Introduce the story: Today we'll talk about a stolen lamb.
Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: Was Dimitri right to apologize to his neighbour? Why not?
Vocabulary:
prize adj. 珍贵的，宝贵的
deny v. 否认
tie v. 拴，系
ashamed adj .感到羞耻，惭愧
theft n .偷盗行为，偷盗案
apologize v. 道歉
accuse v. 指控
dye v. 染
Passage:
Mary and her husband Dimitri lived in a tiny village in southern Greece. One of
Mary's prize possessions was a little white lamb which her husband had given her.
She kept it tied to a tree in a field during the day and went to fetch it every evening.
One evening, however, the lamb was missing. The rope had been cut, so it was
obvious that the lamb had been stolen.
玛丽与丈夫迪米特里住在希腊南部的一个小村庄里。玛丽最珍贵的财产之一就是
丈夫送给她的一只白色小羔羊。白天，玛丽把羔羊拴在地里的一棵树上，每天晚
上把它牵回家。可是，一天晚上，那只小羔羊失踪了。绳子被人割断，很明显小
羔羊是被人偷走了。
Notes:
When Dimitri came in from the fields, his wife told him what had happened. Dimitri
at once set out to find the thief. He knew it would not prove difficult in such a small
village. After telling several of his friends about the theft, Dimitri found out that his
neighbour, Aleko, had suddenly acquired a new lamb. Dimitri immediately went to
Aleko's house and angrily accused him of stealing the lamb. He told him he had better
return it or he would call the police.
迪米特里从地里回来，妻子把情况跟他一说，他马上出去找偷羔羊的人。他知道
在这样一个小村庄里抓住小偷并不困难。把失窃的事告诉几个朋友后，迪米特里
发现他的邻居阿列科家突然多了一只小羔羊。迪米特里立刻去了阿列科家，气呼
呼地指责他偷了羔羊，告诉他最好把羊交还，否则就去叫警察。
Notes:
1 it would not prove difficult, 是不难做到的。prove 是连系动词，作“证明是”讲，
本句子与 it would not be difficult 相同。
2 accuse sb. of (doing) sth. 作“指责、指控某人做某事”解。
3 he had better return it, 他最好把羔羊还给迪米特里。
had better 用来表达一种建议，建议在将来某一具体场合采取的动作。这个短语
比 should 和 ought to 的语气更强烈，常带有威胁、告诫或催促的意思。
Aleko denied taking it and led Dimitri into his backyard. It was true that he had just
bought a lamb, he explained, but his lamb was black. Ashamed of having acted so
rashly, Dimitri apologized to Aleko for having accused him. While they were talking
it began to rain and Dimitri stayed in Aleko's house until the rain stopped. When he
went outside half an hour later, he was astonished to find that the little black lamb was
almost white. Its wool, which had been dyed black, had been washed clean by the
rain!
阿列科不承认，并把迪米特里领进院子。不错，他的确刚买了一只羔羊，阿列科
解释说，但他的羔羊是黑色的。迪米特里为自己的鲁莽而感到不好意思，向阿列
科道了歉，说是错怪了他。就在他俩说话的时候，天下起了雨，迪米特里便呆在
阿列科家里避雨，一直等到雨停为止。半小时后，当他从屋里出来时，他惊奇地
发现小黑羔羊全身几乎都变成了白色。原来羊毛上染的黑色被雨水冲掉了！
Notes:
4 denied taking it…,deny 后面可接动名词作宾语，也可接宾语从句。
5 apologize to sb. for (doing)sth. , 是“因（做）某事向某人道歉”的意思。
16.2【阅读理解】Mary had a little lamb
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
Comprehension:
1 Where did Mary and her husband Dimitri live? (In a tiny village in southern
Greece.)
2What was one of Mary's prize possessions? (A little white lamb.)
3 Who had given it to her? (Her husband, Dimitri.)
4 What did Mary do with the lamb during the day? (She kept it tied to a tree.)
5 What did she do every evening? (She went to fetch it.)
6 What did she discover one evening? (The lamb was missing.)
7 Why was it obvious the lamb had been stolen? (Because the rope had been cut.)
8 What did Mary tell her husband when he came in from the fields? (What had
happened.)
9 What did Dimitri set out to do? (To find the thief.)
10 What did Dimitri find out about his neighbour, Aleko? (That he had suddenly
acquired a new lamb.)
11 What did Dimitri accuse Aleko of when he went to his house? (Of stealing the
lamb.)
12 What did Dimitri threaten to do? (To call the police.)
13 Where did Aleko lead Dimitri? (Into his backyard.)
14 Why did Dimitri decide he had made a mistake? (Because Aleko’s lamb was
black.)
15 Did Dimitri apologize to Aleko? (Yes, he did.)
16 What happened while they were talking? (It began to rain.)
17 Where did Dimitri stay until the rain stopped? (In Aleko's house.)
18 What was Dimitri astonished to find when the rain stopped? (That the little black
lamb was almost white.)
19 Why was it almost white? (Because it had been dyed black.)
20 Had Aleko stolen the lamb? (Yes, he had.)
16.3【拓展写作】Mary had a little lamb
Step 3: Composition
In not more than 200 words continue the above passage. Use the ideas given below.
Do not write more than three paragraphs.
Title: Not so black.
Introduction: Dimitri took a close look at the lamb---surprised---it was
white---recognized it as his own.
Development: Angry scene---accusation---Aleko still denied theft---violent
argument---finally Aleko admitted it---Dimitri called the police---Aleko was
arrested---Dimitri took the lamb home.
Conclusion: Excitement in the village---villagers were amused by the
event---discussed it at great length for a long time.
Key to composition
Not so black
Dimitri was surprised to find that the lamb had turned white. He took a close look
at it and recognized it as his own.
This discovery immediately led to an angry scene between Dimitri and Aleko.
Dimitri repeated his accusation that Aleko had stolen the lamb, but Aleko still denied
any theft. During the violent argument, Dimitri said the rain had proved that the lamb
had been dyed black and he recognized it immediately as the one he had given to his
wife. When Aleko finally admitted he had stolen the lamb, Dimitri called the police.
Aleko was arrested and Dimitri took his lamb home.
The story caused a lot of excitement in the village. The villagers didn't often have
the opportunity to talk about such an important event and they were greatly amused
by what had happened. Some thought Aleko had been very clever. Others thought he
had been extremely stupid. Others said God had sent the rain to punish Aleko for his
crime and to prove he was a thief. They discussed the event at great length for a long
time, as
there wasn’t much else to talk about in a village where nothing much ever happened.
课外练习：
1 Every evening, Mary used to go and .
(a) cut the lamb from the rope it had been tied on
(b) untie the lamb so it could wander in the field at night
(c)bring her lamb back home for the night
(d) make sure that her lamb was not missing
2 It would not be difficult to find the thief because .
(a)the lamb had been one of Mary's prize possessions
(b) news travels fast in a small community
(c)Dimitri had a lot of friends in the village
(d) the rain would soon wash the black dye off the lamb
3 When Aleko first showed Dimitri the lamb in his backyard .
(a)he was truthful about how he had acquired the lamb but not about its colour
(b)Dimitri admitted that the lamb could not be his wife's
(c)it was clear that the lamb had been dyed black
(d) it started to rain before Dimitri had time to identify the lamb as his
4 Mary and her husband Dimitri lived in Perachora, a tiny village in southern
Greece.
(a)in
(b)the
(c) in the
(d)a
5- was little white lamb which had been from her husband.
(a)present
(b)presented
(c)presenting
(d) a present
6 On her husband's return, what had happened.
(a)his wife told him
(b)she told Dimitri
(c)Mary told him
(d) Dimitri was told
7- it would not prove difficult in village of size.
(a) such small
(b)so small
(c) the smallest
(d) so small
8 He told him if he it, he would call the police.
(a)was not returning
(b) did not return
(c)has not returned
(d) had not returned
9 One of Mary's most possessions...
(a)valued
(b)worthwhile
(c)worthy
(d) expensive
10 After the theft to several of his friends ...
(a)telling
(b)reporting
(c)expressing
(d) counting
11 During their , it began to rain.
(a)chat
(b)argument
(c)conversation
(d) speech
12 When he went half an hour later …
(a)out of doors
(b) into the open
(c) in the open air
(d)inside out
答案：1c 2b 3b 4d 5d 6c 7d 8b 9a 10b 11c 12a