張恒選譯
Elizabeth had two cats.
Their names were Micki and Minnie.
They looked the same.
Micki was a grey cat.
Minnie was a grey cat.
Micki had a white spot2 on her chest3.
Minnie had a white spot on her chest.
Elizabeth never knew which one was in her lap4.
She looked for her brother. He was on his way outside to his car.
“How do you tell one cat from another?” Elizabeth asked him.
“I think Mickis tail5 is a little longer,” her brother said.
He went out the door.
Elizabeth took a ruler from her desk. She measured6 the cats tails.
Mickis tail was 11 inches7 long.
Minnies tail was 11 inches long.
There must be some ways to know which is which, Elizabeth thought.
She meowed8 at the cats.
They meowed back at her.
Micki had a high, soft9 meow.
Minnie had a high, soft meow.
She looked into their eyes.
Mickis eyes were green, with a little yellow.
Minnies eyes were green, with a little yellow.
Elizabeths mother was on her way into the bathroom to take a shower.
“How do you tell one cat from another?” Elizabeth asked.
“I dont,” her mother answered.
She closed10 the door.
Elizabeth sat down on the sofa with a big sigh11.
She didnt know what to do.
“I will never tell these cats apart!” she thought.
She looked down at the cat who sat nearest her feet12.
“Which one are you?” she asked.
“Im Minnie,” the cat answered. “All you had to do was ask.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth blinked13.
The cat jumped into her lap.
Elizabeth smiled and began to pet14 her.
“Hi, Minnie,” she said.
伊麗莎白有兩只貓。
它們的名字叫米奇和米妮。
它們看起來完全一樣。
米奇是只灰貓。
米妮是只灰貓。
米奇的胸口上有一個(gè)白色斑點(diǎn)。
米妮的胸口上也有一個(gè)白色斑點(diǎn)。
伊麗莎白不知道是哪一只在她的腿上。
她去找她哥哥。他在外面,正在去往停車處的路上。
“你怎么區(qū)分這兩只貓?”伊麗莎白問他。
她哥哥說:“我認(rèn)為米奇的尾巴更長一些。”
他出門去了。
伊麗莎白從她的書桌上拿起一把尺子,測(cè)量了貓的尾巴。
米奇的尾巴長11英寸。
米妮的尾巴長11英寸。
伊麗莎白想,必須用某種方式知道哪只是哪只。
她對(duì)著貓喵喵叫。
它們回應(yīng)她喵喵叫。
米奇的喵喵聲音高而柔軟,
米妮的喵喵聲音也是高而柔軟。
她看著它們的眼睛。
米奇的眼睛是綠色的,略帶黃色。
米妮的眼睛也是綠色,略帶黃色。
伊麗莎白的媽媽正要去浴室洗澡。
“你怎么區(qū)分這兩只貓?”伊麗莎白問。
她媽媽回答:“我不知道?!?/p>
她關(guān)上了門。
伊麗莎白嘆了口氣,坐在沙發(fā)上。
她不知道該怎么辦。
她想:“我將永遠(yuǎn)無法分辨這兩只貓!”
她低頭看著那只離腳最近的貓。
“你是誰?”她問。
“我是米妮。”貓回答,“你只用問一聲就行了?!?/p>
“哦?!币聋惿渍UQ?。
貓?zhí)剿耐壬稀?/p>
伊麗莎白微笑著開始撫摸它。
“嗨,米妮?!彼f。
【Notes】
1. grey adj. 灰色的;灰白的
2. spot n. 地點(diǎn);斑點(diǎn)
3. chest n. 胸,胸部
4. lap n. 一圈;膝蓋
5. tail n. 尾巴
6. measure vt. 測(cè)量;估量
7. inch n. 英寸
8. meow v. 貓叫
9. soft adj. 軟的,柔軟的
10. close v. 關(guān)閉;合上;(使)關(guān)門
11. sigh v. 嘆氣;嘆著氣說
12. feet n. 腳
13. blink vt. 眨眼
14. pet vt. 愛撫,撫摸