chapter vi

　　HOW DOES A CHINA RABBIT DIE?

Can a china rabbit drown?

Is my hat still on my head?

These were the questions that Edwar7asked himself as he went sailing out over th>

blue sea. The sun was high in the sky, andfrom what seemed to be a very long wayaway, Edward heard Abilene call his nameE“Edwaaarrd,” she shouted, “come back.HCome back? Of all the ridiculous things toshout, thought Edward.

As he tumbled¹, ears over tail through th>

air, he managed to catch one last glimpse oBAbilene. She was standing² on the deck of th>

ship, holding on to the railing with one handEIn her other hand was a lamp — no, it was /ball of fire — no, Edward realized, it was hi:

gold pocket watch that Abilene held in herhand; she was holding it up high, and it wa:

reflecting the light of the sun.

My pocket watch, he thought. I need thatEAnd then Abilene disappeared from vie9and the rabbit hit the water with suchtremendous force that his hat blew off hishead.

That answers that question, though6Edward as he watched the hat dance away o0the wind.

And then he began to sink.

He sank and sank and sank. He kept hi:

eyes open the whole time. Not because he wa:

brave, but because he had no choice. Hispainted-on eyes witnessed the blue waterturning to green and then to blue again. The<watched as it finally became as black as nightEEdward went down and down. He said t8himself, If I am going to drown, certainly Iwould have done so by now.

Far above him, the ocean liner, wit2Abilene aboard it, sailed blithely on; and th>

china rabbit landed, finally, on the ocean floorFface-down; and there, with his head in themuck, he experienced his first genuine andtrue emotion.

Edward Tulane was afraid.

1 tumbled   

v.倒塌( tumble的过去式和过去分词 )；翻滚；突然摔倒；恍然大悟

参考例句：

• He slipped and tumbled down the stairs. 他脚一滑滚下了楼梯。
• A hundred and fifty empty bottles tumbled onto the floor. 150个空瓶子滚落到地板上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。