti/ n. 理智
108
Had they left me because Shelly Stalls
was after him
?
be after sb 追求某人
109
Was it just some old
rivalry
making me feel this way?
rivalry /ˈraɪvlri/ n. 竞争
110
I had to get past Bryce and Shelly.
111
They deserved each other — let them have each other!
112
But in my heart I knew that just like the new grass, I wasn't strong enough yet to be walked on. And until I was, there was only one solution: I had to stay away from him. I needed to
rope
him out of my life.
rope /roʊp/ vt. 捆
113
So I closed my ears to the news of basket boys and
steered clear of
Bryce at school.
steer clear of 避开
114
And when I did happen to
run into
him, I simply said hello like he was someone I barely even knew.
run into vt. 偶然遇见
115
It was
working
, too! I was growing stronger
by the day
.
working /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/ adj. 可行的
by the day adv. 一天天地
116
Who cared about auctions and basket boys? I didn't!
117
Friday morning I got up early, collected what few eggs there were in the coop, watered the front yard, which was by now definitely green, ate breakfast, and got ready for school.
118
But as I was running a brush through my hair, I couldn't help thinking about Shelly Stalls.
119
It was auction day. She'd probably been up since five, making her hair into some impossibly
pouffy
do.
puffy /'pʌfi/ adj. 膨胀的
120
So what? I told myself. So what?
121
But as I was
throwing on
my
windbreaker
, I eyed my money tin and hesitated. What if …
throw on 匆匆穿上
windbreaker /ˈwɪndˌbrekɚ/ n. 防风夹克
122
No! No-no-no!
123
I ran to the garage, got my bike, and pushed out of the driveway.
124
And I was in the street and on my way when Mrs. Stueby
flew
right
in my path
.
fly /flaɪ/ v. 疾驰
in one's path: 挡路
125
“Julianna,” she called, waving her hand through the air.
126
“Here, dear. Take this. I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to get it to you. I keep missing you in the mornings.”
127
I didn't even know how much she owed me.
128
At that moment I didn't care.
129
All I knew was the top bill in her hand was a ten, and it was striking
terror
in my heart.
terror /ˈterər/ n. 恐惧
130
“Mrs. Stueby, please. I …I don't want that. You don't have to pay me.”
131
“Nonsense, child! Of course I'm going to pay you. Here!” she said, and waved it out for me to take.
132
“No, really. I …I don't want it.”
133
She wedged it in the pocket of my jeans and said, “What
utter
nonsense. Now go! Go buy yourself a rooster!” then hurried back up her walkway.
utter /ˈʌtər/ adj. 彻底的
134
“Mrs. Stueby… Mrs. Stueby?” I called after her. “I don't want a rooster… !” but she was gone.
135
All the way to school Mrs. Stueby's money was burning a hole in my pocket and another in my brain. How much was it?
136
When I got to school, I parked my bike, then
broke down
and looked.
break down 分解
137
Ten, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.
138
I folded the bills together and
slid
them back into my pocket.
slide /slaɪd/ vt. & vi. (使)快捷而悄声地移动
139
Was it more than Shelly had?
140
All through first period I was furious with myself for even thinking it.
141
All through second period I kept my eyes off of Bryce, but oh! It was so hard!
142
I'd never seen him in a tie and
cuff links
before!
cuff links 袖扣
143
Then
at break
I was at my
locker
when Shelly Stalls appeared out of nowhere.
at break 课间休息时
locker /ˈlɑːkər/ n. 寄物柜
144
She got right next to me and said, “I hear you're planning to bid on him.”
145
“What?” I took a step back. “Who told you that? I am not!”
146
“Someone said they saw you with
a whole wad of
cash this morning. How much do you have?”
a wad of 一捆
147
“It's … it's none of your business. And I'm not bidding, okay? I …I don't even like him anymore.”
148
She laughed, “Oh,
that'll be the day
!”
that will be the day 有这么一天就好了
149
“It's true.” I slammed my locker closed. “Go ahead and waste your money on him. I don't care.”
150
I left her there with her mouth open, which felt even better than getting her in a headlock.
151
That feeling carried me
clear
through to eleven o'clock, when the entire student body
assembled
in the gymnasium.
clear /klɪr/ adv. [美] 一直
assemble /əˈsembl/ vt. 聚集
152
I was not going to bid on Bryce Loski. No way!
153
Then the basket boys came out on the stage.
154
Bryce looked so adorable holding a picnic basket with red-and-white-
checked
napkins
peeking
out from either side,
checked /tʃɛkt/ adj. 格子花纹的
peek /piːk/ v. 探出
155
and the thought of Shelly Stalls flipping one of those napkins into her lap nearly made the bills in my pocket
burst into flames
.
burst into flames 燃烧起来
156
Darla came up behind me and whispered, “
Rumor
is you've got a wad of cash. Is that true?”
rumor /ˈrumɚ/ n. 传闻
157
“What? No! I mean, yes, but I … I'm not bidding.”
158
“Oooo, girl, look at you. You feelin' all right?”
159
I wasn't.
160
I felt sick to my stomach and shaky in the knees. “I'm fine,” I told her. “Fine.”
161
She looked from me to the stage and back to me. “You got nothin' to lose but your
self-respect
.”
self-respect /ˌsɛlfrɪˈspɛkt/ n. 自尊
162
“Stop it!” I whispered at her fiercely.
163
It felt like I was having a
panic attack
.
panic attack 惊恐症
164
I couldn't breathe. I felt
light-headed
and
wobbly
— like I wasn't in control of my own body.
light-headed /'lait'hedid/ adj. 头晕的
wobbly /'wɑbli/ adj. 摇摇晃晃的
165
Darla said, “Maybe you should sit down.”
166
“I'm fine, Darla, I'm fine.”
167
She frowned at me. “I think I'll
stick around
to
make sure
.”
stick around 停留
make sure 确保
168
The Booster Club president, Mrs. McClure, had been fluttering around the basket boys,
fixing
ties and giving them last-minute
instructions
,
fix /fɪks/ v. 校正
instruction /ɪnˈstrʌkʃn/ n. 指示
169
but now suddenly she was slamming her
gavel
on the
podium
, calling into the microphone, “If you'll all
settle down
, we're ready to begin.”
gavel /ˈɡævl/ n. (拍卖商、会议主席或法官用的)小木槌
podium /ˈpoʊdiəm/ n. 讲台
settle down 安定下来
170
I'd never seen six hundred kids quiet down so fast.
171
I guess Mrs. McClure hadn't either, because she smiled and said, “
Why
, thank you. Thank you very much.”
why /waɪ/ int. 哎呀
172
Then she said,
173
“And welcome to the fifty-second
annual
Basket Boy Auction! I know that your teachers have
gone over
the
procedures
with you in
homeroom
, but I've been
asked
to remind you of a few things:
annual /ˈænjuəl/ adj. 年度的
go over 复习
procedure /prəˈsiːdʒər/ n. 步骤
homeroom /'homrum/ n. 学生接受指导的教室
ask /æsk/ vt. 需要
174
This is a civilized
proceeding
. No
whistling
,
catcalls
, or other
degrading
behavior will be tolerated. If you wish to
place a bid
, you must raise your hand high.
proceeding /prə'sidɪŋ/ n. 进程
whistling /'hwɪslɪŋ/ n. 吹口哨
catcall /'kætkɔl/ n. 嘘声
degrading /dɪ'ɡredɪŋ/ adj. 有辱人格的
place a bid 出价
175
Bidding without raising your hand is
prohibited
, and should you decide to be a funny guy, you will be caught and
detained
or
suspended
. Are we all clear on that? Good.”
prohibit /prəˈhɪbɪt/ vt. 禁止
detain /dɪˈteɪn/ vt. 扣留
suspend /səˈspend/ vt. 使暂停
176
She looked from one side of the gym to the other. “Teachers, I see that you are
in position
.”
in position n. 就位
177
Six hundred heads turned slowly from side to side, looking at the
blockade
of teachers on either side of the gym.
blockade /blɑːˈkeɪd/ n. 封锁
178
“Man,” Darla whispered, “they're not leaving much room for fun, are they?”
179
Mrs. McClure continued, “Minimum bid is ten dollars, and of course,
the sky's the limit
, but we don't accept
IOUs
.”
the sky's the limit 没有限制
IOU 欠条
180
She pointed to her right.
181
“Winning bidders should go directly to the table at the north door when I
declare
the basket to be sold.
declare /dɪˈkler/ vt. 宣布
182
And as you're aware, winners and their basket boys have the rest of the school day off and are
exempt
from tonight's homework in all classes.”
exempt /ɪɡˈzempt/ vt. 免除
183
She smiled out at the blockade. “Teachers, we appreciate your support on this.”
184
“All right, then!” She put on her
reading glasses
and looked at a three-by-five card.
reading glasses 老花镜
185
“Our first basket has been brought by Jeffrey Bisho.”
186
She looked over her glasses at him and said, “Come on up, Jeffrey. Don't be shy!”
187
He
inched
forward as she continued.
inch /ɪntʃ/ vt. 使缓慢地移动
188
“Jeffrey has brought a
scrumptious
lunch
consisting
of chicken salad sandwiches,
oriental
noodles,
baby
grapes
, iced tea, and
fortune cookies
.”
scrumptious /ˈskrʌmpʃəs/ adj. [口] 美味的
consist /kənˈsɪst/ v. 由......组成
oriental /ˌorɪ'ɛntəl/ adj. 东方人的
baby /'bebi/ adj. 小型的
grape /ɡreɪp/ n. 葡萄
fortune cookie 福饼
189
She smiled at him
over
her glasses.
over /'ovɚ/ prep. 通过
190
“Sounds delicious, and sounds like fun! Which,” she said, looking back at the crowd,
191
“Jeffrey is! He enjoys
skateboarding
,
skiing
, and swimming, but ladies, he also enjoys a day in the park and watching Humphrey Bogart movies.”
skateboard /'sket'bɔrd/ vi. 用滑板滑行
ski /skiː/ vi. 滑雪
192
She turned to him and grinned. “They are a
kick
, aren't they?”
kick /kɪk/ n. 极大的乐趣
193
Poor Jeff tried to smile, but you could tell — he wanted to die.
194
“All right, then,” said Mrs. McClure as she
whipped
off her glasses. “Do I hear ten?”
whip /wɪp/ v. 快速拿走
195
Not only did she hear ten, she heard twelve, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five, too!
196
“Going … going … gone!” cried Mrs. McClure. “To the young lady in the purple
tunic
!”
tunic /'tʊnɪk/ n. 束腰外衣
197
“Who is that?” I asked Darla.
198
“I think her name's Tiffany,” she said. “She's a seventh grader.”
199
“Really? Wow. I would never have bid last year! And I …I don't remember bids going up that high, either.”
200
Darla eyed me. “Which tells me that maybe you would bid this year? How much you got?”
201
I looked at her and almost
dissolved
right on the spot.
dissolve /dɪˈzɑːlv/ vi. 溶解
202
“Darla, I didn't bring money on purpose! My neighbor made me take it on the way to school because she owed it to me for eggs and—”
203
“For eggs? Oh, like Bryce was talking about in the library?”
204
“Exactly, and—” I looked at her looking at me and stopped cold.
205
“How can you even think about bidding on that boy?”
206
“I don't want to! But I've liked him for so long. Darla, I've liked him since I was seven.
207
And even though I know he's a coward and a
sneak
and I should never speak to him again,
sneak /sniːk/ n. 鬼鬼祟祟的人
have trouble v. 在......有困难
208
I'm
having trouble
focusing on that. Especially since Shelly Stalls is after him. And now I've got this money burning a hole in my pocket!”
209
“Well, I can understand the bit about Shelly Stalls, but if you know that boy's just a big piece of fluffy
cheesecake
that you're gonna
regret
eating, I can help you with your diet.”
cheesecake /'tʃizkek/ n. 奶酪蛋糕
regret /rɪˈɡret/ vt. 后悔
210
She put out her hand. “Give me the money. I'll hold it for you.”
211
“No!”
212
“No?”
213
“I mean…I can handle this. I've got to handle it.”
214
She shook her head. “Oh, girl. I'm hurting for you here.”
215
I looked back at the stage.
216
The auction was happening so fast!
217
They'd be at Bryce in no time.
218
As the bidding continued, the battle in my head got louder and fiercer. What was I going to do?
219
Then suddenly the gym fell quiet. You could have heard a
pin
drop.
pin /pɪn/ n. 针
220
And standing next to Mrs. McClure looking completely
mortified
was Jon Trulock.
mortify /ˈmɔːrtɪfaɪ/ vt. 使难堪
221
Mrs. McClure was
scouring
the crowd with her eyes, looking very uncomfortable, too.
scour /ˈskaʊər/ vt. 走遍(某地)搜寻(人或物)
222
“What happened?” I whispered to Darla.
223
“No one's bidding,” she whispered back.
224
“Do I hear ten?” called Mrs. McClure.
225
“Come on, out there! This lunch is delicious. Strawberry
tarts
,
roast
beef and Muenster cheese sandwiches …”
tart /tɑːrt/ n. 果馅饼
roast /roʊst/ adj. 烤制的
226
“Oh, no!” I whispered to Darla. “I can't believe I did this to him!”
227
“You? What did you do?”
228
“I voted for him!”
229
“Well, you couldn't have been the only one….”
230
“But why isn't anyone bidding on him? He's … he's so nice.”
231
Darla nodded. “Exactly.”
232
That's when I realized what I had to do.
233
My hand shot into the air and I called, “Ten!”
234
“Ten?”
warbled
Mrs. McClure. “Did I hear ten?”
warble /'wɔrbl/ vt. 用柔和的颤声唱
235
I put my hand up higher and said to Darla, “Say twelve.”
236
“What?”
237
“Say twelve, I'll outbid you.”
238
“No way!”
239
“Darla! He can't go for ten, c'mon!”
240
“Twelve!” Darla called, but her hand didn't go up very high.
241
“Fifteen!” I cried.
242
“Sixteen!” called Darla, and eyed me with a laugh.
243
I whispered, “Darla! I've only got fifteen.”
244
Her eyes got enormous.
245
I laughed and called, “Eighteen!” then held her arm down and said, “But that really is all I've got.”
246
There was a moment of silence and then, “Eighteen going once! Eighteen going twice … Sold! for eighteen dollars.”
247
Darla laughed and said, “Whoa, girl!
What a rush
!”
what a rush 感觉真棒
248
I nodded. “Yes, it was!”
249
“Well, no
dessert
for you. Looks like you got cleaned out by something a little more …uh…
nutritious
.”
dessert /dɪˈzɜːrt/ n. 餐后甜点
nutritious /nuˈtrɪʃəs/ adj. 有营养的
250
She nodded toward the stage.
251
“You
gonna
go up to the table like you're supposed to? Or you gonna stick around and see the
carnage
?”
gonna /'ɡɔnə/ abbr. （美）将要（等于going to）
carnage /ˈkɑːrnɪdʒ/ n. 大屠杀
252
I almost didn't have a choice.
253
Before Mrs. McClure could say two words about Bryce or his basket, Shelly called, “Ten!”
254
Then from the middle of the gym came “Twenty!” It was Miranda Humes, with her hand way in the air.
255
They went back and forth, back and forth, higher and higher, until Shelly called, “Sixty-two!”
256
“I can't believe it,” I whispered to Darla. “Sixty-two dollars! C'mon, Miranda, come on.”
257
“I think she's out. Shelly's got it.”
258
“Sixty-two dollars going once!” cried Mrs. McClure, but before she could say, Going twice! a voice from the back of the gym called, “A hundred!”
259
Everyone gasped and turned around to see who had called the bid.
260
Darla whispered, “It's Jenny.”
261
“Atkinson?” I asked.
262
Darla pointed. “Right over there.”
263
She was easy to spot, standing tall above the others in the number-seven basketball
jersey
she almost always wore.
jersey /'dʒɝzi/ n. 运动衫
264
“Wow,” I whispered, “I had
no idea
.”
no idea 不知道
265
“Maybe she'll
slam-dunk
him for you,” Darla said with a grin.
slam-dunk v. 扣篮
266
“Who cares?” I giggled. “She slam-dunked Shelly!”
267
Mrs. McClure was
gushing
into the microphone about the record-breaking bid when a big commotion broke out over by Miranda.
gush /ɡʌʃ/ vi. 滔滔不绝地说话
268
I spotted Shelly's hair, and my first thought was that there was going to be a fight.
269
But instead, Shelly and Miranda turned to face Mrs. McClure and called, “One-twenty-two fifty!”
270
I
choked down
a cry. “What?”
choke down 强咽下去
271
“They're teamin' up,” Darla whispered.
272
“Oh, no-no-no!” I looked over Jenny's way. “Come on, Jenny!”
273
Darla shook her head and said, “She's through,” and she was.
274
Bryce went to Shelly and Miranda for one hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents.
275
It was a little strange, meeting up with Jon and walking over to the multi-purpose room for lunch.
276
But he was just so nice, and I think
grateful
that I'd bid, that
by
the time we got
situated
at our table, I wasn't feeling so
awkward
or
silly
.
grateful /ˈɡreɪtfl/ adj. 感谢的
by /baɪ/ prep. (表示时间)在...时候
situate /ˈsɪtʃueɪt/ vt. 使位于
awkward /ˈɔːkwərd/ adj. 尴尬的
silly /'sɪli/ adj. 蠢的
277
It was just lunch.
278
Things would have been easier if they hadn't seated me in direct view of Bryce and his little
harem
, but I did my best to ignore them.
harem /'hærəm/ n. 闺房里的妻妾群
279
Jon told me all about this
radio-controlled
airplane that he and his dad were building
from scratch
,
radio-controlled adj. 无线电操纵的
from scratch 从零开始
280
and how he'd been working on it for nearly three months, and that
over
the weekend they were finally going to get to try it out.
over /'ovɚ/ prep. 在......期间
281
He told me a funny story about
soldering
the wires
wrong
and practically starting a fire in their basement,
solder /ˈsɑːdər/ vt. & vi. (使)焊接
wrong /rɔŋ/ adv. 错误地
282
and I asked him about how a radio-controlled airplane works because I didn't really understand it.
283
So I'd relaxed a lot and was actually having a good time eating lunch with Jon.
284
And I was so
relieved
that I hadn't bid on Bryce.
relieved /rɪˈliːvd/ adj. 宽慰的
285
What a fool I would have
made of
myself!
make of 由...组成
286
Watching Shelly and Miranda
fawning
all over him didn't bother me nearly as much as I thought it would.
fawn /fɔn/ vi. 奉承
287
Really, they looked ridiculous.
288
Jon asked about my family, so I was telling him about my brothers and their band when a huge commotion broke out over at Bryce's table.
289
Suddenly Shelly and Miranda were rolling on the floor like an enormous
furball
,
smearing
each other with food.
furball n. 毛球
smear /smɪr/ vt. 弄脏
290
Out of nowhere Bryce appeared at our table.
291
He grabbed my hand, pulled me a few feet away, and whispered, “Do you like him?”
292
I was
stunned
.
stun /stʌn/ vt. 使大吃一惊
293
He held my other hand and asked again, “Do you like him?”
294
“You mean Jon?”
295
“Yes!”
296
I can't remember what I said.
297
He was looking into my eyes, holding my hands tight, and then he began pulling me toward him.
298
My heart was racing and his eyes were closing and his face was coming toward mine…...Right there, in front of all the other basket boys and their dates and the adults, he was going to kiss me.
299
To kiss me.
300
I
panicked
.
panic /ˈpænɪk/ vi. 十分惊慌
301
I'd been waiting all my life for that kiss, and now?
302
I yanked free and ran back to my table, and when I sat down Jon whispered, “Did he just try to kiss you?”
303
I turned my chair away from Bryce and whispered, “Can we please talk about something else? Anything else?”
304
People were whispering and looking my way, and when Shelly Stalls came back from cleaning up in the washroom, everyone fell quiet.
305
Her hair looked awful.
306
It was sort of
oiled
to her scalp and still had little
chunks
of food in it.
oiled /ɔɪld/ adj. 涂油的
chunk /tʃʌŋk/ n. 大块
307
She glared at me so hard it looked like she was trying to get
laser beams
to shoot from her eyes.
laser beam n. 激光束
308
A couple of adults
steered
her back to her seat, and then everyone started whispering double-speed. And Bryce didn't even seem to care!
steer /stɪr/ vt. & vi. 控制
309
He kept trying to come over and talk to me, but either he'd get
intercepted
by a teacher or I'd dash away from him before he had a chance to say anything.
intercept /ˌɪntərˈsept/ vt. 截住
310
When the dismissal bell finally rang, I said a quick goodbye to Jon and
bolted
out the door.
bolt /boʊlt/ vi. 冲出
311
I couldn't reach my bike fast enough!
312
I was the first one off campus, and I
pedaled
home so hard it felt as though my lungs would burst.
pedal /ˈpedl/ vi. 踩踏板
313
Mrs. Stueby was out front watering her flower bed and she tried to say something to me, but I just dropped my bike in the driveway and escaped into the house.
314
I certainly didn't want to talk about roosters!
315
My mother heard me slamming doors and came to check on me in my room. “Julianna! What's wrong?”
316
I flipped over on my bed to face her and wailed, “I am so confused! I don't know what to think or feel or do…!”
317
She sat down beside me on the bed and
stroked
my hair. “Tell me what happened, sweetheart.”
stroke /stroʊk/ vt. 抚摸
318
I hesitated, then threw my hands up in the air. “He tried to kiss me!”
319
My mother
struggled
not to let it show, but underneath her
composed
expression was a growing smile.
struggle /ˈstrʌɡl/ vi. 努力
composed /kəmˈpoʊzd/ adj. 平静的
320
She leaned in a little and asked, “Who did?”
321
“Bryce!”
322
She hesitated. “But you've always liked him….”
323
The doorbell rang. And rang again.
324
My mom started to get up, but I grabbed her arm and said, “Don't get that!”
325
The bell rang again, and almost right after that there was a loud knocking at the door.
326
“Mom, please! Don't get it. That's probably him!”
327
“But sweetheart …”
328
“I was over him! Completely over him!”
329
“Since when?”
330
“Since last Friday. After the dinner. If he had vanished from the face of the earth after our dinner at the Loskis', I wouldn't have cared!”
331
“Why? Did something happen at the dinner that I don't know about?”
332
I threw myself back onto my pillow and said, “It's too
complicated
, Mom! I …I just can't talk about it.”
complicated /ˈkɑːmplɪkeɪtɪd/ adj. 结构复杂的
333
“My,” she said after a moment. “Don't you sound like a teenager.”
334
“I'm sorry,” I
whimpered
, because I knew I was hurting her
feelings
.
whimper /ˈwɪmpər/ vi. 呜咽
feeling /'filɪŋ/ n. 感情
335
I sat up and said,
336
“Mom, all those years I liked him? I never really knew him. All I knew was that he had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen and that his smile melted my heart like the sun melts butter.
337
But now I know that inside he's a coward and a sneak, so I've got to
get over
what he's like on the outside!”
get over 克服
338
My mother leaned back and
crossed
her arms. “Well,” she said. “Isn't this something.”
cross /krɔs/ vt. 使相交
339
“What do you mean?”
340
She chewed the side of one cheek, then moved over to chew the other.
341
At last she said, “I shouldn't really discuss it.”
342
“Why not?”
343
“Because …I just shouldn't. Besides, I can tell there are things you don't feel comfortable discussing with me….”
344
We stared at each other a moment, neither of us saying a word.
345
Finally I looked down and whispered,
346
“When Chet and I were fixing up the yard, I told him how we didn't own the house and about Uncle David.
347
He must have told the rest of the family, because the day before the Loskis' dinner party I overheard Bryce and his friend
making cracks about
Uncle David at school.
make cracks about 讽刺某人
348
I was furious, but I didn't want you to know because you'd think they were only inviting us over because they felt sorry for us.”
349
I looked at her and said, “You just seemed so happy about being invited for dinner.”
350
Then I realized something. “And you know, you've seemed happier ever since.”
351
She held my hand and smiled. “I have a lot to be happy about.”
352
Then she sighed and said, “And I already knew they knew about Uncle David. It was fine that you talked about him. He's not a secret or anything.”
353
I sat up a little. “Wait … how did you know?”
354
“Patsy told me.”
355
I blinked at her. “She did? Before the dinner?”
356
“No, no. After.”
357
She hesitated, then said, “Patsy's been over several times this week. She's … she's going through a very
rough
time.”
rough /rʌf/ adj. 艰难的
358
“
How come
?”
how come 怎么会......(那样)
359
Mom let out a deep breath and said, “I think you're mature enough to keep this inside these four walls, and I'm only telling you because … because I think it's
relevant
.”
relevant /ˈreləvənt/ adj. 有关的
360
I held my breath and waited.
361
“Patsy and Rick have been having
ferocious
fights
lately.”
ferocious /fəˈroʊʃəs/ adj. 凶猛的
fight /faɪt/ n. 吵架
362
“Mr. and Mrs. Loski? What about?”
363
Mom sighed. “About everything, it seems.”
364
“I don't understand.”
365
Very quietly my mother said, “For the first time in her life, Patsy is seeing her husband for what he is. It's twenty years and two children late, but that's what she's doing.”
366
She gave me a sad smile. “Patsy seems to be going through the same thing you are.”
367
The phone rang and Mom said, “Let me get that, okay? Your dad said he'd call if he was working overtime, and that's probably him.”
368
While she was gone, I remembered what Chet had said about someone he knew who had never learned to look beneath the surface.
369
Had he been talking about his own daughter? And how could this happen to her after twenty years of marriage?
370
When my mother came back, I absently asked, “Is Dad working late?”
371
“That wasn't Dad, sweetheart. It was Bryce.”
372
I sat straight up. “Now he's calling? I have lived across the street from him for six years and he's never once called me! Is he doing this because he's
jealous
?”
jealous /ˈdʒeləs/ adj. 嫉妒的
373
“Jealous? Of whom?”
374
So I gave her the blow-by-blow, beginning with Mrs. Stueby, going clear through Darla, the auction, the furball fight, and ending with Bryce trying to kiss me in front of everybody.
375
She clapped her hands and positively giggled.
376
“Mom, it's not funny!”
377
She tried to straighten up. “I know, sweetheart, I know.”
378
“I don't want to wind up like Mrs. Loski!”
379
“You don't have to marry the boy, Julianna. Why don't you just listen to what he has to say? He sounded
desperate
to talk to you.”
desperate /ˈdespərət/ adj. 不顾一切的
380
“What could he possibly have to say?
381
He's already tried to blame Garrett for what he said about Uncle David, and I'm sorry, but I don't buy it.
382
He's lied to me, he hasn't stood up for me … he's … he's nobody that I want to like.
383
I just need some time to get over all those years of having liked him.”
384
Mom sat there for the longest time, biting her cheek.
385
Then she said,
386
“People do change, you know. Maybe he's had some
revelations
lately, too. And frankly, any boy who tries to kiss a girl in front of a room full of other kids does not sound like a coward to me.”
revelation /ˌrevəˈleɪʃn/ n. (上帝的)启示
387
She stroked my hair and whispered, “Maybe there's more to Bryce Loski than you know.”
388
Then she left me alone with my thoughts.
389
My mother knew I needed time to think, but Bryce wouldn't leave me alone.
390
He kept calling on the phone and knocking on the door.
391
He even snuck around the house and tapped on my window!
392
Every time I turned around, there he was,
pestering
me.
pester /ˈpestər/ vt. 使烦恼
393
I wanted to be able to water the yard in peace.
394
I wanted not to have to avoid him at school or have Darla run block for me.
395
Why didn't he understand that I wasn't interested in what he had to say?
396
What could he possibly have to say?
397
Was it so much to ask just to be left alone?
398
Then this afternoon I was reading a book in the front room with the curtains drawn, hiding from him as I had all week, when I heard a noise in the yard.
399
I peeked outside and there was Bryce, walking across my grass.
Stomping
all over my grass! And he was carrying a
spade
!
stomp /stɑmp/ vt. 践踏
spade /speɪd/ n. 铁锹
400
What was he planning to do with that?
401
I flew off the couch and yanked open the door and ran right into my father.
402
“Stop him!” I cried.
403
“Calm down, Julianna,” he said, and
eased
me back inside. “I gave him
permission
.”
ease /iːz/ vt. 使安心
permission /pərˈmɪʃn/ n. 准许
404
“Permission! Permission to do what?” I flew back to the window. “He's digging a hole.”
405
“That's right. I told him he could.”
406
“But why?”
407
“I think the boy has a very good idea, that's why.”
408
“But—”
409
“It's not going to kill your grass, Julianna. Just let him do what he's come to do.”
410
“But what is it? What's he doing?”
411
“Watch. You'll figure it out.”
412
It was torture seeing him dig up my grass.
413
The hole he was making was enormous!
414
How could my father let him do this to my yard?
415
Bryce knew I was there, too, because he looked at me once and nodded.
416
No smile, no wave, just a nod.
417
He dragged over some
potting
soil
,
pierced
the bag with the spade, and shoveled dirt into the hole.
potting /'pɑtɪŋ/ n. 盆栽
soil /sɔɪl/ n. 土壤
pierce /pɪrs/ vt. & vi. 刺入
418
Then he disappeared.
419
And when he came back, he wrestled a big
burlapped
root ball
across the lawn, the branches of a plant rustling back and forth as he moved.
burlap /'bɝlæp/ n. 麻袋
root ball 根团
420
My dad joined me on the couch and peeked out the window, too.
421
“A tree?” I whispered. “He's planting a tree?”
422
“I'd help him, but he says he has to do this himself.”
423
“Is it a …” The words stuck in my throat.
424
I didn't really need to ask, though, and he knew he didn't need to answer.
425
I could tell from the shape of the leaves, from the
texture
of the trunk.
texture /ˈtekstʃər/ n. 质地
426
This was a sycamore tree.
427
I flipped around on the couch and just sat.
428
A sycamore tree.
429
Bryce finished planting the tree, watered it, cleaned everything up, and then went home.
430
And I just sat there, not knowing what to do.
431
I've been sitting here for hours now, just staring out the window at the tree.
432
It may be little now, but it'll grow, day by day.
433
And a hundred years from now it'll reach clear over the rooftops. It'll be miles in the air!
434
Already I can tell — it's going to be an amazing, magnificent tree.
435
And I can't help wondering, a hundred years from now will a kid climb it the way I climbed the one up on Collier Street?
436
Will she see the things I did?
437
Will she feel the way I did?
438
Will it change her life the way it changed mine?
439
I also can't stop wondering about Bryce.
440
What has he been trying to tell me?
441
What's he thinking about?
442
I know he's home because he looks out his window from time to time.
443
A little while ago he put his hand up and waved. And I couldn't help it — I gave a little wave back.
444
So maybe I should go over there and thank him for the tree. Maybe we could sit on the porch and talk.
445
It just occurred to me that in all the years we've known each other, we've never done that.
446
Never really talked.
447
Maybe my mother's right.
448
Maybe there is more to Bryce Loski than I know.
449
Maybe it's time to meet him in the proper light.
450
