最新新版典范英语7全文(1-18)

发布时间：2020-10-06


新版典范英语7（旧版6）

1 第一篇

Walrus Joins In
1
What will Walrus do? Everyone at the North Pole was very excited. There was going to be a show and ANYONE could be in it. ‘I will do skating,’ said Arctic Fox. ‘I’m good at that!’
‘I’ll do tumbling,’ said Polar Bear. ‘No one tumbles quite like me!’ ‘I’ll do singing,’ said Seal. ‘Everyone says I have a very fine voice!’
‘Then I’ll do diving,’ said Whale. ‘I won a prize for diving at school, you know!’ They all looked at Walrus. ‘What will YOU do?’ they asked.
But Walrus was not good at anything. He wasn’t good at skating, and he wasn’t good at tumbling.
He was terrible at singing, and when he tried to dive, he always got water up his nose.
He sat and chewed his whiskers sadly. ‘Never mind,’ said Arctic Fox. ‘You can watch us.’
Arctic Fox and Polar Bear and Seal and Whale practised hard for the big show.
Walrus hid behind a snowdrift and watched, and chewed his whiskers. He wished he was good at something. 2
The big night At last, the big night arrived. Everyone sat down and waited for the show to begin. Walrus sat in the front row. He was very excited.
Fox came onto the ice and bowed. Everyone cheered. Then Fox began to skate. Fox skated forwards and backwards and sideways. She skated in perfect circles and figures of eight. She was elegant and amazing! Walrus watched and he loved what he saw. Fox made it all look so easy.
Walrus was sure that if he really tried he could skate just like Fox. He couldn’t stop himself. He just had to leap onto the ice and join in with Fox. “I can skate,” he cried. “Look at me!”
But Walrus couldn’t skate at all. He could only trip up and fall over. He bumped into Fox, and Fox went flat on her face. FLOMP! Fox was very upset. “Walrus has RUINED my act,” she wailed.
Next, it was Polar Bear’s turn. He rolled out across the ice like a big, white snowball. Everyone clapped wildly. Then Polar Bear began to tumble. He did jumps and spins and somersaults, and stood on his head. Walrus watched and he loved what he saw. Polar Bear made it all look such fun. Walrus was sure that this time, if he really tried, he could tumble just like Polar Bear. All of a sudden, Walrus just couldn’t stop himself, and he leaped onto the ice. “I can tumble too,” he cried. “Look at me!”
But Walrus couldn’t tumble at all. He could only trip up and fall over. He tripped up Polar Bear, who came down with a WALLOP! Of course, Polar Bear was pretty angry. “Walrus has RUINED my act,” he wailed. 3
From bad to worse


It was Seal’s turn next. She gave Walrus a don’t-you-dare stare, and then she started to sing: “O, how many heart rejoices when I see the Northern Lights. My ear is filled with voices sweetly singing in the night!”
Walrus listened. What a beautiful song! Surely if he really tried, he could sing as beautifully as Seal? Oh, dear. Walrus just couldn’t stop himself again. “I know that song,” he cried. “I can sing it too!”
He leaped up and started singing along with Seal. But Walrus couldn’t sing! He sounded terrible. In fact, he sounded like a rusty old bucket. Seal stopped singing and burst into floods of tears. “Walrus has RUINED my song,” she wailed.

Wale was last. He was pretty certain that Walrus could not ruin his act.
Whale leaped high out of the water. Then he fell back with an enormous splash! Walrus watched. He wished that he could dive like that. His flippers began to twitch, and his whiskers bristled with excitement. He tried and tried his very best not to join in.
But then he had a brilliant idea. “I’ll hold my nose when I dive,” he thought. “Then the water won’t go up it!” Walrus just couldn’t stop himself. He had to join in.
“Everybody, look at me!” he cried, as he leaped into the water. “I can dive too!” But just at that moment, Whale was getting ready to spout a big jet of water.
WHOOSH!
Whale spouted Walrus high into the air! Everyone was watching Walrus now. They clapped and cheered as Walrus landed back in the sea with a SPLOSH! Whale was furious. “You are a meddling, incompetent BUFFOON!” he roared. “You have RUINED my act. Now GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”
Whale was pretty scary when he was angry. Walrus turned tail and fled. He hid behind a snowdrift, feeling sad and very sorry. 4
The show will go on! The show was over. Fox and Polar Bear and Seal and Whale stood in a line, blushing and wishing that Walrus had not ruined everything.
But everyone was cheering like mad. “Well done, Polar Bear, well done, Seal! Well done, Fox and Whale!” they shouted. “But where’s the clown? Why isn’t he here? Where’s Walrus?”
Behind is snowdrift, Walrus heard the cheers. Were they really cheering for him, too?
Yes! They were! He shuffled up to Fox and Polar Bear and Seal And Whale. “I’m very sorry,” he said. “So you should be,” said Fox.
“At least everyone thought you were part of the show,” said Polar Bear.
“I suppose,” said Seal, “if Walrus was really part of our next show, it couldn’t be any worse.”
Walrus was overjoyed. “Me?” he cried. “Truly? Can I be part of the show? Can I join in next time?”
“Yes,” said Whale. “It will be
a lot safer that way. You can be the clown. As long as you do it properly.”

Walrus practiced hard and became a very good clown indeed. Now he is so good that


Fox, Polar Bear, Seal and Whale are glad he is taking part. Sometimes, when Walrus is clowning around, they really just can’t stop themselves. They have to join in too!
2 第二篇
Noisy Neighbours 1
Mr Flinch
In a grim, grey house in a grim, grey town lived an unhappy man. It was not his grey house that made Mr Flinch unhappy. It was not that he was poor, because he was not. Mr Flinch was a miser. He never gave away a penny. ( He never gave away a smile either. He was a mean and miserable man.
Mr Flinch was miserable because of his neighbours. On one side of Mr Flinch’s grim, grey house stood a jolly red one. It belonged to Carl Clutch who mended cars. Carl loved cars – and motorbikes and vans and lorries. Every morning, Mr Flinch woke up to hear hammers banging, spanners clanging and engines revving. The whole street shook with the noise. On the other side, in a bright blue house, lived a music teacher called Poppy Plink. Each morning, Poppy sat down and played grand tunes on her grand piano. After breakfast, her students started to arrive. Violins screeched, drums thundered and bassoons bellowed. Mr Flinch shut his window, but the noise still came through the wall. Brum – brum, tootle – toot, bang! His whole house shook and shivered.
He put his fingers in his ears. He rapped on the wall … but his neighbours did not hear.
They were far too happy. They were mending cars and making music, and they loved their work. Brum – brum, tootle – toot, bang! Mr Flinch rap rapped until he made holes in his wallpaper. It did no good.
Mr Flinch locked himself in a cupboard. He wound old towels round his head. He wrote angry letters, but tore them all up. ‘ Stamps cost far too much money!’ he said. Even in bed, he wore a hat to keep out the noise. But the cars still revved and the music still jangled.
Mr Flinch was the grey filling in a noise sandwich. ‘This can’t go on,’ Flinch thought to himself. He even shouted it out loud: 2
Nasty Tricks Mr Flinch went next door to Carl’s house. Carl was mending cars. It was easy to sneak into his kitchen and put a dead rat in the fridge. ‘That will get rid of him!’ said Flinch, and smiled a nasty smile. ‘Nobody wants to live in a house with rats!’
At midnight, Mr Flinch climbed on to his roof and – carefully, carefully – crawled across the tiles. He put his head down Poppy’s chimney and gave a long, loud, ‘Hooowooowoooo!’
‘That will get ride of her,’ he said with a grim grin. ‘Nobody wants to live in a house with ghosts!’

Then he climbed back into bed.


Next morning, Mr Flinch woke to a HUGE noise. Cars and lorries were stopping outside. He looked out of his window. Carl was sitting outside in the rood, with a table, a kettle, a loaf of bread and a bottle of tomato sauce. Carl called to Mr Flinch, ‘Can’t use my kitchen today! Rays, urgh! My mum is cleaning up. She told me to eat my breakfast outside. That’s how I got this great idea! Take – away breakfast! Drivers can stop here and buy breakfast.’
Just then, Poppy Plink came running out of her blue front door. ‘Oh, Mr Flinch! Oh, Carl! Guess what happened last night!’
‘I give up,’ said Mr Flinch, with a sumg smirk. ‘Do tell.’
Poppy beamed with joy. ‘Last night, angles sang down my chimney! They did, I promise!’ She frowned. ‘But the music wasn’t very good! I think they want some new songs to sing! I’m sure they want me to write them, and I shall! Oh I shall!’
She did.
Poppy still had to teach music all day. But at night she wrote angle music. She made it nice and loud, with lots of cymbals and trumpets. It was all too much for Mr Flinch. 3
Mr Flinch has a Plan Mr Flinch went next door to Carl’s house.
He showed Carl a fistful of money. ‘The day you move house, all this is yours!’ he said. ‘Anything you say, chief,’ said Carl, wiping his dirty hands on a rag. ‘As long as I can mend cars, I’ll be happy anywhere.’ Carl went on, ‘I’ll move out as soon as I can sell the house!’
Next, Mr Flinch went to Poppy’s house and offered her a hatful of money. ‘The day you move house, all this is yours!’ he said.
‘Of course! If that is what you want, dear heart! Cried Poppy.
She had never seen so much money in her life. ‘As long as I have my music, I can be happy anywhere! I will move out just as soon as I can sell my little house!’
Mr Flinch went home a happy man – well, as happy as a man like Mr Flinch can ever be. He felt in his empty pockets and gulped. ‘All that money gone! Ah, but soon those noisy neighbours will be gone, too!’
In a few days, Mr Flinch’s neighbours had sold up their houses.
Now, at last, he would have peace and quiet – nothing but the noise of mice scratching in the empty cellar. 4
Moving Day Mr Flinch watched as Poppy Plink moved out. Bo-jangle went the piano as she pushed and bumped it down the steps. ‘Going already are you, you pest?’ he mutted. ‘I pity the person who has to live next door to you!’

Seeing him, Poppy waved up at the window. ‘Such luck, Mr Flinch!’ she called. ‘Fancy! A few days ago, I met someone who wants to move house too! We agreed to swap houses!’
Just then, Carl came out of his front door carrying two heavy tool boxes. He saw Poppy struggling with a harp and went to help her. ‘All set, Poppy? he said. ‘All set, Carl! Isn’t this fun!’ She replied.
Then Carl moved into Poppy’s bright house and Poppy moved into Carl’s jolly red one.




They helped each other to carry the big things, like tables and sofas. Then Carl had a house-warming party. He and Poppy sang, because they were so happy: ‘There’s no place like home!’
Mr Flinch heard it right through the wall of his house … even inside his cupboard, even with a towel round his head.
3 第三篇
Princess Pip’s Holiday
1 Ready to go Everyone in Princess Pip’s castle was very busy. The King was polishing his money, the Queen was choosing sun hats, and the maids were running around with piles of vests. “ Can I take Dobbin on holiday?”asked Princess Pip.
“I’m afraid there won’t be room for a pony on the coach ,”said the Queen. “Oh, ”said the Princess Pip. “Can Amanda and Bert come,then?” “There ‘s no room for snakes,”said the King, “not even pet ones.”
Princess Pip scowled . “This holiday is going to be BORING,” she said. They went on holiday in their best gold coach. “Wave to all the people, dear,” said the Queen.
Princess Pip folded her arms . “ I ‘m on holiday,” she said. “Are we nearly there yet?” “We won’t be there for a long time,” said the Queen firmly .
It did take a long time to get to the seaside . The coach got very hot, and Princess Pip didn’t feel very well.
“Here we are,at last!” said the King happily.
“But it’s a castle!” said Princess Pip. “Just like home.It’s BORING.”
2 Just like home
There was a girl waiting by the castle door. “This is Daisy,”said the Queen. “She is going to look after you,Pip.”
Daisy showed Princess Pip her room. “I don’t want a four-poster bed!” said Princess Pip. “That’s just like home.” “You can sleep on my straw mattress , then,” said Daisy. “ I’ll have the bed.” “Oh, all right.”said Princess Pip.
That evening there was a banquet and it went on for hours. “More sprouts?”asked the King happily. This is BORING,”said the Princess Pip.
“Nonsense(胡说,dear,”said the Queen. “It can’t be boring. We’re on holiday!”
“ I WANT TO GO HOME!” said Princess Pip, the next day. She had been walking round the castle walls all morning and she hadn’t found anything to do.
“But we’re having a wonderful time,” said the Queen,from her sun chair.
“Just look at the way my money shines in the sun,” said the King. “Wonderful!” “ But it’s BORING!” said Princess Pip. “Why don’t you go and talk to Daisy?” suggested the Queen.
Princess Pip stomped off. “That does it,” she said to Daisy. “I WANT TO GO HOME!”
3 The road home “If you stayed here a bit longer,you might start liking the seaside,” said Daisy. But Princess Pip wasn’t listening. She was putting all her important things in her suitcase.


“I think we’ll have to take some things out,”said Daisy.

Daisy found them both backpacks, and they set out for home. Princess Pip and Daisy went across the drawbridge and along the road.
It was very hot. “Let’s have a nice,cool snack,”said Daisy. So they got some fish sticks from a stall. “These aren’t bad,” admitted Princess Pip.
“They taste best by the seaside,” said Daisy. “ I’ll show you where the fish come from, if you like.”
They went down some stone steps to a place where the sea swished backwards and forwards and the ground looked as if it was made of gold. “Look in these pools,” said Daisy.
The fish were hard to catch. ”You could take your stockings off,” said Daisy, “and use them for nets.”
It was nice without shoes and stockings on. It was even nicer once Princess Pip had taken off her coat and crown. The fish looked very cross at being caught，
so Princess Pip let them go. “It’s not too bad here,” said Princess Pip,at last. “ I want to stay here all the time.” “Let’s build a sandcastle, then,” said Daisy. “A sand HOUSE,” said Princess Pip.
It was hard work, but they built a huge house, with a moat all around.
Soon the sea came in and filled the moat. “That’s just right.”said Princess Pip. “Make it stop coming in now,Daisy.”
But the sea kept on coming in......
...... and soon it had washed their house FLAT. “ We built our house too close to the sea,”said Daisy, sadly. “STUPID SEA!”shouted Princess Pip. “STUPID SEASIDE! I WANT TO GO HOME!”
4 Riding the dragon Princess Pip and Daisy put on their shoes and picked up
their backpacks. “I’m tired,”said Princess Pip, very soon. “ I want to ride Dobbin. Are we nearly home, yet?”
“Why don’t you ride one of the horses on that merry-go-round?” suggested Daisy. “Oh, no,”said Princess Pip. “ I’m going to ride that dragon.”
The dragon went very fast, and there was lots of exciting music--but then it all stopped. Everyone got off. “But....we’re still here!” said Princess Pip, crossly, as she got off ,too. “At least it wasn’t boring,” said Daisy.
“I WANT TO GO HOME!” shouted Princess Pip.
“At least it was fun,” said Daisy. “Everything is fun here because it’s a FUN-fair.” Princess Pip sniffed. “ What’s fun about it?” she asked. “I’ll show you,” said Daisy.

They went down the roller coaster. Then they went UP and UP and ....DOWN again. “AARRRRGH!” yelled Princess Pip and Daisy. “Let’s go on it again,” said Princess Pip.
“ Tomorrow, perhaps,” said Daisy, who had gone very pale. “BUT I WANT...” began Princess Pip. “Hello!” said a voice.



It was the King. The Queen was with him. “Where’s Princess Pip?” the King asked Daisy. “Here !” said Princess Pip.

The King and the Queen stared at her. “You can’t be Pip!” the Queen gasped. “You’re all dirty,and you have no stockings!”
“But I am!” said Princess Pip, and put on her crown to prove it. “Look! It’s me, and I’ve found a place where the ground is made of gold!Come and see.”
Daisy and Princess Pip showed them the beach. “ Good heavens!”said the King. “How wonderful! It’s just the color of money.” “What a perfect place for my sun chair,”said the Queen.
The beach was a perfect place for picnics and games, and races, too. Everyone loved it. Then one day the King said: “ What a pity we have to go home tomorrow.”
Princess Pip scowled, and she said... “I don’t want to go home!!!”

4 第四篇
Oh, otto!
Something important The children in Class Four were busy working Then their teacher, Miss Underwood, said: ‘I have something very important to tell you.’ She smiled and said: ‘A new boy is coming to our class. His name is Otto and he comes from far, far away. In fact, he comes from outer space…’ ( this is Otto’s first day at earth school. Here he is…
The door opened and a boy came in. he looked just like the other children-but he was a different colour. he was green. Miss Underwood told Otto to sit with Jo and Charlie and Josh. Then she looked at Jo and added, ‘I want you to take care of our new boy and give him a hand if he needs it.’
‘please, Miss,’ said Otto. ‘I’m not NEW. I’m seven and a half. And I don’t already. Look!’ ‘Oh, Otto!’ Miss Underwood smiled. ‘just sit down and be a dear.’
Otto sat down. Then he said, ‘I don’t think I can be a deer…but I can quack like a duck.’ He flapped his arms, like wings, and went: ‘Quack! Quack! Quack!’ Charlie joined in: ‘Quack! QUACK! QUACK!’
Miss Underwood smiled at Otto. ‘No quacking n class!’ she said. Then she frowned at Charlie. ‘Charlie!’ she said. ‘you know better than that! Get on with your work.’
‘It’s not fair!’ Charlie grumbled. ‘I get into trouble and that new boy doesn’t!’ That’s when Charlie decided he didn’t like Otto. He didn’t like him one bit.
Charlie is cross Otto made a lot of mistakes. Charlie leaned back on his chair. Otto tried to do the same thing. But he fell down… …and so did all the paints.
Now Charlie was green too-and he wasn’t happy about it.
Charlie got crosser and crosser and crosser. At playtime, when Otto was in the playground, Charlie decided to scare him. ‘If you stand there, you’ll get eaten by a bear,’ said Charlie.



‘A bear! Where?’ Otto screamed.
Charlie goggled. ‘we keep the bear in the head’s office. All Earth schools have a bear,’ he went on. ‘sometimes the bear gets out…and sometimes it’s hungry!’ Otto looked very scared.
Treasure Hunt That afternoon the class was having a Treasure Hunt. All the children were looking forward to it. Miss Underwood gave each pair of children the same clue. ‘I want you to work in a pair with Otto,’ she said to Jo.
‘Work in a pear?’ said Otto ‘How? It will have to be a big pear. Not too juicy. We could all get sticky.’
Jo laughed. ‘Oh, Otto! You don’t understand anything! ’
The Treasure Hunt began. Charlie worked with Josh. Jo worked with Otto. This was the clue that they had to follow: ( start at the classroom door. Then walk along. Don’t go right.
Then you won’t go wrong.
‘What does that mean?’ said Charlie.
‘I don’t know,’ said Josh. ‘But when Miss Underwood hid the treasure last time, it was in the playground.’
‘Let’s go there!’ Charlie said to Josh. ‘Quick! We’ll be first.’
Otto jumped up to follow them-but Charlie had a plan. He stuck out his foot and tripped Otto up. ‘Enjoy your trip!’ Charlie laughed, and ran off with Josh.
Jo helped Otto up. All the other children ran out of the classroom and followed Charlie and Josh. They turned right, towards the playground. Jo sighed. ‘Now we’re going to be last.’
‘We won’t be last,’ said Otto, ‘because they’re all going the wrong way. Look at the clue.’ (Start at the classroom door. Then walk along. Don’t go right.
Then you won’t go wrong.
Otto pointed at the clue. ‘it means we start here-at the classroom door and we don’t turn RIGHT-because that would be wrong. We have to turn LEFT.’
They set off in the other direction to the rest of the children. Charlie and Josh were looking for treasure in the playground and they were getting fed up. ‘there’s nothing here,’ said Charlie. ‘Let’s look inside the school.’
They went back into the school hall, past the head’s office and that’s when they saw it… ‘there IS a bear!’ Charlie said. ‘there really is!’ They ran screaming back to their classroom. ‘Help! Help! We’ve seen a bear.’

Oh, Otto Jo and Otto had turned left and walked along the corridor.


‘Look!’ said Otto.
There was an arrow and it was pointing to a plant pot. Jo picked up the pot and found a map. There was another clue on the map. (clue number2 Follow this map if you want to do well. Just look in the place where you find a spell. Jo and Otto followed the map to the school library. Jo read out the clue again: Follow this map if you want to do well. Just look in the place where you find a spell. ‘I understand!’ said Otto. ‘look-there’s a pile of spelling books. That’s where we’ll find a “spell!”’
‘You’ve got it, Otto!’ said Jo.
Behind the pile of spelling books, there was a box of golden coins. ‘Yum!’ said Jo. ‘It’s chocolate money!’
Back in the classroom, Jo and Otto shared out the treasure chocolate. ‘But what’s the matter with Josh and Charlie?’ asked Otto.
Some of the other children laughed. ‘Charlie and Josh thought they saw a bear!’
‘A bear!’ said Otto. ‘Jo told me you were making up that story to scare me.’
Charlie looked ashamed. ‘It wasn’t really a bear,’ he said. ‘It was the head’s big new coat hanging on the door…’
‘But it LOOKED like a bear,’ said Josh.
Charlie and Josh went bright red. ‘Don’t worry,’ said Otto. ‘Everyone makes mistakes. Have a chocolate.’ ‘I’m sorry I made fun of you,’ said Charlie.
Charlie looked so sad that Miss Underwood felt sorry for him. ‘We’ll forgive you, Charlie,’ she said. ‘we all have bad days.’
She smiled. ‘You and Josh seem to have lost your heads, today!’
‘Oh!’ said Otto. ‘Shall I look for their heads, Miss? I’m good at finding things!’

5 第五篇
Captain Comet AND THE Purple Planet
1 Spanner is bored It was a quiet morning at Stardust Space Station.Captain Stella was checking the space shuttle. Captain Comet was watering the plants and Spanner the robot was bored. ‘Can I sit at the control desk?’he asked.
‘All right,’said Captain Comet,‘But don’t touch anything and don’t press that red button.’

Spanner sat down at the desk and looked at all the buttons. There were buttons to open all the space station doors and buttons to turn on all the lights. There was even a button to flush all the toilets! There was also a big red button,labelled‘Gravity’. Spanner was not sure what ‘Gravity’was.



‘I’ll press it very quickly,’said Spanner,‘to see what it does.’
He pressed the red button. Captain Comet was watering the plants when he had a strange feeling. He was floating above the floor!The plant pots were all floating,too.
He guessed what had happened. ‘Spanner!he shouted ,‘I told you not to touch that red button!’ Spanner saw that gravity was what made things stay on the floor.
There was no gravity in space,so the space station made its own.. Spanner pressed the red button to make the gravity come back on again-and all the pot plants fell to the floor. Comet fell to the floor beside them. ‘SPANNER!’Comet groaned. 2
It must be a plant
Spanner was cleaning up the mess for the rest of the morning. When he turned the cleaner off,everyone heard a beeping noise.The noise was coming from the space scanner. Everyone stopped what they were doing and came to look. ‘The scanner has found something,’said Comet.
He pointed to a flashing dot that was moving across the scanner screen. ‘I wonder what it is ?’said Captain Stella.
‘Is it an asteroid?’asked Spanner.‘An asteroid is a lump of rock that floats in space.’ ‘I know that!’said Captain Comet.‘Anyway ,it’s too big to be an asteroid,’ ‘Then it must be a planet,’Spanner said.
‘Where has it come from?’asked Comet,’And why is it moving so fast?’ ‘You’d better go and have a look,’said Captain Stella.
Comet and Spanner set off in the space shuttle to look for the new planet.Spanner was very excited. ‘I’ve never found a new planet before,’he said .‘What shall we call it ?’ ‘Let’s find it first ,’said Comet.
But Spanner wasn’t listening.‘I’m going to call it Planet Spanner,’he said. Spanner made a humming noise and a flag came out of a slot in his chest. ‘What are you doing?’asked Comet.
‘I’ve made a flag to put on Planet Spanner.Then everyone will know that we were the first to find it,’Spanner explained.
He showed Comet the flag.It was bright red with two spanners on it. Comet had to smile.‘Very nice,’he said. 3
On the Purple Planet The planet looked very strange.It was purple and covered in huge spikes. Comet landed the shuttle carefully on the planet.
Then he got out to have a look around. Spanner stayed in the shuttle,making a flagpole for his flag.
Spanner found a metal rod. He fastened the flag to one end of the rod and put the other end into a hole in his chest. There was a noise like an electric pencil sharpener.When he took the rod out again,it had a nice sharp point. Comet was looking at one of the giant purple spikes.It felt soft and warm. ‘That’s very odd,’thought Comet.‘This spike feels like it’s alive.’
Just then Spanner arrived with his new flagpole.‘I name this planet-Planet Spanner!’he


said proudly. ‘NO!STOP!’Comet yelled.
But before Comet could stop him,Spanner hammered the sharp flagpole into the ground.
There was a huge roar. ‘What was that?’asked Spanner.
‘Quick,back to the shuttle!’shouted Comet,as the ground began to shake.
They strapped themselves into their seats and Comet blasted off. Spanner looked at the screen.The planet’s surface was spinning around.
Then the opening of a big,dark cave came into view. Around the outside of the opening were large,jagged rocks. ‘Look!’said Spanner.‘They’re like giant teeth!’
Comet stared at the screen. ‘That’s because they ARE giant teeth!’he said ,as two huge,angry eyes came into view. ‘It’s not a planet…’said Comet,’…It’s a SPACE MONSTER!’gasped Spanner. 4
Space Chase ‘Why is it so angry with us ?’cried Spanner.
‘You’ve just hammered a big sharp flagpole into its backside,’explained Captain Comet. The huge teeth snapped shut behind them.‘It wants to eat us!’wailed Spanner.’We’ve got to get away!’
‘That’s what I’m trying to do !’said Comet.’But it’s too fast!’
Comet fired the shuttle’s jets.Then he tried to make a sharp turn,as the monster zoomed towards them.. ‘What are we going to do ?’cried Spanner.
Just then,Captain Stella’s face appeared on the screen.She had been watching them on the space scanner. Captain Comet tried to make another sharp turn.The space monster was getting closer and closer. ‘Are you all right?’Captain Stella asked.’What’s going on?’
‘WE’RE GOING TO BE EATEN!’wailed Spanner,’BY A PRICKLY PURPLE SPACE MONSTER THE SIZE OF A PLANET!’
‘Apart from that,everything ‘s fine,’said Comet,making the shuttle dive to dodge the giant teeth. ‘Can I help ?’asked Captain Stella.
‘No,’said Comet,‘You’re too far away. Is there anyone closer?’
Stella looked at the space map and shook her head. ‘No,there are no space stations or planets-only asteroids,’she said. ‘Asteroids!’Comet said.‘Tell me where they are .I’ve got an idea!’ 5
Into the Asteroids
The space shuttle zoomed towards the asteroids. Spanner and Comet had never been so close to the asteroids before.
Some of the asteroids were as big as office blocks. ‘What are you doing?’cried Spanner, as Comet flew through a narrow gap between two giant asteroids,‘If you hit one of them at this speed, we’ll be smashed to bits!’
‘It’s the only way to get away from the monster,’explained Comet.‘The gaps are so narrow, it can’t follow us .’
Comet was right.The space monster stopped chasing them. Then it flew up to an asteroid-and took a big bite out of it .


Comet and Spanner watched as the monster chomped its way happily through two or three asteroids. ‘It eats asteroids!’ Spanner said.
‘I’m glad it didn’t eat US!’Comet smiled.
‘We didn’t find a new planet after all,’grumbled Spanner,on the way back to the space station. ‘No,’said Comet.’But we did find a new kind of space monster.’
‘That’s true,’said Spanner.’But how will anyone know that we were the first to find it ?’
Captain Comet took one last look at the purple monster ane smiled. ‘Oh,they’ll know. After all , it does have YOUR FLAG sticking out of its bottom!’he said.

6 第六篇
JUNGLE SHORTS 1 It was Friday afternoon.Class 3 had put on their coats and were waiting in a line to go home.lenny was at the back because the zip on his anorak(防水衣had stuck(卡住.He was so busy with the zip that he nearly missed what Mr Cox the teacher said. ‘Here is a letter for you all.’said Mr Cox.‘Don’t lose it and don’t forget to give it to your parents.There is good news inside.’
Lenny wanted to know what the good news was.He rushed across the playground to meet his mum. ‘Quick!Open this letter,’he said. ‘Mr Cox says there is good news inside’
‘Say hello to me first!’laughed his mum,but she opened the letter.She read it and told him.‘Class 3 is going to have football lessons.Next week.The school will lend you some boots’
‘Wow!’shouted Lenny.‘Real football! I bet I score fifteen goals!’
His mum pet the letter in her bag. ‘What about a stripy(带条纹的 shirt and socks? Can I have a real football strip?’begged(央求 Lenny. ‘Wait and see.’said mum.
At home Lenny couldn’t get out of his anorak and his mum had to help him. ‘I’m glad you didin’t break the zip. I can’t get you another coat until next month.’she said. ‘I don’t want a new coat,’said Lenny,‘but can I have a real football strip?Please?’ ‘Ask me after tea,’said his mum. They had pancakes for tea with jam and apple.Pancakes were Lenny’s favourite.But today he ate as fast as he could. He put down his knife and fork with a clatter.(当啷
‘You promised(许诺 to talk about football things after tea.’he said. Mum took Mr Cox’s letter from her bag.
‘Each child will need an old T-shirt and some socks,’she read. ‘No real football things?’ asked Lenny.
‘I’m sorry,no.Except for shorts.Mr Cox wants
you all to have new shorts.We’ll go to the market tommorrow to look for some.’
Lenny was not happy buthe knew his mum.She had made up her mind and that was that.He looked great. ‘I bet they always had a proper(像样的 football strip,’he thought.‘I bet they didn’t have


to wear an old T-shirt.’
That night he lay awake thinking.He was going to make sure his mum bought football shorts. He wanted proper white football shorts.Then he knew he could score lots of goals. 2 After breakfast the next day they set out to buy the new shorts.The market was two streets away from where Lenny lived.On the way they saw Ted and Shane from Class 3.Ted and Shane lived near Lenny.They were kicking a ball about beside the road Shane slammed the ball over to him and Lenny kicked it back. ‘Want to play?’called Ted.
‘I can’t,not now.I’m off with my mum to buy new football shorts.’ ‘We’ve got ours already,’Ted shouted back.
The market was very crowded.Everyone was looking at the fruit and vegetables piled high on the stalls.There were shoes and clothes for sale under stripy canvas(帆布 roofs(屋顶.One man was selling shorts ‘Get your jungle shorts!’he shouted.
He was wearing a wide straw hat (宽檐草帽and an enormous(巨大的pair of jungle shorts over his trousers.They had big green trees on with monkeys smiling at the top . ‘Big or small,they don’t cost much,’said the man.
‘No thanks’ said Lenny. ‘I m going to strart football lessons next weak.I need real football shorts.’
He pulled at his mum’s hand.they struggled through the crowds trying to find real football shorts. They found lots of shorts that were too big and a little white pair that was too small When they did find a pair tin Lenny’s size they cost far too much money.
‘We’ll just have to get the junngle shorts,’said Mum.‘The colours are lovely. I’m sure you’ll like them better than white ones.’
Lenny pulled a face ‘Oh mum’he said ‘But—— ‘No buts’ said his mum.
They went sloowly back to the man selling jungle shorts .The pile(堆 on his stall had gone down a lot. ‘I knew you’d come back. I put aside a pair just for you’said the man. He held a pair of junngle shorts against(比较 Lenny’s tuousers. ‘A perfect fit!’he said with a smile.
Lenny’s mum opened her purse and paid for the sharts. The man put them in a bag and handed it over. ‘There you are,son .Have fun wearing them!’
Lenny did not smile .‘I wish they were real football shorts.’ he said. ‘Junngle shorts are the next best thing.’ said his mum.
On the way home they saw Tessa and Pam from Class 3 kicking a ball against a fence(围墙. They lived at the top of Lenny’s street.
‘We can’t wait till Monday for football said the girls. We’ve got new shorts!’ ‘So have I’ said Lenny. But he didn't open his bag to show them.
3 On Monday ofternoon Class 3 were waiting for their first football lesson. Everbody was noisy and excited ,swinging(摇摆 their bags of football things .Lenny was at the back with the jungle shorts in his bag. He didn't want to put them on. Mr Cox carried a big box of boots into the changing room. They spent a long time finding boots to fit everyone. ‘Now put on your football things and be quick about it,’ he said.




Lenny got changed in a corner behind the door. When they wer all ready Mr Cox shouted, ‘get in line, everyone!’
Lenny made sure he was at the back again. He didn't want anybody to see his jungle shorts and he hid behind Ted. He looked down to see what Ted was wearing and got a surprise. Ted was wearing jungle shorts as well! Lenny nudged(用肘碰 him in the back and said ‘Your shorts are the same as mine!’
‘Yes,’ said ted ‘and the same as pam’s and tessa’s and shane’s!’
It was true. All the friends from Lenny’s street were wearing junngle shorts. Mr Cox smiled. ‘Five childred in the same shorts. it muse be a record!’ he said. ‘And we all live in lyon street’ said Lenny.
‘In that case(既然这样 you must all play for the same team you can be the Lyon Street Lions.’
When Mr Cox had sorted out(挑选three more teams they went out to the playing field. They played five-a-side football until home time. The lions team beat all the others and Mr Cox said they were the champions.Lenny scored five goals. In the changing room the children untied(解开 their muddy(沾满泥水 boots and put on their clothes. ‘All kit(球服 must be washed and boots clean for next Monday.’ said Mr Cox ‘Don't leave it for your mum. Do it as soon as you get home and then you won’t forget.
Lenny was the first to be ready and he ran to meet his mum at the gate. He told her about his five goals and the Lyon Street Lions ‘We’d better go home quickly now said Lenny. ‘ I have to clean my boots and wash my shorts!’
And when Mr Cox drove home for his tea later on(晚些时候 he smiled to himself. On Lyon Street there were five pairs of jungle shorts blowing on the washing lines.
7 第七篇
The Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om
There was a problem at the castle. “I give up,” said Mrs Binns, The royal cleaner, “there’s too much work here for one person.” Mrs Binns gave Queen Norah the keys to the castle and left. Queen Norah told the rest of the royal family. “what are we going to do?” asked the Princess Jane. “For a start ,you cannot have your friends round here any more . ’ said
Queen North. “why not?” asked Princess Jane. “Because they make too much mess.” “perhaps we can all try to keep the castle tidy,” said King Harry. “I’m sure that Captain Jones and Captain Smith will help. I can even do a bit of washing myself.”
“what!” shouted Queen Norah. “people will say that King Harry does his own cleaning! Never!”
“we can put up an advert for a cleaner,” said Princess Jane. “Good idea,” said Queen Norah. “Write an advert at once.” Princess Jane wrote a notice. She pinned it to the castle door. The days went by and nobody came to ask about the cleaning job. The castle became dirtier and dirtier. There were no more clean clothes and no more clean plates.
One morning Queen Norah heard singing coming from the kitchen. She popped her head round the door. She saw a shocking sight.
King Harry was at the sink doing the dishes. Captain Smith was mopping the floor.


Captain Jones was washing the royal shirts.
“stop this at once, ” cried Queen Norah. “these are not jobs for a king and his captains. You should be out fighting dragons. ”
“we’ve never seen any dragons, dear,” said the King. “you have never even looked for them,” said Queen Norah. Queen Norah was so upset that she made up her mind to go on a royal tour that minute. ‘and you three: don’t even think about doing the cleaning,’ she added, ‘you will go on a quest while I’m away.’
‘a quest?’ said King Harry, he went pale, ‘ a quest for dragons?’
‘you can look for them, too.’ Said Queen Norah. ‘but the main job is to find a new cleaner.’ ‘ what about me?’ asked Princess Jane.
You can stay at home and don’t let any burglars in or your friends.’

Queen Norah sent for her royal cases and bags and began her royal tour. King Harry, Captain Jones and Captain Smith set off on their quest for a cleaner. They looked very unhappy.
Princess Jane waved them goodbye. ‘ it’s not fair.’ Sniffed Princess Jane. ‘everyone’s off on quests and tours, and I am stuck on my own in this smelly old castle.’

Princess Jane stuck out her lip and had a good suck. She had just finished her suck when there was a knock on the castle door. Princess Jane opened the door. There stood three figures in masks. ‘we are the Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om’ said one.
‘we were sent by your father, King Harry,’ said another. ‘that was quick.’ Said Princess Jane, ‘where is my father?’ ‘chasing dragons.’ Said the third masked figure. ‘why are you masked ?’ asked Princess Jane
‘we have to protect ourselves from the dust.’ Said one, ‘can we start?’
All day the Masked Cleaning Ladies scrubbed, dusted, washed and polished. By evening, the castle sparkled. ‘now that the castle is clean you can take off your masks.’ Said Princess Jane. ‘oh, no’ said one, ‘we can’t do that.’ ‘why not?’ demanded Princess Jane
‘er,er,’ said another, ‘if we take off our masks we won’t be the Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om.’
Princess Jane began to think very hard. Burglars often wore masks. Queen Norah had told her not to let burglars into the castle. The next day, Princess Jane set out to find out who the Masked Cleaning Ladies really were. The first Masked Cleaning Lady was in the kitchen, stuffing a pile of dirty shirts into the washing machine. ‘Hm,’ she said, ‘shall I wash this tablecloth on ‘hot’or ‘very hot’ ?
Princess Jane came up behind her. She grabbed the tablecloth and pulled. It over the cleaning Lady’s head.
‘help!’ mumbled the cleaning lady, ‘where am i?’
The second Masked Cleaning Lady was scrubbing the dungeon floors. ‘Excuse me,’ said Princess Jane, standing outside one of the cells. ‘but, it’s very dirty in here.’
‘I swept it only five minutes ago.’ Said the second cleaning lady. ‘let me have a look.’ She walked into the cell.



Princess Jane closed the door and turned the key. The third cleaning lady was making a terrific noise with the vacuum cleaner. She did not see Princess Jane creeping up behind her. Princess Jane grabbed the vacuum. She pointed the nozzle at the cleaning lady. ‘one false move.’ Shouted Princess Jane, ‘ and I’ll suck you into the vacuum, now, take off your mask.’
Slowly the cleaning lady took off her mask. ‘Father!’ cried Princess Jane.
The other two cleaning ladies turned out to be Captain Smith and Captain Jones. ‘I think that you had better explain.’ Said Princess Jane.
‘well,’ said king Harry, we set off on our quest. When we reached the woods, we saw a dragon.’
‘We think we saw a dragon,’ said Captain Jones.
‘at least, we heard sth moving in the woods and it sounded like a dragon.’ Said Captain Smith. ‘so we thought we had better come home.’ Said Captain Jones. ‘we dressed up as cleaners.’ Said Captain Smith.
‘we rather like doing housework,’ said King Harry, ‘we like the smell of polish.’ ‘we like the hum of the vacuum cleaner.’ Said Captain Jones. ‘we like the feel of soap flakes.’ Said Captain Smith.
‘and it’s much less dangerous than fighting dragons.’ Added King Harry. ‘dragons are very rare.’ Said Captain Jones. ‘it’s not fair to hunt them.’
‘Hm,’ said Princess Jane. ‘ it seems to me that you three have been telling lies, Father, you have always told me to tell the truth.’ ‘I’m very sorry,’ said King Harry.
‘what will the Queen say? She’ll find out that you haven’t found any cleaners or fought any dragons.’ Said Princess Jane ‘ she will send you on a year’s dragon quest.’ King Harry, Captain Smith and Captain Jones went pale.
‘ please don’t tell,’ they begged, ‘I won’t tell if …’ said Princess Jane
‘if what?’ ‘ if my friends can come round to play.’ ‘agreed.’ Said King Harry. The next day, Queen Norah came back from her royal tour. She was very pleased to find the castle neat and tidy. ‘so’ she said, ‘the quest was a success, who did you find?’
‘we found three cleaners.’ Said King Harry. ‘they wear masks’ said Captain Jones.
‘and they can only come on Mondays’ said Captain Smith. ‘why’s that?’ asked Queen Norah. ‘now that we have proper cleaners.’ Said King Harry. ‘don’t you think that Jane’s friends can come here again?’
Queen Norah was so pleased to be in a nice clean castle that she agreed at once.
Every Monday Queen Norah waves goodbye to king Harry and his two captains as they set off to fight dragons. Princess Jane’s friends come to play. Later, the masked cleaning ladies of om arrive to clean the castle. So everybody is happy.

8 第八篇
The Masked Cleaning Ladies Save the Day

1

‘let’s try the song once more, your Majesty,’ said Billy the Butler.

‘Right,’ said Queen Norah. She sang, ‘We’re going to win the cup. We’re going to win the cup. Ooh ah the addio, we’re going to win the cup. How was that?’





‘Much better, your Majesty,’ sighed Billy. ‘But do try to…’ ‘Try to what?’ snapped Queen Norah.

‘Well,’ said Billy. ‘It would help if you sounded a little happier.’

‘It’s this song,’ said Queen Norah. ‘It’s got such silly words. But our football team is in the cup final and I really must learn it.’

King Harry walked in.
‘Do you think we will win, dear?’

‘Of course we will,’ said Queen Norah.

‘Yes dear,’ said King Harry. ‘But the Carrot Castle team are such cheats, especially king Charles, the manager.’

At that moment, Captain Jones marched in. ‘I’ve just had a message from King Charles at Carrot Castle. He is very keen to know what colour shirts our team will be wearing.’ ‘Green, I think,’ said King Harry. ‘And his lot can play in red. Has anyone seen Princess Jane? I am going to run a training session for her after breakfast.’
Captain Jones giggled. ‘And what’s so funny?’ asked the King. ‘In my younger days I was known as the Wizard of the Dribble.’

‘That,’ said Queen Norah, ‘was because you couldn’t eat rice pudding without putting most of it down you shirt.’

There was a crash of broken glass from the hall.

‘Sorry,’ called Princess Jane. She came in carrying a football. „I missed my kick.’

‘Ah, Jane,’ said Queen Norah. ‘I was watching you in training yesterday. You didn’t play well at all. Don’t forget you are the team captain. So I have told one of the best trainers in the country to give you some help.’

King Harry bluseded. ‘I’m not quite that good.’

‘Not you, you twit,’ said Queen Norah. ‘Mr Goal.’

‘Missed a goal?’ said King Harry. ‘Don’t you mean “scored a goal”?’

‘what are you talking about?’ cried Queen Norah. ‘That’s his name. Mr Jason Goal. He’s coming here this morning. I must dash. I have to try on my new football fan‟s outfit.’ The Queen rushed off.

2

The dining room fell silent.

‘What’s the matter, dear?’ said King Harry.
Princess Jane let out a great long sigh. ‘Mum’s right. I’m not playing very well. I’m supposed to score goals. At the moment I couldn’t score against a mouse.’
’On you head, Jane,’ called King Harry and he threw the ball at the Princess. She jumped at the ball. The ball bounced off her shoulder into the marmalade. ‘See what I mean?’ she said sadly. ‘Never mind,’ said King Harry. ‘By the time you’ve put your kit on, Mr Goal will be here. You’ll soon be scoring dozens of goals. But now it’s time for us to get to work.’



King Harry, Captain Smith and Captain Jones loved doing housework. Queen Norah thought that housework was a job for cleaners, not captains and kings. So once a week the three men disguised themselves as the Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om. King Harry and his two captains raced out of the dining room. Minutes later, dusters in hands, and dressed as the famous cleaning ladies, they were at work tidying the castle.
King Harry and Captain Jones were polishing the cannons when they saw a man walking towards the castle. ‘That must be Mr Goal,’ said Captain Jones. Just as Mr Goal reached the drawbridge another man jumped out of the bushes. He began talking with Mr Goal. ‘Wait a minute,’ said King Harry. ‘It’s King Charles of Carrot Castle.’

King Charles spoke to Mr Goal and then walked away. ‘What did he want?’ asked Captain Jones.

‘There’s something funny going on. We’d better keep an eye on him,’ said King Harry.
King Harry and the two captains cleaned around the castle for the rest of the morning. But they made sure that one of them was always watching Princess Jane Mr Goal.

The three cleaners stopped for a cup of tea in the kitchen.

‘Well,’ said King Harry. ‘There doesn’t seem to be anything funny going on.’ ‘I saw the Princess put the ball in the net dozens of times,’ said Captain Jones. ‘She was heading the ball perfectly when I went by,’ said Captain Smith.

‘There’s nothing to worry about,’ said King Harry. ‘Now perhaps we can tackle the grime round the cooker.’

Princess Jane stuck her head round the door.

‘How are things going, dear?’ asked King Harry.

‘Brilliantly,’ said Princess Jane. ‘I’ve never played better. I’ve just poppede in to say that we’re having one last training session. We will be in the library. Mr Goal says that he does not want anyone to come in.’ She was gone in a flash.

‘That sounds a bit odd to me,’ said Captain Jones. ‘Very odd,’ agreed Captain Smith.

‘I think that it’s time to polish the brass,’ said King Harry. ‘The brass next to the library?’ said Captains Smith and Jones. ‘Of course,’ said King Harry.

‘Well,’ whispered King Harry, ‘what can you see?’ Captain Jones was peering through the keyhole. ‘They are sitting facing each other,’ he said. ‘Yes. Yes,’ said King Harry.

‘Now Mr Goal is swinging a watch on a chain, backwards and forwards,’ said Captain Jones.

‘He’s telling the Princess about last-minute goals,’ said Captain Smith. ‘No he’s not,’ gasped Captain Jones. ‘He is hypnotizing Princess Jane.’ ‘I wonder why?’ said King Harry.




‘To help her remember tactics,’ said Captain Smith. ‘I still don’t like it,’ said King Harry.
3 Princess Jane danced into the kitchen. ‘He’s gone.’

‘How do you feel?’ asked King Harry.

‘Brilliant,’ said Princess Jane. ‘I feel ready to score loads of goals.’ ‘Jolly good,’ said Captain Smith.

‘I must go and work on my penalty kicks,’ said Princess Jane . ‘By the way, Captain Smith, I love you new overall.’ ‘Thank you, Princess.’

‘Green really suits you,’ laughed the princess as she ran off to the garden. The three cleaners looked at each other. ‘Green!’ they said together.

‘But my overall’s red,’ said Captain Smith.

‘It’s that Mr. Goal,’ roared Captain Janes. ‘He’s hypnotized her to think that red is green.’ ‘Why does he want her to think that?’ asked King Harry.

‘Because,’ gasped Captain Janes,’Carrot Castle are playing in red. If the Princess thinks that red is green she will pass to the Carrot Castle team instead of ours.’

‘So that’s why King Charles was talking to Mr. Goal,’ said King Harry.
‘Can’t we snap her out of it?’ asked Captain Smith. ‘Can’t we throw a bucket of water over her?’

‘No,’ said King Harry. „That could be dangerous. I have a better idea. Follow me to Carrot Castle.’

The Masked Cleaning Ladies stopped outside the kitchen of Carrot Castle. Mrs. Jumpkins was pegging out the carrot Castle red football shirts. The cleaning ladies got off their horses. They pretended to look at the shirts. ‘Oh dear,’ said King Harry.

‘Oh dear, oh dear,’ added Captain Jones and Captain Smith.

‘What’s the matter?’ asked Mrs. Jumpkins.

‘When are you going to wash these shirts?’ asked Captain Smith.

‘What do you mean?’ snapped Mrs. Jumpkins. ‘I’m just putting them out to dry.’ ‘You call this clean?’ said Captain Jones. ‘Yes I do,’ said Mrs. Jumpkins.

‘It’s the dungeon for you then,’ said King Harry.

‘Dungeon?’ said Mrs. Jumpkins.’What’s the dungeon got to do with me?’

‘That’s where the last washerwoman ended up,’ said Captain Smith. ‘And she handed in shirts cleaner than this.’
‘Oh my,’ moaned Mrs. Jumpkins. „I haven’t go the time to do them again. The team are playing in the cup final this afternoon.’

‘Leave it to us,’ said King Harry. ‘We can wash, dry and iron these shirts in half an hour.’



Half an hour later the King handed a parcel to Mrs. Jumpkins.

‘There you are. All done. Now whatever you do, don’t take the kit out of the bag until the team are ready to play. Then the shirts will look perfect.’

The two royal families took their places side by side in royal box. Queen Norah looked amazing in her new football fan’s outfit. She even had a hat in the shape of a football pitch. The crowd cheered as the two teams ran out onto the pitch.

Princess Jane’s team was in red and Carrot Castle was in green.

‘Wait a minute,’ gasped King Charles. ‘The teams have got the wrong shirts. Carrot Castle are supposed to be in red.’

‘Surely,’ said King Harry, ‘it doesn’t matter what colours they play in? They must be different colours, that’s all.‟

King Charles put his head in his hands and groaned.

‘Six nil. Six nil. Six nil,’ chanted Queen Norah. „Oh well done!’

‘We are so proud of you, Jane,’ laughed King Harry. ‘Scoring all six goals.’
‘It’s all thanks to Mr. Goal, my trainer,’ said Jane. ‘I must show him the cup.’

‘Not toddy,’ said Queen Norah. ‘It is far too dirty. Nobody can see the cup until those cleaning ladies have given it a proper polish.’
‘Yes dear,’ said King Harry. ‘I’ll-I mean-they’ll see to it next time they come.’

9 第九篇
The masked cleaning ladies meet the pirates

Queen Norah was showing Princess Jane the Royal Treasures. ‘Jane’ snapped Queen Norah. ‘You aren’t listening!’ ‘I’m’ yawned Princess Jane.
‘Then,’ said Queen Norah, ‘what is this?’ She pointed at a model of a horse. ‘It’s er…’ began the Princess.
‘You’re as bad as King Harry. He doesn’t care about the Royal Treasures either. This is the Golden Horse of Tong.
It belonged to your Great, Great, Great Grandfather. H…’
King Harry came in. ‘The postman’s just been,’ he said. ‘This is for you.’ Queen Norah opened the letter. ‘Bad news,’ sighed Queen Norah. ‘My sister’s crown is missing.’ ‘Stolen?’ asked King Harry.
‘I expect she’s just it down somewhere. You know what she’s like. I shall have to go and help her find it.’
‘What day is it?’ said Queen Norah. ‘Monday?’ said King Harry.
‘Correct. The cleaning ladies will be coming. The front of the castle needs a jolly good scrub, I want you to stay here and make sure those cleaners do a good job.’ ‘Yes, dear,’ said King Harry.
‘I shall lock up the Royal Treasures. I don’t want our Royal Treasures being lost or stolen.’
King harry waved goodbye to Queen Norah. ‘Now,’ said King Harry to Captain Smith and Captain Jones.



‘It's time for up to change into the Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om.’
The King and his two captains took over the housework when the last cleaner left. They kept it a secret from Queen Norah by dressing up as cleaning ladies and wearing masks. The Queen would have been furious if she ever found out. A few moments later the three men came back, dressed as cleaning ladies. ‘The Queen won’t be back for ages,’ said Princess Jane. ‘You don’t need to wear the masks today.’
2 ‘Ahoy there!’ came a cry from outside the castle.
‘We are a gang of very dangerous pirates, hiding behind a rock..’ Princess Jane peeped over the castle wall. ‘Where’s your ship?’ she asked.
‘We’re saving up for one. Now give us your treasure.’ ‘No!’ shouted King Harry.
‘Then we will make you walk the plank,’ yelled the voice. ‘Have you got a plank?’ called the King .
‘No. We’ll throw you to the sharks, then,’ shouted the voice. ‘There aren’t any sharks round here,’ called Princess Jane. ‘Look,’ shouted the voice.
‘Just hand over your treasure.’
‘We can’t give them the Royal Treasure,’ said King Harry. ‘Because the Queen has locked the room and she has the key.’ ‘We will have to fight them,’ said Princess Jane. ‘Fight?’ said King Harry.
‘You mean us?’ gasped Captain Smith and Captain Jones.
Princess Jane took out her telescope and looked at the rock. ‘I can only see three pirates. They don’t look fierce, but they are dirty.’ ‘Dirty! Said King Harry. ‘The Masked Cleaning Ladies know about dirt. We shall need hot water, soap, polish and duster.s’
‘You can’t start cleaning now,’ said Princess Jane.
‘Ah,’ said the King. ‘This is a very special cleaning job. Captain Smith, go and polish the big shield in the main hall. Captain Jones, you must the floor. I shall run a nice, hot, soapy bath.’
‘What shall I do? Asked Princess Jane. ‘You keep them talking,’ said the King.
A bit later King Harry yelled, ‘OK, you dirty pirates, came and get us!’ The three pirates rushed out from behind the rock. They ran across the drawbridge. The doors opened. The pirates stopped. There in front of them was a cleaning lady. She was armed only with a duster. ‘This is going to be easy,’ said the first pirate.
The pirates raced forward. The cleaning lady was really Captain Smith and he pulled his duster to one side. Beneath it was the royal shield. It was so shiny that the pirates were dazzled. They hid their eyes. They did not see the floor that Captain Jones had polished. ‘Help!’ yelled the pirates as they skidded on the slippery floor.



They slid down the hall, straight into the bathroom. The three pirates landed in a lovely hot, soapy bath. Before they had time to say, ‘Ahoy there,’ they were being scrubbed and soaped. ‘OW!’
‘Hold still!’
The pirates wiped the soap out of their eyes. They saw King Harry, Captain Smith and Captain Jones dressed as cleaning ladies and holding up mirrors. ‘Oh no,’ said the first pirate. ‘We’re clean.’
King Harry was holding a camera. ‘Please don’t take our picture,’ said the pirates.
‘It’s would be terrible if other pirates found out. Please we’d do anything.’ ‘You have wasted a lot of our time,’ said King Harry.
‘Now, put these aprons on. You can help with the cleaning.’ ‘Cleaning?’ said the pirates. ‘Yes,’ said King Harry, ‘Or I’ll take your picture.’
Soon, the King and his captains and the three pirates were all scrubbing away at the castle wall. 3 A trumpet sounded. ‘Oh no,’ said King Harry. ‘That means that Queen Norah is back.’ ‘She’ll find out that we are the cleaning ladies,’ said Captain Smith. ‘She’ll be furious.’ said Captain Jones. ‘What shall we do?’ wailed Captain Smith.
‘There’s only one thing we can do,’ said King Harry. ‘The three pirates must pretend to be the cleaners.’ ‘Good idea,’ said Princess Jane.
‘You go and get changed and I’ll watch the pirates.’
The drawbridge was lowered. King Harry ran to meet Queen Norah. ‘Did you find your sister’s crown?’ he asked.
‘It was under the sofa,’ said the Queen. She looked up and saw three pirates scrubbing at the front wall of the castle. ‘Those cleaners haven’t got their masks on.’ ‘Er, uh, er,’ gasped King Harry.
‘I am glad. They have such honest faces, said the Queen, ‘Come down at once, your cleaners.’
The three pirates stood before the Queen. ‘What day is it?’ said the Queen. ‘Monday? Said the pirates. ‘Pay day,’ laughed the Queen, ‘Oh dear,’ said King Harry. ‘Oh yes,’ said the pirates.
The Queen opened her purse. The pirates held out their hands. ‘But-’ began Captain Jones.
‘Your majesty…’ said Captain Smith. ‘What a fess,’ said Queen Norah.
‘Anyone would think that you had done the cleaning. Now cleaners, come with me. I was showing Jane the Royal Treasures this morning. They need a good polish.’



Queen Norah walked off with the three pirates. King Harry whispered to the two captains, ‘I don’t trust those pirates. Follow me.’
Queen Norah unlocked the door. ‘This is the room where we keep all the Royal Treasures,’ she said proudly. ‘Are they worth a lot of money? ‘ asked the first pirate.
‘This is the Golden House of Tong. It is worth thousands,’ she said.
‘Thousands, eh?’ said the second pirate. ‘When I come back,’ said Queen Norah, ‘I want to see those treasures shining.’ ‘Right lads,’ said the first pirate. ‘Let’s grab the stuff.’
The pirates stuffed the treasures into their aprons. They ran towards the main door. King Harry, Princess Jane and the two captains came out from behind the curtain. ‘Not so fast!’ said King Harry.
The pirates stood still. ‘Give those Royal Treasures back at once!’
Sadly, the pirates took the treasures out of their aprons. ‘Now,’ said King Harry to Jane.
‘Take those treasures back before the Queen finds out that they are missing,’ ‘I will,’ said Jane. She dashed off carrying the treasures. ‘Let's face it,’ said King Harry. ‘You are no good as pirates.’
One of the pirates began to sniff. ‘Why don’t you do something honest?’ said Captain Smith.
‘You made a very good job of cleaning the castle,’ said King Harry. ‘You should become cleaners.’
‘That reminds me,’ said Captain Jones.’
You still have the cleaning money. Hand it over.’
The first pirate gave him back the money. ‘The pirates can have half,’ said King Harry, ‘because they did half the work.’ ‘Thanks very much,’ said the first pirate.
‘Cor,’ said the second pirate. ‘This is like doing a real job.’ ‘I was going to keep this,’ said the third pirate. ‘But you’ve been so kind.’
He handed King Harry the Golden Horse of Tong. The pirates left. ‘Help! We’ve been robbed!’ yelled Queen Norah. ‘It’s those cleaning ladies. They have stolen the Golden Horse of Tong!’
‘Do you mean this?’ said King Harry, holding out the Golden Horse. ‘Oh, thank goodness,’
She gasped ‘What are you doing with it?’
‘Er-um,’ said King Harry. Then he had an idea.
‘Oh, yes. I remember. I was going to tell Jane all about it. It was given to King Sam by the people of Tong.’
‘Oh, Harry,’ smiled Queen Norah, ‘so you and Jane do care about the Royal Treasures.’ ‘Of course we do,’ said King Harry.
‘We’d be heartbroken if they were ever lost.’ ‘Or stolen,’ said Jane.

10 第十篇



Jellyfish Shoes 1 Laura had some new jelly shoes. She was really proud of them. They were pink and see-through like raspberry jelly. She ran down to the beach in them. Wherever she walked, they left little tracks in the sand. Like this: 'Look, Scott,' Laura called to her brother. 'My new jelly shoes are leaving stars in the sand.' Squidge. Laura trod in something slippery. She lifted up her shoe. 'Ughhh!' she said.' What's that mess?' 'It's only a jellyfish,' said Scott.' The sea washes them up on the beach.' 'Well, I don't like it,' said Laura. 'It looks like a jelly cow-pat.' Slosh. The sea washed up some more jellyfish. Pink ones this time. They spread out in pink puddles on the sand. 'Watch out,' said Scott.' Jellyfish can give you a nasty sting.' 'Yuk! ' cried Laura. 'There are loads of them! And, phew, what a pong! I hate them. They'll spoil my new jelly shoes!' Scott looked at the jellyfish on the sand. He looked at Laura's new shoes. An idea popped into his head. 'I don't know why you hate jellyfish,' said Scott. 'What do you think your new shoes are made of?' Laura looked down at her shoes. They were see-through and pink. The jellyfish on the beach were see-through and pink too. 'Don't be silly,' she told Scott. But her voice was shaky. 2 'I thought you knew,' said Scott. 'Don't you know what happens to all these washed-up jellyfish?' Laura shook her head. 'I'll tell you what happens,' said Scott, who was good at stories. 'The jelly workers come round. They come round at night with bin bags. And they shovel all the jellyfish into the bags. And they take them away to the Jelly Shoe Factory.' He went on, 'And they make them into shoes. Just like the ones you've got on. I thought everyone knew that!' Laura looked down at her new shoes.
'I don't think I like my new shoes any more,' she said. Then she tore them off. 'Yuk!' she said.
'I don't want pongy jellyfish shoes that sting me!' She threw them into the sea. They didn't sink. Jellyfish shoes don't sink. They just bobbed about on the waves. And washed further and further away from the shore. 'Good riddance!' shouted Laura, waving them goodbye. Then she tiptoed back to the house in her bare feet. 3 That night Laura dreamed about the jellyfish workers. She dreamed they crept along the beach with bin bags in their hands. They bent down and shoveled up jellyfish. Soon they had whole shivering sackfuls of them. Flies were buzzing all around them. 'Oh no!' cried Laura, waking up. 'The jelly workers are coming!'


But it was all right. She was safe in her own bed. 'It was just a bad dream,' she told herself. Yet down on the dark beach, something was moving. Something was bobbing about on the waves. It was Laura's jellyfish shoes. They were coming back home. Gently, they washed in on the wave tops until at last a big wave tops until at last a big wave washed them up on the sand. Neatly side by side. 'What a bit of good luck!' said Mum the next morning. 'Guess what I just found on the beach?' Don't know,' said Laura. Mum held up the jellyfish shoes. 'These! I bet you didn't even know you'd lost them.' Mum tipped up one of the shoes. A winkle fell out of the toe. 'Here you are,' she said, handing the shoes to Laura. 'You can put them back on now.' Laura pushed the shoes away: 'I won't put them back on!' she shouted. 'You can't make me!' Mum stared at her. 'What on earth is the matter? I thought you'd be pleased to get them back.' 'I don't want them. I don't want smelly shoes that make flies buzz all around me! Why did you do it, Mum?' Why did you buy me shoes made of jellyfish?' And Laura rushed out of the door. Mum shook her head, puzzled. 'Shoes made of jellyfish?' she said. 'What's she talking about? Do you know, Scott?' 'Don't ask me,' said Scott. But he looked a bit guilty. 4 Laura rushed down to the beach without her jellyfish shoes. Scott came running after her. He had the shoes in his hand. 'Mum says you've got to put them on.' 'No! I'm never wearing those horrible shoes again! Not ever!' 'Look,' began Scott. 'There's something I've got to tell you. What I said yesterday, about the Jelly Shoe Factory-' But he didn't get time to finish.
'What's that？' said Laura. 'What's that in the sea?' The sea was full of tiny, frilly parachutes. They were pink and brown and purple. 'They're beautiful!' cried Laura. 'What are they?' 'They're baby jellyfish,' said Scott. 'Hundreds of them.' 'Jellyfish!' Laura jumped back. 'And if we don't save them,' said Scott, 'the sea will wash them up. They'll get splatted on the sand. They'll all die.' 'I hate jellyfish!' said Laura. 'They pong. They sting you. They get made into jellyfish shoes.' 'Well, I'm going to save them,' said Scott. And he raced back to the house. Laura couldn't help watching the jellyfish. They sparkled like jewels. But they were getting closer and closer to the beach. Soon they would be dried-up puddles on the sand. And she couldn't help thinking, 'Poor babies.' Just then, Scott came racing back with two buckets. And suddenly Laura changed her mind. 'I'll help you to save them,' said Laura. She grabbed a bucket. 'We'll tip them into that rock pool,' said Scott. 'But we've got to hurry!' 'Don't touch them,' he warned. 'Even the babies sting.' They scooped up the babies in buckets. Then they ran to the rock pool and tipped them in. 'Hurry!' cried Scott. 'The sea's going out!' 5


Laura dashed to the rock pool. Slosh! The babies poured out like rainbows. She ran back again and again. Until her legs wouldn't work any more. 'I-can't-run-another-step!' she gasped, setting down on the sand. 'It's all right,' said Scott. 'Look! The tide's coming in!' Laura lifted her head. It was true! 'Hurray! She yelled. 'We've saved them. We saved the jellyfish babies!' Scott and Laura went to look in the rock pool.
'It's like jellyfish soup in there!' said Laura. 'But they're safe,' said Scott. 'And when the tide comes in, it'll take them out to the deep, deep sea-where they belong.' 'I like jellyfish now,' said Laura. 'They're beautiful, aren't they? I'm really glad we saved them. And now the jelly worker won't get them. They won't be taken to the Jelly Shoe Factory and made into jellyfish shoes.' Scott looked very guilty. 'I was going to tell you about that,' he said. 'There isn't any jelly shoe Factory. 'There isn't any jelly workers. They don't make jelly shoes out of washed-up jellyfish.' 'How do you know?' said Laura. 'Because it's just a story. I made it all up!' 'No you didn't !' said Laura. 'I did, I did, honest!' said Scott. But Laura didn't believe him. 'Where are my jellyfish shoes anyway?' she asked Scott. Scott looked around. 'I don't know. I put them down when I went to get the buckets. They can't have walked off by themselves…'
Laura looked around too. The beach was empty. Then she saw a line of stars, in the sand. They led right down to the sea. 'There they are!' Scott pointed. Laura saw her jellyfish shoes. They were bobbing about on the waves. They were heading out to sea. Scott waded into the water. 'I'm going to get them back!' he said.
Laura thought for a minute. Then she said, 'No. Let them go.' She waved at them. 'Bye bye, jellyfish shoes,' she said, a little sadly. 'What are you going to tell Mum?' asked Scott. 'She'll be very angry!' But Laura wasn't listening. She was smiling a secret smile. She was thinking about her jellyfish shoes having a lovely time… swimming with whales and dolphins and octopuses… back in the deep, deep sea where they belonged.
11 第十一篇
The Boss Dog of Blossom Street

By Rita Ray

1

Snap was a small black and brown dog. He was the boss dog of Blossom Street. One Saturday morning he walked up and down Blossom Street as usual.

He sniffed all the doorsteps and lampposts. He wagged his tail at all the children who


saved scraps（面包屑）for him. He poked his head into baby Kelly’s pram (婴儿车. Kelly laughed and touched Snap’s wet nose.

Then Snap made sure that the dogs and cats on the street were in their places. Dogs had to stay in their own back yards and cats had to sit on the back yard walls. That’s if they dared to come out at all. Snap trotted back to his own door. Everything seemed fine on Blossom Street. But everything was not fine.

Snap’s owners, Ada and Harry, were at home. This was odd. They always went to work on Saturday mornings. There were boxes everywhere. Harry was taking a bed apart. Ada was putting cups into a box.

‘Hello, Snap,’ she said, as he came in. snap sniffed the boxes. ‘You’d better have your Doggy Chunks before the van comes.’ ‘What van?’ Snap thought. He soon found out. A big van came to the front of the house. Two men helped Harry and Ada to put all their things in the van.

‘I can’t move away!’ thought Snap. ‘Who’s going to look after Blossom Street? Who will play with the children and keep the other dogs off the street? Who will make sure the cats stay on the back yard walls?’

‘Come on, Snap,’ called Harry. ‘Say goodbye to Blossom Street.’ He picked Snap up and put him in the front of the van. The children on Blossom Street came out to wave as the van set off. Kelly’s mum gave Snap a bit of cake.

As he looked out of the van window Snap thought, ‘If I move away, how can I do my job? I’m the boss dog of Blossom Street, but I can’t stay behind. I can’t leave Ada and Harry. Dogs stay with their owners. Not like some cats I know. They’ll go anywhere for a warm fire.’

2

The van had to go slowly all the way to the new house. There was a big orange bus in front of it. Snap watched the bus and it gave him an idea. By the time he got to the new house he had a plan.

The plan could help him to be boss dog of Blossom Street, even if he didn’t live there any more.
Snap felt a bit happier when he jumped out of the van. He went to sniff every corner of his new home. The next day was Sunday and Ada and Harry had to unpack things. The new house had a garden at the back instead of a yard.




‘The dogs round here stay in their own gardens,’ Ada told Snap. ‘There’s no strutting about being boss dog. I’ll take you for a walk later.’ Snap went to see what was at the end of the garden and he heard a yapping sound. Something was trying to get through the fence. It was a little Yorkie dog with a red ribbon tied in a bow on top of its head. Snap couldn’t believe it. ‘Ugh!’ he thought. ‘What a wimp! That’s not a real dog! They wouldn’t have a dog like that on Blossom Street.’

He didn’t even bother to bark at the little dog. He heard its owner call, ‘Foofoo, Foofoo pie! Come to Mummy.’ ‘Yuk!’ thought Snap. ‘Let me get back to Blossom Street.’

On Monday morning Harry and Ada went to work. ‘I’ve left a key next door,’ said Ada to Snap. ‘Foofoo’s owner will let you out in the garden, and we’ll be home at five o’clock.’

‘Will you stop talking to that dog as if he understands?’ said Harry. ‘What do you mean? Of course he understands, don’t you, Snap?’ said Ada.

Later, Foofoo’s owner unlocked the door into the garden. ‘Good,’ thought Snap. He ran into the garden and started to dig a hole. ‘Bad doggie,’ called Foofoo’s owner. ‘Don’t teach my little Foofoo bad tricks.’

Snap tried to talk to the dog on the other side. He was a large bulldog with droopy eyes. ‘This looks better,’ thought Snap. He barked in a friendly way. But the big dog said nothing at all. ‘I can’t stand this much longer,’ thought Snap. ‘I must try to get back to Blossom Street.’

That night he fell asleep thinking of his plan for keeping his eye on Blossom Street. As soon as Harry and Ada had driven off in their car the next day, Snap started to work on his plan. Opening doors was easy for a clever dog like Snap.

He set off down the path and out of the front gate. He stopped at the bus stop and stood near a man and a woman. When the big orange bus came he jumped on behind them so that the bus driver didn’t notice him. He sat up at the back and watched out of the window. Soon they came to Blossom Street and Snap got off behind a man with a shopping bag. The driver just saw his tail disappearing. ‘Whose dog is that?’ he shouted. ‘Has anybody paid for him?’ But it was too late.

3

Snap was already running down Blossom Street. He sniffed at all the doorsteps and the lampposts. He chased a cat back on to the yard wall. He put his head into Kelly’s pram. Kelly laughed so much that her mum looked to see what was happening. ‘Snap!’ she cried in


surprise. ‘What are you doing here?’ Snap wagged his tail and looked hungry. ‘Come inside,’ said Kelly’s mum. ‘There’s some meat left from yesterday. You can eat that.’

When the children came home from school they yelled, ‘Snap! Snap! We thought you’d gone for ever.’ They patted him and hugged him. He played with them until they were called in for tea.

‘It’s five o’clock,’ said Kelly’s mum. ‘I’d better take Snap back to his new house.’ She went to the door and called, ‘Snap! Snap!’ but Snap was not there. The children looked up and down Blossom Street. But they could not see him. In the end, Kelly’s mum set off to Snap’s new house.

Ada and Harry were glad to see Kelly’s mum. ‘Hello, Irene. It’s nice of you to visit us,’ they said.

‘I’ve come about Snap. Oh, he’s here!’

‘Of course he’s here,’ said Ada. ‘He lives here. He was fast asleep in the kitchen when we came home. I think he likes his new home.’

‘Then why was he in Blossom Street all day? I came to tell you,’ said Kelly’s mum. ‘Blossom Street? How could he be? It must be a dog that looks like him,’ said Harry. ‘Oh no, it was Snap all right. Ask the children.’

‘Just come in the other room a minute,’ Ada whispered. ‘Snap understands every word, you know.’ ‘Rubbish!’ said Harry, but he went into the other room to hear Ada’s plan. ‘I’ve got a day off tomorrow,’ said Ada. ‘I’ll pretend to go to work as usual but I’ll hide and see what he does.’

Next day Ada watched Snap get on the big orange bus. She wanted to laugh. ‘What a clever dog!’ she thought. ‘He does understand.’ She went to Blossom Street and watched Snap from Kelly’s mum’s front room. At half past four Snap trotted off to the bus stop and caught the bus home. The bus driver said, ‘It’s you again, is it?’ and let him on without paying.

When Ada and Harry got home Snap was curled up, fast asleep. ‘No wonder you feel tired,’ said Ada. ‘It’s hard work looking after Blossom Street all day.’ Snap pricked up his ears and opened one eye. ‘We know all about it, Snap.’ Just then there was a knock on the front door.

‘It’s a reporter from The Daily Snoop,’ said Harry. ‘He wants a photo of Snap. The bus driver told him about a clever dog who rides on the bus by himself. More like a naughty dog,


I think.’

Snap jumped up and wagged his tail. He liked having his photo taken. The next day everyone in Blossom Street saw him on the front page. The headline said, Snap goes by Bus! Lots of people came to ride on the bus with Snap so the bus driver made plenty of money. And Snap is still the boss dog of Blossom Street, even though he doesn’t live there any more.

12 第十二篇
Cornflake Coin

1
The find ‘Look!’ cried Kerry. She was scrabbling in the long grass. ‘What is it?’ asked Omar.
It was lunchtime, and Kerry and Omar were out in the school field. Kerry held up something round and shiny. It gleamed in the sun. ‘It’s a coin!’ she said. ‘It looks really old.’ ‘Let’s take it to Mr Hart,’ said Omar. ‘Then he’ll put it in for the competition. You never know, you might win.’
The local newspaper was running a competition for schools in the area. The child who found the oldest and most exciting treasure would win a trip for two to Space Fun Park. ‘You can find buried treasure anywhere,’ the newspaper had said.
‘Let’s have a look at that coin,’ said Omar. Omar spun it in his fingers. ‘Wow!’ he said, ‘it does look old!’ Omar passed it back to Kerry who was jumping about with excitement.
‘It’s a real treasure coin,’ she grinned. ‘Come on!’ she shouted. ‘We’re going to show this to Mr Hart right now.’
2 --- The real thing? Mr Hart was sitting at his desk when Kerry and Omar burst into the classroom. ‘What’s going on?’ asked Mr Hart, looking up. ‘I just found this on the field!’ panted Kerry. ‘Will you enter it for the buried treasure competition?’ She dropped the shiny coin on to Mr Hart’s desk. Mr Hart rubbed the coin. Then he looked at the writing on it. Kerry and Omar stared at him.
‘If you look at the edge of the coin,’ he said, ‘you can see the words Fun Start.’ Kerry and Omar looked at each other. ‘You mean like Fun Start, the cereal?’ asked Kerry.
Mr Hart nodded. ‘Yes, Kerry. This coin looks real, but it’s a copy. It’s a free gift from a cereal packet. I’m really sorry.’ Kerry felt her heart sink. Mr Hart saw her face. ‘Cheer up, Kerry,’ he said. ‘There’s plenty of time to find some real treasure before the competition closes.’ Kerry and Omar walked back across the classroom. They were about to go out when they heard someone behind them. It was Matt Thorn. He was always saying mean things. Now he was laughing at Kerry. 3
Cereal laughter The next day all the class knew about Kerry’s cereal packet coin. Matt Thorn had told everyone. ‘Kerry wanted to enter a cornflake coin in the treasure competition!’ Matt smirked. Everyone laughed, but Matt laughed the loudest. ‘That’s enough, Matt,’ said Mr Hart. ‘Don’t let Matt bother you,’ whispered Omar, but Kerry had gone red in the face. She was angry with Matt and cross with herself. How could she have been so stupid to think that the coin was real treasure?


Over the next few days everyone talked non-stop about the treasure competition. Lots of children brought in things they’d found at home or in their gardens. Kara brought in some yellowy old photos, Ben dug up an old glass bottle and Jas brought in an old children’s book with a green cover.
Then Matt Thorn showed everyone a white and blue china teacup. He’d taken it out of his gran’s cupboard. Mr Hart looked at the teacup very carefully. ‘This is very old, Matt,’ he said. ‘I think it’s got a good chance of winning the competition.’ Matt chuckled proudly.
Kerry glared at him. There was no way she was going to let him win. At the end of the day she hurried out of school. ‘What are you doing?’ asked Omar, trying to keep up with her. ‘We have to find something older than Matt’s teacup,’ Kerry said.
Back home, Kerry asked her mum to take them to the park. Kerry and Omar looked under benches, in bushes and next to the fence. They found half a pencil and an old football. Then Kerry asked her mum if they could go down by the canal. ‘What are you two up to?’ asked Kerry’s mum. ‘Nothing,’ said Kerry.
By the canal, they looked under the bridge and along the path. They found a broken doll and six empty sweet packets. Half an hour later, they were both tired and fed up. ‘Let’s go home,’ said Omar. Kerry nodded glumly. ‘Let’s forget about the stupid competition,’ she said. 4
Barker digs for gold At the weekend, Kerry and Omar were in the park having a picnic with Kerry’s mum and dad. Kerry was still in a bad mood. ‘What’s up with you?’ asked her mum. Kerry shrugged her shoulders.
‘I’m taking Barker for a walk before he digs any more holes,’ her dad said. ‘Why don’t you two come with me?’
‘Don’t feel like it,’ said Kerry. ‘Come on!’ said Dad. ‘We can go up the big hill where they’re building that new café.’ Kerry groaned. She stood up and took Barker’s lead.
Ten minutes later, they were at the top of the hill. There was a huge, muddy hole in the ground where the café was going to be built. Dad went to look at the yellow digger parked under some trees. Barker suddenly started howling and pulling away from Kerry. She dropped his lead. In a second he had raced down into the hole and started digging.
‘Maybe he’s found some real treasure!’ Kerry shouted. ‘I bet it’s just an old bone,’ said Omar. ‘He’s always digging up something.’
Barker scrabbled about and dug up some bits of wood. Then he trotted over to Kerry. There was something in his mouth.
The look of excitement vanished from Kerry’s face. ‘Just our luck,’ she grumbled, ‘it’s another of those stupid cornflake coins.’
‘Let’s keep it, anyway,’ said Omar. ‘You can if you want to,’ shrugged Kerry, handing him the coin, ‘but I’ve had enough of cornflake coins.’
Just then, Kerry’s dad called them over. It was time to go. Omar slipped the coin into his pocket. Kerry grabbed Barker’s lead and they all went back down the hill. 5 And the winner is…
On Friday, Mr Hart packed up all of the treasure that the class had found. He put it into a big cardboard box. ‘The competition closes today,’ he said. ‘I’ll drop this off at the newspaper after school. Does anyone have anything else?’ Everyone shook their heads. Then Omar felt a coin in his back pocket. It was the one Barker had found. ‘Kerry’s dog found this,’ he said, passing the coin to Mr Hart.
‘It’s another cornflake coin!’ called Matt Thorn. Everyone laughed. ‘Why did you have to bring that out?’ hissed Kerry crossly.


A few days later, the whole school was packed into the hall. A tall woman stood up.
‘My name is Clare Fenton,’ she said. ‘I’m the editor of the local newspaper. I’m very glad to tell you that someone from this school has won our buried treasure competition.’
There was a ripple of excitement in the hall. Everyone looked at Matt Thorn. They’d all heard about his teacup. Matt was grinning from ear to ear. He was getting ready to collect his prize. ‘The winner is…’ said the editor, ‘Kerry Robinson! Kerry has found a real Roman coin.’
There were gasps of surprise and then everyone began clapping. Kerry stood up in shock. She grabbed Omar’s elbow. ‘You’re coming with me,’ she said. The only person not clapping was Matt Thorn.
‘Well done!’ beamed the editor. ‘You will be on the front page of our newspaper this week!’ The editor handed Kerry the tickets for Space Fun Park and smiled, ‘Mr Hart said your dog Barker found the coin.’
‘Barker found it,’ replied Kerry, ‘but Omar helped too. He stopped me throwing it away. I thought it was a cornflake coin.’
‘Well, it’s a good thing that Barker knew what it was,’ laughed the editor. ‘I think he and Omar should be on the front page, too, don’t you?’
On the way back to class, everyone wanted to talk to Kerry and Omar. Matt Thorn walked behind, his face looking like a thundercloud. Mr Hart smiled at Kerry. ‘Barker dug up the real thing, didn’t he?’ ‘Yes,’ Kerry nodded. ‘It’s a good thing he knows the difference between a treasure coin and a cornflake coin.’ She looked at Omar and they both grinned.
13 第十三篇
The Ghost Ship 1 --- The ghost ship One day Ernie was late for school. He ran up School Hill and slipped through the hole in the fence. He hoped the Head wouldn’t see him.
‘Wow!’ Ernie gasped. There was a ghost ship floating about in the playground. It was much like an ordinary ship, but white and see-through. He knew that it couldn’t be real. The ghost ship was tied to one of the netball posts (柱子 A strange glow came from it, . and it rocked(摇晃 up and down as if it was riding invisible(看不见的 waves. A ghost seagull flew around it. ‘Ahoy there, ghost ship!’ Ernie cried bravely. A ghost’s head popped out(从窗边探出头来 from a window. ‘Who said that?’ the ghost asked. ‘I did!’ said Ernie. ‘But you’re not supposed to be able to see me!’ the ghost gasped. Then the ghost thought again. ‘Are you sure you can see me?’ the ghost asked. ‘Quite sure,’ Ernie said.
The window slammed(哐的一声 shut. ‘I spoke to a ghost!’ Ernie shouted. Mrs Wiggins, the caretaker, heard Ernie shout. She came running out to the playground. ‘I sp-sp-spoke to a ghost!’ Ernie stuttered. ‘Shhh! Don’t tell anyone,’ said Mrs Wiggins. ‘Why not?’ Ernie asked. ‘I don’t want you upsetting the small ones in Class One!’ Mrs Wiggins said.
‘But the ghost ship’s parked (停车 in the playground,’ Ernie said. ‘They’ll see it when they come out at break.’ ‘Not everyone can see it,’ said Mrs Wiggins.
‘Well, I can,’ Ernie told her. ‘Then that makes two of us,’ sighed Mrs Wiggins. Mrs Wiggins marched up to the ghost ship. ‘Ship ahoy!’ called Mrs Wiggins. The window popped open, and out looked the same ghost as before. ‘Ahoy, there, Mrs Wiggins,’ the ghost said, politely.
‘Captain Pegleg!’ Mrs Wiggins scolded. ‘You promised that no one else but me could see


you. But one of the children from Class Four just has! Haven’t you, Ernie?’ ‘Yes,’ Ernie said, ‘I just have.’
‘Well, it can happen, you know,’ the Captain said, sounding upset. ‘Not often, but sometimes it happens.’
‘You can’t keep sailing in here if people can see you!’ Mrs Wiggins said, firmly. ‘I can’t help sailing in here,’ the Captain told her. ‘Why not?’ Ernie asked.
‘There’s just me on board!’ said the Captain. ‘I can’t sail her alone, so I have to go where she blows. I just wish she’d blow in here more often. Then I could hunt for my treasure.’ The Captain went on, ‘I’m doomed to sail the seas forever until I find my lost treasure. I know it’s here because that’s what it says on my map.’
‘You’d better find it this time, or else!’ warned Mrs Wiggins. The window snapped shut. ‘Ghost treasure!’ said Ernie. ‘Wait till I tell this to Class Four!’ 2 --- ‘We can’t see it!’
Everyone had to wait until break time to see the ghost ship. They rushed out of class and into the playground. ‘There it is!’ Ernie shouted, pointing at the ghost ship. Everyone took a good look. They saw the bins and the fence, but they couldn’t see any ship. ‘We can’t see it,’ said Louie. ‘But there IS a ghost ship!’ Ernie said, looking at it, and through it, both at the same time. The ghost ship was see-through and fuzzy. ‘There’s no ghost ship here!’ said Louie. The ghost seagull flew down and landed on Louie’s head. ‘A ghost seagull just landed on your head!’ Ernie told Louie. ‘Oh no it didn’t!’ said Louie, who couldn’t see it, or feel it.
‘OH YES IT DID!’ Ernie shouted. ‘OH NO IT DIDN’T!’ roared everyone else.
They laughed at Ernie for making up stories about ghost seagulls and ships. Then they ran off to play. Along came Jade, the smallest and cleverest girl in Class Four. ‘What’s that ghost ship doing here?’ she asked Ernie. ‘You can se it too!’ Ernie gasped. ‘Of course I can,’ said Jade. ‘No one else can, but me and Mrs Wiggins,’ Ernie said. ‘It’s Captain Pegleg’s ship and he’s doomed to sail the sea forever, until he finds his lost treasure. He thinks he left it around here.’ ‘We could help him to find it,’ said little Jade. ‘How?’ Ernie asked.
‘My dad has books about treasure hunting,’ said Jade. ‘We’ll look in his books and find out what to do.’
‘Ghost treasure hunt starts right now!’ shouted Ernie. ‘Ghost treasure hunt starts when we’ve looked at Dad’s books!’ said Jade.
The bell went for the start of lessons. ‘After school!’ Jade told him. ‘After school, and no mucking about!’
3 --- The treasure hunt After school, they went to Jade’s house and got out her dad’s books about treasure hunting. ‘That’s how we’ll do it!’ said Jade, showing Ernie a page in one of the books. ‘But we haven’t got one of those,’ Ernie said, pointing at the metal detector. ‘My dad has,’ Jade said. ‘He uses it when he hunts for old coins and things on the beach. That’s why he has all these books about treasure hunting.’
They ran back up School Hill to the school. Ernie was carrying a spade 铁锹 and Jade ( had a big bag, with the metal detector in it. ‘Captain Pegleg!’ Ernie called. The Captain was on deck. ‘You again!’ said Captain Pegleg. ‘Can you still see me?’ ‘Yes,’ Ernie said.
‘We know you can’t stop sailing till you find your ghost treasure,’ Jade told the Captain. ‘We want to help you find it,’ Ernie added. ‘But first we want to look at your map,’ said Jade. The map was ripped and torn, with lots of holes in it.


‘The ghost seagull got at it!’ Captain Pegleg said.
‘It says: X Marks the treasure on the map,’ said Jade, ‘but I don’t see any X.’
‘The ghost seagull pecked out my X. I can’t remember where it was,’ sighed Captain Pegleg. ‘I can’t even find Treasure Island… But I’m sure this is where it used to be.’
‘It is!’ said little Jade, and she grinned. ‘Treasure Island is here, where we’re standing!’ ‘How do you know?’ asked Ernie. ‘Look!’ Jade said, and she drew on the back of the Captain’s map. ‘The bit sticking up is School Hill!’ she told Ernie. ‘Where our houses are now, used to be under the sea, years ago. My dad told me.’
‘We still don’t know where to look!’ Ernie said. ‘We could dig all day and never find the treasure.’ ‘We’ll use my dad’s metal detector,’ explained Jade. ‘It’ll go ping when we’re near the treasure.’
‘If metal detectors work(有效，适用on ghost gold!’ muttered Ernie. ‘Well, it might work,’ said Jade. ‘At least we can try.’
So they looked for the treasure … But they didn’t find it … so they looked again … and again … … They looked again … and again …

Then PING PING PING went the metal detector. It was the treasure! They dug up Captain Pegleg’s ghost treasure chest 箱子 filled with gold. It was ghost ( gold, so it wasn’t as heavy as real gold. They started to carry it back to the ship.
At least, that’s what they started to do. But as they were walking back towards the school, the ghost treasure chest began fading away. Captain Pegleg began fading, too. ‘Goodbye, Captain Pegleg,’ Jade whispered.
‘The ghost ship faded away because we found Captain Pegleg’s treasure,’ Ernie told Class Four the next day. ‘There never was a ghost ship,’ said Louie.
‘Oh yes, there WAS!’ shouted Ernie. ‘Oh no, there WASN’T!’ shouted everyone else. Somewhere else, somewhere far away, a ghost seagull cried. But nobody heard it, except Ernie and Jade and Mrs Wiggins.
14 第十四篇
Micro the Metal Dog 1
Micro arrives On Daniel’s birthday, he woke up and found a big box by his bed. It looked like a kennel. ‘A dog!’ cried Daniel. He’d wanted a dog for ages. He leapt out of bed and opened the kennel door. There was Micro. He was shiny and silver, with yellow flashing eyes. ‘That isn’t a real dog,’ said Daniel. ‘I know,’ said Mum. ‘But real dogs aren’t allowed in our flats. Just look what Micro can do.’
Mum turned to Micro. ‘Walk,’ she said. Micro stumped across the carpet on stiff(僵直的，不灵活的, jerky(不平稳的 legs. ‘Bark,’ said Mum. Micro opened his metal mouth. Was he barking? It was hard to tell. It was such a soft little sound. ‘Yip, yip, yip, yip, yip.’

‘Wag your tail,’ said Mum. Micro’s metal tail made a whirring sound as it went one way, then the other. ‘But I wanted a real dog,’ said Daniel. He was deeply disappointed.
‘Micro’s better than a real dog,’ said Mum. ‘He’s not noisy or messy. He always does what he’s told. Go on. Tell him to do something.’
‘Go back in your kennel, Micro,’ said Daniel. Micro turned round and clunked back into his box. ‘What a good dog!’ said Mum to Micro. ‘I think you’re the perfect pet.’
But Daniel didn’t seem to think so. He said, ‘Thanks, Mum.’ Then he ripped open(把…


撕开 the rest of his presents. All day and all night, Micro waited. But Daniel played with his other presents. He didn’t take Micro out once. Slowly, inside his dark box, Micro’s eyes lost their brightness. 2
Micro starts thinking Next morning, as Daniel left for school, Mum called after him, ‘You’re late, Daniel. WALK FAST!’ Alone in his dark box, Micro heard, ‘WALK FAST’. His robot brain started whirring. His little yellow eyes lit up as bright as ever. He came trundling out of his kennel. He raced along on his stumpy(短粗的，敦实的 legs, across the carpet. He went out through the open glass doors and he only stopped when his red nose hit the balcony. ‘CLANG!’
Daniel’s mum didn’t see him. She was too busy getting ready for work.
Micro looked down from the seventh floor. He could see the park, with green trees and grass. He saw people and furry things with four legs running about. Suddenly, Micro’s brain started thinking for itself. ‘Those are real dogs,’ thought Micro. He saw the real dogs running after sticks and balls. ‘Those real dogs are playing,’ thought Micro. They weren’t shut up and left alone by their owners in dark boxes.
His bright eyes glowed like fire. His robot brain whirred again. With every thought, it got more and more clever. Now it was making plans. ‘I will go down there,’ decided Micro, ‘and I’ll watch the real dogs. I will learn how to be like them. Then Daniel will play with me.’ But how could he get to the park? He was high up and the park was a long way down. 3
What real dogs do
Micro went back and hid behind the sofa. Then he saw his chance. Daniel’s mum went to work and Micro sneaked out(偷偷地溜出 through the door after her. He saw her press a button in the wall. Then she vanished through some sliding doors. His robot eyes flashed. ‘That is the way down,’ he decided.
He got up(站起来，直立 on his back legs. With his metal nose, he pressed the same button. DING! The lift came. Micro walked in. He rode down to the ground floor. The people in the lift with him stared. They looked puzzled, but no one said anything. In the park, Micro peeked out(偷看，窥视 from behind a tree. He saw the dog owners shout, ‘Come here!’ The real dogs took no notice. They ran off. He saw the dog owners shout, ‘Be quiet!’ But the real dogs barked even louder: ‘RUFF! RUFF! RUFF!’
The dogs didn’t do what they were told to do. But their owners still seemed to love them. They patted their heads and scratched(挠，抓 them behind the ears. Micro thought, ‘If I do what real dogs do, Daniel might scratch behind my ears.’
Micro knew he still had a lot to learn. So he followed a dog called Scruffy. Scruffy ran into his house like a mad thing, chasing(追赶 his own tail. Micro stood on his back legs and peeked through an open window. Scruffy chewed the carpet. He drank from the toilet bowl. Then a little girl came in and put her arms round Scruffy’s neck and hugged him. ‘You’re the best dog in the world,’ she said.
‘I want to be the best dog in the world,’ thought Micro, and now he knew how to do it. 4 ‘What’s the matter with you?’
Micro went back home. He rode up to the seventh floor in the lift. Daniel’s mum came back from work and he sneaked into the flat behind her. ‘Why are you out of your box?’ said Daniel’s mum, surprised. ‘Get back into your kennel.’ But Micro ran the other way. He opened his metal mouth. ‘Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!’ he roared, as he’d heard the real dogs do.



Daniel’s mum covered her ears, ‘Shhh! What a racket!’
Micro barked even louder, ‘RUFF! RUFF! RUFF!’ He rushed round in a circle, chasing his tail, until he was just a silver blur. He jumped up at Daniel’s mum. ‘Get down!’ she said. But Micro took no notice and jumped up even more. With his metal jaws, he chomped great bits out of the carpet. ‘Stop that, now!’ yelled Daniel’s mum. ‘What’s the matter with you? You’re supposed to be a good dog!’
Micro rushed into the bathroom. He stuck(伸出 his head down the toilet, just as he’d seen Scruffy do. Then he pulled his head out and shook water all over the place. It was the last straw. ‘I’m not putting up with this!’ said Daniel’s mum. ‘The stupid machine has gone mad!’
She grabbed Micro. She took him out of the flat and threw him down the rubbish chute. ‘Daniel never played with it anyway,’ she thought. ‘He won’t even miss it.’
Dented and battered, Micro lay in the dark basement with the rubbish bags. ‘What did I do wrong?’ he thought sadly. ‘I was only doing what real dogs do.’ But, instead of being loved, he’d been thrown out with the rubbish.
5 --- Where is Micro? Mum was right. When Daniel came home from school, he didn’t even notice that Micro was missing. But he did notice the chewed carpet. ‘Who did that?’ he said.
Mum said, ‘That dog! When I came home it went crazy! It was barking and chasing around in circles. It even stuck its head down the toilet.’
Mum went on, ‘I said, “Stop it!” but it took no notice! Just as if it had a mind of its own!’ ‘Really?’ said Daniel. ‘A mind of its own?’
For the first time, he was interested in Micro. He said, ‘Where is he?’
Mum looked a bit uncomfortable. ‘I threw him down the rubbish chute,’ she said.
‘What!’ yelled Daniel. ‘You threw my dog down the rubbish chute! How could you? He was my birthday present!’ Daniel rushed for the door. ‘Where are you going?’ said Mum. ‘To the basement. To find Micro!’ Mum felt really bad now. She called out after Daniel, ‘I didn’t think you wanted him!’
In the basement, Daniel saw a glint of silver among the rubbish bags. ‘Micro!’ he cried. Micro’s eyes lit up. He jumped up and tried to lick(舔一舔 Daniel’s face with his metal tongue. Daniel picked him up in his arms and carried him outside. ‘Stay here,’ he said to Micro. But Micro was already racing towards the park. He’d seen Scruffy!
With joyful barks, Micro ran to Scruffy on his stumpy, metal legs. His tail was wagging, even though no one had told it to. Daniel watched, amazed. Micro and Scruffy raced around together. They dug holes. They chased seagulls. They were having the time of their lives. Daniel threw a stick. ‘Fetch, Micro!’ he cried. Of course, Micro ran the other way. He fetched back an empty pizza box, and dropped it at Daniel’s feet. Daniel grinned, ‘You silly dog.’ Then Daniel patted Micro’s head. He scratched him behind his shiny, silver ears. ‘I always wanted a dog,’ he said. ‘and now I’ve got one.’
He put his arms around Micro’s metal neck. ‘I’ve got the best dog in the world.’

15 第十五篇
The king of football Introduction


This is the story of a boy who grew up to be a great footballer. His name is pele, and he was born in brazil. He played in four world cups between 1958 and 970 and he is probably the most famous footballer ever. This is how it all happened…

Chapter 1 pele dream It all started in 1940 when pele was born in a small village. Pele’s father was a professional footballer, but a serious injury meant that he never made much money from the game. So pele’s family was quite poor.
Pele did lots of jobs to help his parents. But he also played football in the streets with his friends. He decided he wanted to be a footballer like his father. Pele’s mother didn’t like the idea.

Chapter 2 pele plays for santos Nothing was going to stop pele making his dream come true. He played for several local teams, then at the age of 15 he was given a trial by a big club called santos. He was very talented, and santos took him on. Pele’s mother cried when pele told her, it meant her son would have to leave home to live in the city. Pele wad homesick too. But he stuck it out, and he soon had his reward. He scored a goal in his first game for team.
Chapter 3 pele-the black pearl It was the first goal of many . within a year, pele had a scored 32 goals for his club. Then he was chosen to play for his country, brazil. in his first two international games , he scored three goals. Soon football fans started calling him” the black pearl”.
Pele was still only 16. There was a world cup coming up in Sweden, and he wondered if he would be picked for the team. He listened closely when the players were announced on the radio..he had to sit down when he heard his name. Pele was 17 when he arrived in Sweden in 1958.he was the youngest player in the Brazilian team. He was quite small for a footballer, and very skinny, but everyone was expecting great things from him.
Chapter 4 pele’s first world cup
Pele had a knee injury, and he didn’t play until brazil’s third game, against the soviet union. But he scored a goal in the next match against wales, a 1-0 win. Then, in the semi-final game against France, pele scored a brilliant hat-trick-three goals in one game! Thanks to pele, his country’s team was in the world cup final.

Chapter 5 champions of the world! Brazil were playing against Sweden. The game started badly for brazil-Sweden were leading, 1-0. But before long brazil were 2-1 in the lead. Then, in the second half, pele scored twice. In
the end brazil won 5-2-they were the champions of the world! Pele’s team mates carried him round the pitch on their shoulders. It was a wonderful moment.


But there were troubles ahead….

Chapter 6 injury Pele became famous all around the world. He travelled to many countries with santos. He played almost 100 matches a year. It was very tiring and very hard on the body of a young player. Then in the 1962 world cup in Chile, pele played in the first game, but he was injured in the second. Now he was out of the tournament. Pele watched sadly as brazil went on to win the cup without him. He wondered if he would ever play for brazil again. Pele did recover, and he did play for brazil again in the world cup in England in 1966. But everything went wrong for brazil and for pele. He became injured again and was fouled time after time . Brazil lost-they were out. England won the final, but a sad pele was already back in brazil.
Chapter 7 goal 1000! This time pele was so tired he said he would never play in another world cup. He knew he would always be a target for the hard men in other teams, and he didn’t want to be badly hurt. For a while, pele thought that football might have lost its magic…
But pele’s love of the game was bound to return. He kept playing for Santos, and he kept scoring goals. Then, in 1969, he hit the net for the 1000th time! Pele was 29, a married man with children, and now the most famous and important player on the earth. Another world cup was coming up in Mexico in 1970. Pele was asked to play, and he almost said no . then he changed his mind and said yes. He left he still had something to prove. Lots of people said he couldn’t play in a world cup without getting injured. Pele wanted to show that they were wrong. He knew it was going to be difficult. There were several very strong teams in it. England were the world champions, and the Italian team looked very tough.
Chapter 8 pele comes back The Brazilian team spent three months together in a training camp, and everybody worked hard. Pele couldn’t wait for the tournament to begin …
Brazil did well. They won against five countries, including England, now they were to play in the final _against Italy!
Over 107,000 people crammed into the Azteca stadium in Mexico city to watch the game _and 600 million people round the world watched it on television. Brazil attacked from the kick-off, but the Italian team seemed very strong. Then pele hit a powerful header past the Italian keeper. Brazil were 1-0 up, and it seemed nothing could stop them from winning the cup now. But the Brazilian team gave away a stupid goal –the score was 1-1 Brazil soon came back, though. They scored a second goal, then pele set up another goal for one of his team mates. But the best goal was the last. Pele had the ball, and his captain, Carlos alberto, was steaming up on his right. Pele waited till the last moment, then made a brilliant pass to


carlos alberto who blasted the ball into the back of the net. Brazil 4, Italy 1! Pele never played in another world cup and retired as a player in 1977. He is still involved in the sport and does lots of charity work around the world.
Chapter 9 the king of football! But no one will never forget the day in mexico when brazil won the world cup for the third time _and showed that football could be a beautiful game. And at the heart of the greatest team was the greatest player_pele_the man the Brazilians call o rei__the king of football!
16 第十六篇
Arctic Hero --- the Story of Matthew Henson
By Alison Hawes

Introduction

In 1909 a black American explorer called Matthew Henson helped to discover the North Pole.

This story tells you how Matthew became an explorer and the dangers he faced in the bitter cold of the Arctic. Chapter 1: Running Away

As a boy, Matthew always longed for adventure. When he was about 12 years old, he ran away to sea. He joined a ship as a cabin boy, peeling potatoes and cleaning the decks.

When he left, at the age of 18, he had already traveled the world. Chapter 2: Matthew Meets Robert Peary

A few years later Matthew was working in a shop when he met an explorer called Robert Peary.

Robert offered him a job, as his servant, working in the jungles of Central America. Matthew was keen to travel again, so he took the job.

While they were in the jungle, one of Robert’s survey team fell into some quicksand. The man was so frightened, he left the expedition.

Matthew asked if he could take over the man’s job, and he never worked as a servant again. After working in the sticky heat of the jungle, Robert’s next trip was to the bitter cold of the Arctic. He asked Matthew to come with him as a member of his team.

He and Matthew then spent the next 18 years exploring the Arctic together. Chapter 3: Matthew in Greenland




They began by making several trips to Greenland, where the Inuit people (因纽特人，过去称为爱斯基摩人，居住在北美北部严寒地区 helped them to learn the skills they needed to survive in the Arctic.

Matthew quickly learned to speak Inuit and became good friends with the people. They called him “Matthew-the-kind-one”(好人马修.

They learned how to fish for charr（嘉鱼） and hunt for seals. They learned to build igloos（雪屋）and make clothes and boots from animal skins. They also learned to build sledges（雪橇）and drive teams of husky dogs. In fact, Matthew soon became an expert（专家）sledge driver.

Matthew and Robert traveled across the unexplored ice fields in the north of Greenland. They made maps and helped to show that Greenland is an island. They also found three enormous（巨大的）meteorites（陨石）.

But even with help from the Inuit, the Arctic was a dangerous place for Robert and Matthew to be（生存）. Once they were out hunting when a musk ox suddenly charged at（向…冲去）Robert. Just in time, Matthew saved Robert’s life. He shot the ox with his last bullet.

Another time they were hundreds of miles from camp when they ran out of food. They were cold and weak, and a man traveling with them was dangerously ill. In the end they had to eat their dogs or（否则）starve to death. Chapter 4: To the North Pole

Despite（尽管 =in spite of）the dangers, Robert and Matthew bravely went back to the Arctic again. This time they wanted to do something no one had ever done before. They wanted to try to reach the North Pole. But on their first attempt Robert’s feet became badly frostbitten（严重冻伤）.
Robert was in such pain that he couldn’t walk or even stand. As soon as they could travel, Matthew strapped（捆绑） Robert to a sledge and rushed 250 miles to base camp（大本营）, where there was a doctor. The doctor had to take off eight of Robert’s toes.

But still Robert and Matthew would not give up. Three more times they tried to reach the Pole. Each time they got closer than before. But each time they were beaten back by blizzards（暴雪） or melting ice. Chapter 5: One Last Chance

In 1908 Robert and Matthew sailed from New York to make their fifth attempt to reach


the Pole. But they agreed（达成共识）, because of their age, that they would make this their last trip to the Arctic. This would be their last chance to reach the North Pole!

On their way north, they stopped in Greenland to buy the huskies, furs and equipment（设备）that they needed. They also visited several villages to hire Inuit men and women to come with them and help them on their last journey.

As their ship sailed further north, the sea began to freeze over. At first the ship was able to cut through the ice, but as the ice got thicker they sometimes had to use dynamite（炸药）to help them break through.

In the end the sea ice was just too thick and they could go no further. So they set up their base camp on an island off the coast of Canada（靠近加拿大海岸线的）. They spent the winter getting ready for their last attempt to reach the Pole.

In the spring they were ready to set out. Robert put the men into teams and they began setting up a line of camps across the sea ice. At each camp they left food, equipment and igloos for Robert and Matthew to use on their way back from the Pole.

But this was not easy. Time and time again they were held up by the ice and the bad weather. At times the ice was so jagged it broke their sledges. Other times it was so high that they had to drag their heavy sledges over it by hand.

The ice creaked and moaned and cracked open without warning.

Once Robert was going to sleep when he heard a noise. Looking outside, he saw a crack open up around one of the other igloos! He and Matthew shouted to the men who just had time to leap to safety（差点来不及跳到安全的地方）.

When they were 130 miles from the Pole, they set up their last camp. Robert sent the last support team back to base camp, as they were no longer needed.

Then, with Matthew and four Inuit men, he set off on the last leg of their journey to（踏上他们去往…的最后一段路程）the Pole itself. For once the ice was smooth and the weather good, and for the next few days the six men made good speed. But, just a few miles from（就在离…几英里的地方）the Pole, Matthew suddenly fell through the ice. Luckily one of the men was close by and pulled him out before he drowned. Later that day the six men reached the Pole. It was 6th April 1909.

After years of hard work, disappointments and danger, Robert and Matthew had done it（成功了）at last. They were the first people ever to stand at the North Pole! Chapter 6: Back Home




Matthew and Robert arrived back in New York months later, expecting to be treated as heroes. But this was not to be. While they were away, a man called Frederick Cook had claimed to have reached the North Pole before them!

In the end, Cook’s claim was shown to be a hoax. Robert, being the leader of the expedition, was rewarded with the fame and medals he deserved（配得到，应得的）.

But sadly in America at that time, black people were given little respect. So, at first, Matthew was not rewarded for his part（发挥的作用）in the expedition. Chapter 7: Rewarded at Last

It wasn’t until（直到…才） he was an old man that Matthew was given any rewards for his part in reaching the North Pole. And even now, years after his death, the world is still only just learning about this great explorer. In 2000 the greatest medal an explorer could ever wish for --- the Hubbard medal --- was awarded to Matthew’s niece on Matthew’s behalf.

Matthew Henson --- the man who helped to discover the North Pole --- would now be remembered by people all over the world!
17 第十七篇
Pioneer Girl --- the Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
By Pat Thomson

Introduction

This is the story of how Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up in America about 120 years ago. Her pioneer（拓荒者）father loved to explore new places. This meant they had to make new homes in each different State he took them to.

America was a wild（荒野的）place in those days and that is why Laura had so many adventures（历险）.

Did I ever tell you about the night the wolves howled（嗥叫）?

We sat together in our little house made of logs（原木做成的）. Outside, the wolves sat in a circle around the house. Our only door was a quilt（棉被）! Yes, a quilt from the bed. It was the only thing between us and the wolves. But I had better begin at the beginning（从头讲起）.
Chapter 1: Our Little House in the Big Woods

I was born in Wisconsin, America, on 7th February 1867. We lived in a little log house


in the middle of the big woods（树林）. There was Pa, Ma, my older sister Mary, and me, Laura Elizabeth Ingalls. My younger sisters, Carrie and Grace, were born later.

One of the most important members of the family was Jack, our dog. I loved him. He went hunting with Pa and brought home our dinner. He was our guard dog as well.

The big woods were dangerous. There were bears and panthers（黑豹）out there. It was a wild, wild place. Ma once slapped（扇一巴掌）a bear! It was dark and snowing hard. Ma thought the bear was Sukey, our cow. “Get over（滚开）,” she shouted to the bear. Then we had to run! We were lucky to get back into the house safely and slam the door（砰地关上门）. Bears are dangerous but this bear was as surprised as we were.

Mary and I helped Ma around the house. There were no shops. We had to make everything. Can you guess how we got our sugar? We drained the sap from the maple trees（让枫树干流出树汁）and boiled it. Then we poured it into pans to harden into sugar loaves.

However hard it was, we always celebrated Christmas. In the big woods, we would pour hot maple syrup on the snow to make candy shapes. Chapter 2: Moving West

Pa was a real pioneer. He wanted to travel to the new lands in the West.

So, one day, in 1869, we left our safe little house in the woods and set off. Our wagon（四轮马车）was waterproof（防水的）like a boat, and it had a canvas roof like a tent. Pa laid his fiddle（小提琴）carefully in the back, but he kept his gun handy（把枪放在手边）.

Jack had to swim behind the wagon as we crossed the rivers. There were no bridges then. We had to cross a river which was flooding（正在暴涨）. The wagon started to float.

Pa jumped in and swam, holding the frightened horses. We just made it to the other side, but Jack had gone. I thought of（想起）poor Jack trying to swim. I cried. By the time we camped for the night, the wolves were howling. At bedtime I saw something. There were green eyes shinning in the firelight. They came nearer. Pa raised his gun. The next moment, I screamed! It was Jack, our Jack, licking my face. He hadn’t drowned（淹死）and he had found us.

Our wagon rolled on across miles of grassland. We had reached Kansas. This was Indian country（印第安人居住区）--- the prairies（（美国北部及加拿大）大草原）. There were deer in the woods, rabbits and prairie chickens in the grass, and fish in the rivers.

“There’s lots of food here,” said Pa. “This is where we’ll build our house.” Chapter 3: Our Little House on the Prairie




Do you remember I told you about the house where we had a quilt for a door? Well, this was that house.

Soon after those wolves came, Pa made us a wooden door, as well as beds, stools（凳子）and a table. Inside, I felt safe.

Then, other visitors came. The Indians didn’t like us newcomers building houses on their land. One day when Pa had gone hunting, two fierce-looking（面目凶狠的） men walked into our house. They had feathers in their hair and stood very still（一动不动地站着）.

Ma baked them cornbread. We were all silent. Then they left. Ma was frightened, but Pa said later that the Indians were not our enemies.

A lot happened in the short time we were there. Carrie was born and Ma was ill. Fever and fire swept through the prairies.

Pa wanted to move back to Wisconsin, the place where I was born. Ma agreed. She had started to talk about school. She had once been a teacher and she worried about our schooling.

In 1874 we set off for Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Pa stopped the wagon. “Here we are,” he said. “But there’s nothing here!” said Ma. “Wait and see!” said Pa.

There was only a grassy river bank, willow trees and a path leading through the waving grasses.

Chapter 4: Our House on Plum Creek

We followed the path down to the creek（溪）. There was a door in the bank! We were to live in a home dug out of the bank.

Inside it was dark, but the earth walls（土墙）and floor were swept smooth. The ceiling was made from willow branches stuffed with hay. The tiny（极小的）window was greased paper. Our chimney stuck（伸出来）straight out of the grassy bank.

Pa began to grow crops. We had to start school. After all I was seven now. It was at school that I met my greatest enemy. I shall call her Nellie Oleson. She was proud and rich and she was cruel to me. Once she pulled my hair. But then, one day, I got my own back（报仇）. She was playing in the creek. I pretended（假装）that a big old crab was grabbing Nellie’s toes. In she fell! Her fancy（高级的）clothes were covered in mud.

That was fun, but I have to tell you that, in many ways（在许多方面）, it was a sad time.
In summer, grasshoppers came and ate everything Pa had planted. In winter, terrible


blizzards（暴雪）froze us（把…冻得要死）. Ma gave birth to a baby boy --- but then he died. Worst of all（最糟糕的是）, Mary was so ill she became blind. Chapter 5: Town on the Prairie

After that Pa got a job, in 1879, in Dakota. It was at a rowdy railroad camp（铁路工地）. The men who built the new railways were rough（粗鲁）and wild（野蛮）.

Ma did not like it. She had baby Grace now and we were older. She still worried about our schooling. It was time to live nearer a town. So we moved to the town of De Smet. There were real streets and shops. There was even a church.

Pa claimed（认领）farm land just outside the town. It was free for pioneers like us. Whenever（无论何时）we met other pioneers, I was shy. After all, I had always lived in wild places and I wasn’t used to meeting new people.
That year, the winter was bad. One morning we found the cows with their heads frozen to the ground! They had to be cut free（砍开）. It was getting colder and colder and the snowstorms began. They lasted all day and night. We moved into a house in town, then into one room of the house, trying to keep warm. We huddled round the stove. The food began to run out. There was no more oil for the lamps. Pa was worried. “Even the train can’t get through,” he said. “We’re cut off.”

The cold went on and deepened. Christmas dinner that year was a can of soup. We grew thin and weak. Pa stopped playing his fiddle（小提琴）, but he never gave up hope. One night the roaring wind stopped. Instead, I heard a dripping noise（滴水声）. The ice was melting at last!

That year we had our real Christmas dinner in May, when the first train came with supplies of food（食物供应）. We went back to our farm in the country and there we stayed for many years.

I did well at school（学习成绩很好）. I even got a job. We were saving up（攒钱）to send Mary to a College for the Blind.
Chapter 6: Writing my Adventures

When I was 15, I became a teacher. Later I married Almanzo Wilder who had brought us food during the blizzard. We had a daughter called Rose. Rose loved to hear my stories, so I began to write about my adventures. One day they would become books for children to read.

I wanted to tell children about the things I remembered best.




I remember Jack, of course, those long wagon journeys, and the wild animals and lonely places. Home was where Pa’s fiddle was hung on the wall. It was wherever Pa put up a shelf for Ma’s china shepherdess（陶瓷牧羊女）. It never got broken.

We were poor, but we made the best of what we had.

When I look back, I remember one thing most of all --- we used to sit round the fire, singing, Pa playing his fiddle. It didn’t matter where we were. If we were together, we were happy.

18 第十八篇
My Friend,Mandela Introduction：
Nelson Mandela was the most famous prisoner in the world. He is probably now one of the most famous grandfathers in the world! Here he is celebrating a birthday with his family. This book is about another grandfather,who is not world-famous. He is talking to his young grandson about Nelson Mandela. The young grandson is called Andile (And-eel-ay and he is growing up in a very different South Africa to that of his grandfather and Nelson Mandela. Andile has friends who are both black and white,and knows little of the struggle that Nelson Mandela fought for a better life for South Africa’s black people. So,Andile’s grandfather tells him that story. Andile calls his grandfather tamkhulu,which means grandfather. Chapter1: Childhood (1918-1941 Nelson Mandela was a country boy. When I first knew him he lived in a small village near the Indian Ocean,in a hut shaped like a beehive. Whit his and his three sisters,he ate meals out of a communal pot. The food was usually samp,a porridge made from corn on the cob. Mmm,it was delicious! He was five,even younger than you,when he became a herd boy. He looked after the sheep and cows. It wasn’t all hard work. He played tag and hide-and-seek with his friends,just like you do. The winters were cold,I remember,so sometimes he would wear a blanket. And he loved to drink the warm milk straight from the cow. When he turned seven his father sent him to school. He was the chief of the village and he wanted his son to look good. He cut down a pair of his trousers and tied them with string round his tummy to hold them up. It was a Methodist Church school and he began to learn English. The teacher,Miss Mdingane,gave each pupil an English name. Who knows why she did this? But suddenly,he was called Nelson. Did you know,he was a famous English admiral? Then Nelson’s father fell ill and died. It was a blow,but now he had a stroke of luck. His father was a cousin of the king. Andile: Aah,so be was a prince? Not really······So the regent,the king’ s son,invited him to · live in the royal palace. He had a good education. And he learnt about his own people,the Xhosas,how they had fought bravely against the British,though they lost much of their land. The regent liked him-maybe because he worked hard and was ready to pull his weight. One job he liked doing was to iron the regent’s trousers. People have always said Mandela is


fashionably dressed. The regent sent him to boarding school,and afterwards to a university for black students. But then he found a wife for Nelson. He was only 22,too young to get married. So he ran away. Of course,the regent was cross,but what could Nelson do? Andile,his Xhosa name is Rolihlahla. Do you know what it means? ·· ·“The troublemaker”. That’s what people said he would be.
Chapter2: A Leader (1941-1962 So he went to Johannesburg,the City of Gold. It was a good place for rich white people but hard work for the back men who dug out the gold in the mile below the ground. He decided to study law. He had barely enough money to buy candles for light to read in his room. But he passed the exams,and with his friend,Oliver Tambo,they opened a lawyers’ office. Apartheid is gone now,Andile,but it was bad. It meant separating white and black people,but whites got the better things. Black children often went to school without breakfast,walking barefoot for miles. There could be a hundred pupils in one classroom. Think of that! So Nelson joined the African National Congress,which helped black people. He became one of its leaders. He was away from home and married by then. One day his son asked his mum: “Where does daddy live?”He was only five. It made Nelson sad. You have heard how he liked to keep fit by doing exercises every day? He was a keen boxer. Andile: Why did be like it,tamkbulu? He’s over six feet tall and was quite strong. He said boxing taught him to stand up to bullies. Eventually,he and his friends realized that peaceful protests would not change the laws. They decided to fight the government. Nelson became the commander-in-chief of the army,the Spear of the Nation. Andile: A soldier! It was long ago,my boy. The police wanted to arrest him for this. He disguised himself in old clothes and grew bread. He was captured and put on trial. He escaped and was working as a chauffeur when the police caught him again. He was prepared to die for the freedom of his people! The judge sentenced him to prison for the rest of his life. He was 45 years old. The government thought it had got the better of him. Andile: And bad they? Wait and see. Chapter: Prison (1962-1990 The prisoners were considered dangerous. The police flew them to place with penguins,antelopes and a lovely view of Table Mountain. But it was no holiday in the sun. It was a fortress,guarded day and night. His cell was tiny. He could cross it in three paces. At first he slept on a mat on the floor. In winter he shivered under thin blankets. He had to wear a shirt,shorts and sandals. They worked in the blinding light of a lime quarry. The food was not at all nourishing. But on Christmas Day they were given an extra cup of coffee. Andile: No turkey and Christmas pudding? Don’t joke,please.
It was awful being separated from their families. They were allowed to receive only one letter every six months. How they looked forward to news of their loved ones. Nelson said a letter was like the summer rain which makes the desert bloom. But at night they worked hard at their studies and educated themselves. And he did his exercises before dawn.


Secretly,in the long nights,he wrote the story of his life and buried the book in the yard because it was forbidden under the prison laws. It was smuggled out. That is the book you see in the shop windows,Long Walk to Freedom. After many years things became better. The outside world began to hear about them. People wore T-shirts saying,“Release Nelson Mandela”. In London,the BBC organized a huge pop concert at Wembley Stadium to celebrate his seventieth birthday. He was becoming as big a nuisance inside prison as he had once been outside. Andile: Your friend had a pop concert,tamkhulu! Nelson wrote that he knew some day he would feel the grass under his feet and walk in the sunshine as a free man. In 1990,he was freed from prison. For twenty-seven years no one was allowed to see his face. Now,millions could at last see him on television. Four years later he became president of our country,South Africa. For the first time,all our people,white and black,in cities and small villages,voted in the election. He tried hard to make all the people live together in friendship. When he met the Queen of England,they walked in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. He told her he was still a country boy at heart. He wanted to build a home near his boyhood village where he would spend his old age. Andile: I would like to visit him there,tamkhulu. Story background: Apartheid was the law of racial segregation which allowed the white minority to keep political power in South Africa. Between 1948 and 1994 the white National Party used this law to discriminate against the rest of the population. Today there are over 40 million people in South Africa from lots of different backgrounds. That is why it is sometimes called “The Rainbow Nation”.
South Africa is beginning to grow away from the bad years of apartheid. Many people travel there now on holiday or for their work. South Africa sportspeople,both black and white,are now taking part in events at the highest levels. This was not always possible because of apartheid.



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