Mrs. Williams was a round-faced dimpled persuasive3 lady; and Mrs. Wropp, being non-coax-proof and flattered by the request, consented.
That ardent4 daughter of Jubal sighed, not for the encroachment5 on her Sunday afternoon leisure hour, but because she had found out the lesson was to be on Jonah and the whale. She had always been partial to the story of the ravens6 feeding Elijah and to the parable7 of the Prodigal8 Son. She felt that her temperament9 inclined her most to stories where hospitality and mouthwatering descriptions of hunger appeased10 provided the dramatic interest. Well she knew that the Tishbite and the erring12 son who returned to the feast of fatted calf13 would have received full justice at her hands. As for Jonah, and the whale with the inordinate14 oesophagus, she would do her best.
After the opening exercises of the Sunday-school session, Mrs. Wopp was pained to notice that some of her scholars did not consider attention to the lesson any part of their duty. However, that strict disciplinarian had a vast store of startling reprimands that set all eyes gazing on her sincere countenance15.
But minds may stray though eyes seem attentive16. Two boys began to indulge surreptitiously in the mild amusement of extracting toothsome kernels18 from refractory19 shells. Cracking nuts not being conducive20 to alertness of mind, Mrs. Wopp promptly21 confiscated22 a large bag of filberts which proved to be the joint23 property of Pat Bliggins and Pete Stolway.
The infant class which was to be under the guidance of Mrs. Wopp for the day, consisted of seven small pupils. They were seated on a low bench in one corner of the church. Green denim24 curtains were hung in such a way that, after the preliminary devotional exercises, the little class could be screened from the adults and older pupils. A blackboard stood on the floor, and upon a table near by were many colored crayons. The infantile mind required such aids to the imagination.
Mrs. Wopp viewed with misgiving25 the ornate writing not yet erased26 from the previous lesson. She feared her own handwriting would suffer by comparison.
“Mith Wopp,” offered Lila Williams with a dignity befitting her eight years and her enviable position as daughter of the regular teacher, “my ma wont27 let Pete and Pat thit together, they act too thilly.”
Acting17 on this timely suggestion, Mrs. Wopp deposited the mischievous28 youths on small chairs, one on each side of her table, directly under her watchful29 eye. Cracking nuts seemed to have been the special proposed form of amusement for the afternoon. By the end of five minutes the substitute teacher had set several large noisy paper bags on the window ledge30.
It took some time to focus her intellect on the proper placing of mirthful youngsters, but at last, after singing “Like a little candle burning in the night,” all were in readiness to imbibe31 biblical learning.
Mrs. Wopp drew the green curtains together and turned to the smallest girl in the class.
“What’s the Golden Text, Norer?”
Norah Bliggins, whose nose was already moist from the effects of domestic discord32, thrust a chubby33 finger into her mouth and began to pucker34 up her eyes preparatory to emitting a howl of dismay at being singled out for the first question. Her brother Pat, sensing the situation, put up his hand eagerly and answered for her.
Mrs. Wopp repeated the words, slowly rolling them on her tongue as though to extract every ounce possible of scriptural nutriment, “So they took up Joner and carst him forth35 inter11 the sea.”
Choosing a piece of bright yellow chalk she began to inscribe36 the golden text on the blackboard. She pressed too hard and the chalk cracked and fell to the floor. Pete Stolway vaulted37 out of his chair to capture the yellow pencil, but he had the misfortune to step on both the pieces of crayon, crushing them to sand, a heap of yellow grit38.
“Never min’, Pete, an’ thank you anyways, but sence the lesson’s a hull39 lot about the sea, I’ll jist write with blue chork.”
The light shone through the colored glass window, casting a bluish tinge40 over the large earnest countenance of the teacher, and a distinct whisper was heard to the effect that “Mrs. Wopp’s face was blue moulderin’.”
Impressed with the importance of her task of instilling41 wisdom into the minds of her young listeners, Mrs. Wopp ignored this remark and continued the narrative42 into which she had already launched.
“Here was Joner scourin’ down to Jopper to take the ship to Tarshidge arter the Lord hed distinctly told him to go to Niniver, an’ fer punishment the Lord hed him swallered by a whale.”
The eloquent43 teacher looked to see some immediate44 tangible45 effect from this bald statement of the result of Jonah’s disobedience, and during her recital46 gazed sternly on Pat Bliggins and Pete Stohway as objects the most in need of her oratory47.
“When Joner got to Jopper, bein’ an honest man, he paid his fare.”
A hand shot up at this point in the lesson and a thin voice piped, “Please, Mis’ Wopp, I was to the Fair last year.”
“But the Lord hed his eye on Joner an’ put an orful wind on the sea.”
Several hands waved wildly and a chorus of voices eagerly broke in; through the childish babel could be heard a lisping narrative.
“Please, Mith Wopp, the latht windthorm upthet our hen-houth.”
Mrs. Wopp lurched heavily in her endeavor to calm the tumult51 of excited voices. Quiet was at length restored after several pupils had given thrilling accounts of catastrophes52 caused by windstorms.
“By this time Joner was snorin’ in the bottom of the boat, an’ the man that was bossin’ the ship comes up to Joner an’ woke him an’ arsked him to pray.”
As the story became more intelligible53 to childish apprehension54, several bright pairs of eyes rested on the teacher. “Then,” continued Mrs. Wopp, “the sailors carst lots to see who should be throwed orf the ship, an’ the lot fell on Joner.”
St. Elmo Mifsud, his angelic face framed in silky curls, now became the prey55 to the machinations of Pete Solway, who had eluded56 the vigilant57 eye of Mrs. Wopp during her dramatic recital. A roar of pain escaped the child as a sharp tweak was applied58 to his curls. Recalled to matters entirely59 mundane60, the teacher administered severe reproof61.
The perturbed63 lady wisely let the question pass not being absolutely clear herself as to the operation involved in the casting of lots. She hastened to take up the thread of the story.
“Then they arsked Joner what his job was an’ what he hed did to bring sich trouble on them. So Joner up an’ confessed that he ran away. Orl this time the sea was a-roarin’, the waves was a-dashin’, an’ the winds was a-howlin’, an’ the little vessel64 rocked in the trough.”
St. Elmo’s face brightened with intelligence. He broke into the story to give a graphic65 account of how a little yellow chicken of his sister’s had got “dwownded” in the pig-trough.
This interlude gave Mrs. Wopp an opportunity to recover her equilibrium66 which had been disturbed by her vivid conception and realistic description of the storm, all of which had necessitated67 startling gestures and a swaying, rocking movement of the body, illustrative of a ship in distress68.
“Some o’ the men was sorft-hearted an’ agin Hingin’ Joner overboard, so they rowed reel hard to git to land.”
Pat Bliggin’s mind was undoubtedly69 wandering, so a drastic question was in order.
“Now, Pat, kin2 you tell me which was the best men, the ones that rowed reel hard to save Joner, or the ones that leaned back an’ didn’t care a strawr.”
Thus interrogated70, the boy who had caught but one fleeting71 word of the sentence, reddened, and shuffling72 his feet, said he’d “often rode a wild cayuse.”
“’Pears to me, Pat Bliggins, you haven’t been listenin’ proper to the story. These men rode a ship not a cayuse.”
“Please,” answered the discomfited73 youth, “I aint never seen a ship of no kind.”
Mrs. Wopp’s face assumed a forgiving air as she accepted this defence. Then began that portion of the story that leads up to the tragic74 culmination75.
“So they took up Joner an’ tossed him inter the sea.”
Mrs. Wopp then proceeded to enlarge on the horrific pilgrimage of Jonah through the vasty interior caverns76 of the whale.
“Peter Stolway, may I arsk you to tell out loud what you was whisperin’?”
“I just said the whale must have been bustin’?” admitted Pete, reluctantly. Mrs. Wopp could not logically argue the point with the astute78 Peter, so she went on to depict79 vividly80 Jonah’s further vicissitudes81.
“The whale went splurgin’ an’ splutterin’ through the waves, mebbe blowin’ up a big waterspout like we see them doin’ in the jography picters. Then Joner prayed like everything an’ wrastled with the Lord, an’ his prayer was heerd, an’ the whale spit him up on the bank.”
Having thus disposed of Jonah to her own evident satisfaction, and having as she considered, given much valuable instruction, Mrs. Wopp proceeded to question the children.
“Peter Stolway, what is a whale?”
“A whale is a fish bigger nor a house,” answered Pete, with ready assurance.
“Mannel Rodd, did you ever ketch a fish?”
“Mannel promptly hung his head and made no reply, being much too shy to attempt an answer in English, whatever his thoughts in Russian might have been.
“Well, time is near up younguns; has any one a question to arsk?”
“Mith Wopp, had Jonah any little girlth or boyth at home?”
This was a poser for Mrs. Wopp, who was obliged to admit that her knowledge of biblical genealogy82 did not embrace the immediate relatives of Jonah.
“Was it dark for Joner inside the whale?” asked Pete Stolway, who noted83 his father viewing him through the gaping84 curtain and wished to appear in earnest conversation with his instructor85.
“I reckon Joner hadn’t any too much light,” opined Mrs. Wopp.
At this point Superintendent86 Stolway rang the bell for general assembly. As she drew the curtains, Mrs. Wopp reflected that she had nobly pumped from the well of truth, crystal waters for the mental refreshment87 of her scholars.
Vigorously all joined in the closing hymn88 and Mrs. Wopp’s high soprano could be heard above all the other voices. A sense of duty well performed added even greater power to the vocal89 billowing.
As Betty Wopp and Maria Mifsud, each holding a hand of St. Elmo, left the church, they were highly entertained by that small boy’s account of a “man named Jonah who had swallowed a dwate big fish called a whale.”
Arrived at home almost bursting with information, the child recounted to his astonished mother a long complicated story of how “theh was a lot of bad men and they weh et by a big fish, the big fish met a man on the woad called Jonah and asked him what he was doing on the woad and Jonah pwayed weel hahd and wode on the fish and a big wind blowed him off, just like Lila William’s hen-house.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
afterward
|
|
| adv.后来；以后 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
kin
|
|
| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
persuasive
|
|
| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
ardent
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
encroachment
|
|
| n.侵入，蚕食 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
ravens
|
|
| n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
parable
|
|
| n.寓言，比喻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
prodigal
|
|
| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
temperament
|
|
| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
appeased
|
|
| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
inter
|
|
| v.埋葬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
erring
|
|
| 做错事的，错误的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
calf
|
|
| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
inordinate
|
|
| adj.无节制的；过度的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
attentive
|
|
| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
kernels
|
|
| 谷粒( kernel的名词复数 )； 仁； 核； 要点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
refractory
|
|
| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
conducive
|
|
| adj.有益的，有助的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
confiscated
|
|
| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
joint
|
|
| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
denim
|
|
| n.斜纹棉布；斜纹棉布裤，牛仔裤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
misgiving
|
|
| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
erased
|
|
| v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
mischievous
|
|
| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
watchful
|
|
| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
ledge
|
|
| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
imbibe
|
|
| v.喝，饮；吸入，吸收 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
discord
|
|
| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
chubby
|
|
| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
pucker
|
|
| v.撅起，使起皱；n.（衣服上的）皱纹，褶子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
inscribe
|
|
| v.刻；雕；题写；牢记 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
vaulted
|
|
| adj.拱状的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
grit
|
|
| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
tinge
|
|
| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
instilling
|
|
| v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instil的现在分词 )；逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
narrative
|
|
| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
eloquent
|
|
| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
tangible
|
|
| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
recital
|
|
| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
oratory
|
|
| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
orator
|
|
| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
deigning
|
|
| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
irrelevant
|
|
| adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
tumult
|
|
| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
catastrophes
|
|
| n.灾祸( catastrophe的名词复数 )；灾难；不幸事件；困难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
intelligible
|
|
| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
apprehension
|
|
| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
eluded
|
|
| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
vigilant
|
|
| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
mundane
|
|
| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
reproof
|
|
| n.斥责，责备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
queried
|
|
| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
graphic
|
|
| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
equilibrium
|
|
| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
necessitated
|
|
| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
undoubtedly
|
|
| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
interrogated
|
|
| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
fleeting
|
|
| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
shuffling
|
|
| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
discomfited
|
|
| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
tragic
|
|
| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
culmination
|
|
| n.顶点；最高潮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
caverns
|
|
| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
slumber
|
|
| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
astute
|
|
| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
depict
|
|
| vt.描画，描绘；描写，描述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
vividly
|
|
| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
vicissitudes
|
|
| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
genealogy
|
|
| n.家系，宗谱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
gaping
|
|
| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
instructor
|
|
| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
superintendent
|
|
| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
refreshment
|
|
| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
hymn
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
vocal
|
|
| adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |