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LESSON 38 Speedy and steady
第三十八課 敏捷與沉穩
Well, Amy, how are you getting on with your napkin?" cried Lizzy, whose swift fingers seemed to fly over her work.
喂，艾米，你的手帕弄得怎么樣了？”利奇大聲說，她敏捷的手指飛一般地做著活。
Not very fast," replied quiet little Amy, without raising her eyes; "I have almost finished one side."
不是很快，”安靜的小艾米眼睛也不抬一下地回答道；“我快要完成一邊了。”
One side!" said Lizzy, with a laugh which was neither pleasant nor kind; "why, we both began hemming our napkins at the same time, and I'm now at the fourth side of mine!"
一邊？”利奇不爽又刻薄地笑道，“為什么我們同時開始縫手帕的，我的到現在都已經縫到第四邊了？”
I know that I am slow," sighed Amy.
我知道我比較慢，”艾米嘆著氣說。
You may well say that!" cried Lizzy.
你那么說也有道理哦！”利奇嚷道。
But I'll try to be steady, and to do my best," said the little girl, as she threaded her tiny needle, and went on with her work.
但我會盡量做得牢固些，”小女孩兒說著，給她細小的針上穿線，然后繼續做她的活。
As I sew so fast," cried Lizzy, "I am sure to have finished my napkin long before the bell rings for dinner. I'll just run for a minute to the garden, to see if the roses are out;"—so, tossing down her work on a chair, Lizzy flew off.
既然我縫的這么快，”利奇嚷著說，“我敢肯定晚餐的鈴聲響起之前我早都已經縫好手帕了。我要去花園里玩一會兒，去看看玫瑰花開了沒有；”——于是將手工活仍在椅子上，利奇飛跑了出去。
Amy longed for the fresh air and the flowers, but her work must first be done. Steadily she laid down her broad hem, and had finished the second side of her napkin before her sister came back.
艾米很渴望新鮮的空氣和那些花，但是她的手工活必須先做完。穩穩底，她放下寬大的褶邊，在姐姐回來前她完成了手帕的第二邊。
Ah, you plodding little thing!" cried Lizzy; "you will never get up to me. I'll have time to go to my room and put my new picture on the wall."
啊，你這慢吞吞地小東西！”利奇喊道，“你永遠也趕不上我。我還有時間到我房間把新畫掛到墻上。”
Off went gay little Lizzy: Amy went on with her work. Before her sister again entered the room, the third side of her napkin was hemmed.
利奇放肆地走開了，艾米則繼續著她的手工活。在她姐姐再次回到房間里來之前，她手帕的第三邊已經縫好了。
Had you not better finish your sewing?" said Amy. "It must be near dinner-time now."
你最好還是先完成你的縫紉活吧！”艾米說，“現在快到晚飯時間了。”
Oh! I can finish it in two minutes; only I want to look at that story, which Tom told us was so amusing."
哦！我兩分鐘就能完成，我就想讀讀那個湯姆將給我們的故事，太有趣了。”
But if you are late?"
但是如果你遲到了怎么辦呢？”
No fear of that!" cried Lizzy; "no one is so likely to be late as a slow little creature like you!"
不要擔心！”利奇嚷道，“除了你這樣慢的生物，沒有人會遲到的！”
Poor Amy made no reply; stitch after stitch, stitch after stitch, quietly she worked on. Lizzy was soon so deep in her story that she forgot all about her work, till startled by the sound of the bell.
可憐的艾米沒有回答，縫啊縫，一針一針地縫，她安靜地做著活。利奇很快深深陷入她的故事書里，以至于忘了她該做的手工活，直到被第二個(晚餐)鈴聲嚇到。
Can it be dinner-time!" she cried. "Oh dear, and my napkin is not hemmed! And yours—"
晚餐時間了嗎？”她喊著，“哦天啊，我的手帕還沒縫完！而你的——”
It is just finished," said Amy, as she quietly folded it up.
我的正好剛縫完了，”艾米邊說邊安靜地疊起手帕。
'Tis just like 'The Hare and the Tortoise,'" thought Lizzy, who, though pert and vain, had enough of sense to take a lesson.
這就像是那個’龜兔賽跑’的故事”魯莽自負的利奇想到這兒，已經充分領受了教訓。
Quickness may have the start, but the quiet, steady worker does most in the end.
速度快可以有好的開始，但是安靜、沉穩的執行者最后往往做得最好。
QUESTIONS
問題
What work were the two sisters doing? Which was furthest on? What did she think she might do? What had Amy finished before her sister came back? What did Lizzy then think she had time to do? When she came back, how far had Amy got on? Did Lizzy then take up her work? What then? What startled her while she was reading? How far on was Amy? In what state was Lizzy's work? What did she say it was like?
兩姐妹正在做什么？哪一個做得最多？她認為自己應該做什么？在姐姐回來之前艾米完成了什么？利奇后來覺得自己有時間該做什么？當她回來時，艾米已經做多少了？后來利奇繼續做活了嗎？那她做了什么？她讀故事的時候被什么嚇到了？艾米做到哪兒了？利奇的活做到什么地步了？她說她們倆的情況像什么？
