The Big Mistake大錯

Jeremy likes to help his family with thehousework. He spends time playing with his babysister while Mom cooks dinner. After dinner， he driesthe dishes for Dad. But Jeremy’s favorite job isfeeding Fletch. Fletch is the family cat.

杰里米喜歡幫助家人做家務。當媽媽做晚餐時，他會同他的小妹妹玩耍。晚飯后，他會幫爸爸擦干盤子。但杰里米最喜歡做的事是給弗萊徹喂食。弗萊徹是一只家貓。

One night after dinner， Mom asked Jeremy to findhis sister’s doll2. “I think she dropped it in the backyard this afternoon. She won’t be able to sleep withoutit. Can you take a look before it gets dark？”she said.Jeremy opened the kitchen door and ran outside. Thebright red doll was easy to find in the grass. Jeremytook it and ran inside.

一天晚飯后，媽媽讓杰里米去尋找妹妹的洋娃娃，她說：“我想她今天下午把它掉在后院了。沒有它她會睡不著的。你能在天黑前去找一下嗎？”杰里米打開廚房門跑了出去。亮紅色的洋娃娃在草叢中很容易找到。杰里米拿著它跑回屋里。

Later that night， Jeremy was ready for bed. Healways said goodnight to Fletch before turning out thelight， but the cat wasn’t in his room. Jeremy looked in the bathroom and hallway.Then he went downstairs3. Jeremy looked in the living room and dining room， butFletch was not there. When he got to the kitchen， Jeremy began to cry.

當天晚上晚些時候，杰里米準備睡覺了。他總是在熄燈前對弗萊徹說晚安，但小貓不在他的房間里。杰里米看了看浴室和走廊，然后下了樓。杰里米查看了客廳和餐廳，但弗萊徹不在那里。當杰里米來到廚房時，他哭了起來。

Mom looked up from her tea.“Jeremy， you should be in bed！ What’s wrong？”

媽媽放下茶抬起頭來。“杰里米，你應該睡覺了！出什么事了嗎？”

Jeremy cried and answered，“The back door is open！ And I can’t find Fletch anywhere！ ”

杰里米哭著回答道：“后門開著！而且我到處都找不到弗萊徹！”

“I think you’re right to be worried，”Mom said slowly. “Fletch may slipped4 out the door.”

“我想你這么擔心是有道理的。”媽媽慢慢地說，“弗萊徹可能溜出了門。”

Jeremy said， “Fletch ran away and it’s all my fault5！ I left the door open！ ”Mom hugged6 Jeremy. She sat next to Jeremy until he stopped crying. “Cats arevery smart，”she said.“Fletch may come home for breakfast.”

杰里米說：“弗萊徹跑了，都是我的錯！是我沒關門！”媽媽給了杰里米一個擁抱。她坐到杰里米身邊，直到他停止哭泣。“貓非常聰明。”她說，“弗萊徹可能會回家吃早餐。”

The next day morning， Jeremy ran downstairs and went straight to the backdoor. He opened it wide， and there was Fletch， licking7 his paw8 to wash his face.Fletch looked at Jeremy and meowed. Then he slipped inside the door and walkedstraight to his food bowl.

第二天早上，杰里米跑下樓，直奔后門。他敞開門一看，弗萊徹正在那兒舔爪子洗臉。弗萊徹看著杰里米，喵了一聲。然后它溜進門，徑直走向它的飯碗。

Jeremy was so glad that Fletch was safe. “Next time I’ll make sure I close thedoor nice and tight9，”Jeremy promised10.“Meow，”said Fletch.

杰里米非常高興弗萊徹平安無事。杰里米承諾道：“下次我一定把門關好。”“喵。”弗萊徹回應道。

（英語原文選自：readingvine.com）

▏Notes

1. mistake 錯誤；過失

2. doll 洋娃娃；玩偶

3. downstairs 順樓梯而下；往樓下

4. slip 溜走；悄悄地走

5. fault 責任；過錯

6. hug 擁抱

7. lick 舔；舔吃

8. paw 動物的爪子

9. tight 緊緊地；牢固地

10. promise 承諾；保證