作者：哈里·P·贾德森
出版社：天津人民出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
美国学生文学读本（第8册）试读：
INTRODUCTION
THE selections in this Eighth Reader are a moderate, but distinct, advance over those in the Seventh Reader, in thought, in language, and in literary construction.
The teacher may continue to place emphasis on the literary side of the reading, pointing out beauties of language and thought, and endeavoring to create an interest in the books from which the selections are taken. Pupils will be glad to know something about the lives of the authors whose works they are reading, and will welcome the biographical sketches throughout the book. These can be made the basis of further biographical study at the discretion of the teacher.
The word lists at the end of the selections contain all necessary explanations of the text.
A basal series of readers can do little more than broadly outline a course in reading, relying on the teacher to carry it forward. If a public library is within reach, the children should be encouraged to use it; if not, the school should exert every effort to accumulate a school library of standard works to which the pupils may have ready access.
The primary purpose of a reading book is to give pupils the mastery of the printed page, but through oral reading it also becomes a source of valuable training of the vocal organs. Almost every one finds pleasure in listening to good reading. Many feel that the power to give this pleasure comes only as a natural gift, but an analysis of the art shows that with practice any normal child may acquire it. The qualities which are essential to good oral reading may be considered in three groups:
First—An agreeable voice and clear articulation, which, although possessed by many children naturally, may also be cultivated.
Second—Correct inflection and emphasis, with that due regard for rhetorical pauses which will appear whenever a child fully understands what he is reading and is sufficiently interested in it to lose his self-consciousness.
Third—Proper pronunciation, which can be acquired only by association or by direct teaching.
Clear articulation implies accurate utterance of each syllable and a distinct termination of one syllable before another is begun.
Frequent drill on pronunciation and articulation before or after the reading lesson will be found profitable in teaching the proper pronunciation of new words and in overcoming faulty habits of speech.
Attention should be called to the omission of unaccented syllables in such words as history (not histry), valuable (not valuble), and to the substitution of unt for ent, id for ed, iss for ess, unce for ence, in for ing, in such words as moment, delighted, goodness, sentence, walking. Pupils should also learn to make such distinctions as appear between u long, as in duty, and u after r, as in rude; between a as in hat, a as in far, and a as in ask.
The above hints are suggestive only. The experienced teacher will devise for herself exercises fitting special cases which arise in her own work. It will be found that the best results are secured when the interest of the class is sustained and when the pupil who is reading aloud is made to feel that it is his personal duty and privilege to arouse and hold this interest by conveying to his fellow-pupils, in an acceptable manner, the thought presented on the printed page.
CLASSIFIED CONTENTS
StoriesKing Arthur and Excalibur
The Flight in the Heather
A Formidable Vassal
The Famous Mr. Joseph Addison
Sir Roger de Coverley
Heroes of the MutinyPoems
The Coming of Arthur
The Forsaken Merman
Sonnet on his Blindness
The Passionate Shepherd to his Love
Reply to Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love"
Henry V. before Battle
The Battle of Agincourt
A Song for St. Cecilia's Day
La Belle Dame sans Merci
Falstaff and the Thieves
Sohrab and Rustum
She walks in Beauty
An Adventure of the Red Cross Knight
The Triumph of Charis
The Greatness of God's Works
Sonnets 29 and 73
Ulysses
Tennyson
L'Allegro
Kubla KhanHistory, Adventure, and Nature Study
The Northman
The Valley of Desolation
A Brilliant Geographical Contrast
Agincourt
The Bird
Swallow-time
Louis XI.
A Discourse upon Certain Vices and Virtues of Louis the Eleventh
First Bunker Hill Oration. A Selection
The Storming of Delhi
Michael Angelo and Cellini
John MiltonMiscellaneous
Hearty Reading
Norse Stories
Vindication of Ireland
Cairo Fifty Years Ago
The Teacher's Vocation
The Casting of the Statue of Perseus
A Nation in its Strength1HEARTY READING
BY SYDNEY SMITH
Sydney Smith (1771-1845): An English clergyman and author. He published some volumes of sermons characterized by earnestness and moderation, but his reputation rests chiefly on his miscellaneous and critical writings. He was distinguished for his wit, humor, and conversational powers.
This advice about reading is taken from a "Lecture on the Conduct of the Understanding."
Curiosity is a passion very favorable to the love of study, and a passion very susceptible of increase by cultivation. Sound travels so many feet in a second, and light travels so many feet in a second. Nothing more probable; but you do not care how light and sound travel. Very likely: but make yourself care; get up, shake yourself well, pretend to care, make believe to care, and very soon you will care, and care so much that you will sit for hours thinking about light and sound, and be extremely angry with any one who interrupts you in your pursuits, and tolerate no other conversation but about light and sound, and catch yourself plaguing everybody to death who approaches you with the discussion of these subjects.
I am sure that a man ought to read as he would grasp a nettle: do it lightly, and you get molested; grasp it with all your strength and you 〔1〕feel none of its asperities. There is nothing so horrible as languid study; when you sit looking at the clock, wishing the time was over or that somebody would call on you and put you out of your misery. The only way to read with any efficacy is to read so heartily that dinner-time comes two hours before you expected it.〔2〕
To sit with your Livy before you, and hear the geese cackling that saved the Capitol; and to see with your own eyes the Carthaginian 〔3〕sutlers gathering up the rings of the Roman knights after the battle of Cann? and heaping them into bushels; and to be so intimately present at the actions you are reading of that when anybody knocks at the door it will take you two or three seconds to determine whether you are in your own study, or in the plains of Lombardy, looking at Hannibal's weather-beaten face, and admiring the splendor of his single eye, —this is the only kind of study which is not tiresome, and almost the only kind which is not useless; this is the knowledge which gets into the system and which a man carries about and uses like his 〔4〕limbs, without perceiving that it is extraneous, weighty, or inconvenient.
注 释
〔1〕Asperities, roughnesses; severities.
〔2〕Titus Livy (59 B. C.-18 A. D.), a Roman historian. Consult a history of Rome for an account of how the sacred geese saved the Capitol from the Gauls, of the battle of Cannœ, in which the Romans were defeated by the Car tha ginians, and of Hannibal (248-183 B. C.), the great Carthaginian general.
〔3〕Sutlers, persons who follow an army and sell provisions to the soldiers.
〔4〕Extraneous, not essential; foreign.2THE COMING OF ARTHURBY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892): An English poet from whose writings a number of selections have been given in earlier books of this series. This selection is a part of the poem entitled, "The Coming of Arthur," the first of the series of poems comprising Tennyson's great epic, "The Idylls of the King."
Arthur, lately made king, had sent to King Leodogran asking his daughter Guinevere in marriage. Leodogran consulted Queen Bellicent as to Arthur's kingship. This extract gives her answer.〔1〕
"Bleys, our Merlin's master, as they say,
Died but of late, and sent his cry to me,
To hear him speak before he left his life.〔2〕〔3〕
Shrunk like a fairy changeling lay the mage;
And when I entered told me that himself
And Merlin ever served about the king,
Uther, before he died; and on the night〔4〕
When Uther in Tintagil passed away
Moaning and wailing for an heir, the two
Left the still king, and passing forth to breathe,
Then from the castle gateway by the chasm
Descending through the dismal night—a night
In which the bounds of heaven and earth were lost—
Beheld, so high upon the dreary deeps
It seemed in heaven, a ship, the shape thereof
A dragon winged, and all from stem to stern
Bright with a shining people on the decks,
And gone as soon as seen. And then the two
Dropped to the cove and watched the great sea fall,
Wave after wave each mightier than the last,
Till last, a ninth one, gathering half the deep
And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged
Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame:
And down the wave and in the flame was borne〔5〕
A naked babe, and rode to Merlin's feet,
Who stooped and caught the babe, and cried, 'The king
Here is an heir for Uther!' And the fringe
Of that great breaker, sweeping up the strand,
Lashed at the wizard as he spake the word,
And all at once all round him rose in fire,
So that the child and he were clothed in fire.
And presently thereafter followed calm,
Free sky and stars: 'And this same child,' he said,
'Is he who reigns; nor could I part in peace
Till this were told. 'And saying this the seer
Went through the strait and dreadful pass of death.
Not ever to be questioned any more
Save on the further side; but when I met
Merlin, and asked him if these things were truth—
The shining dragon and the naked child
Descending in the glory of the seas—
He laughed as is his wont, and answered me
In riddling triplets of old time, and said:
"'Rain, rain, and sun! a rainbow in the sky!
A young man will be wiser by and by;
An old man's wit may wander ere he die.
"'Rain, rain, and sun! a rainbow on the lea!
And truth is this to me, and that to thee;
And truth or clothed or naked let it be.
"'Rain, sun, and rain! and the free blossom blows:
Sun, rain, and sun! and where is he who knows?
From the great deep to the great deep he goes.'
"So Merlin riddling angered me; but thou
Fear not to give this king thine only child,
Guinevere; so great bards of him will sing
Hereafter; and dark sayings from of old
Ranging and ringing through the minds of men,
And echoed by old folk beside their fires
For comfort after their wage-work is done,
Speak of the king; and Merlin in our time
Hath spoken also, not in jest, and sworn
Though men may wound him that he will not die,
But pass, again to come; and then or now
Utterly smite the heathen underfoot,
Till these and all men hail him for their king."〔6〕
She spake and King Leodogran rejoiced,
But musing, "Shall I answer yea or nay?"
Doubted, and drowsed, nodded and slept, and saw,
Dreaming, a slope of land that ever grew,
Field after field, up to a height, the peak
Haze-hidden, and thereon a phantom king
Now looming and now lost; and on the slope〔7〕
The sword rose, the hind fell, the herd was driven,
Fire glimpsed; and all the land from roof and rick,
In drifts of smoke before a rolling wind,
Streamed to the peak, and mingled with the haze
And made it thicker; while the phantom king
Sent out at times a voice; and here or there
Stood one who pointed toward the voice, the rest
Slew on and burnt, crying, "No king of ours,
No son of Uther, and no king of ours;"
Till with a wink his dream was changed, the haze
Descended, and the solid earth became
As nothing, but the king stood out in heaven,
Crowned. And Leodogran awoke, and sent〔8〕
Ulfius and Brastias and Bedivere,
Back to the court of Arthur answering yea.
注 释
〔1〕Bleys, according to British tradition, a magician, the master of Merlin. The pupil, however, so far surpassed the teacher that Bleys laid aside magic and contented himself with making a chronicle of Merlin's doings.
〔2〕Changeling, a child exchanged by fairies.
〔3〕Mage, an old or poetic form of the word magician.
〔4〕Tintagil, a castle on the coast of Cornwall, said to have been built by two giants. It was the birthplace of King Arthur.
〔5〕Merlin, a great enchanter, the friend of Arthur.
〔6〕Leodogran, king of Cameliard, father of Guinevere, who became King Arthur wife.
〔7〕Hind, peasant; rustic.
〔8〕Ulfius, Brastias, Bedivere, three of Arthur's knights of the Round Table, sent as ambassadors to King Leodogran.3KING ARTHUR AND EXCALIBURBY SIR THOMAS MALORY
Sir Thomas Malory (1430-1471): A Welsh or English knight, who compiled and translated from the French the English "Morte d'Arthur." It is a noble prose epic, giving the legends about Arthur, the semi-fabulous king of Britain, and his knights of the Round Table.
Ⅰ. THE TAKING OF EXCALIBUR〔1〕
And as they rode, Arthur said, "I have no sword." "No force," said Merlin, "hereby is a sword that shall be yours and I may." So they rode till they came to a lake, the which was a fair water and broad, and in the midst of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white 〔2〕samite, that held a fair sword in that hand. "Lo," said Merlin, "yonder is that sword that I spake of." With that they saw a damsel going upon the lake. "What damsel is that?" said Arthur. "That is the 〔3〕Lady of the Lake," said Merlin; "and within that lake is a rock, and 〔4〕therein is as fair a place as any on earth and richly beseen, nd this damsel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to her that she will give you that sword."
Anon withal came the damsel unto Arthur and saluted him, and he her again. "Damsel," said Arthur, "what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword." "Sir Arthur king," said the damsel, "that sword is mine, and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it." "By my faith," said Arthur, "I will give you what gift ye will ask." "Well," said the damsel, "go ye into yonder barge and row yourself to the sword and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time."
So Sir Arthur and Merlin alight and tied their horses to two trees, and so they went into the ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand held, Sir Arthur took it up by the handles and took it with him.〔5〕
Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword and liked it passing well. "Whether liketh you better," said Merlin, "the sword or the scabbard?" "Me liketh better the sword," said Arthur. "Ye are more unwise," said Merlin, "for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, for while ye have 〔6〕the scabbard upon you ye shall never lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded, therefore keep well the scabbard always with you."
Ⅱ. THE CASTING AWAY OF EXCALIBUR〔7〕
Then were they condescended that King Arthur and Sir 〔8〕Mordred should meet betwixt both their hosts, and every each of them should bring fourteen persons. And they came with this word unto King Arthur. Then said he, "I am glad that this is done." And so he went into the field. And when Arthur should depart, he warned all his host that and they see any sword drawn, "Look ye come on fiercely and slay that traitor Sir Mordred, for I in no wise trust him." In like wise Sir Mordred warned his host that, "And ye see any sword drawn, look that ye come on fiercely and so slay all that ever before you standeth: for in no wise I will not trust for this treaty."〔9〕
And so they met as their pointment was, and so they were agreed and accorded thoroughly: and wine was fetched and they drank. Right so came an adder out of a little heath bush and it stung a knight on the foot. And when the knight felt him stungen, he looked down and saw the adder, and then he drew his sword to slay the adder and thought of none other harm. And when the host on both parties 〔10〕saw that sword drawn, then they blew beames, trumpets, and horns, and shouted grimly. And so both hosts dressed them together. And King Arthur took his horse, and said, "Alas, this unhappy day!" and so rode to his party: and Sir Mordred in likewise.
And never was there seen a more dolefuller battle in no Christian 〔11〕land. For there was but rushing and riding, foining and striking, and many a grim word was there spoken either to other and many a deadly stroke. But ever King Arthur rode throughout the battle of Sir Mordred many times and did full nobly as a noble king should; and at all times he fainted never. And Sir Mordred that day put him in 〔12〕devoir and in great peril. And thus they fought all the long day and never stinted till the noble knights were laid to the cold ground, and ever they fought still, till it was near night, and by that time was there an hundred thousand laid dead upon the down.
Then was Arthur wroth out of measure, when he saw his people so slain from him. Then the king looked about him and then was he ware of all his host and of all his good knights, were left no more on live but two knights, that was Sir Lucan de butlere and his brother Sir Bedivere; and they full were sore wounded.
"Jesu mercy," said the king, "where are all my noble knights becomen? Alas! that ever I should see this doleful day. For now," said 〔13〕Arthur, "I am come to mine end. But would to God that I wist where were that traitor, Sir Mordred, that hath caused all this mischief."
Then was King Arthur ware where Sir Mordred leaned upon his sword among a great heap of dead men. "Now give me my spear," said Arthur unto Sir Lucan, "for yonder I have espied the traitor that all this woe hath wrought." Then the king gat his spear in both his hands and ran towards Sir Mordred, crying, "Traitor, now is thy death day come." And when Sir Mordred heard Sir Arthur, he ran until him with his sword drawn in his hand. And then King Arthur smote Sir Mordred under the shield, with a foin of his spear throughout the body more than a fathom. And when Sir Mordred felt that he had his death's wound, he thrust himself, with the might that he had, up to the bur of King Arthur's spear. And right so he smote his father Arthur with his sword holden in both his hands, on the side of the head, that the sword pierced the helmet and the brain-pan, and therewithal Sir Mordred fell stark dead to the earth. And the noble Arthur fell in a swoon to the earth and there he swooned ofttimes. And Sir Lucan de butlere and Sir Bedivere ofttimes heaved him up, and so weakly they led him betwixt them both to a little chapel not far from the seaside. And when the king was there, he thought him well eased.
Then Sir Lucan took up the king the one part and Sir Bedivere the other part, and in the lifting, the king swooned, and Sir Lucan fell in a swoon with the lift. And when King Arthur came to himself again, he beheld Sir Lucan how he lay foaming at the mouth. "Alas," said the 〔14〕king, "this is unto me a full heavy sight to see this noble duke so die for my sake, for he would have holpen me that had more need of help than I. Alas, he would not complain him, his heart was so set to help me. Now Jesu have mercy upon his soul."
Then Sir Bedivere wept for the death of his brother. "Leave this mourning and weeping," said the king, "for all this will not avail me: for 〔15〕wit thou well, and I might live myself the death of Sir Lucan would grieve me evermore: but my time hieth fast," said the king. "Therefore," said Arthur, "take thou Excalibur, my good sword, and go with it to yonder water side, and when thou comest there, I charge thee throw my sword in that water, and come again and tell me what thou there seest." "My lord," said Bedivere, "your commandment shall be done, and lightly bring you word again."
So Sir Bedivere departed, and by the way he beheld that noble sword, that the pommel and haft were all of precious stones, and then he said to himself, "If I throw this rich sword in the water, thereof shall never come good, but harm and loss." And then Sir Bedivere hid Excalibur under a tree.
And as soon as he might he came again unto the king, and said he had been at the water and had thrown the sword into the water. "What sawest thou there?" said the king. "Sir," he said, "I saw nothing but waves and winds." "That is untruly said of thee," said the king; "therefore go thou lightly again, and do my command as thou art to me 〔16〕lief and dear: spare not, but throw it in."
Then Sir Bedivere returned again and took the sword in his hand; and then him thought sin and shame to throw away that noble sword: 〔17〕and so eft he hid the sword and returned again and told to the king that he had been at the water and done his commandment. "What saw thou there?" said the king. "Sir," he said, "I saw nothing but the 〔18〕〔19〕waters wap and the Waves wan." "Ah traitor, untrue," said King Arthur, "now hast thou betrayed me twice. Who would have 〔20〕wend that thou that hast been to me so lief and dear, and thou
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