书城英文图书英国学生文学读本(套装共6册)
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第61章 PICK,SHOVEL,AND SPEAR

1.In the county of Durham in England there are two places very near each other called “Brancepeth”and “Brandon.”

2.What do you think these names mean?“Bran”is an old way of saying “Bruin,”the wordfor a “bear.”“Peth”is just “path“den.”

3.So you see that Brance-peth means “the bear’s-path,”and Bran-don means “the bear‘s den.”

4.Here is the story of how these two places got their strange names.In olden times afiercebear had its den in the place now called Brandon.It used to wander through the thick forest which in those days covered that part of England.

5.It had one favourite walk in the forest,and it killed so many people there that at last nobody dared to go near “the bear’s path.”

6.This went on for a long time.One day,however,a brave man named Hodge said that it was a shame for them all to be so much afraid of an animal,and that he was going to fight the great “bran.”

7.He took with him only a pick,shovel,and a spear.The people thought he was mad notto take his bowarrows,and his sword;forwhat could he do with a pick and a shovel?

8.Off went Hodge,and with his pick andshovel he digged a pit right in the “bran‘spath.He then covered the hole so neatly withturf,that nobody would ever have thoughtthere was a pit there.

9.When this was done,Hodge took his spear and hid himself in the brushwood He waited there hour after hour,spear in hand,watching and listening for the bear.

10.At last he heard the bear coming near.

Crash!the monster fell into the pit.Hodge dashed forward,and in a moment killed the bear with his spear.

11.In an old churchyard near the spot there is a stone in memory of the brave Hodge.On it⑥are carveda pick,a shovel,and a spear.

Brushwood,small trees or bushes growing together.

2.Make a list of the adjectives in sections 4to 8.