魔法灰姑娘

今日关键语导读 Today’s Key Points

魔法灰姑娘是美国作家盖尔·卡森·乐文的作品，该书讲述了出生在一个色彩斑斓的奇幻世界中的主人公爱拉被仙女施予了必须无条件地服从任何人的任何要求的魔咒，哪怕是极其苛刻与无理的要求都要马上照办。否则，就会引起身体上的种种不舒服，比如头晕目眩、呕吐等等。主人公用不屈服命运的倔强品格最终为爱打破了咒语。

障碍词先听为快 Words and Expressions

pursuit [pəˈsjuːt]　n. 追赶，追求；职业，工作

conceal [kənˈsiːl]　vt. 隐藏；隐瞒

solitary [ˈsɔlitəri]　adj. 孤独的；独居的

wary [ˈwɛəri]　adj. 谨慎的；机警的；惟恐的；考虑周到的

twilight [ˈtwailait]　n. 黎明，黄昏；薄暮；衰退期；朦胧状态

doom [duːm]　vt. 注定；判决；使失败

daze [deiz]　vt. 使茫然；使眼花缭乱；使晕眩

lacy [ˈleisi]　adj. 花边的；丝带的

motion [ˈməuʃən]　n. 动作；移动；手势；请求；意向

trunk [trʌŋk]　n. 树干；躯干；象鼻；汽车车尾的行李箱

好英文娓娓动听 Beautiful stories

Beyond Jenn, I left the road, following it, but too far away to be seen from it. I didn’t fear pursuit by Madame Edith, who would probably conceal my disappearance for as long as possible in hopes I might return. The baker’s worries about ogres and bandits I thought exaggerated, since a solitary traveler would hardly be worthwhile prey. However, I was wary of strangers. With my curse, I had to be.

I wondered if I would meet Char on his way to the Fens. I liked thinking he might be near, but whether he was ahead of me or behind, or whether he had taken this route at all, I had no idea, and I wished my magic book had told me more.

The road was little trafficked, and I was too happy about my escape to feel much fear. I was free of orders. If I wanted to eat my breakfast under a maple tree and watch the day grow between its leaves, I could — and did. If I wanted to skip or hop or run and slide on dew-wet leaves, I could — and did. And when the mood took me, I whistled or recited poems that I made up on the spot.

I spent two glorious days this way, the best since before Mother had died. I saw deer and hares, and once, at twilight, I swear I saw a phoenix rise, trailing smoke.

On the third day, I began to despair about reaching the giants in time. I hadn’t even come to the elves’ Forest. If I had any chance of getting to the wedding, I should have passed the Forest on the second day, unless the baker had been mistaken about the distance from the Forest to the giants. Perhaps they were much closer to each other than he thought.

On the fourth day, I finished my last bit of traveler’s bread. The land changed to sandy fields and low scrub, and I began to despair about reaching the giants before the newlyweds celebrated their first anniversary.

On the fifth day, I knew I was doomed to wander in endless barrens till I died.

On the sixth day, there were more trees, but I was too dazed by hunger to realize their significance. I was searching the ground for the lacy flowers of the wild carrot when I caught a shift in the shadows ahead of me, a flash of motion among the tree trunks. A deer? A walking bush? There, I saw it again. An elf!

长难句解析

With my curse, I had to be.

因为我所背负的咒语，我必须这样做。

with为介词，表原因。

I liked thinking he might be near, but whether he was ahead of me or behind, or whether he had taken this route at all, I had no idea, and I wished my magic book had told me more.

我一直在想也许他就在附近，但是不论他在我前方或是在我后方，又或者他已经走过这条路了，我对此一无所知，我希望我的魔法书能告诉我更多。

thinking 表示一直在持续的动作；wish引导虚拟语气，表明魔法书其实不能再告诉我更多。

If I wanted to skip or hop or run and slide on dew-wet leaves, I could — and did.

如果我想跳，想跑或者想躺在湿润的叶子上，我都可以做到并且我也这样做了。

if引导虚拟语气。

If I had any chance of getting to the wedding, I should have passed the Forest on the second day, unless the baker had been mistaken about the distance from the Forest to the giants.

如果我有机会去婚礼，我就应该在第二天的时候穿越丛林，除非面包工人弄错了从森林到巨人族的距离。

if引导的虚拟语气，表示与过去事实相反，从句用过去完成时；主句用shuold (would)+v.原形。

On the fifth day, I knew I was doomed to wander in endless barrens till I died.

第五天，我知道我注定要死在这片一望无垠的荒地了。

be doomed to do sth. 注定做某事。