TESSIE, TOTTIE AND TEDDY CHAPTER I

 "Listen," whispered Tessie, "I've got a secret to tell you; snuggle up so nobody'll hear!"

 

Tottie squeezed up close to her little sister, and Teddy shoved himself along the piazza¹ seat until all three were packed as tight as little sardines².

 

"What is it?" asked Tottie.

 

"Hurry up and tell," whispered Teddy, hugging Tessie's arm, while Tottie squeezed her hand with her little fat fingers.

 

"S-s-sh!" replied Tessie, "s-s-sh!"

 

"Tessie!" called mother's voice, "Tessie, come here, I want you to run down to the grocer."

 

"Oh, dear!" sighed the three tiny T's.

 

Tessie jumped up quickly and ran inside the house, closely followed by Tottie and Teddy.

 

"You can wear your roller skates," said mother, "and Teddy can put on his and go with you, if he wishes."

 

In a few minutes the skates were strapped³ on each impatient little foot, and mother's darling messengers were gliding⁴ down the front walk.

 

"Be very careful not to break the eggs," said mother, as she stood in the doorway⁵ watching them go out of the gate. "Hold the bag tight and don't go fast on the way home."

1 piazza   

n.广场；走廊

参考例句：

• Siena's main piazza was one of the sights of Italy.锡耶纳的主要广场是意大利的名胜之一。
• They walked out of the cafeteria,and across the piazzadj.他们走出自助餐厅,穿过广场。

2 sardines   

n. 沙丁鱼

参考例句：

• The young of some kinds of herring are canned as sardines. 有些种类的鲱鱼幼鱼可制成罐头。
• Sardines can be eaten fresh but are often preserved in tins. 沙丁鱼可以吃新鲜的，但常常是装听的。

3 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 gliding   

v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的

参考例句：

• Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
• The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。

5 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。