Letter from E.B. White
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2011-05-09 07:35 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

 

This is the letter that Mr. White(美国当代著名散文家、评论家,著有《精灵鼠小弟》)、《夏洛的网》等) wrote before his death about his three books for children:

Dear Reader:

I receive many letters from children and can't answer them all -- there wouldn't be time enough in a day. That is why I am sending you this printed reply to your letter. I'll try to answer some of the questions that are commonly asked.

Where did I get the idea for Stuart Little(精灵鼠小弟) and for Charlotte's Web1(夏洛特的网)? Well, many years ago I went to bed one night in a railway sleeping car, and during the night I dreamed about a tiny boy who acted rather like a mouse. That's how the story of Stuart Little got started.

 

As for Charlotte's Web, I like animals and my barn2 is a very pleasant place to be, at all hours. One day when I was on my way to feed the pig, I began feeling sorry for the pig because, like most pigs, he was doomed3 to die. This made me sad. So I started thinking of ways to save a pig's life. I had been watching a big grey spider at her work and was impressed by how clever she was at weaving4. Gradually5 I worked the spider into the story that you know, a story of friendship and salvation6 on a farm. Three years after I started writing it, it was published. (I am not a fast worker, as you can see.)

Sometimes I'm asked how old I was when I started to write, and what made me want to write. I started early -- as soon as I could spell. In fact, I can't remember any time in my life when I wasn't busy writing. I don't know what caused me to do it, or why I enjoyed it, but I think children often find pleasure and satisfaction is trying to set their thoughts down on paper, either in words or in pictures. I was no good at drawing, so I used words instead. As I grew older, I found that writing can be a way of earning a living.

Some of my readers want me to visit their school. Some want me to send a picture, or an autograph7, or a book. And some ask questions about my family and my animals and my pets. Much as I'd like to, I can't go visiting. I can't send books, either -- you can find them in a bookstore or a library. Many children assume8 that a writer owns (or even makes) his own books. This is not true -- books are made by the publisher. If a writer wants a copy, he must buy it. That's why I can't send books. And I do not send autographs9 -- I leave that to the movie stars. I live most of the year in the country, in New England. From our windows we can look out at the sea and the mountains. I live near my married son and three grandchildren10.

Are my stories true, you ask? No, they are imaginary11 tales, containing fantastic characters and events. In real life, a family doesn't have a child who looks like a mouse; in real life, a spider doesn't spin12 words in her web. In real life, a swan13 doesn't blow a trumpet14. But real life is only one kind of life -- there is also the life of the imagination. And although my stories are imaginary, I like to think that there is some truth in them, too -- truth about the way people and animals feel and think and act.

Yours sincerely,

E.B. White



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 web sgYwc     
n.网,蛛丝,蹼,织物,圈套,卷筒纸;vi.生蹼,形成网;vt.织蜘蛛网于,使落入圈套
参考例句:
  • The spider weaves a web.蜘蛛织网。
  • You mean the World Wide Web?你是说国际互联网?
2 barn 6dayp     
n.谷仓,饲料仓,牲口棚
参考例句:
  • That big building is a barn for keeping the grain.那幢大房子是存放粮食的谷仓。
  • The cows were driven into the barn.牛被赶进了牲口棚。
3 doomed EuuzC1     
命定的
参考例句:
  • The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
  • A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。
4 weaving d50b5fca148221d14ad5f91ae936db5e     
v.编,织,织成( weave的现在分词 );编排;杜撰;(把…)编成
参考例句:
  • Weaving and knitting are traditional cottage industries. 编织和针织是传统的家庭手工业。
  • traditional crafts like basket-weaving 像编篮子之类的传统工艺
5 gradually UrNzxS     
adv.逐渐地
参考例句:
  • The roaring sea gradually calmed down.咆哮的大海逐渐平静下来。
  • Gradually he became silent.渐渐地他变得沉默寡言了。
6 salvation nC2zC     
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困
参考例句:
  • Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
  • Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。
7 autograph Xukzo     
n.亲笔,自署,亲笔签名;vt.自署于,亲笔签名于,亲笔写
参考例句:
  • I asked the author to autograph my book.我请作者在书上亲笔签名。
  • I'll be able to get you their autograph if you like.如果你喜欢,我会让他们给你签名的。
8 assume 6Ouyn     
vt.假装;假定,设想;承担;呈现,采取
参考例句:
  • I assume that he won't cheat you.想来他是不会骗你的。
  • We can't assume anything in this case.在这种情况下我们不可能做出假设。
9 autographs f17859fc8e9edd2f4a5e1108ebc98b35     
n.亲笔签名( autograph的名词复数 );亲笔稿,手迹v.在…上亲笔签名( autograph的第三人称单数 );亲笔书写
参考例句:
  • The film fans gathered around him and asked for his autographs. 影迷围上来要他签名留念。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • I have got lots of famous footballers' autographs. 我有许多著名足球运动员的亲笔签名。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 grandchildren 7ryzvi     
n.孙子;孙(女),外孙(女)( grandchild的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He left a bequest to each of his grandchildren. 他给他的孙辈每人留下一笔遗产。
  • His grandchildren afforded him his greatest pleasure in his old age. 他的孙子和孙女们在晚年的时候给了他最大的欢乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 imaginary Aazxr     
adj.想象中的,假想的,虚构的,幻想的;虚数的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。
  • The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。
12 spin kFUzS     
v./n.纺,(使)快速旋转;旋转,旋转运动
参考例句:
  • A man cannot spin and weave at the same time.[谚]一心不能二用。
  • We can go for a spin on a bicycle on campus.我们可以骑自行车在校园里兜一圈。
13 swan 8rDwD     
n.天鹅;vi.闲荡,游荡
参考例句:
  • A swan has white feathers and a long thin neck.天鹅长着白色的羽毛和长而细的脖子。
  • Swan Lake is the name of a famous ballet.天鹅湖是一出著名的芭蕾舞剧。
14 trumpet AUczL     
n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘
参考例句:
  • He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴,我吹喇叭。
  • The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。
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