1、Unit 4 The Lady on Pemberton StreetReview of Vocabulary for Unit 31. 转化2. 堆起来3. 影响4. 隔绝5. 随意的；偶然的6. 拆毁7. 时尚8. 处理掉9. 垃圾10. 可行性11. 一贯地12. 控制；抑制1. divert sidetrack2. stack to pile 3. impact to influence4. insulate to prevent or reduce the transmission of electricity, heat, or sound to or from (a body,
2、device, or region) by surrounding with a non-conducting material; protect5.casual happening by accident or chance6. demolition destruction 7. fad fashion; craze8. discard to get rid of as useless or undesirable9. garbage worthless, useless, or unwanted matter; rubbish discarded or waste matter10. vi
3、ability practicability (of living things) capable of normal growth and development11. consistently regularly; systematically12. hold down to restrain or controlSome related questions1. How is it alike to Unit 3 in theme? 2. What is Mable like? a. she is at least in her 65, bright eyes between fierce
4、 and merry, thin but not frail b. she is a warm-hearted woman though sometimes tough with litter- throwers. c. Mable kept on sweeping the street regardless of the dreadful weather.About the storyProtecting the environment seems a big and sometimes abstract problem, but it does concern us all. With t
5、he disappearing of ozone layer above two poles, the frequent occurrence of acid rain and the sandstorm, environmental problems kept the attention of the scientists as well as the common people. The main idea of the textMable is definitely one of those people who consciously protect the environment.
6、Her decades practice of cleaning the block has inspired many people around her to pay more attention to the environment issues and be a conscious cleaner. Have you ever noticed any examples of environmental heroes around you? Text Structure Read the text thoroughly and comprehend the discourse by di
7、viding it into several parts:Meetthe clean sweep the alley gate the block cleaning the “debt” Words and Phrases: Unit 4 Key Words1. dilapidated: collapsing2. reedy: shrill, loud and unpleasant to hear3. luscious: delicious, attractive4. genuinely: really, truly, authentically5. commence: start6. adm
8、onish: advise, persuade7. incongruous: inharmonious8. infectious: contagious9. festive: joyful 10. skeletal: skinny, bony11. combativeness: aggressiveness12. insomnia: sleeplessness13. vacant: empty14. a rap at the door: a knock at the door 16. a sheaf of advertising circulars The Lady on Pemberton
9、Street 潘伯敦街上的女士by Albert DiBartolomeo艾伯特迪巴特罗门 Shortly after the author and his wife move to a house on a little street called Pemberton, they get acquainted with a special neighbor Mable Howard, who has battled all her life against litter, decay and disorder to make life more enchanting in the neigh
10、borhood. Here is the moving story of Mable Howard, the beloved block captain. 作者与妻子搬到一条叫作潘伯顿的小街上居住后不久,就结识了一位特殊的邻居 - 梅布尔霍华德。为了使社区的生活变得更美好，她一生都在与乱扔垃圾、腐朽、混乱的现象作斗争。下面是梅布尔霍华德,这位广受爱戴的街区监督员的动人故事。For many years my wife, Sue, and I wanted to live near Philadelphias Center City. The only place within our mean
11、s was a row house on a little street called Pemberton. The house needed work, but I am fairly handy so we had little concern about fixing it up. 多年来,我和妻子苏一直想住到费城的中心城区附近。按收入状况，我们只能住在一条叫做潘伯顿的小街上的联体房屋。房子需要修理，但我手工活做得不赖，所以不担心修缮的事。1) The only place within our means was a row house on a little street calle
12、d Pemberton.（按收入状况，我们只能住在一条叫做潘伯敦的小街上的联立房屋。）To live within ones means means to base ones expenditure upon ones income (量入为出地生活)； there is another phrase, to live beyond ones means (过着超过自已收入的生活).a row house: one of a series of identical houses situated side by side and joined by common walls.What did
13、concern us was the neighborhood. Some buildings were dilapidated. There was more crime than we had been exposed to in the past. But our block seemed okay, and we decided to buy. After the settlement, we went to our new home. The street was vacant, but I sensed that we were being watched. Sue was ups
14、tairs measuring for blinds when I heard a rap at the door. 让我们担心的是这个街区。一些房屋已经失修。这儿的犯罪比我们过去见过的要多得多。但我们的街区似乎还可以，所以我们决定把房子买下来。一切收拾停当后，我们搬到新家。街上空无一人，但我感到有人在注视我们。苏在楼上测量尺寸，好装窗帘，我听到叩门声。 Hello? a reedy voice called. I opened the door upon a woman with bright eyes somewhere between fierce and merry. She was
15、at least 65, thin, but not at all frail. Quite the opposite. All tough sinew, she looked like a hawk eyeing prey. “您好？”一个又高又尖的声音喊道。 我打开门，看到一位妇人，明亮的双眼既犀利又透着愉快。她至少65岁，清瘦，但 一点也不虚弱。恰恰相反。 她肌肉强健，看上去像只老鹰盯着它的猎物。Sorry to bother you, my dear, she said. Im Mable Howard, the block captain. “对不起，打扰您了,亲爱的”，她说，“我是
16、梅布尔霍华德，这个街区的监督员。I had only a dim awareness of what that meant. But I soon learned that a block captains function was to request city services, report trouble to police and coordinate efforts to keep the block clean and safe. 我对街区监督员的含义所知甚少。但我很快意识到街区监督员的作用就是提出城市的公益服务要求，向警方汇报纠纷以及组织力量保持街区的清洁与安全。 I intr
17、oduced Mable to Sue, who had come downstairs. Im BLOCK CAPTAIN, Mable told her, after I failed to mention her title. ” 我把梅布尔介绍给下楼来的苏。“我是街区的监督员，”见我忘了提及她的头衔，梅布尔对苏说。 Trash day is on Tuesdays, Mable continued. Dont put any trash out before seven oclock the night before. Sometimes animals get into it and
18、 make a mess. It just looks terrible. I try to keep a clean block here. 星期二倒垃圾，”梅布尔继续说道，“星期一晚上七点以前不准把垃圾放到外面。动物有时会钻进垃圾堆，弄得一团糟，实在有碍观瞻。我得设法保持街区清洁。” We noticed, I said. What do you do for a living? “我们注意到了，” 我说。 “你们从事什么职业？”We told her. I also mentioned that I did handiwork on the side. 我们告诉了她，我还顺便提到，我兼职
19、做些手工活。2) I also mentioned that I did handiwork on the side. （我顺便提到还兼职做些手工活。）On the side refers to work done or money earned apart from that coming from ones main occupation（工作或收入）额外地，附带. e.g. His nominal wage is fifteen pounds a week, but he makes a few pounds more on the side.Oh, thats good. She dr
20、ew out the last word as if responding to the sight of a luscious cake. 喔，很好。”她拉长了声音说出最后一个词，语气就象是看到了美味的蛋糕似的。 We continued to exchange pleasantries until Sue and I had to return to work. I escorted Mable to the door. 我们继续客套着，直到我和苏不得不继续工作。我把梅布尔送到门口。 Did you see the sign? she asked, pointing to a utilit
21、y pole. Below a parking sign was one inscribed with Mable Howard, BLOCK CAPTAIN. “看到那个牌子了吗？”梅布尔指着一根告示杆问道。只见在一张停车标牌下面刻着“梅布尔霍华德 - 街区监督员”几个字。 Nice, I said. “很不错，”我说。 When we left the house ten minutes later, Mable was sweeping the sidewalk. 十分钟后我们离家时，梅布尔正在打扫人行道。The Clean Sweep. On our first morning on
22、Pemberton Street, the sound of sweeping woke us early. I looked out the window. Mable was swishing her broom down the street. 清扫街区 住在潘伯顿街的第一天，一大早我们就被扫地的声音吵醒了。我向窗外望去，只见梅布尔正挥动扫帚沿街扫地。The next morning began the same way, and the one after that. I soon learned that Mable began every day this way. She swe
23、pt in light rain. She swept in winds that scattered leaves. She swept snow. On such days we shook our heads at her. 第二天早晨也是如此，此后天天如此。 不久，我知道梅布尔的每一天都是这样开始的。细雨中，她仍在扫地；落叶飘舞的风中，她在扫地；大雪天，她在扫地。这样的天气里，我们只能对她摇头。On that first morning, however, this was all new to me. Since I couldnt sleep, I began replacing
24、the front-door locks. It wasnt long before Mable came up. 然而在搬来的第一天早上，这一切对我来说还都是陌生的。 我睡不着，于是就起床开始换前门的锁。不久梅布尔过来了。Good morning, sweetie pie, she began. What a nice toolbox. She seemed to genuinely admire it. I need a lock of my own changed. Maybe you could do that? Uh, sure. “早上好，亲爱的，”她先开口说。“多好的一个工具箱啊
25、，”她似乎真喜欢它。“我有把锁需要换一下，也许你能帮我？” “当然。” Mable went back to sweeping. I heard her muttering as she swept up some crack vials. Riffraff, she said, and shook her head in disgust. 梅布尔回去继续扫地。我听到她一边扫着破碎的小瓶子，一边嘟囔着。她说，“渣滓”，厌恶地摇着头。Later I changed Mables lock. The next morning I found an envelope on my vestibule
26、floor. Inside were three dollar bills and a thank-you note. 后来，我帮梅布尔换了锁。第二天早上，我发现门口走廊的地板上有个信封，里面有三美元和一张致谢的便条。 Love, Mable was scrawled at the bottom. 便条的最后潦草地写着“爱你的，梅布尔。” I knew Mable wanted to pay me, but I wanted no money. While she was at church, I put the envelope through her mail slot. 我知道梅布尔想付
27、给我钱，但是我不想收。所以当她在教堂做礼拜时，我把信封投进了她的信箱里。 That afternoon the envelope found its way back to me. I promptly returned it again. Mables husband, Jarvis, soon showed up at my door. 当天下午，信封又回来了，我再次迅速地退回。很快，梅布尔的丈夫贾维斯出现在我家门口。 You have to let her pay you, he said, handing me the envelope. Otherwise, she wont sle
28、ep at night. I did not want to be responsible for Mables insomnia, so I kept the three dollars. “你必须让她付给你钱，”说着，他把那个信封交给我。“要不，她晚上会睡不着觉的。”我不想对梅布尔的失眠负责，于是就收下了那三美元。The Alley Gate. 小巷的门 It was not quite 7: 30 on a summer Saturday morning when I left the house with my toolbox and headed toward an alley ne
29、ar the corner. Good morning, Mable, I said, as I came abreast of her. Good morning, sweetie pie. Im going to fix the gate now. Oh, wonderful, she said, and followed me. 一个夏天星期六的早晨，不到七点半我就带着工具箱离开家，朝街道拐角附近的巷口走去。 “早上好，梅布尔,”当我赶上她时说。 “早上好，亲爱的。” “我正要去修巷门。” “呀，太好了，”她说，跟着我向巷门走去。 The wooden gate was in disre
30、pair, and riffraff, according to Mable, were using the alley for Lord knows what. For weeks she had been asking me to replace the broken slats and put a lock on the gate. I finally saw her point. Why should the alley be a private place for crude behavior, just because it was public property? 这扇木门已失修
31、多时， 用她的话说，“只有老天知道”那些“渣滓”是怎么用这条巷子的。好几个星期以来，她一直要我把破木板换掉，在门上加把锁。我终于明白她的用意了。为什么仅仅因为这条小巷是公共财产，就该成为野蛮攻击的目标？Shortly, Jarvis came by carrying his daily newspaper. He had been a chef all his life, and now, long retired, he worked a few hours in the cafeteria of a Catholic grade school. He loved the kids, he
32、told me. With Jarviss help, I finished repairing the gate in short time. Mable commenced sweeping up the sawdust while I packed up my tools. 不一会儿，贾维斯手拿日报过来了。他做了一辈子的厨师，早已退休，现在每天在一家天主教学校的自助餐厅工作几个小时。他告诉我，他喜欢那些孩子们。在贾维斯的帮助下，门很快就修好了。梅布尔开始打扫地上的锯末，我则收起工具。 She gazed down the length of the street. The bright
33、sun had turned the upper windows of the west side into fiery rectangles of yellow. The blue sky above appeared enameled. I like a nice clean block, Mable said. It does look splendid, I said, handing her the key to the gate. 她凝视着整个街道。明媚的阳光照在西边窗户的上半部，窗户似乎变成了赤黄色的距形。蓝色的天空则象是涂满了釉彩。 “我喜欢美丽整洁的街区，” 梅布尔说。 “这
34、街区看上去的确很棒，”说着，我把门钥匙交给她。The Block Cleaning. 街区大扫除I soon participated in my first block cleaning. Two weeks before, Mable affixed placards to utility poles, admonishing us to move our cars on the Saturday specified. A week before, she put fliers into our mail slots. On Friday she reminded everyone aga
35、in. 不久，我参加了我的第一次街区清洁工作。提前两个星期，梅布尔就在告示杆上张贴了一张布告，敦促我们在指定的星期六把各自的汽车开走。大扫除的前一个星期，她又把通知投进我们每一家的信箱。星期五，她再次提醒了每一个人。Early Saturday I heard Mable knocking on doors, rousing us to move our cars off the block. There was a certain combativeness in her voice, as if those who did not help had sided with the dark
36、forces responsible for litter, decay and dilapidation. 星期六一大早，我听到梅布尔挨家挨户地敲门，喊醒我们去把汽车开走。她的声音里透着某种好战的情绪，似乎那些不遵从她号令的都站到了黑暗势力的一边，要对乱扔垃圾、颓败、破败负责。3) There was a certain combativeness in her voice, as if those who did not help had sided with the dark forces responsible for litter, decay and dilapidation.（她
37、的声音带有某种好战情绪，似乎那些不供帮助的人都站到了黑暗势力一边，要对垃圾、腐败、倾颓负责。）To side with means to put oneself on the same side as somebody.e.g. John sided with Adam in any argument. When I returned from parking my car I met my neighbor Mike Garcia, wearing slippers and looking sleepy. Why do we have to do this so early? I compl
38、ained. Because the Boss said so, he laughed. 当我泊好车返回时，碰到了邻居迈克加西亚，他穿着拖鞋，睡眼惺忪的样子。 “我们为什么非得起这么早干这些活？”我抱怨道。 “因为是老板这么吩咐的，”他笑道。When the cars vanished, the street was open its entire length and width. That incongruous sight was soon eclipsed by a gushing fire hydrant and phalanxesflks of neighbors pushing
39、brooms to work the water and dirt down the street. The water shimmered in the morning sun and left the street glistening. 车子都开走后，整个街道都露了出来。消防水龙头喷出大水，邻居们组成方阵，挥着扫把将水和灰尘顺着街道扫过去，原来那种不和谐的景象很快消失了。水珠在晨曦中闪闪发光，整条街道流光溢彩。4) That incongruous sight was soon eclipsed by a gushing fire hydrant and phalanxes of nei
40、ghbors pushing brooms to work the water and dirt down the street.（在消防水龙头冲洗和邻居们组成的大扫除方阵的努力下，街道上的污水和灰尘被清扫干净了，原先那种不协调的景象很快就消失了。）A fire hydrant is a pipe from a water main for street-cleaning, putting out fires etc. (消防栓).Phalanxes is a body of soldiers in close formation for fighting(方阵). The cleaning
41、was infectious. Several neighbors washed their windows. Others tended to window boxes. Mable seemed to be everywhere at once, calling directives. 大扫除具有感染力。几个邻居在冲洗窗户。其他的则清扫着自家的窗格子。梅布尔好像总能突然出现在任何地方进行指导。 As the sun brightened, the atmosphere became festive. People who had seen one another only in passi
42、ng stood elbow to elbow and chatted. I had not seen anything like this in all my years of city living. I found myself wiping down the sign that proclaimed Mable block captain. I think Im having fun, I said to Mike. Me too. 太阳越来越亮，气氛变得欢快起来。那些平时过往时才见面的人，现在在一起交谈甚欢。我在城市生活多年，从未见过这样的事情。 我在擦洗宣布梅布尔为街区监督员的布告
43、牌。“我很开心，”我对迈克说。 “我也是。”The Debt. 债务This year age had caught up to Mable. She sweeps only on days when the weather is fine. The street is suffering a bit. 今年，梅布尔上了年纪，她只能在天气好的时候扫扫街。街道有些脏了。 Recently I stopped by to put together her new vacuum cleaner. Hello, sweetie pie, Mable said, and embraced me when
44、 I entered. She was not merely thin but skeletal. I told her that she looked well, lying. 最近，我路过她家，帮她修吸尘器。“你好，亲爱的，”进门时梅布尔拥抱我说。她如今不再是清瘦而是瘦骨嶙峋。我言不由衷地告诉她：她看上去气色很好。The following morning there was the envelope with its three dollars on my vestibule floor. I had long ago stopped trying to return the money
45、, even though I am more in Mables debt than she is in mine. 第二天早晨，门口地板上的信封里放着三美元。很久以前，我就不再试图把钱还回去 - 即使我欠她的比她欠我的多。Going outside later, I saw that a sheaf of advertising circulars had been scattered by the wind. I could not get the image out of my mind. After lunch I took a trash bag and went outside.
46、 Hesitating a moment, I left my doorstep and went up and down the street gathering the litter. 晚些时候我走到街上，看到一叠广告单随风飘落。我无法忘记这一幕。午饭后，我拿了一只垃圾袋走出家门。犹豫了一会，我走下台阶来到街上捡拾散落的物品。I was a bit self-conscious, but I knew Mable would be pleased. I was proud to call her my captain. 我感到有一点不自然，但是，我知道梅布尔波会为此高兴。我自豪地称她为我的
47、监督员。Exercises A. Determining the main idea. Choose the best answer. Do not refer to the text. The main idea of the story is that _.( C )(a) people living on Pemberton Street were conscious that they should make their block clean (b) people liked to have some one like Mable Howard as their block captain (c) Mable was a respected block captain who made Pemberton Street a nice neighborhood (d) people had fun sweeping the streets under the influence of Mable Howard B. Comprehending the text. Choose the bes
