考研英语精读 5
Christmas was ***m***g. I want*** a pony. To make sure that my parents unders***od， I declar*** that I want*** not***g else.
"Noth***g but a pony？" my father ask***.
"Noth***g，" I said.
"Not even a pair of high boots？"
That was hard. I did want boots， but I stuck *** the pony. "No， not even boots."
"N*** candy？ There ought *** be so***th***g *** fill your s***ck***g with， and Santa Cl***s can't put a pony ****** a s***ck***g，"
That was true， and he ***uldn't lead a pony down the chim***y either . But no. "All I want is a pony，" I said. "If I can't h**e a pony， give *** noth***g， noth***g."
On Christmas Eve I hung up my s***ck***g along with my sisters.
The ***xt m***n***g my sisters and I woke up at six. Then we rac*** downstairs *** the fireplace. And there they were， the gifts， all s***ts of wonderful th***gs， mix***-up piles of presents. O***y my s***ck***g was empty； it hung ***mp； not a th***g *** it； and under and around it —— noth***g. My sisters had k****** down， each by her pile of gifts； they were cry***g with de***ght， till they look*** up and saw *** stand***g there look***g so miserable. They ca*** over *** *** and fe*** my s***ck***g： noth***g.
I don't re***mber whether I cri*** at that mo***nt， but my sisters did. They ran with *** back *** my b***， and there we all cri*** till I beca*** ***dignant. That help*** so***. I ***t up， dress***， and dri***ng my sisters away， I went out alo*** ****** the stable， and there， all by myself， I wept. My mother ca*** out *** *** and she tri*** *** ***mf***t ***. But I want*** no ***mf***t. She left *** and went on ****** the house with sharp w***ds f*** my father.
My sisters ca*** *** ***， and I was rude. I ran away from them. I went around *** the front of the house， sat down on the steps， and， the cry***g over， I ach***. I was wrong***， I was hurt. And my father must h**e been hurt， ***o， a ***ttle. I saw him look***g out of the w***dow. He was watch***g *** *** so***th***g f*** an hour *** two， draw***g back the curta*** so ***ttle lest I catch him， but I saw his face， and I th***k I can see now the anxiety upon on it， the w***ri*** impatience.
After an hour *** two， I c***ght sight of a man rid***g a pony down the street， a pony and a brand-***w saddle； the most be***tiful saddle I ever saw， and it was a boy's saddle. And the pony！ As he drew ***ar， I saw that the pony was really a small h***se， with a black ma*** and tail， and o*** white foot and a white star on his f***ehead. F*** such a h***se as that I would h**e given anyth***g.
But the man ca*** along， read***g the numbers on the houses， and， as my hopes —— my impossible hopes —— rose， he look*** at our do*** and pass*** by， he and the pony， and the saddle. Too much， I fell upon the steps and broke ****** tears. Sudde***y I heard a vo***e.
"Say， kid，" it said， "do you know a boy na***d Lennie Steffens？"
I look*** up. It was the man on the pony， back aga***.
"Yes，" I splutter*** through my tears. "That's ***."
"Well，" he said， "then this is your h***se. I've been look***g all over f*** you and your house. Why don't you put your number where it can be seen？"
"Get down，" I said， runn***g out *** him. I want*** *** ride.
He went on say***g so***th***g about "ought *** h**e ***t here at seven o'clock， but——"
I hardly heard， I ***uld scarcely wait. I was so happy， so thrill***. I rode off up the street. Such a be***tiful pony. And m***e！ After a while I tur***d and trott*** back *** the stable. There was the family， father， mother， sisters， all w***k***g f*** ***， all happy. They had been putt***g *** place the ***ols of my ***w bus***ess： curry***mb， brush， pitchf***k —— everyth***g， and there was hay *** the loft.
But that Christmas， wh***h my father had plan***d so carefully， was it the best *** the w***st I ever k***w？ He often ask*** *** that； I ***ver ***uld answer as a boy. I th***k now that it was both. It ***ver*** the whole distance from broken-heart*** misery *** burst***g happ***ess —— ***o fast， A grown-up ***uld hardly h**e s***od it.
NEW WORDS
miserable
a. c***s***g unhapp***ess； very unhappy 凄惨的
***rry
a. cheerful， full of ***vely happ***ess， fun， etc. 愉快的，快活的
pony
n. a small h***se 矮种马；小马
boot
n. 长统靴
candy
n. （AmE） sweets 甜果
st***k***g
n. 长（统）袜
chim***y
n. 烟囱
eve
n. 前夜
fireplace
n. 壁炉
mix***-up
a. （different th***gs） put ***gether 夹杂的，混合的
***mp
a. soft； not stiff *** firm 软的；松沓的
k***el
v. *** down *** rema*** on the k***e（S） 跪下
***dignant
a. angry at sth. unfair 愤怒的；愤怒的
stable
n. build***g f*** keep***g and fe******g animals， esp. h***ses 马厩
weep
v. cry 流泪；堕泪
rude
a. not at all po***te 粗野的，不礼节的
wrong
vt. treat unjustly 冤屈
curta***
n. 窗帘
lest
***nj. f*** fear that 惟恐，以避免
anxiety
n. fear c***s*** by uncerta***ty about sth. 忧虑
impatience
n. ***abi***ty *** wait calmly 不耐心，焦躁
patience
n.
brand
n. 牌号，牌子
brand-***w
a. entirely ***w and unus*** 全新的
saddle
n. 马鞍
ma***
n. 马鬃
f***ehead
n. that part of the face above the eyes and below the hair 前额
kid
n. child
splutter
v. speak qu***kly and ***nfus***ly （from excite***nt， etc.） 颠三倒四地说
scarcely
ad. hardly， almost not 差不多不，几乎不
scarce
a.
thrill
vt. excite greatly 使十分激昂
trot
***. run *** ride slowly， with ***rt steps （马）小跑
curry***mb
n. a special ***mb us*** *** rub and clean a h***se 马梳
pitchf***k
n. 干草叉
hay
n. dri*** grass 干草
loft
n. a room over a stable， where hay is kept 草料棚
broken-heart***
a. fill*** with grief； very sad 心碎的；非常悲痛的
misery
n. the state of be***g very unhappy， po***， ill， lo***ly， etc. 凄惨；倒霉；灾难
happ***ess
n. the state of be***g happy 欢乐；美满
grown-up
a. & n. （of） an adu*** person 成人（的）
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
make sure
ct so as *** make so***th***g certa*** 确保；查明
noth***g but
noth***g other than； o***y 除……之外不啥；只，仅不外
st***k ***
refuse *** give up *** change 执着，不舍弃
hang up
fix （sth，） at a high place so that it does not ***uch the ground 挂起
*** so***th***g
（us*** when the speaker is not sure） 诸云云类
catch sight of
see sudde***y *** f*** a mo***nt 看到，发觉
draw ***ar
mover ***ar 亲近
break ******
sudde***y start （*** cry， l***gh， etc.） 俄然……起来
*** place
*** the right place 正在得当的地位
PROPER NAMES
Santa Cl***s
圣诞长者
Christmas Eve
圣诞前夕
Lennie Steffens
伦尼。斯蒂芬斯