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Little Women (1) |
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小婦人 (1) |
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On a cold December evening, with snow falling softly outside, the four March sisters gathered around the fireplace in their living room. Meg, the eldest of the girls, reminded her sisters Jo, Beth, and Amy that they would not be exchanging gifts this Christmas. At the time, the country was in the grips of a civil war. |
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"We ought not to spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering so in the army," she told them.
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The girls began to grumble about their hardship and remembered better days before the war when they had enough of everything. Suddenly, the clock struck six, and the girls were awakened from their daydreams. Mother would be coming home, and they needed to prepare a warm welcome. |
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Jo held her mother's slippers up to the light. "They are quite worn-out," she said. "Marmee must have a new pair." |
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"I thought I'd get her some with my dollar," said Beth. |
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"No, I shall!" cried Amy. |
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Jo cut in with, "I'm the man of the family now Papa is away, and I shall provide the slippers, for he told me to take special care of Mother while he was gone." |
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"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Beth. "Let's each get her something for Christmas, and not get anything for ourselves." |
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十二月的某個寒夜，外頭正悄悄下著雪，馬爾契家四姊妹齊聚在客廳的火爐旁。大姊梅格提醒妹妹喬、貝絲、艾美，今年聖誕節她們不會交換禮物了。這個時候國家正處於內戰。 |
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「此刻我們的同胞正在軍隊裡受盡苦難，我們不該花錢享樂。」 |
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女孩們開始抱怨她們的苦處，並且懷念起戰前那段衣食無缺的美好時光。突然，時鐘敲響六點，女孩們從她們的白日夢中回過神來。母親就快到家了，
她們得準備好熱情地迎接她
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喬將母親的拖鞋拿到燈光下：「這雙拖鞋都破損得差不多了。」她說道：「媽咪得換一雙新鞋。」 |
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「我想用我的錢為她買一雙。」貝絲說。 |
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「不，應該由我來買！」艾咪大叫。 |
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喬打插說：「現在爸爸不在，我就是一家之主，應該是我買拖鞋，因為爸爸囑咐我他不在時要特別照顧媽媽。」 |
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「我來告訴大家怎麼做，」貝絲說，「我們各自為媽媽準備聖誕禮物，我們自己的就不買了。」 |
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| fireplace |
n. |
壁爐 |
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| exchange |
v. |
交換；兌換 |
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| civil |
adj. |
國內的；公民的 |
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| grumble |
v. |
抱怨；埋怨 |
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| hardship |
n. |
艱辛；困難 |
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| worn-out |
adj. |
穿破、用破的；耗損到不能再使用的；累壞的 |
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