Chapter 7 The House on Mango Street 1

　　We didn't always live on Mango Street. Before that we lived on Loomis on the third floor, and before that we lived on Keeler. Before Keeler it was Paulina, and before that I can't remember. But what I remember most is moving a lot. Each time it seemed there'd be one more of us. By the time we got to Mango Street we were six —— Mama, Papa, Carlos, Kiki, my sister Nenny and me.
　　The house on Mango Street is ours, and we don't have to pay rent to anybody, or share the yard with the people down stairs, or be careful not to make too much noise, and there isn't a landlord¹ banging² on the ceiling³ with a broom⁴. But even so, it's not the house we'd thought we'd get.
　　We had to leave the flat on Loomis quick. The water pipes⁵ broke and the landlord wouldn't fix them because the house was too old. We had to leave fast. We were using the washroom next door and carrying water over in empty milk gallons⁶. That's why Mama and Papa looked for a house, and that's why we moved into the house on Mango Street, far away, on the other side of town.

　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　我们先前不住芒果街。先前我们住Loomis的三楼。再先前我们住Keeler.Keeler 再往前是Paulina，再前面，我就不记得了。我记得最清楚的是，搬了好多次家。似乎每搬一次，我们就多出一个人。搬到芒果街是，我们有了六个——妈妈、爸爸、卡洛斯、奇奇，妹妹蕾妮和我。
　　芒果街上的小屋是我们的，我们不用交房租给任何人，或者和楼下的人合用一个院子，或者小心翼翼别弄出太多的声响，这里也没有拿扫帚猛敲天花板的房东。可就算这样，它也不是我们原来以为自己可以得到的那样的房子。
　　我们得赶紧搬出Loomis的公寓。水管破了，房东不愿意修理，因为房子太老。我们得快快离开。我们借用着邻居的卫生间，用空的牛奶壶把水装过来。这就是为什么爸妈要找房子，这就是为什么我们搬进了芒果街上的小屋，远远的，从城市的那一边。

1 landlord   

n.地主，房东，(旅店)店主

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• He used to be a long - term labourer for a landlord.他早先给地主扛过长活。

2 banging   

vt.猛击，猛撞（bang的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• The baby was banging the table with his spoon. 小宝宝用调羹敲打着桌子。
• Stop banging around, children, Father is trying to sleep. 孩子们，别到处乱敲！爸爸想睡觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 ceiling   

n.天花板；(规定价格、工资等的)最高限额

参考例句：

• It took more or less a whole day to paint the ceiling.粉刷天花板用了将近一整天的时间。
• A fly is on the ceiling.一只苍蝇在天花板上。

4 broom   

n.扫帚，灌木；vt.扫

参考例句：

• She is sweeping with a broom.她在用扫帚扫地。
• He stood his broom behind the door.他把扫帚立在门后。

5 pipes   

n.小管（一种通心粉制品）；管子( pipe的名词复数 )；烟斗；管乐器；（管风琴的）音管

参考例句：

• Water gurgled through the pipes. 水汩汩地从管道中流过。
• Water is forced through the pipes at high pressure . 水在高压下流过水管。

6 gallons   

n.加仑( gallon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A cow will yield several gallons of milk each day. 一头母牛每天产几加仑的牛奶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I'd like five gallons of gin. 我要五加仑杜松子酒。 来自《简明英汉词典》