Charlotte's Web

by E.B.White

11级对外汉语 2班 少玲、王玉

About the author and the book

The excerpt of chapter1

Appreciate the sentences

About the authorE.B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921, then travelled about trying many sorts of jobs, and finally joined the New Yorker magazine. He kept animals on his farm in Maine, and some of these creatures crept into his stories and books. In 1970 Mr. White received the Laura Ingalls Wilders Adward, given every five years for distinguished services to children's literature by the American Library Association.Maybe you don’t know who he is, and aren’t acquainted

with Charlotte’s Web. But maybe you know Stuart Little ( 精灵鼠小弟 ) which is based on the book of the same name by the author. He still has a fairy tale called The Trumpet of The Swan( 《吹小号的天鹅》 )

About the bookIn the barn of Zuckerman’s house, there lived a group of animals happily. One pig Wilbur and a spider Charlotte established the most sincere friendship. However, One of the most ugly news broke the quiet of the barn: Wilbur‘s future destiny would become bacon and ham. As a pig, Wilbur seemed to accept the fate of losing his life helplessly. While seemingly insignificant Charlotte said, “I will save you.” Therefore, Charlotte wore some words which was considered as a miracle on her web and turned Wilbur’s life around thoroughly, and then finally let Wilbur won the special prize in the bazaar and enjoyed a destiny with a future. Unfortunately, at the same time, The spider Charlotte's life was coming to an end….

‘Where’s Papa going with that axe?’ said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. ‘Out to the hoghouse,’ replied Mrs. Arable. ‘Some pigs were born last night.’‘I don’t see why he needs an axe, ’continued Fern, who was only eight.‘Well’ said her mother, ‘one of the pig is a runt. It’s very small and weak, and it will never amount to anything. So your father has decided to do away with it.’

FernMrs. ArableMr. Arable

‘Do away with it?’ shrieked Fern.‘You mean kill it? Just because it’s smaller than the others?’Mrs. Arable put a pitcher of cream on the table. ’Don’t yell,Fern!’ she said. ‘Your father is right. The pig would probably die anyway.’ Fern pushed a chair out of the way, and ran outdoors. The grass was wet and the earth smelled of springtime. Fern’s sneakers were sopping by the time she caught up with her father.‘Please don’t kill it!’ she sobbed. ‘It’s unfair.’Mr. Arable stopped walking.‘Fern,’ he said gently, ’you will have to learn to control yourself.’

‘Control myself?’ yelled Fern. ‘This is a matter of life and death, and you talk about controlling myself.’ Tears ran down her cheeks and she took hold of the axe and tried to pull it out of her father’s hand.‘Fern,’ said Mr. Arable, ‘I know more about raising a litter of pigs than you do. A weakling makes trouble. Now run along!’‘But it’s unfair,’ cried Fern. ‘The pig couldn’t help being born small, could it? If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?’Mr Arable smiled. ‘Certainly not,’ he said, looking down at his daughter with love. ‘But this is different. A little girl is one thing, a little runty pig is another.’‘I see no difference,’ replied Fern, still hanging on to the axe. ‘This is the most terrible case of injustice I ever heard of.’

A queer look came over John Arable’s face. He seemed almost ready to cry himself. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘You go back to the house and I will bring the runt when I come in. I’ll let you raise it on a bottle, like a baby. Then you’ll see what trouble a pig can be.’ When Mr. Arable returned to the house half an hour later, he carried a carton under his arm. Fern was upstairs changing her sneakers. The kitchen table was set for breakfast, and the room smelt of coffee, bacon, damp plaster, and wood-smoke from the stove.

‘Put it one her chair!’ said Mrs. Arable. Mr. Arable set the carton down at Fern’s place. Then he walked to the sink and washed his hands and dried them on the roller towel.Fern came slowly down the stairs. Her eyes were red from crying. As she approached her chair, the carton wobbled, and there was a scratching noise. Fern looked at her father. Then she lifted the lid of the carton. There, inside, looking up at her, was the newborn pig. It was a white one. The morning light shone through its ears, turning them pink.‘He’s yours.’ said Mr. Arable. ‘Saved From an untimely death. And may the good Lord forgive me for this foolishness.’

Fern couldn’t take her

eyes off the tiny pig.

‘Oh,’ she whispered.

‘Oh, look at him! He’s

absolutely perfect.’

№.1 - It's very small and weak, and it will never amount to anything. 【译文】它长得又小又弱，没有任何可留下来的价值了。【短语笔记】 amount to【双语释义】 (1)To add up in number or quantity:    总共，合计：数字或数量加在一起：【例】 The purchases amounted to 50 dollars.（买东西总共花了 50 美元。）(2)To add up in import or effect:    等同，接近：重要性或效果相当于：【例】 That plan will never amount to anything.（那个计划无关紧要。）(3)To be equivalent or tantamount:    等于，如同：【例】 accusations that amount to an indictment （等同于是起诉的控告）

№.2 - "But it's unfair," cried Fern. "The pig couldn't help being born small, could it? If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?"【译文】 " 可是这不公平， " 芬哭叫着。 " 这头猪愿意让自己生下来就小吗，它愿意吗？如果我生下来时也很瘦小，你就会杀死我吗？ "【评注】 This sentence touches the most sensitive nerve of us as humans. Every life has its right--by a little girl speak to the world of adults. Also let us can’t help signing: why do people look at something and straight away make a judgement? We may have heard the phrase 'never judge a book by its cover' but it's not so easy to do!【短语笔记】 couldn't help doing - 禁不住…；不得不…【例】 I couldn't help wondering, can we be friends with ex? （我不禁纳闷，我们可以和旧情人做朋友吗？）

  №.3 - Fern couldn't take her eyes off the tiny pig. 【评注】 Reading Charlotte’s Web, the biggest feeling is that the depth of the heart pure, real and clear. You can see, hear, smell, taste and touch【短语笔记】 not take one's eyes off - 始终注视着，目不转睛地注视着【例】 I couldn't keep my eyes off her amazing hairdo. （我目不转睛地盯着她令人惊喜的发型。）

Thank you.

EdithMyra