25. A Story That Isn't About Socks 一个与袜子无关的故事

It was class picture day. The children were all dressed up in their best clothes.

Stephen came to school wearing a three-piece suit: gray trousers, a gray vest, and a gray jacket. Underneath¹ his vest was a white shirt and a red and gold striped tie. On his feet were hard, black, shiny shoes.

He was very handsome.

The other kids laughed when they saw him.

"You've worn lots of silly costumes," said Bebe, "but this is the silliest one yet!"

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Bebe was wearing yellow shorts, a red shirt with white polka dots, and a floppy² green hat.

Mrs. Jewls rang her cowbell. "Settle down!" she said.

The children settled in their seats. Stephen remained standing³.

"Look at Stephen," said Maurecia. "His jacket is the same color as his pants."

"They're supposed to be the same color," Stephen tried to explain. "It's a suit. And they're not called pants, they're called trousers."

"Ooooooh," said Maurecia. "Can you go swimming in your suit?"

"No," said Stephen.

"I can go swimming in my suit," said Maurecia.

Maurecia had on a black and white striped bikini.

"I'm sure Stephen's suit is good for other things," said Mrs. Jewls.

"It is," said Stephen.

"Like what?" asked Todd.

"Standing around and looking important," said Stephen.

"What about sitting?" asked Todd.

"No, I'm not supposed to sit," said Stephen. "The suit might get wrinkled. I'm just supposed to stand around and look important."

"Oh," said Todd.

Todd was wearing white shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and sunglasses.

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Deedee crawled across the floor to Stephen so she could get a better look at his shoes. "They're so shiny!" she said. "I can see myself." She knocked on one of his shoes with her fist. "They're hard, too!"

"Deedee, get up," said Mrs. Jewls.

Deedee stood up. She had on a black T-shirt that came down to her knees. In the middle of the shirt was a red heart. Above the heart in sparkling silver and gold letters it said LOVE GODDESS.

"I bet they're good for kickball, huh, Stephen?" she asked. "Since they're so hard."

"No," said Stephen. "I can't run in them. And they hurt my feet."

"Then why do you wear them?" asked Deedee.

"Because they're uncomfortable," Stephen explained. "You have to wear uncomfortable shoes if you want to look important."

"Oh," said Deedee.

"What's that thing around your neck?" asked Paul.

"It's a tie," said Stephen.

"Does it keep your neck warm?" asked Paul.

"No," said Stephen.

"Does it hold your shirt on?" asked Paul.

"No," said Stephen.

"Well, what's it for?" asked Paul.

"It chokes me," said Stephen.

"Oh," said Paul.

"The more it chokes me, the better I look," Stephen explained. "See?" He tightened⁴ his tie.

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"Oh, yeah," said Paul. "You look real handsome."

Paul was wearing cowboy-and-Indian pajamas⁵.

Stephen pulled his tie tighter. "Now how do I look?" he asked.

"Wow, you look great!" said D. J. "Pull it tighter!"

Stephen pulled his tie even tighter. "How's this?" he gasped⁶.

"You look great and very important," said D.J.

D. J. was wearing a toga made out of his bed sheet.

"Pull it tighter!" said Bebe.

Stephen pulled on his tie. He could no longer breathe.

"Tighter!" everyone yelled.

Stephen pulled it even tighter. His eyes bulged⁷ and his nose turned blue. He had never been more handsome.

"Tighter!" they all shouted.

Stephen pulled his tie so hard that he ripped it in half.

"Ohhhhhhhhh," the whole class groaned⁸.

"Darn!" said Stephen. "Now I'm not great and important anymore."

"Yes you are, Stephen," said Mrs. Jewls. "You're just as great and important as you ever were."

"I am?" Stephen asked.

"Certainly," said Mrs. Jewls. "The tie didn't make you important. It doesn't matter what you wear on the outside. It's what's underneath that counts."

"Underneath?" asked Stephen.

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"Yes," said Mrs. Jewls. "If you want to be great and important, you have to wear expensive underpants."

"Oh," said Stephen.

Mrs. Jewls had on a flowered tank top and a grass skirt.

1 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

2 floppy   

adj.松软的，衰弱的

参考例句：

• She was wearing a big floppy hat.她戴了顶松软的大帽子。
• Can you copy those files onto this floppy disk?你能把那些文件复制到这张软盘上吗？

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

5 pajamas   

n.睡衣裤

参考例句：

• At bedtime,I take off my clothes and put on my pajamas.睡觉时，我脱去衣服，换上睡衣。
• He was wearing striped pajamas.他穿着带条纹的睡衣裤。

6 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 bulged   

凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物）

参考例句：

• His pockets bulged with apples and candy. 他的口袋鼓鼓地装满了苹果和糖。
• The oranges bulged his pocket. 桔子使得他的衣袋胀得鼓鼓的。

8 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》