VOA慢速英语:Children’s Story: ‘Pecos Bill’

短语讲解：

1. The descriptions in the story are exaggerated – much greater than in real life. Long ago, the people who settled in undeveloped areas in America first told tall tales.

settle in安顿下来, 适应于新家
例句：You must come and see our new house when we've settled in.
等我们安顿好了, 你一定要来看看我们的新房子。

2. It all started after his father decided that there was no longer enough room in east Texas for his family.

no longer不再, 已不, 不复, 再也不
例句：He was long a famous musician, but he plays no longer.
他成为有名的音乐家已很久了, 但他现在不演奏了。

3. "Pack up, Ma!" he cried.

pack up 打包; 收拾
例句：Have you packed your things up?
你把东西收拾好了吗?

4. So they loaded up a wagon with all their things.

load up (使)载满; (使)负重; (给…)装货
例句：The barge was loaded up with coal.
那艘驳船装上了煤。

5. And as they set off across the wild country of west Texas, their mother and father could hardly hear a thing.

set off出发, 动身
例句：They set off at dawn.
他们在黎明时出发。

6. Bill was not used to human language.

be used to习惯于
例句：He is used to hard job.
他习惯于艰苦的工作。

7. So start acting like one!" the cowboy cried out.

cry out呼喊, 尖叫
例句：The old man cried out to him angrily.
老人朝他愤怒地喊叫。

8. Still, he hungered for adventure.

hunger for极需…, 渴望得到…
例句：The unemployed hunger for jobs.
失业者渴望得到工作。

9. There was a huge battle, but Bill took control of the big cat and put his saddle on it.

take control of控制
例句：There must be someone who can take control of these naughty children
应该有人能管住这些淘气的孩子。

10. Cowboys have had trouble with those poisonous creatures ever since.

have trouble with同…闹纠纷
例句：We had trouble with our neighbors over the noise that they were making.
我们因邻居制造的噪音而与他们闹纠纷。
ever since从那时起，自那时以来
例句：He arrived Tuesday and remained ever since.
他星期二到的，并一直留在这里。

11. It was so dry that horses and cows started to dry up and blow away in the wind.

dry up (使…)干涸
例句：The long drought dried up all the wells.
长期的干旱使所有的井都干涸了。
blow away (使)吹掉
例句：The roof of their house was blown away.
风把他们的屋顶刮跑了。

12. He got that name because any man who rode that horse would be thrown off and killed and his wife would become a widow.

throw off扔掉；甩掉；抛弃
例句：He put his hand on her shoulder, but she threw it off angrily.
他把手放在他的肩上，但她生气地将他的手甩掉。

13. And Bill fell in love with her at first sight.

fall in love with爱上
at first sight乍看之下; 一看到…就
例句：They fell in love at first sight.
他俩一见钟情。

14. But she had her mind made up.

make up one's mind决定, 下决心
例句：They made up their minds to sell the house.
他们决定把房子卖掉。