The Long Walk一次長途散步

Jimmy loved ice-cream. It was his favorite dessert1. He wanted to eat ice-creamall the time. His parents let him have a small dish each night after dinner， if he ateall of his vegetables. At home， Jimmy usually had milk or strawberry ice-cream. Hismother scooped2 it out of the carton3 and into his bowl.

吉米喜歡冰激凌。這是他最喜歡的甜點。他無時無刻不在想著吃冰激凌。如果他每天晚飯吃完所有的蔬菜，父母會讓他在飯后吃一小碟。在家里，吉米一般會吃牛奶或草莓味的冰激凌。他媽媽把它從紙盒里舀出來，放進他的碗里。

Jimmy liked eating ice-cream at home， but he really loved going to the icecreamstand4 to get an ice-cream cone5. There were so many different flavors6 totry！ Jimmy always tried a new kind of ice-cream each time.

吉米喜歡在家吃冰激凌，但他更喜歡去冰激凌攤買冰激凌甜筒。那兒有許多不同的口味可以嘗試！吉米每次都會嘗試新口味的冰激凌。

When Jimmy turned eight， he had a checkup7 at the doctor’s office. The doctorsaid that ice-cream wasn’t a very healthy snack8. “It’s fine to have a little icecreamonce in a while， but not every night，”she said.

八歲時，吉米在醫生的辦公室做了一次健康檢查。醫生說冰激凌不是非常健康的零食，她說：“可以偶爾吃點冰激凌，但不要每晚都吃。”

After the doctor’s visit， Jimmy and his mom drove home.“Can I still have icecreamfor dessert tonight？”Jimmy asked.

看完醫生后，吉米和媽媽開車回家了。“我今晚還能吃冰激凌當甜點嗎？”吉米問。

“I don’t think so， honey，”Mom said.“We should all try to be healthier.”

“我覺得不行，親愛的。”媽媽說，“我們都應該努力變得更健康。”

That night at dinner， Jimmy ate all his vegetables. But there was no ice-creamfor dessert. Instead， Mom came up with a new rule“. If we want to eat ice-cream，we’ll have to earn9 it by walking to the ice-cream stand，”she said.

那天享用晚餐時，吉米吃光了所有的蔬菜，但沒有冰激凌當甜點。相反，媽媽提出了一個新的規則。她說：“如果想吃冰激凌，我們就必須走到冰激凌攤那兒去買。”

Jimmy was willing to give it a try， so they decided to take their walkon Saturday afternoon. According to the map， the ice-cream stand was a kilometeraway.

吉米愿意試一試，所以他們決定周六下午去散步。根據地圖顯示，那個冰激凌攤在一公里外的地方。

Saturday was a hot and sunny day. Jimmy began to feel sweaty10“. I’m hot，”said Jimmy.“How much farther is it？”Mom checked the map on her phone.“We’renot even halfway yet. Do you want to turn around？”

星期六是一個炎熱又晴朗的日子，吉米開始出汗了。“我好熱。”吉米說，“還有多遠啊？”媽媽用手機查了查地圖，“我們還沒走到一半。你想回去了么？”

Jimmy did want to turn around， but he also wanted ice-cream. Walking was theonly way to get it. Jimmy and Mom crossed several streets. They passed his schooland the playground. Jimmy’s legs felt heavy. He wanted to sit down， but there wereno benches11 around. There were a few trees， but they didn’t do much to shade12the sidewalk.

吉米確實想回去了，但他也想吃冰激凌，走下去是得到它的唯一方法。吉米和媽媽穿過了幾條街道。他們經過了他的學校和操場。吉米感覺腿很沉重。他想坐下來，但周圍沒有長椅。有幾棵樹，但并沒有給人行道遮多少蔭。

“Mom？”Jimmy asked. He was about to quit13. He looked up to tell Mom he was ready to turn around.

“媽媽？”吉姆問。他想要放棄了。他抬起頭來告訴媽媽他準備回去了。

But when he did， he could see the purple flag at the top of the ice-cream stand.They were almost there！ Jimmy started to walk faster. He could almost taste the cool，creamy14 ice-cream already. It was a long walk， but it was worth15 the trip.

但是當他這么做的時候，他可以看得到冰激凌攤上的紫色旗了。他們快到了！吉米開始加快腳步。他幾乎已經能嘗到冰涼的奶油冰激凌了。這次路程很長，但值得一走。

▏Notes

1. dessert （正餐后的）甜點

2. scoop 用勺舀，用鏟子鏟

3. carton 硬紙盒，塑料盒

4. stand 貨攤，售貨亭

5. cone （盛冰激凌的）錐形蛋卷筒，蛋筒冰激凌

6. flavor 滋味

7. checkup 檢查；健康檢查

8. snack 零食，點心，小吃

9. earn 贏得，博得

10. sweaty 出汗的；吃力的

11. bench 長凳，長椅

12. shade 背陰處，陰涼處

13. quit 離開（某地）；停止，戒掉

14. creamy 似奶油的，柔滑細膩的

15. worth 值得的