编辑推荐
地道的美式英语文本，正宗的美式朗读配音。
一套完整系统的原版美国小学教材读本，全套书提供了一系列生动有趣的故事，贴近孩子的生活，贴近孩子各个年龄段的兴趣。
每个故事的生词量都有科学的控制，避免因生词过多造成阅读障碍；新的单词和新的句型句式保持一定的重复率，孩子在故事的吸引下可以轻松完成阅读，并在不知不觉中学会了新单词和新句型。
全套书随着孩子年龄的增长而呈现出的难度梯度科学合理，孩子们循序渐进地阅读学习下去，会在不知不觉中大大提高英语水平，同时通过故事增长很多知识，获得许多乐趣，并在潜移默化中滋养了情感。
随着年龄的增长，孩子们的心智越来越成熟，他们越来越多地将眼光投向大自然和现实世界。本级读本继续提供不同类型、不同领域的故事，所选故事多为一流作家的作品。孩子们在精彩故事的吸引下，尽情享受着阅读的快乐。大量的阅读使学习语言、吸取知识、培养情感等成为潜移默化的过程。
第五级全部故事被分成了8 个主题单元， A 册和B 册各包含4 个单元
作者简介
埃尔松，美国教育界权威性人物，教育理论家,教育实践家,小学语文教材的主要编写者。
格莱，美国教育理论与实践研究工作者，有丰富的教材编写和出版经验。
目录
5A
目录
PART ONE SKYWAYS AND HIGHWAYS
第 一部分 空中航线与高速公路................................... 1
Knights of The Air
空中骑士........................................................2
The World Is Growing Smaller
世界越来越小....................................................4
WITH ADMIRAL BYRD IN LITTLE AMERICA
与海军上将伯德同游小亚美利加................................... 7
BALTO, THE BEST LEAD-DOG IN ALASKA
巴尔图，阿拉斯加*优秀的领头狗................................. 29
THE MAIL MUST GO THROUGH
邮件必须送达................................................... 43
LINDBERGH, PIONEER AIR SCOUT
林德伯格，先锋空中侦察兵....................................... 76
AIR MAIL
航空邮件....................................................... 97
A Backward Look
内容回顾..................................................... 99
PART TWO THE OUTDOOR WORLD
第二部分 户外世界.............................................. 101
I Love All of Out-of-doors
我热爱户外的一切............................................... 102
All The World Is A Zoo
整个世界就是个动物园................. ...................... 103
A MIDNIGHT LION HUNT
午夜猎狮................................................. 106
PEMBE KUBWA, THE BIG TUSKER
长牙象彭博. 库巴........................................... 123
THE LITTLE AMERICAN WOODCUTTER
小小美国伐木工.............................................142
WASTE LAND: A WILD-LIFE PRESERVE
荒原：野生动物保护区........................................ 153
DUNCAN’S BIRD TENANTS
邓肯的鸟房客.............................................. 163
THE BROWN THRUSH
棕鸫................................................. 173
THE FEATHERED MASTERS OF THE AIR
长羽毛的飞行大师........................................... 175
THE PINE CATERPILLAR
松毛虫.................................................. 182
FOUR-LEAF CLOVERS
幸运草.................................................. 195
THE WEATHER QUESTION
有关天气的问题.............................................. 197
THE LAKE AND THE SKY
湖泊与天空................................................. 199
THE GLADNESS OF NATURE
大自然的欢畅............................................... 201
A Backward Look
内容回顾............ ..................................... 203
PART THREE SIDRIES WE ALL SHOULD KNOW
第三部分 我们应该知道的那些故事......................... 205
My Story Book
我的故事书................................................ 206
“Tell Me A Story!”
“给我讲个故事！”........................................... 207
GUILLAUME’S FLUTE
纪尧姆的长笛............................................... 209
THE GOLDEN TOUCH
点金术.................................................... 227
THE NUREMBERG STOVE
纽伦堡火炉................................................. 268
HIAWATHA’S CHILDHOOD
海华沙的童年.................................. ............. 299
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................... 314
PART FOUR YOUNG AMERICAN CITIZENS
第四部分 年轻的美国公民.................................. 317
Song of Our Land
祖国之歌................................................... 318
What Is A Good Citizen
怎样才算是一名好公民.......................... ............... 319
A HERO FOR A FRIEND
为朋友而勇敢................................................ 321
BETSY FINDS A WAY
贝琪有办法................................................. 349
GEORGE WASHINGTON
乔治. 华盛顿................................................ 368
ROBERT E. LEE:
FROM MANLINESS TO MANHOOD
罗伯特. E . 李：从男孩到男人.................................... 370
JOSIE’S HOME RUN
乔希的本垒打............................................... 385
HOW A BOY SCOUT BUILDS A CAMPFIRE
童子军如何生火............................................. 406
LET THE FLAG WAVE
让旗帜飘扬................................................. 413
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................... 415
GLOSSARY
难词表......................................................417
5B
PART FIVE
BOYS AND GIRLS OF OTHER LANDS
第五部分 其他国家的男孩女孩们.............................................. 1
To Every Child of Every Land
致每一片土地上的每一个小朋友................................................... 2
Book Can Take Us Traveling
书籍可以带我们去旅行.......................................................... 3
GRANDMOTHER’S TRIP TO NAPLES
祖母的那不勒斯之旅............................................................. 5
EATEBAN, PAGE TO A CARNIVAL QUEEN
埃斯特班——狂欢王后的花童.................................................... 30
ABDUL AZIZ, A BOY OF THE DESERT
沙漠男孩——阿卜杜勒. 阿齐兹.................................................. 46
JOHN GOES DOWN TO TOY VALLEY
约翰去了玩具谷................................................................ 65
A Backward Look
内容回顾...................................................................... 88
PART SIX WORKERS AND THEIR WORK
第六部分 工人和他们的工作.............................................. 91
The Clock Calls to Work
时钟叫你去工作................................................................ 92
Machines Are Our Servants
机器是我们的仆人.............................................................. 93
CYRUS HALL McCORMICK INVENTS THE
REAPING MACHINE
赛勒斯. 霍尔. 麦考密克发明了收割机....................................... 95
THE STORY OF BREAD
面包的故事..................................................................... 110
DONALD’S VISIT TO THE WOOLEN MILLS
唐纳德的毛纺厂之行........................ .................................... 123
HOW CANDY MINTS ARE MADE
如何生产薄荷糖................................................................. 142
A Backward Look
内容回顾....................................................................... 149
PART SEVEN FAMOUS HEROES OF LONG AGO
第七部分 昔日英雄......................................................... 151
Arabian Nights
天方夜谭................................................................... 152
Some Stories Never Grow Old
永不过时的故事................................................................. 153
ALADDIN, OR THE WONGERFUL LAMP
阿拉丁与神灯.............................................................. 156
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES
阿里巴巴与四十大盗............................................................. 195
ROBINSON CRUSOE
鲁滨孙漂流记................................................................... 241
A Backward Look
内容回顾....................................................................... 298
PART EIGHT HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS
第八部分 假期与节日............................................................ 301
Every Day’s A Little Year
每一天都是一小年............................................................... 302
What Is A Holiday
什么是节日..................................................................... 303
DICK’S THANKSGIVING SNOWSHOES
迪克的感恩节雪鞋............................................................... 305
CHRISTMAS BELLS
圣诞钟声....................................................................... 326
PAT SANTA’S THRILLING RIDE
圣诞老人派特的惊险之旅......................................................... 328
SOMEBODY’S MOTHER
某人的母亲.......................................... .......................... 348
THE LITTLE FLAGS
小小的旗帜..................................................................... 351
A MILE AT A TIME
一次一英里..................................................................... 353
A MAY DAY PRINCESS
五月节公主..................................................................... 363
A Backward Look
内容回顾............................... ....................................... 376
GLOSSARY
难词表.......................................... ............................ 378
序言
国内第 一套来自美国的原版基础英语教材
语言的影响力与国力呈正相关。美国英语脱胎于英国英语，但独立趋势日益增强，无论是发音、拼写方式还是用法都逐渐自成一体。美国英语的使用范围日趋广泛，接受程度越来越高。
遗憾的是，现在国内盛行的正式出版且广为使用的基础英语教材要么为国内自编，要么引自英国，来自美国的原版基础英语教材几乎没有。这种状况与国人的实际需求是脱节的。鉴于此，我们特地从曾经在美国广泛使用的教材中精选了一套经典读本，取名为“美国幼儿英语”（原教材为学前部分）、“美国小学英语”（原教材为小学部分），以示区别。
我们之所以选中这套教材，主要是因为它具有以下几个鲜明的特点：
一、使用时间长，影响范围广。本套教材的编者埃尔松和格莱为20世纪上半叶美国*具影响力、*权威的阅读教学专家，被誉为“对整个美国教育史都有重大影响的人物”。他们编著的这套读本影响了美国几代人，尤其是美国“婴儿潮”那代人，都是读着这套教材长大的。如今，那一代人已成为美国社会各个领域的中坚力量，从当今总统、国会议员等政界领袖，到企业巨子和商业大亨，乃至科技、教育、文化、艺术等专业领域的权威名流，应有尽有。教材中塑造的很多人物或动物形象也已经成为美国家喻户晓的文化标志，频繁出现在电影、动画、绘画和其他文艺作品中。
二、选材广泛，内容经典。编者表示，编选这套读本的首要目的是引导学生成为主动、热心的读者，在愉悦的体验中获取知识，培养情操。为此，编者详细考察了整个儿童文学领域，从浩繁的经典中选取*符合儿童兴趣的内容，然后根据全国各地一线教师的反馈和建议，结合课堂实际需要进行调整、评估和分级，确保*终的选材是经典中的经典，同时容易为孩子所接受。
三、编排严谨，体系科学。教材的编者首次把新的“心理数据分析法”应用于教学之中，成效显著。在为本套书选材并分类时，他们同样采用科学分析的方法，充分考虑孩子的心理认知特点和规律，既着眼于趣味性和知识性，又注重教学的实用性和学生的接受能力。每一篇材料都严格控制生词的数量，并确定生词的*佳重复率，以减少学生阅读中的障碍，使他们在保持愉悦感的同时自然而然地掌握和巩固词汇。各册之间循序渐进、衔接自然，使孩子的阅读兴趣和阅读能力同步增长。
本套读本*显著的特点是按照儿童认知规律先感性、后理性的特点，采用绘本形式，由图到文逐渐过渡，即从以图带文到图文并重，*后过渡到图弱文强，让孩子逐步提高文字阅读能力。它在美国教材史上是经典，也让我们看到美国教材的活泼；它呈现给我们的英语完全符合我们心中对“美国英语”这个概念的定位。
对于这样一套经典的读本，我们在编辑过程中，对英文原文未作任何改动，完全忠实于它的原貌。一开始，你可能会发现有些表达和国内的用法不太一样，但仅仅是表面的不一样。随着你的阅读渐入佳境，你会进一步发现这里的英语活泼灵动，进而会喜欢上它。
对于国内的英语爱好者来说，这套英语读本是*好的礼物。它的中英双语呈现，也是青少年读者绝佳的语言学习材料和文学读物。全套书共分为《美国幼儿英语》和《美国小学英语》两部分。《美国幼儿英语》分为1～3级，每级1册，共3册，可作为幼儿园英语教材；《美国小学英语》分为1～6级，每级分A、B两册，共12册，可作为中国7～15岁英语学习者的学习教材。
愿读者真正感受到“美国英语”的魅力，享受学习“美国英语”的乐趣。
另外，为使读者充分利用《美国小学英语》，除了美音朗读，我们还开发了文本点读功能和部分阶段在线微课程（1~4级）。
文摘
5A文摘 WITH ADMIRAL BYRD
IN LITTLE AMERICA
CORAM FOSTER
At the bottom of the world, in the South Polar Regions, Admiral Byrd and his men lived for fourteen months where no man had ever been able to stay more than a month or two. During a part of this time it was impossible for them to leave or for anyone to get to them. Yet they listened to music and messages from all over the world, and almost every day they sent out to the world the story of what they were doing.
与海军上将伯德同游小亚美利加
克拉姆.福斯特
在世界的底端，也就是南极地区，海军上将伯德和他的队员居住了14个月之久。要知道，此前还从来没有人能在那里待上一到两个月。在其中的一段时间里，他们无法离开，别人也无法到他们那里去。然而他们可以听到来自世界各地的音乐和信息。而且，他们几乎每天都在向全世界讲述他们正在做的事情。
AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE WORLD
When the Byrd expedition sailed from New York City to Antarctica, it carried a library of a thousand volumes. This library was for the most part a collection of adventure stories which Admiral Byrd had selected to give pleasure to his men through the long darkness of the Antarctic night.
These books were all at hand whenever a man had a few hours off for candy eating and reading.There had been provided for every man on the expedition a hundred pounds of candy—about a quarter of a pound for each day the party remained in Antarctica. This amount of candy was at least four times what the men would have eaten back home, but it was no more than
enough for them. The terrific cold of Antarctica compelled every man to keep up in his body more heat than would have been necessary in warmer lands, and candy makes great heat in the body. Admiral Byrd believed in taking the best care of his party； for this reason his men always had candy to eat and books to read during leisure moments.
And certainly there was plenty of leisure after the dark months arrived, following the construction of the village of Little America upon Ross Ice Field. The buildings of this little settlement, arranged in three groups, formed the largest and the most nearly complete community that had ever been built in the Polar regions. They also provided both homes and workshops for Admiral Byrd’s men.
Of the chief group, the Administration Building was most important. Besides living quarters for a number of the party, including Admiral
Byrd, it contained a radio laboratory with instruments for sending and receiving messages. Directly behind this building were the house for
medical supplies and that which contained the food supplies. These two were separated from each other to reduce loss in case of fire. It was, indeed, the danger of fire which made it necessary to separate all of the main buildings from each other.
Chief among the buildings of the second group was the Mess Hall. Here were more living quarters, a radio station, a storehouse, and a photo workshop, all under one roof. A littledistance away were the quarters for the dogs, and the sledge-repair and blacksmith shop. The third group of buildings included the aviationrepair shop and storage space for the gasoline
supply.
在世界的底端
伯德探险队从纽约扬帆起航前往南极时，携带了由上千本书组成的一个图书馆。其中大部分书籍都是伯德上将特意为自己的队员挑选的历险故事，大家可以借此打发南极的漫漫长夜。
无论是谁，只要能有几个小时的空闲时间用来吃糖和阅读，就能随时在手头找到书。每一位队员在探险途中都有100磅糖果的配额——探险队留在南极期间每人每天大约可以分到四分之一磅糖果。这个分量的糖果是队员们在家里吃到的4倍还要多，但是这还远远不够。与气候温和的地区相比，极地的严寒天气迫使每个人都要在体内储存更多的热量，而糖果恰好可以满足这一需求。伯德上将一直悉心照料自己的队员。因此，他的队员在闲暇时光总是会有糖吃、有书读。
他们在罗斯冰原上建起小亚美利加之后，就迎来了南极地区的极夜。当然，这为他们提供了更多的闲暇时光。这个居住地的建筑分成了三个群落，形成了极地地区规模*大、几近完善的一个社区。它们既为伯德上将的队员提供了住处，又提供了工作场所。
在主要的群落里，行政楼占据着非常重要的地位。除了包括伯德上将在内的几名队员的住所外，它还有一间无线电实验室，里面安装了一些通信设备。这栋建筑后面，就是存放医疗用品和食品供给的仓库。这两个仓库是分开的，为的是减少火灾的损失。实际上，他们把所有的主要建筑全部分离开来，就是为了防范火灾。
第二个群落里的主要建筑被称为“综合楼”。楼内包括更多的生活区，一个无线电站，一间仓库，一间摄影棚。不远处就是狗舍，雪橇修理处，以及铁匠铺。第三个建筑群包括飞机修理处，以及汽油库。
THE LONG DARKNESS
None of Admiral Byrd’s important work inLittle America was done between late March andthe middle of October, 1929. This does not, of course, mean either that the sun vanished for all that period of time or that work stopped com-pletely. As a matter of fact, the sun was still a daily visitor in April, and it again became a daily visitor in late August. Moreover, even without the light of the sun, some outdoor activity was possible. There were always the twilight hours of noon-time provided by the moon.
No air flights could be made, however, andonly the most necessary travel with dog sledswas attempted； for even with the aid of the moon, the light at best was poor. There was another, even more important, reason why little
work could be done during these months: this was the time of the winter storms. These, in their full strength, brought winds that no man could stand against, and such snows as are unheard of elsewhere in the world.
When Little America was first set up on the Ross Ice Field, its tiny buildings made black spots against the surrounding whiteness. Long
before the winter was over, however, snow had banked and drifted over all except the tallest points. A bit of the roof of the Mess Hall could be seen at times. Some of the tall radio towers managed to stay clear. But the rest of the buildings could be located only by the unevenness of the snow’s surface where an airplane hangar, the dogs’ quarters, the Mess Hall, the gymnasium, or some other building lay buried.
No small part of those winter months was lived underground by Byrd and his men, or nearly underground. They went by tunnel from the dministration Building to the Mess Hall. By tunnel, too, they could reach others of the most important buildings. Poking their heads out of doors into the gray blackness of the night, Byrd’s men were almost sure at times that they heard the singing of birds. Often two of the men would look sharply at each other in wondering surprise as their ears caught sounds which were strangely like the shrill, sharp criesof animals.
At other times there were curious groans and moans. And even in the shelter of their quarters sometimes the men caught a rumbling, rolling
murmur which could have been nothing but a trolley car in the distance, except that they knew that there were no such things as trolley cars about. All these magic sounds, and more, were made by the restless shifting of the ice upon which their houses stood； by the pressure of the water beneath the ice； and by the furious winds which tore constantly at the roofs.
漫长的黑夜
伯德上将在小亚美利加的重要工作没有一项是在1929年3月下旬至10月中旬之间完成的。当然，这并不意味着在这段时间里太阳完全消失不见，就将工作完全处于停滞状态。实际上，整个4月份，以及8月底，太阳还是每天都会出现的。而且，就算没有太阳光，有些户外工作还是可以进行的。正午时分，还可以借助月亮的微弱光芒照明。
但是，在这里是不可以飞行的，只有一些必要的出行可以借助狗拉雪橇。因为就算是借助月光，那光芒也实在太过微弱。这几个月内很少工作的另外一个、也是更为重要的原因是：这是冬季风暴时间。没有人可以抵挡得住那么强大的风暴，而且，这里的降雪也是世界上其他地方闻所未闻的。
过隧道。当队员们把脑袋伸向室外黑漆漆的夜色中时，他们几乎确信自己能够听到鸟鸣。人们经常会突然间吃惊地看向身边的人，因为他们认为自己的耳朵似乎捕捉到了野兽的怒吼。
他们周围有时候也会传来奇怪的呻吟声与悲叹声。有时候，即使在住所内，人们也能听到远方传来像是有轨电车发出的那种轰隆声，只不过他们知道附近是不可能出现这种东西的。所有这些，甚至更多不可思议的声音，都是由冰块的不停运动发出的——冰下的水压以及屋顶上怒吼的狂风都可以造成冰块的移动——他们的房屋正是建筑在这些冰块之上。
5B文摘
GRANDMOTHER’S
TRIP TO NAPLES
HELEN COALE CREW
Mrs. Crew, who wrote this story especially for this book, has many times traveled in countries
across the sea, and she has always been interested in what the boys and girls of those lands do.
She has written many stories about them.
Mrs. Crew is herself a grandmother ； so she probably knows just how happy the grandmother in this story was over what the children did for her.
I
Ugo and Margaretta Bernado had four children. There was Mario, the eldest, who was fifteen； grave Annina, who was thirteen； twelve year-old Fioretta, gay and laughter-loving； and Tino, who was ten and full of mischief.
“Wife,” said Ugo, seeing the four busy about their work and happy about their play, “I think we have wonderful children.”
“Husband,” said Margaretta, laughing, “did I not only yesterday hear you calling Tino a lazy little good-for-nothing? And last week did you notcomplain that Fioretta was always tearing her clothes?”
At this, Ugo began to talk about something else, and then went out to do some work upon the farm. It was a good farm, left to him by his grandfather, and not more than four miles from Florence, that lovely city of Italy that is strung like a pearl upon the Arno River, and lies in a jewel-case of green hills whose lid is the sky.
Ugo was fortunate in owning his own farm, when so many of the farmers in Italy could only hire themselves out for farm work. A small stream ran through it； a little hill on which grew a few chestnut and mulberry trees rose up in one corner； and the earth gave good harvests of wheat and barley. The farmhouse was of stone, whitewashed over, and before it lay an old stone
threshing-floor. The upper story held the big kitchen and two bedrooms, and below were the stables and barn.
Two creamy oxen with spreading horns stood in the stalls； these oxen were the pride of Ugo’s heart. With them he plowed his land, drew the
wheat in his farm-cart from field to threshing-floor, and occasionally took the family to Florence. They always went, for example, to the Cathedral on Easter Day, each carrying a little pot of new-springing wheat, as a symbol of life in the springtime. Or they went at Christmas, to see the little wax image of the Christ Child in the manger and to sing carols, standing in the huge aisles.
Besides themselves and their children, there was Grandmother, old and bent, bright-eyed and busy, as she sat in her chair in the kitchen. There were six stools about the table, and one chair, an American rocking-chair sent over as a present to Grandmother by Uncle Matteo who had gone to America to live. Anyone might sit on any of the six stools, but only Grandmother sat in the rocking-chair.
祖母的那不勒斯之旅
海伦.科尔.克鲁
克鲁夫人特意为本书写的这篇故事。她很多次漂洋过海到其他国家去旅行，而且她一直都对其他国家小孩子的所作所为很感兴趣，于是写了很多关于他们的故事。
克鲁夫人自己也是一位祖母，所以，她能够体会到故事中的祖母因为自己的孙儿为自己做的事情所感受到的幸福。
一
乌戈和玛格丽塔.伯纳多夫妇有四个孩子。*大的叫马里奥，已经十五岁了；老二是严肃的安妮娜，十三岁；老三是十二岁的菲奥蕾塔，爱玩爱笑；还有十岁的帝诺，一肚子鬼点子。
“老婆子，”乌戈看着四个孩子忙忙碌碌地干活，快快活活地玩耍，禁不住说道，“我想我们的孩子都很棒。”
“老头子，”玛格丽塔笑着说，“昨天我不是还听到你说帝诺是个一无是处的懒虫？上个星期你还抱怨菲奥蕾塔总会撕破自己的衣服呢。”听到这话，乌戈赶紧岔开了话题，然后就到农场上忙活去了。这是个各方面条件都很好的农场，是乌戈祖父留给他的，距离佛罗伦萨不到四英里。佛罗伦萨是一座美丽的意大利城市，如果把四周的青山比作一个以天空为盖的珠宝盒，那么佛罗伦萨就是镶嵌在亚诺河上的一颗珍珠。
乌戈很幸运能拥有自己的农场，因为在意大利，很多农夫都只能到别人的农场上打工。农场中间有一条小溪潺潺流过，农场的一个角上有一座小山拔地而起，山上长着一些栗子树和桑树。农场的土地肥沃，每年都能收获大量的小麦和大麦。农舍是用石头砌的，用石灰刷得雪白。农舍前面是一个石头铺就的打麦场。农舍上层有一个大厨房和两间卧室，下面是马厩和谷仓。
畜栏里站着两头长着长长牛角的奶油色公牛。这两头牛可是乌戈的心尖子。他用它们耕地；用它们把装在农用拖车上的小麦从麦地拉到打麦场上去；有时候还会让它们拉着全家去佛罗伦萨。比方说，他们总是会在复活节那天去大教堂，每人手里捧一小碗新麦，作为春季生命的一个象征。圣诞节他们也去，去看出生在马槽里的圣婴的小蜡像，并且站在巨大的走廊里面唱颂歌。
除了伯纳多夫妇和孩子们，还有老祖母。她年纪很大了，背是弯的，但是眼睛很亮。她整天坐在厨房的椅子上忙碌着。桌子旁边有六个凳子，一把椅子。椅子是那种美式摇椅，是已经在美国定居的马提欧叔叔给祖母寄回来的礼物。每个人都可以随便坐这六个凳子，但是只有祖母才可以坐那把摇椅。
II
There came an April when something seemed to be wrong with Grandmother.
She still knitted stockings and mended garments, peeled potatoes for the stew and sliced apples for drying, but somehow she wasn’t happy. For Grandmother to be unhappy was all wrong. It wouldn’t do at all! Her eyes that had been so sharp and bright now quite frequently held tears, and there was a woebegone look on her deeply-wrinkled face.
It was one evening at the supper table that she asked suddenly, “Ugo, do you think Naples is still there?”
“Still where, Grandmother?”
“By the sea.”
“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I dream about the sea,” said Grandmother.
It was at breakfast the next morning that she asked, “Margaretta, you don’t think, do you, that Mount Vesuvius is gone?”
“Gone where, Grandmother?”
“Well” said Grandmother dreamily, “gone...away.”
“Grandmother!” put in Mario, laughing. “To be sure it is still there! And the Bay of Naples is still there, and all of Italy, and Sicily, too!”
“I haven’t seen the place where I was born for years and years,” continued Grandmother wistfully. Then they knew. Grandmother was homesick. And why should she not be, indeed? It was sixty years since she had left Naples as a bride, and in all that time there was no money that could be spared to take her home for a visit.
“If I had not bought the oxen last spring—” began Ugo, but again Margaretta shook her head. But if only they could send her, with one of the
children to look after her, to spend a week or two with Uncle Tony and his family in Naples! But where would the money come from? It really couldn’t be done.
Next morning, when the children went to the spring with buckets to fetch water, they talked it over.
二
进入四月之后，老祖母看上去有些不对劲。
她仍然忙着织袜子、补衣服、削好做炖菜的土豆、切好用来晒苹果干的苹果，但是不知为何她总是闷闷不乐。祖母若不高兴可是件大事！可不能让这种情况发生！她那双原本明亮有神的眼睛里现在经常含着眼泪，愁云笼罩在布满皱纹的脸上。
一天晚上，吃晚饭的时候她突然问道：“乌戈，你认为那不勒斯还在那里吗？”
“还在哪里呀，奶奶？”
“在海边。”
“是的，当然还在。怎么会不在那里？”
“我梦到了海。”祖母说道。
第二天早晨吃早饭的时候她又问道：“玛格丽塔，维苏威火山，是不是没有了？”
“没有了会去哪啊，奶奶？”
“哦，”祖母就像做梦一样，说道：“就是不见了。”
“奶奶！”马里奥大笑：“它绝对还在原地！那不勒斯湾也在原地，整个意大利，还有西西里，也都在！”
“我已经很多年没有回到我的出生地去看看了。”祖母的声音里充满了渴望。这下大家都明白了。祖母是想家了。要说也是，她怎么会不想家呢？六十年前，她还是一个新娘子的时候离开了那不勒斯，从那之后，因为总是没有多余的钱来当路费，
就再也没有回去过。
“如果我去年春天没买那头牛——”乌戈开口道，但是话未说完，玛格丽塔就朝他摇了摇头。如果他们能送她到那不勒斯，与托尼叔叔和他的家人一起住上一两个星期多好！还要让一个孩子同行以便照顾她。可是钱从哪里来？这事肯定行不通。
第二天早晨，孩子们拎着桶到泉水边汲水时，就这事展开了讨论。
地道的美式英语文本，正宗的美式朗读配音。
一套完整系统的原版美国小学教材读本，全套书提供了一系列生动有趣的故事，贴近孩子的生活，贴近孩子各个年龄段的兴趣。
每个故事的生词量都有科学的控制，避免因生词过多造成阅读障碍；新的单词和新的句型句式保持一定的重复率，孩子在故事的吸引下可以轻松完成阅读，并在不知不觉中学会了新单词和新句型。
全套书随着孩子年龄的增长而呈现出的难度梯度科学合理，孩子们循序渐进地阅读学习下去，会在不知不觉中大大提高英语水平，同时通过故事增长很多知识，获得许多乐趣，并在潜移默化中滋养了情感。
随着年龄的增长，孩子们的心智越来越成熟，他们越来越多地将眼光投向大自然和现实世界。本级读本继续提供不同类型、不同领域的故事，所选故事多为一流作家的作品。孩子们在精彩故事的吸引下，尽情享受着阅读的快乐。大量的阅读使学习语言、吸取知识、培养情感等成为潜移默化的过程。
第五级全部故事被分成了8 个主题单元， A 册和B 册各包含4 个单元
作者简介
埃尔松，美国教育界权威性人物，教育理论家,教育实践家,小学语文教材的主要编写者。
格莱，美国教育理论与实践研究工作者，有丰富的教材编写和出版经验。
目录
5A
目录
PART ONE SKYWAYS AND HIGHWAYS
第 一部分 空中航线与高速公路................................... 1
Knights of The Air
空中骑士........................................................2
The World Is Growing Smaller
世界越来越小....................................................4
WITH ADMIRAL BYRD IN LITTLE AMERICA
与海军上将伯德同游小亚美利加................................... 7
BALTO, THE BEST LEAD-DOG IN ALASKA
巴尔图，阿拉斯加*优秀的领头狗................................. 29
THE MAIL MUST GO THROUGH
邮件必须送达................................................... 43
LINDBERGH, PIONEER AIR SCOUT
林德伯格，先锋空中侦察兵....................................... 76
AIR MAIL
航空邮件....................................................... 97
A Backward Look
内容回顾..................................................... 99
PART TWO THE OUTDOOR WORLD
第二部分 户外世界.............................................. 101
I Love All of Out-of-doors
我热爱户外的一切............................................... 102
All The World Is A Zoo
整个世界就是个动物园................. ...................... 103
A MIDNIGHT LION HUNT
午夜猎狮................................................. 106
PEMBE KUBWA, THE BIG TUSKER
长牙象彭博. 库巴........................................... 123
THE LITTLE AMERICAN WOODCUTTER
小小美国伐木工.............................................142
WASTE LAND: A WILD-LIFE PRESERVE
荒原：野生动物保护区........................................ 153
DUNCAN’S BIRD TENANTS
邓肯的鸟房客.............................................. 163
THE BROWN THRUSH
棕鸫................................................. 173
THE FEATHERED MASTERS OF THE AIR
长羽毛的飞行大师........................................... 175
THE PINE CATERPILLAR
松毛虫.................................................. 182
FOUR-LEAF CLOVERS
幸运草.................................................. 195
THE WEATHER QUESTION
有关天气的问题.............................................. 197
THE LAKE AND THE SKY
湖泊与天空................................................. 199
THE GLADNESS OF NATURE
大自然的欢畅............................................... 201
A Backward Look
内容回顾............ ..................................... 203
PART THREE SIDRIES WE ALL SHOULD KNOW
第三部分 我们应该知道的那些故事......................... 205
My Story Book
我的故事书................................................ 206
“Tell Me A Story!”
“给我讲个故事！”........................................... 207
GUILLAUME’S FLUTE
纪尧姆的长笛............................................... 209
THE GOLDEN TOUCH
点金术.................................................... 227
THE NUREMBERG STOVE
纽伦堡火炉................................................. 268
HIAWATHA’S CHILDHOOD
海华沙的童年.................................. ............. 299
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................... 314
PART FOUR YOUNG AMERICAN CITIZENS
第四部分 年轻的美国公民.................................. 317
Song of Our Land
祖国之歌................................................... 318
What Is A Good Citizen
怎样才算是一名好公民.......................... ............... 319
A HERO FOR A FRIEND
为朋友而勇敢................................................ 321
BETSY FINDS A WAY
贝琪有办法................................................. 349
GEORGE WASHINGTON
乔治. 华盛顿................................................ 368
ROBERT E. LEE:
FROM MANLINESS TO MANHOOD
罗伯特. E . 李：从男孩到男人.................................... 370
JOSIE’S HOME RUN
乔希的本垒打............................................... 385
HOW A BOY SCOUT BUILDS A CAMPFIRE
童子军如何生火............................................. 406
LET THE FLAG WAVE
让旗帜飘扬................................................. 413
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................... 415
GLOSSARY
难词表......................................................417
5B
PART FIVE
BOYS AND GIRLS OF OTHER LANDS
第五部分 其他国家的男孩女孩们.............................................. 1
To Every Child of Every Land
致每一片土地上的每一个小朋友................................................... 2
Book Can Take Us Traveling
书籍可以带我们去旅行.......................................................... 3
GRANDMOTHER’S TRIP TO NAPLES
祖母的那不勒斯之旅............................................................. 5
EATEBAN, PAGE TO A CARNIVAL QUEEN
埃斯特班——狂欢王后的花童.................................................... 30
ABDUL AZIZ, A BOY OF THE DESERT
沙漠男孩——阿卜杜勒. 阿齐兹.................................................. 46
JOHN GOES DOWN TO TOY VALLEY
约翰去了玩具谷................................................................ 65
A Backward Look
内容回顾...................................................................... 88
PART SIX WORKERS AND THEIR WORK
第六部分 工人和他们的工作.............................................. 91
The Clock Calls to Work
时钟叫你去工作................................................................ 92
Machines Are Our Servants
机器是我们的仆人.............................................................. 93
CYRUS HALL McCORMICK INVENTS THE
REAPING MACHINE
赛勒斯. 霍尔. 麦考密克发明了收割机....................................... 95
THE STORY OF BREAD
面包的故事..................................................................... 110
DONALD’S VISIT TO THE WOOLEN MILLS
唐纳德的毛纺厂之行........................ .................................... 123
HOW CANDY MINTS ARE MADE
如何生产薄荷糖................................................................. 142
A Backward Look
内容回顾....................................................................... 149
PART SEVEN FAMOUS HEROES OF LONG AGO
第七部分 昔日英雄......................................................... 151
Arabian Nights
天方夜谭................................................................... 152
Some Stories Never Grow Old
永不过时的故事................................................................. 153
ALADDIN, OR THE WONGERFUL LAMP
阿拉丁与神灯.............................................................. 156
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES
阿里巴巴与四十大盗............................................................. 195
ROBINSON CRUSOE
鲁滨孙漂流记................................................................... 241
A Backward Look
内容回顾....................................................................... 298
PART EIGHT HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS
第八部分 假期与节日............................................................ 301
Every Day’s A Little Year
每一天都是一小年............................................................... 302
What Is A Holiday
什么是节日..................................................................... 303
DICK’S THANKSGIVING SNOWSHOES
迪克的感恩节雪鞋............................................................... 305
CHRISTMAS BELLS
圣诞钟声....................................................................... 326
PAT SANTA’S THRILLING RIDE
圣诞老人派特的惊险之旅......................................................... 328
SOMEBODY’S MOTHER
某人的母亲.......................................... .......................... 348
THE LITTLE FLAGS
小小的旗帜..................................................................... 351
A MILE AT A TIME
一次一英里..................................................................... 353
A MAY DAY PRINCESS
五月节公主..................................................................... 363
A Backward Look
内容回顾............................... ....................................... 376
GLOSSARY
难词表.......................................... ............................ 378
序言
国内第 一套来自美国的原版基础英语教材
语言的影响力与国力呈正相关。美国英语脱胎于英国英语，但独立趋势日益增强，无论是发音、拼写方式还是用法都逐渐自成一体。美国英语的使用范围日趋广泛，接受程度越来越高。
遗憾的是，现在国内盛行的正式出版且广为使用的基础英语教材要么为国内自编，要么引自英国，来自美国的原版基础英语教材几乎没有。这种状况与国人的实际需求是脱节的。鉴于此，我们特地从曾经在美国广泛使用的教材中精选了一套经典读本，取名为“美国幼儿英语”（原教材为学前部分）、“美国小学英语”（原教材为小学部分），以示区别。
我们之所以选中这套教材，主要是因为它具有以下几个鲜明的特点：
一、使用时间长，影响范围广。本套教材的编者埃尔松和格莱为20世纪上半叶美国*具影响力、*权威的阅读教学专家，被誉为“对整个美国教育史都有重大影响的人物”。他们编著的这套读本影响了美国几代人，尤其是美国“婴儿潮”那代人，都是读着这套教材长大的。如今，那一代人已成为美国社会各个领域的中坚力量，从当今总统、国会议员等政界领袖，到企业巨子和商业大亨，乃至科技、教育、文化、艺术等专业领域的权威名流，应有尽有。教材中塑造的很多人物或动物形象也已经成为美国家喻户晓的文化标志，频繁出现在电影、动画、绘画和其他文艺作品中。
二、选材广泛，内容经典。编者表示，编选这套读本的首要目的是引导学生成为主动、热心的读者，在愉悦的体验中获取知识，培养情操。为此，编者详细考察了整个儿童文学领域，从浩繁的经典中选取*符合儿童兴趣的内容，然后根据全国各地一线教师的反馈和建议，结合课堂实际需要进行调整、评估和分级，确保*终的选材是经典中的经典，同时容易为孩子所接受。
三、编排严谨，体系科学。教材的编者首次把新的“心理数据分析法”应用于教学之中，成效显著。在为本套书选材并分类时，他们同样采用科学分析的方法，充分考虑孩子的心理认知特点和规律，既着眼于趣味性和知识性，又注重教学的实用性和学生的接受能力。每一篇材料都严格控制生词的数量，并确定生词的*佳重复率，以减少学生阅读中的障碍，使他们在保持愉悦感的同时自然而然地掌握和巩固词汇。各册之间循序渐进、衔接自然，使孩子的阅读兴趣和阅读能力同步增长。
本套读本*显著的特点是按照儿童认知规律先感性、后理性的特点，采用绘本形式，由图到文逐渐过渡，即从以图带文到图文并重，*后过渡到图弱文强，让孩子逐步提高文字阅读能力。它在美国教材史上是经典，也让我们看到美国教材的活泼；它呈现给我们的英语完全符合我们心中对“美国英语”这个概念的定位。
对于这样一套经典的读本，我们在编辑过程中，对英文原文未作任何改动，完全忠实于它的原貌。一开始，你可能会发现有些表达和国内的用法不太一样，但仅仅是表面的不一样。随着你的阅读渐入佳境，你会进一步发现这里的英语活泼灵动，进而会喜欢上它。
对于国内的英语爱好者来说，这套英语读本是*好的礼物。它的中英双语呈现，也是青少年读者绝佳的语言学习材料和文学读物。全套书共分为《美国幼儿英语》和《美国小学英语》两部分。《美国幼儿英语》分为1～3级，每级1册，共3册，可作为幼儿园英语教材；《美国小学英语》分为1～6级，每级分A、B两册，共12册，可作为中国7～15岁英语学习者的学习教材。
愿读者真正感受到“美国英语”的魅力，享受学习“美国英语”的乐趣。
另外，为使读者充分利用《美国小学英语》，除了美音朗读，我们还开发了文本点读功能和部分阶段在线微课程（1~4级）。
文摘
5A文摘 WITH ADMIRAL BYRD
IN LITTLE AMERICA
CORAM FOSTER
At the bottom of the world, in the South Polar Regions, Admiral Byrd and his men lived for fourteen months where no man had ever been able to stay more than a month or two. During a part of this time it was impossible for them to leave or for anyone to get to them. Yet they listened to music and messages from all over the world, and almost every day they sent out to the world the story of what they were doing.
与海军上将伯德同游小亚美利加
克拉姆.福斯特
在世界的底端，也就是南极地区，海军上将伯德和他的队员居住了14个月之久。要知道，此前还从来没有人能在那里待上一到两个月。在其中的一段时间里，他们无法离开，别人也无法到他们那里去。然而他们可以听到来自世界各地的音乐和信息。而且，他们几乎每天都在向全世界讲述他们正在做的事情。
AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE WORLD
When the Byrd expedition sailed from New York City to Antarctica, it carried a library of a thousand volumes. This library was for the most part a collection of adventure stories which Admiral Byrd had selected to give pleasure to his men through the long darkness of the Antarctic night.
These books were all at hand whenever a man had a few hours off for candy eating and reading.There had been provided for every man on the expedition a hundred pounds of candy—about a quarter of a pound for each day the party remained in Antarctica. This amount of candy was at least four times what the men would have eaten back home, but it was no more than
enough for them. The terrific cold of Antarctica compelled every man to keep up in his body more heat than would have been necessary in warmer lands, and candy makes great heat in the body. Admiral Byrd believed in taking the best care of his party； for this reason his men always had candy to eat and books to read during leisure moments.
And certainly there was plenty of leisure after the dark months arrived, following the construction of the village of Little America upon Ross Ice Field. The buildings of this little settlement, arranged in three groups, formed the largest and the most nearly complete community that had ever been built in the Polar regions. They also provided both homes and workshops for Admiral Byrd’s men.
Of the chief group, the Administration Building was most important. Besides living quarters for a number of the party, including Admiral
Byrd, it contained a radio laboratory with instruments for sending and receiving messages. Directly behind this building were the house for
medical supplies and that which contained the food supplies. These two were separated from each other to reduce loss in case of fire. It was, indeed, the danger of fire which made it necessary to separate all of the main buildings from each other.
Chief among the buildings of the second group was the Mess Hall. Here were more living quarters, a radio station, a storehouse, and a photo workshop, all under one roof. A littledistance away were the quarters for the dogs, and the sledge-repair and blacksmith shop. The third group of buildings included the aviationrepair shop and storage space for the gasoline
supply.
在世界的底端
伯德探险队从纽约扬帆起航前往南极时，携带了由上千本书组成的一个图书馆。其中大部分书籍都是伯德上将特意为自己的队员挑选的历险故事，大家可以借此打发南极的漫漫长夜。
无论是谁，只要能有几个小时的空闲时间用来吃糖和阅读，就能随时在手头找到书。每一位队员在探险途中都有100磅糖果的配额——探险队留在南极期间每人每天大约可以分到四分之一磅糖果。这个分量的糖果是队员们在家里吃到的4倍还要多，但是这还远远不够。与气候温和的地区相比，极地的严寒天气迫使每个人都要在体内储存更多的热量，而糖果恰好可以满足这一需求。伯德上将一直悉心照料自己的队员。因此，他的队员在闲暇时光总是会有糖吃、有书读。
他们在罗斯冰原上建起小亚美利加之后，就迎来了南极地区的极夜。当然，这为他们提供了更多的闲暇时光。这个居住地的建筑分成了三个群落，形成了极地地区规模*大、几近完善的一个社区。它们既为伯德上将的队员提供了住处，又提供了工作场所。
在主要的群落里，行政楼占据着非常重要的地位。除了包括伯德上将在内的几名队员的住所外，它还有一间无线电实验室，里面安装了一些通信设备。这栋建筑后面，就是存放医疗用品和食品供给的仓库。这两个仓库是分开的，为的是减少火灾的损失。实际上，他们把所有的主要建筑全部分离开来，就是为了防范火灾。
第二个群落里的主要建筑被称为“综合楼”。楼内包括更多的生活区，一个无线电站，一间仓库，一间摄影棚。不远处就是狗舍，雪橇修理处，以及铁匠铺。第三个建筑群包括飞机修理处，以及汽油库。
THE LONG DARKNESS
None of Admiral Byrd’s important work inLittle America was done between late March andthe middle of October, 1929. This does not, of course, mean either that the sun vanished for all that period of time or that work stopped com-pletely. As a matter of fact, the sun was still a daily visitor in April, and it again became a daily visitor in late August. Moreover, even without the light of the sun, some outdoor activity was possible. There were always the twilight hours of noon-time provided by the moon.
No air flights could be made, however, andonly the most necessary travel with dog sledswas attempted； for even with the aid of the moon, the light at best was poor. There was another, even more important, reason why little
work could be done during these months: this was the time of the winter storms. These, in their full strength, brought winds that no man could stand against, and such snows as are unheard of elsewhere in the world.
When Little America was first set up on the Ross Ice Field, its tiny buildings made black spots against the surrounding whiteness. Long
before the winter was over, however, snow had banked and drifted over all except the tallest points. A bit of the roof of the Mess Hall could be seen at times. Some of the tall radio towers managed to stay clear. But the rest of the buildings could be located only by the unevenness of the snow’s surface where an airplane hangar, the dogs’ quarters, the Mess Hall, the gymnasium, or some other building lay buried.
No small part of those winter months was lived underground by Byrd and his men, or nearly underground. They went by tunnel from the dministration Building to the Mess Hall. By tunnel, too, they could reach others of the most important buildings. Poking their heads out of doors into the gray blackness of the night, Byrd’s men were almost sure at times that they heard the singing of birds. Often two of the men would look sharply at each other in wondering surprise as their ears caught sounds which were strangely like the shrill, sharp criesof animals.
At other times there were curious groans and moans. And even in the shelter of their quarters sometimes the men caught a rumbling, rolling
murmur which could have been nothing but a trolley car in the distance, except that they knew that there were no such things as trolley cars about. All these magic sounds, and more, were made by the restless shifting of the ice upon which their houses stood； by the pressure of the water beneath the ice； and by the furious winds which tore constantly at the roofs.
漫长的黑夜
伯德上将在小亚美利加的重要工作没有一项是在1929年3月下旬至10月中旬之间完成的。当然，这并不意味着在这段时间里太阳完全消失不见，就将工作完全处于停滞状态。实际上，整个4月份，以及8月底，太阳还是每天都会出现的。而且，就算没有太阳光，有些户外工作还是可以进行的。正午时分，还可以借助月亮的微弱光芒照明。
但是，在这里是不可以飞行的，只有一些必要的出行可以借助狗拉雪橇。因为就算是借助月光，那光芒也实在太过微弱。这几个月内很少工作的另外一个、也是更为重要的原因是：这是冬季风暴时间。没有人可以抵挡得住那么强大的风暴，而且，这里的降雪也是世界上其他地方闻所未闻的。
过隧道。当队员们把脑袋伸向室外黑漆漆的夜色中时，他们几乎确信自己能够听到鸟鸣。人们经常会突然间吃惊地看向身边的人，因为他们认为自己的耳朵似乎捕捉到了野兽的怒吼。
他们周围有时候也会传来奇怪的呻吟声与悲叹声。有时候，即使在住所内，人们也能听到远方传来像是有轨电车发出的那种轰隆声，只不过他们知道附近是不可能出现这种东西的。所有这些，甚至更多不可思议的声音，都是由冰块的不停运动发出的——冰下的水压以及屋顶上怒吼的狂风都可以造成冰块的移动——他们的房屋正是建筑在这些冰块之上。
5B文摘
GRANDMOTHER’S
TRIP TO NAPLES
HELEN COALE CREW
Mrs. Crew, who wrote this story especially for this book, has many times traveled in countries
across the sea, and she has always been interested in what the boys and girls of those lands do.
She has written many stories about them.
Mrs. Crew is herself a grandmother ； so she probably knows just how happy the grandmother in this story was over what the children did for her.
I
Ugo and Margaretta Bernado had four children. There was Mario, the eldest, who was fifteen； grave Annina, who was thirteen； twelve year-old Fioretta, gay and laughter-loving； and Tino, who was ten and full of mischief.
“Wife,” said Ugo, seeing the four busy about their work and happy about their play, “I think we have wonderful children.”
“Husband,” said Margaretta, laughing, “did I not only yesterday hear you calling Tino a lazy little good-for-nothing? And last week did you notcomplain that Fioretta was always tearing her clothes?”
At this, Ugo began to talk about something else, and then went out to do some work upon the farm. It was a good farm, left to him by his grandfather, and not more than four miles from Florence, that lovely city of Italy that is strung like a pearl upon the Arno River, and lies in a jewel-case of green hills whose lid is the sky.
Ugo was fortunate in owning his own farm, when so many of the farmers in Italy could only hire themselves out for farm work. A small stream ran through it； a little hill on which grew a few chestnut and mulberry trees rose up in one corner； and the earth gave good harvests of wheat and barley. The farmhouse was of stone, whitewashed over, and before it lay an old stone
threshing-floor. The upper story held the big kitchen and two bedrooms, and below were the stables and barn.
Two creamy oxen with spreading horns stood in the stalls； these oxen were the pride of Ugo’s heart. With them he plowed his land, drew the
wheat in his farm-cart from field to threshing-floor, and occasionally took the family to Florence. They always went, for example, to the Cathedral on Easter Day, each carrying a little pot of new-springing wheat, as a symbol of life in the springtime. Or they went at Christmas, to see the little wax image of the Christ Child in the manger and to sing carols, standing in the huge aisles.
Besides themselves and their children, there was Grandmother, old and bent, bright-eyed and busy, as she sat in her chair in the kitchen. There were six stools about the table, and one chair, an American rocking-chair sent over as a present to Grandmother by Uncle Matteo who had gone to America to live. Anyone might sit on any of the six stools, but only Grandmother sat in the rocking-chair.
祖母的那不勒斯之旅
海伦.科尔.克鲁
克鲁夫人特意为本书写的这篇故事。她很多次漂洋过海到其他国家去旅行，而且她一直都对其他国家小孩子的所作所为很感兴趣，于是写了很多关于他们的故事。
克鲁夫人自己也是一位祖母，所以，她能够体会到故事中的祖母因为自己的孙儿为自己做的事情所感受到的幸福。
一
乌戈和玛格丽塔.伯纳多夫妇有四个孩子。*大的叫马里奥，已经十五岁了；老二是严肃的安妮娜，十三岁；老三是十二岁的菲奥蕾塔，爱玩爱笑；还有十岁的帝诺，一肚子鬼点子。
“老婆子，”乌戈看着四个孩子忙忙碌碌地干活，快快活活地玩耍，禁不住说道，“我想我们的孩子都很棒。”
“老头子，”玛格丽塔笑着说，“昨天我不是还听到你说帝诺是个一无是处的懒虫？上个星期你还抱怨菲奥蕾塔总会撕破自己的衣服呢。”听到这话，乌戈赶紧岔开了话题，然后就到农场上忙活去了。这是个各方面条件都很好的农场，是乌戈祖父留给他的，距离佛罗伦萨不到四英里。佛罗伦萨是一座美丽的意大利城市，如果把四周的青山比作一个以天空为盖的珠宝盒，那么佛罗伦萨就是镶嵌在亚诺河上的一颗珍珠。
乌戈很幸运能拥有自己的农场，因为在意大利，很多农夫都只能到别人的农场上打工。农场中间有一条小溪潺潺流过，农场的一个角上有一座小山拔地而起，山上长着一些栗子树和桑树。农场的土地肥沃，每年都能收获大量的小麦和大麦。农舍是用石头砌的，用石灰刷得雪白。农舍前面是一个石头铺就的打麦场。农舍上层有一个大厨房和两间卧室，下面是马厩和谷仓。
畜栏里站着两头长着长长牛角的奶油色公牛。这两头牛可是乌戈的心尖子。他用它们耕地；用它们把装在农用拖车上的小麦从麦地拉到打麦场上去；有时候还会让它们拉着全家去佛罗伦萨。比方说，他们总是会在复活节那天去大教堂，每人手里捧一小碗新麦，作为春季生命的一个象征。圣诞节他们也去，去看出生在马槽里的圣婴的小蜡像，并且站在巨大的走廊里面唱颂歌。
除了伯纳多夫妇和孩子们，还有老祖母。她年纪很大了，背是弯的，但是眼睛很亮。她整天坐在厨房的椅子上忙碌着。桌子旁边有六个凳子，一把椅子。椅子是那种美式摇椅，是已经在美国定居的马提欧叔叔给祖母寄回来的礼物。每个人都可以随便坐这六个凳子，但是只有祖母才可以坐那把摇椅。
II
There came an April when something seemed to be wrong with Grandmother.
She still knitted stockings and mended garments, peeled potatoes for the stew and sliced apples for drying, but somehow she wasn’t happy. For Grandmother to be unhappy was all wrong. It wouldn’t do at all! Her eyes that had been so sharp and bright now quite frequently held tears, and there was a woebegone look on her deeply-wrinkled face.
It was one evening at the supper table that she asked suddenly, “Ugo, do you think Naples is still there?”
“Still where, Grandmother?”
“By the sea.”
“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I dream about the sea,” said Grandmother.
It was at breakfast the next morning that she asked, “Margaretta, you don’t think, do you, that Mount Vesuvius is gone?”
“Gone where, Grandmother?”
“Well” said Grandmother dreamily, “gone...away.”
“Grandmother!” put in Mario, laughing. “To be sure it is still there! And the Bay of Naples is still there, and all of Italy, and Sicily, too!”
“I haven’t seen the place where I was born for years and years,” continued Grandmother wistfully. Then they knew. Grandmother was homesick. And why should she not be, indeed? It was sixty years since she had left Naples as a bride, and in all that time there was no money that could be spared to take her home for a visit.
“If I had not bought the oxen last spring—” began Ugo, but again Margaretta shook her head. But if only they could send her, with one of the
children to look after her, to spend a week or two with Uncle Tony and his family in Naples! But where would the money come from? It really couldn’t be done.
Next morning, when the children went to the spring with buckets to fetch water, they talked it over.
二
进入四月之后，老祖母看上去有些不对劲。
她仍然忙着织袜子、补衣服、削好做炖菜的土豆、切好用来晒苹果干的苹果，但是不知为何她总是闷闷不乐。祖母若不高兴可是件大事！可不能让这种情况发生！她那双原本明亮有神的眼睛里现在经常含着眼泪，愁云笼罩在布满皱纹的脸上。
一天晚上，吃晚饭的时候她突然问道：“乌戈，你认为那不勒斯还在那里吗？”
“还在哪里呀，奶奶？”
“在海边。”
“是的，当然还在。怎么会不在那里？”
“我梦到了海。”祖母说道。
第二天早晨吃早饭的时候她又问道：“玛格丽塔，维苏威火山，是不是没有了？”
“没有了会去哪啊，奶奶？”
“哦，”祖母就像做梦一样，说道：“就是不见了。”
“奶奶！”马里奥大笑：“它绝对还在原地！那不勒斯湾也在原地，整个意大利，还有西西里，也都在！”
“我已经很多年没有回到我的出生地去看看了。”祖母的声音里充满了渴望。这下大家都明白了。祖母是想家了。要说也是，她怎么会不想家呢？六十年前，她还是一个新娘子的时候离开了那不勒斯，从那之后，因为总是没有多余的钱来当路费，
就再也没有回去过。
“如果我去年春天没买那头牛——”乌戈开口道，但是话未说完，玛格丽塔就朝他摇了摇头。如果他们能送她到那不勒斯，与托尼叔叔和他的家人一起住上一两个星期多好！还要让一个孩子同行以便照顾她。可是钱从哪里来？这事肯定行不通。
第二天早晨，孩子们拎着桶到泉水边汲水时，就这事展开了讨论。
| ISBN | 9789900220282 |
|---|---|
| 出版社 | 中国妇女出版社 |
| 作者 | 埃尔松 |
| 尺寸 | 16 |