Why Max Stopped Barking 为什么麦克斯不吠了

张恒

Max is the dog of Andy. Andy is eight years old. With his parents and sister Lilly they moved not long ago. His new school is just a stones throw2 away from his house. Because Andys house is so close， he can walk to his school. That is why Max can go with him to the school. As soon as Andy has come into the school grounds， Max runs back home.

马克斯是安迪的狗，安迪八岁了。不久前他同父母和妹妹莉莉一起搬家了。他的新学校离他家只有一箭之遥。因为安迪的房子那么近，他可以步行去学校，所以麦克斯可以和他一起去学校。安迪一进校园，麦克斯就跑回家。

As long as Andy is at school， Max mostly plays in the garden. There are at least ten balls， big and small ones of all different colors. When Andy and Lilly are at home they throw them away and Max runs after the balls. The small balls are very hard and Max likes to bite3 them. The big balls are softer4 and Max carefully bites them between his teeth. If he bites them， the air goes and they will become flat5.

只要安迪在學校，麦克斯大部分时间都在花园里玩耍。花园里至少有十个球，大小不一，颜色各异。当安迪和莉莉在家时，他们把球扔出去，麦克斯就追着球跑。这些小球很硬，麦克斯喜欢咬它们。大球比较软，麦克斯小心翼翼地用牙齿咬着它们。如果它咬破了，它们就会漏气瘪了。

Today， Max has a plan. Andys dad has left for his work. Lilly will start at the primary school and with her mum they will register6 her for next year.

今天，麦克斯有个计划。安迪的爸爸去上班了，莉莉要开始上小学了，她将和妈妈一起为她接下来的一学年报名。

As usual， Max walks along with them up to the school building where he waits at the door. As soon as Lilly and her mum have come into the building， Max carries out his plan.

像往常一样，麦克斯和他们一起走到学校大楼门口，它在那儿等着。莉莉和妈妈一进大楼，麦克斯就实施了它的计划。

He jumps over the fence7 and lightly8 walks close to the wall， so nobody can see him through the windows.

它跳过围墙，轻轻地走近墙边，这样就没有人能透过窗户看到他。

Dogs can smell so well that they can quickly find something or someone.

狗的嗅觉很灵敏，很快就能找到东西或人。

The weather is nice and warm and the windows of the classrooms are open. Max has found Andys classroom quickly and he sits out under the window.

天气很好很暖和，教室的窗户是开着的。麦克斯很快就找到了安迪的教室，它蹲坐在窗外。

He hears the teacher asking “Who knows the saying ‘Barking dogs seldom9 bite？” Then Andy answers， “I have a dog and I think it means that you should not be afraid of a dog that barks a lot.”

它听到老师问：“谁知道那句话‘吠犬不咬人？”然后安迪回答说：“我养了一只狗，我想这句话的意思是，你不应该害怕一只经常吠叫的狗。”

At this time， someone closes the window and Max runs along the school wall. He does not want to be seen. Lightly he jumps over the fence and sits down at the door. Just in time， because Lilly and her mum are leaving the building.

这时，有人来关窗户，麦克斯沿着学校的墙跑了，它不想被人看见。它轻轻跳过围墙，蹲坐在大门口。它来得正是时候，因为莉莉和她妈妈正要离开大楼。

When they get home， Max sits under a tree and looks at all the balls on the lawn10. He thinks and says to himself，“From now on I will stop barking， or I cannot bite the balls any more.”

她们回家后，麦克斯蹲坐在一棵树下，看着草坪上所有的球。它思考了一下，自言自语道：“从现在开始，我不再吠叫了，不然我就不能咬球了。”

（英语原文选自：bedtime.com）

1. bark  vt. 狗叫

2. a stones throw一箭之遥;一箭之地;投石之距离;很接近throw vt. 投;抛;掷

3. bite  vt. 咬

4. soft  adj. 软的，柔软的;温柔的

5. flat  adj. 平的;瘪的

6. register  v. 登记;注册

7. fence n. 栅栏;围墙

8. lightly adv. 轻轻地;轻松地;容易地;不费力地

9. seldom adv. 很少，不常

10. lawn n. 草地;草坪