江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读TheMonkeysPaw.docx

江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读TheMonkeysPaw.docx

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江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读TheMonkeysPaw

江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读TheMonkey'sPaw

Chapter1

Itwascoldanddarkoutintheroadandtheraindidnotstopforaminute．Butinthelittleliving－roomofnumber12CastleRoaditwasniceandwarm．OldMr.Whiteandhisson，Herbert，playedchessandMrs.Whitesatandwatchedthem．Theoldwomanwashappybecauseherhusbandandhersonweregoodfriendsandtheylikedtobetogether．'Herbert'sagoodson，'shethought．'WewaitedalongtimeforhimandIwasnearlyfortywhenhewasborn，butweareahappyfamily．'AndoldMrs.Whitesmiled．

Itwastrue．Herbertwasyoungandhelaughedalot，buthismotherandhisfatherlaughedwithhim．Theyhadnotgotmuchmoney，buttheywereaveryhappylittlefamily．

Thetwomendidnottalkbecausetheyplayedcarefully．Theroomwasquiet，butthenoiseoftherainwasworsenowandtheycouldhearitonthewindows．SuddenlyOldMr.Whitelookedup．'Listentotherain！

'hesaid．

'Yes，it'sabadnight，'Herbertanswered．'It'snotagoodnighttobeout．Butisyourfriend，TomMorris，comingtonight？

'

'Yes，that'sright．He'scomingataboutseveno'clock，'theoldmansaid．'Butperhapsthisrain…'

Mr.Whitedidnotfinishbecausejustthentheyoungmanheardanoise．

'Listen！

'Herbertsaid．'There'ssomeoneatthedoornow．'

'Ididn'thearanoise，'hisfatheranswered，buthegotupfromhischairandwenttoopenthefrontdoor．Mrs.Whitegotuptooandbegantoputthingsaway．

Mr.Whitesaid，'Comein，comein，Tom．It'swonderfultoseeyouagain．Whatabadnight！

Givemeyourcoatandthencomeintotheliving－room．It'sniceandwarminthere．'

Thefrontdoorwasopen，andintheliving-roomMrs.WhiteandHerbertfeltthecold．ThenMr.Whitecamebackintotheliving－roomwithabig，red-facedman．

'ThisisTomMorris，'Mr.Whitetoldhis

wifeandson．'Wewerefriendswhenwewereyoung．WeworkedtogetherbeforeTomwenttoIndia．Tom，thisismywifeandthisisourson，Herbert．'

'Pleasedtomeetyou，'TomMorrissaid．

'Pleasedtomeetyou，Mr.Morris，'Mrs.Whiteanswered．'Pleasecomeandsitdown．'

'Yes，comeon，Tom，'Mr.Whitesaid．'Overhere．It'sniceandwarm．'

'Thankyou，'thebigmanansweredandhesatdown．

'Let'shavesomewhisky，'OldMr.Whitesaid．'Youneedsomethingtowarmyouonacoldnight．'Hegotoutabottleofwhiskyandthetwooldfriendsbegantodrinkandtalk．Thelittlefamilylistenedwithinteresttothisvisitorfromfarawayandhetoldthemmanyst

rangestories．

Chapter2

AftersometimeTomMorrisstoppedtalkingandMr.Whitesaidtohiswifeandson，'TomwasasoldierinIndiafortwenty-oneyears．Indiaisawonderfulcountry．'

'Yes，'Herbertsaid．'I'dliketogothere．'

'Oh，Herbert！

'hismothercried．Shewasafraidbecauseshedidnotwanttoloseherson．

'IwantedtogotoIndiatoo，'herhusbandsaid，'but…'

'It'sbetterforyouhere！

'thesoldiersaidquickly．

'ButyousawalotofstrangeandwonderfulthingsinIndia．Iwanttoseethemtoooneday，'Mr.Whitesaid．

Thesoldierputdownhiswhisky．'No！

'hecried．'Stayhere！

'

OldMr.Whitedidnotstop．'Butyourstorieswereinteresting，'hesaidtoTomMorris．'Whatdidyoubegintosayaboutamonkey'spaw？

'

'Nothing！

'Morrisansweredquickly．'Well…nothingimportant．'

'Amonkey'spaw？

'Mrs.Whitesaid．

'Comeon，Mr.Morris！

Tellusaboutit，'Herbertsaid．

Morristookhiswhiskyinhishand，butsuddenlyheputitdownagain．Slowlyheputhishandint

othepocketofhiscoatandtheWhitefamilywatchedhim．

'Whatisit？

Whatisit？

'Mrs.Whitecried．

Morrissaidnothing．Hetookhishandoutofhispocket．TheWhitefamilywatchedcarefully—andinthesoldier'shandtheysawsomethinglittleanddirty．

Mrs.Whitemovedback，afraid，butherson，Herbert，tookitandlookedatitcarefully．

'Well，whatisit？

'Mr.Whiteaskedhisfriend．

'Lookatit，'thesoldieranswered．'It'salittlepaw…amonkey'spaw．'

'Amonkey'spaw！

'Herbertsaid—andhelaughed．'Whydoyoucarryamonkey'spawinyourpocket，Mr.Morris？

'heaskedtheoldsoldier．

'Well，yousee，'Morrissaid，'thismonkey'spawismagic！

'

Herbertlaughedagain，butthesoldiersaid，'Don'tlaugh，boy．Remember，you'reyoung．I'moldnowandinIndiaIs

awmanystrangethings．'Hestoppedtalkingforaminuteandthenhesaid，'Thismonkey'spawcandostrangeandwonderfulthings．AnoldIndiangavethepawtooneofmyfriends．Myfriendwasasoldiertoo．Thispawismagicbecauseitcangivethreewishestothreepeople．'

'Wonderful！

'Herbertsaid．

'Butthesethreewishesdon'tbringhappiness，'thesoldiersaid．'TheoldIndianwantedtoteachussomething—it'snevergoodtowanttochangethings．'

'Well，didyourfriendhavethreewishes？

'Herbertaskedtheoldsoldier．

'Yes，'Morrisansweredquietly．'Andhisthirdandlastwishwastodie！

'

Mr.andMrs.Whitelistenedtothestoryandtheyfeltafraid，butHerbertasked，'Anddidhedie？

'

'Yes，hedid，'Morrissaid．'Hehadnofamily，sohisthingscametomewhenhedied．Themonkey'spawwaswithhisthings，buthetoldmeaboutitbeforehedied，'TomMorrisfinishedquietly．

'Whatwerehisfirsttwowishes，then？

'Herbertasked．'Whatdidheaskfor？

''Idon'tknow．Hedidn'twanttotellme，'thesoldieranswered．

Foraminuteortwoeverybodywasquiet，butthenHerbertsaid，'Andyou，Mr.Morris：

didyouhavethreewishes？

'

'Yes，Idid，'Morrisanswered．'Iwasyoung．Iwantedmanythings—afastcar，money…'Morrisstoppedforaminuteandthenhesaidwithdifficulty，'Mywifeandmyyoungsondiedinanaccidentinthecar．WithoutthemIdidn'twantthemoney，so，intheend，Iwishedtoloseit．Butitwastoolate．Mywifeandmychildweredead．'

Theroomwasveryquiet．TheWhitefamilylookedattheunhappyfaceoftheoldsoldier．

ThenMr.Whitesaid，'Whydoyouwantthepawnow？

Youdon'tneedit．Youcangiveittosomeone．'

'HowcanIgiveittosomeone？

'thesoldiersaid．'Themonkey'spawbringsunhappinesswithit．'

'Well，giveittome，'Mr.Whitesaid．'Perhapsthistimeit…'

'No！

'TomMorriscried．'You'remyfriend．Ican'tgiveittoyou．'then，afteraminute，hesaid，'Ican'tgiveittoyou，but，ofcourseyoucantakeitfromme．Butremember—thismonkey'spawbringsunhappiness！

'

OldMr.Whitedidnotlistenandhedidnotthink．Quickly，heputouthishand，andhetookthepaw．

TomMorrislookedunhappy，butMr.Whitedidnotwanttowait．

'WhatdoIdonow？

'heaskedhisfriend．

'Yes，comeon，Father，Herbertsaid．'Makeawish！

'Andhelaughed．

ThesoldiersaidnothingandMr.Whiteaskedhimagain，'WhatdoIdonow？

'

Atfirsttheoldsoldierdidnotanswer，butintheendhesaidquietly，'OK．Butremember！

Becareful！

Thinkbeforeyoumakeyourwish，''Yes，yes，'Mr.Whitesaid．

'Takethepawinyourrighthandandthenmakeyourwish，but…'tomMorrisbegan．

'Yes，weknow，'Herbertsaid．'Becareful！

'

JustthenoldMrs.Whitestoodupandshebegantogetthedinner．Herhusbandlookedather．Thenhesmiledandsaidtoher，'Comeon．Helpme！

WhatcanIwishfor？

Weneedmoney，ofcourse．'

Mrs.Whitelaughed，butshethoughtforaminuteandthenshesaid，'Well，I'mgettingoldnowandsometimesit'sdifficulttodoeverything．PerhapsIneedfourhandsandnottwo．Yes，askthepawtogivemetwomorehands．'

'OK，then，'herhusbandsaid，andhetookthemonkey'spawinhisrighthand．Everybodywatchedhimandforaminutehewaited．Thenheopenedhismouthtomakehiswish．

SuddenlyTomMorrisstoodup．'Don'tdoit！

'hecried．

Theoldsoldier'sfacewaswhite．Herbertandhismotherlaughed，butMr.WhitelookedatTom'sface．

OldMr.Whitewasafraidandheputthemonkey'spawintohispocket．

Afteraminuteortwotheysatdownatthetableandbegantohavedinner．ThesoldiertoldthefamilymanystrangeandwonderfulstoriesaboutIndia．Theyforgotthemonkey'spaw，andbecausethesoldier'sstorieswereinteresting，theyaskedhimmanyquestionsaboutIndia．WhenTomMorrisstooduptoleave，itwasverylate．

'Thankyouforaveryniceevening，'Morrissaidtothefamily．'Andthankyouforaverygooddinner，'hesaidtoMrs.White．

'Itwasawonderfuleveningforus，Tom，'OldMr.Whiteanswered．'Yourstorieswereveryinteresting．Ourlifeisn'tveryexcitingandwedon'thavethemoneytovisitIndia，sopleasecomeagainsoon．YoucantellussomemorestoriesaboutIndia．'

Thentheoldsoldierputonhiscoat．HesaidgoodbyetotheWhitefamily，andwentoutintotherain．

Chapter3

Itwasnearlymidnight．Intheirwarmliving-room，thetwooldpeopleandtheirsonsatandtalkedaboutthesoldier'sstories．

'Indiaisawonderfulcountry，'Mr.Whitesaid．'Whatexcitingstories！

Itwasagoodevening．'

Mrs.Whitestooduptotakesomethingsintothekitchen，butshestoppedandlistenedtoHerbertandhisfather．

'Yes，'Herbertsaid．'Morristoldsomeinterestingstories，but，ofcourse，someofthemweren'ttrue．'

'OhHerbert！

'Mrs.Whitesaid．

'Well，Mother，thatstoryaboutthemonkey'spawwasn'ttrue．Adirtylittlemonkey'spawisn'tmagic！

Butitwasagoodstory．'AndHerbertsmiled．

'Well，Ithinkyou'reright，Herbert，'hismothersaid．

'Idon'tknow，'Mr.Whitesaidquietly．'Perhapsthestorywastrue．Strangethingscanhappensometimes．'

Mrs.Whitelookedatherhusband．'DidyougivesomemoneytoTomMorrisforthatpaw？

'sheasked．'Wedon'thavemoneytogiveawayfornothing！

'Mrs.Whitewasangrynow．

'Well，yes，'herhusbandanswered．'Idid，butnotmuch，andatfirsthedidn'twanttotakeit．Hewantedthemonkey'spaw．'

'Well，hecan'thaveit，'Herbertlaughed．'It'sourpawnowandwe'regoingtoberichandhappy．Comeon，Father．Makeawish！

'

OldMr.Whitetookthepawfromhispocket