典范英语8-14.doc
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14.PasstheBall!
传球!
Chapter1
EveryFridayafterschool,TommywenttoGrandad’shousefortea.
Take-awayfishandchipswithextra-hotcurrysauce.Brilliant.
Then,afterthey’deaten,Grandadwouldgetouthisscrapalbum.Helikedtotalkabouttheolddays.
‘Youwouldn’tbelieveitnow,Tom,butIwasachampionfootballer.
‘Didyou,Grandad?
’Tommywouldsay.‘Tellmewhathappened.’
Tommynevertiredoflistening,eventhoughthe’dhearditallbefore.Itwasgreat.Justthetwoofthem.
ButonSaturdays,thingsweredifferent.Tommygotreallyembarrassedbyhisgrandadthen..
HehatedthewayGrandadwouldturnupatschoolfootballmatcheswearinghisoldteamkit.
Shirt,socks,boots.Worstofall,thoseawful,longwhiteshorts.Yuk.TommyhatedseeingGrandad’sskinny,purple-veinedlegsstickingout.Theylookedhorrible.
Chapter2
‘Can’tyoumakehimstop?
’Tommyaskedhismum.Shewasfoldinguphisgoaliekitforthatafternoon’smatch..
‘Tom,love,’saidhismum,‘youshouldbegratefulhe’snotyourdad.WhenIwasyourage,GrandadusedtomeetmeandyourAuntieRuthoutofschool.
‘Thenhe’dmakeusdibbleafootballallthewayhome.Amileandahalfofsheertorment.Istillgetwobblylegsjustthinkingaboutit.’
‘Iwouldn’tmindthat,’saidTommy.‘Itwouldbegreat.CanIdribbleafootballallthewayhomeonMonday?
’
Buthismumwasn’tlistening.Shewasmilesaway.
‘Ooooh,’sheshuddered.‘AndtherewasthislittlesquirtcalledTrevorDavies.Heusedtofollowus,shoutingoutruderhymes.’
‘Whatsortofruderhymes?
’askedTommy.
‘Ican’tremembernow.Itwasalongtimeago.Somethingaboutdroopyknickers,Ithink.’
Whatwasrudeaboutdroopyknickers?
hewondered.
Thenhesaid,‘OurnewteamcoachiscalledTrevorDavies.’
‘Ishethinasawhippet?
’askedMum.
‘Yes!
’saidTommy.‘Howdidyouknow?
AndhisnephewMikeDaviesisgoingtobeourstriker.It’snotfair.’
‘IsMikeagoodplayer?
’askedhismum.
Tommywastornforasplit-second.Buthewantedtobetruthful,sohesighedandsaid,‘Yes.Heis.He’sbrilliant.MrDaviessaysthatonedaysoon,he’sgoingtobespottedbyatalentscout.Thenoneofthebigclubswillwhiskhimaway.’
Anideastruckhim.‘IfGrandadwasplayingfootballnow,doyouthinkhe’dbefamous?
’
‘Maybe,’saidTommy’smum.‘Butrightnowyou’veamatchtoplay.Sohero’syourstuff.Don’tforgettoputyourmuddybootsintheplasticbag.Oh,andit’sraining,soI’lldropyouoffatschool.Grandadwillbeatthematch.He’llbringyouhomeafterwards.Allright?
’
Blazingbananas,thoughtTommy.Noitwasn’t.ButGrandadlovedtoseehimplay.
Bythetimetheygottheschool,therainhadturnedtoafinedrizzle.
‘Doyouthinkthey’llcancelthegame?
’askedTommy’smum.
‘Nochance,’saidTommy.‘MrDaviessaidthatevensnowwouldn’tstopit.It’sadeadimportantmatch.ForestHillJuniorshammereduslasttime.Eight-nil.Itwasterrible.
‘Wecan’tlosethisoneorwe’llbeoutoftheLeagueCup.’
‘Oh,right.THATimportant,’saidhismum,rufflinghishair.Shewasabouttogivehimakiss,buthemanagedtoembarrassmentanyway.
But,ohno!
TherewasGrandadjoggingtowardsthem.Hehadafootballunderonearm.
‘AllrightourTom?
’hesaid.‘Getchangedandwe’llhaveawarmup.’
‘Grandad,’growledTommy,tryingtolookfierce..’Everyone’slooking.’
‘Takenonotice,’saidGrandad.Hewastouchinghistoes,wigglinghisshouldes,doingsidebends.
‘Afterall,’hewenton.‘NotmanyladshaveagrandadwhonealyplayedforEngland.Anddon’tforgetthatbitofadviceIgaveyou.
‘Allgoodgoalieswatchthestriker’seyes.Whereaplayer’slooking,iswherehe’skicking.OK?
’
Tommysighed.‘Yes,Gandad.’Thenheslopedofftojointherestoftheteam.
Ashegotcloser,hecouldseeMikelaughingandpointingathim.
‘Yourgrandadhopingtojointheteam?
’sneeredMike.
Tommyscowled.
‘Youleavemygrandadalone.Heusedtobeabrilliantplayer.’
‘Oh,yeah?
’snortedMike.‘Who’dheplayforthen?
TyannosauusRovers...orwasitDiplodocusHotspurs?
’
‘Isupposeyouthinkthat’sfunny?
’hissedTommy.
‘Wedolads,don’twe?
’saidMike.HeturnedtoTommy’steammates.Someofthemsniggered.
‘Nowthen.Stopthat,’saidMrDaviessteppinginquicklytocalmthingsdown.Buthecouldn’thelpsmikingtohimself...‘TyrannosaurusRovers?
Ho,ho,ho.Billiant.’
TommyglaredatMikeandMrDavies.Hefletallhotandandangry.ThenheememberedwhathismumhadsaiaboutMrDavies.‘Alittlesquirtwitheyeslikefriedeggs.’
ThatmadeTommyfeelbetter.Anyway,bythentherefhadcomeontothepitch.
Hecalledtheteamcaptainstogether.Theytossedacointoseewho’skickoff.ForestHillwon.Theydecidedtokickintothewind.
Tommytookuphispositioningoal.Hejoggledonthespottokeepwarm.
HetiredtocatchtheeyeofForestHill’sstriker.Hewastoofaraway.
Insteadhespottedhisdrabdadstandingontheside-lines.
Hewastalkingtoashortmanwearingasmartraincoat.Tommydidn’tknowwhohewas,buthewassmilingandshakingGrandad’shand.
ThenGrandadpointedtoTommyandwaved.Hewavedback.
Tommywassoontoobusywiththegametowonderwhothestangerwas.ForestHillwereonfromandplayingtowin.Inthefirstfifteenminutes,Tommyhadtomakefoursaves!
Thenitwassavenumberfive.TommyrememberedwhatGrandadhadtoldhim:
watchthestriker’seyes.Seewherethey’relooking.
Yes!
Tommydivedtotheright.Hisfeetlefttheground.Hisfingersreachedouttocatchtheball.
Hehaditsafe,eventhoughhe’dcrackedinmud.
Thanks,Grandad,hethought.Greatadvice!
Tommyfletgood...butnotforlong.
Hedidn’tseewhathappened,but‘Double-Decker’Dolanwassuddenlyrollingontheground.Hewascltchinghisleg.
‘Double-Decker’wasbuiltlikeabus.Hewasalsooneoftheirbestplayers.ANDTommy’ssecond-bestmate.
MrDaviesranontothepitich.Heseemedtobearguingwiththeref.
Hisvoicehadgoneallhighandsqueaky.Hewasjabbinghisfingerrightundertheref’snose.Butitdidnogood.
Double-Deckerwascarriedoffthepitchwithasprainedankle.Tommy’sbestmate,‘whom’Wlgleyranontosubsitute.
Therefblewhiswhistleandthematchbeganagain.
Mikewasplayingreallywell.Tommyhadtoadmitit.Hisballcontrolwassogood,itmadeyouwanttocy.
Hewasn’ttheonlyonetonoticeMike.Themaninthesmartraincoathadtoo.EverytimeMikehadtheball,he’dwriteinhisnotebook.
ButthenMikegottooconfidebt.Hewasrunningbackwardsshoting:
‘Tome.Tome.’
Hedidn’tseeWormWigleyrightbehindhim.
Theyfellinatangleofarmsandelbows.Therefuptoseewhatwasgoingon.
‘IthinkI’vebrokenmyarm,’wailedMike
‘It’sallrightforyou,’moanedWormthickly.‘IthinkI’vebrokenmynose.It’sbleeding.’
‘I’llgiveyou“brokenarmandbrokennose”,’screechedMrDavies.
Heranovertowheretheylayinaheap.
‘Youneedyourheadsbangingtogether.You’reapairofgreatwetjrllies.You’reuinedeverything.Youseethatmanoverthere?
’
Twenty-twoheadsturnedtowhereMrDavieswaspointing.Butthemaninthesmartraincoathadturnedaway.Hewasshakinghishead.
‘He’sthescoutforthelocalLeagueClub.I’vebeenwantinghimtolookatMikeforweeks.Nowhe’sgoingaway.’
Chapter3
Mikestartedcrying.Thenhetriedtostandup.`Icanplaywithabrokenarm,`hesnivelled.`Noproblem.’
`Ofcourseyoucan‘t.Supposeyouweretackled.You’dendupbreakingsomethingelseandthenwhatwouldyourmumanddadsay?
‘MrDavieswaslookingharassed.
Mikestartedcryingagain.`WhydoIhavetoplaywithsuchaloadofidiots?
`
‘That’snotfair!
`saidTommy.
`Youarerightthere,soon,`saidGrandad.He’dcomeovertoseeifhecouldhelp.
`Justkeepyournoseout,’saidMrDavies.
`Well,Trevor,’saidGrandad.`Iseeyou’rejustasrudeasever.`
MrDaviessniffedandturnedtoWorm.
`Andwhataboutyou,Worm...ImeanWilliam?
Thinkyoucanstillplay?
heasked.
Butbythen,Worm`smum,Patsy,hadrunover.ShewasshoutingatMrDavies.
`Don`tyouspeaktomyWilliamlikethat!
Ofcoursehecan`tplay.I`mtakinghimdowntothehospital.Comealong.William...anddon`tdripbloodinthecar.`
`Nowwhat?
`saidMrDavies,lookingovertothesideofthepitch.
ButtherewasonlyPaulPeakle,whoneverwantedtoplay.Helookedasapieceofwetlettuce.
`JumpingJehosophat!
’MrDavieslookedupatthesky.`Justmyluck.`
ThenTommysawhisgrandadtapMrDaviesontheshoulder
Oh,no!
thoughtTommy.What’shegoingtosay?
`Allright,Trevor?
`askedGrandad`What’stheproblem?
`
`Nothing Ican’thandle,’saidMrDavies,tryingtolookastallaspossible.
`Oneladshortofafullteamareyou?
’askedGranded,withalightninggriponthesituation.
`Well...`MrDaviesbegan.
`Areyouornot?
`
`YesIam,’saidMrDavies,lookingasifsomeonehadjustpoppedhisballoon.
`Letmeplay,’saidGrandad.
`Youmustbejoking,`saidMrDavies.
`Letmeplay,`saidGrandad,`andI’llhaveawordwiththetalentscoutinthesmartraincoat.He’sstillabigfanofmine.`
MrDavieslookedamazed.Hismouthfellopen.
`Right,’saidGrandad.‘That’ssettled.Butfirstwe’dbettergetMikeseento.Lookslikehe’sinpain.
Thanks,`whisperedMike.
`You’rerightthere!
’saidGrandad,smiling.`Nowwheredoyouladskeepthesparekit?
`
Chapter4
Tommycouldhavedied.TherewasGrandadsqueezedintotheJuniorSchoolstrip.
Hislegslookedworsethanever.Asfortheshirt,itbarelyreachedacrosshisshoulders.
‘Nowjustholdonthere,’saidtheref,comingacrosstoGranda