典范英语8-1刺猬女孩艾蜜AmytheHedgehogsGirl第1页共5页AmytheHedgehogsGirlMiserableMrPeckHermumwasinthekitchenwhenAmyrushedin.‘Howwasschool?’askedMrsHarris,expectingtheusualanswer,‘OK.’‘Itwasgreat,’criedAmy.‘Aladygaveusatalkonwildlifeandsheshowedusahedgehogexpert.’‘Awhat?’saidMrsHarris.‘Ahedgehogexpert.Someonewhoknowsallabouthedgehogs.’‘That’sgood,’saidMrsHarris.‘You’llneedtogothelibraryandseeifyoucanfindsomebooks.’‘Ohdear,’Amygroaned.‘I’llhavetoseeMrPeck.’MrPeckwasthechildren’slibrarian.Hewasameanandmiserablesortofperson.HealsolivednextdoortoAmy.ThelibrarywasalmostemptywhenAmyarrived.Shelookedalongtheshelves,tryingtofindabookonhedgehogs.‘Whatareyoudoing?’snappedavoicebehindher.Amynearlyjumpedoutofhersocks.ItwasMrPeck.‘Iwaslookingforabookaboutanimals.’‘Animals,indeed,’sniffedMrPeck.‘Whatsortofanimals?Tameanimals?Wildanimals?AnimalsfromAfrica?India?Britain?’‘Hedgehogs,’saidAmy.‘Hedgehogs!’bawledMrPeck.‘Theveryworstanimalsthereare.Theydigupvegetablesandbitelumpsoutofthem.’Hepulledabookfromtheshelves.‘Ifyoumuststudythehorridthings,thisisthebestIcando.’‘Thankyou,saidAmypolitely.‘Makesureyoubringitbackontime.Anddon’tyoudarebringhedgehogsintoyourgarden.Yourgardenisnexttomine,don’tforget.IfIseeahedgehognearmycarrots,doyouknowwhatIamgoingtodo?’‘No,’saidAmy.‘I’mgoingtosquirtitwithmyspraygun.’Athome,Amyreadthebookonhedgehogs.Shefoundoutthattheyateslugsandsnails.Thebookdidn’tsayanythingaboutvegetables.Thenextdayshetookthebookbacktothelibrary.典范英语8-1刺猬女孩艾蜜AmytheHedgehogsGirl第2页共5页‘What’sthis?’saidMrPeck.‘Thisbookisnotduebackforanothertwentydays.’‘ButI’vereadit,’saidAmy.‘Haveyougotanymorebooksabouthedgehogs?’‘Overthere,’snappedMrPeck,pointingwithhisnose.Amywalkedslowlyalongtheshelves.Wherewerethebooksaboutanimals?ShewasjustabouttoriskaskingMrPeck,whenshesawsomething.Itwasanoldcassettetape,called‘CallsoftheWild’.Itlookedasifnobodyhadeverplayedit.Amytookitdownfromtheshelf.Itwaspartofasetofanimalnoises.Thiswastapenumber12anditwascalledHedgehogs.AmyaskedMrPeckifshecouldborrowthecassette.‘Ofcourseyoucan,’hesaidrudely.‘Thoughanybodywhowantstolistentohorridanimalnoisesmustbemad.’Hestampedthecassettebox.‘Anddon’tforgettorewindthetape.’HedgehogtalkAmysatinherroomlisteningtothesoundsofhedgehogsonherpersonalstereo,overandoveragain.Amyrepeatedthesoundsherself.‘I’mtalkinghedgehog,’thoughtAmy.‘IwishIknewwhatIwassaying.Ireallyneedahedgehogtohelpme.I’msurethere’soneinthegarden.IfImakehedgehognoises,perhapsitwillhearme.’Amyrandownintothegardenandmadehedgehognoisesasloudlyasshecould.Shestoppedandlistened,butnohedgehogsanswered.Amytriedagain.Butonlyacatcameintothegarden.‘I’mgoingtokeeptrying,’saidAmy.‘I’msureIcandoit.’Atlastshegotcoldandshewentindoors.ThenextnightAmytriedagain.Shetriedeverynightforaweek.‘Whatareyoudoingoutthere?’askedMrsHarris.‘Waitandsee,’saidAmy.Justthenthedoorbellrang.ItwasMrPeck.Hestoodatthedoorinhisdressinggown.Amynoticedthathishairwaswet.‘MrsHarris,’saidMrPeck.‘EverynightwhenIhavemybathIcanhearanoise.Itseemstobecomingfromyourgarden.’Amygiggledbehindherhand.‘Noise?’saidMrsHarris.典范英语8-1刺猬女孩艾蜜AmytheHedgehogsGirl第3页共5页‘Somesortofanimal,’saidMrPeck.‘I’dputpoisondownifIwereyou.Thatistheonlywaytodealwithanimals.’AssoonasMrPeckhadgone,Amydashedoutintothegarden.‘MrPeckthoughtIwasananimal,’shesaidtoherself.‘I’mgoingtotryonemoretime.’Amywentdownonherkneesandbegantomakeherhedgehogsoundsagain.Almostatoncetherewasarustlingnoiseandahedgehoglumberedontothelawn.Amywasdelighted.ThehedgehogandAmysnortedandsqueakedateachother.Suddenlyatorchbeamshoneintheireyes.‘What’sgoingon?’saidavoice.ItwasMrPeck,stillinhisdressinggown.Thehedgehogrolledintoaball.‘I’mchattingtoahedgehog,’saidAmy.‘Youcheekyyoungthing.Talkingtohedgehogsindeed.’‘Excuseme—’beganAmy.‘Andwhat’smore,’MrPeckcutin,‘hedgehogsaredirtylittlebeastsandtheyeatupallthevegetablesinmygarden.’‘Rubbish!’saidAmycrossly.‘Hedgehogsarenotdirty.Andtheydon’teatvegetables.Theyeatslugsandsnails.Now,ifyoudon’tmind,Iwastalkingtoahedgehog.’MrPeckwastooshockedtoanswer.HismouthdroppedopenasAmysnortedgentlytothehedgehog.Slowlyitunrolled.AslylookcreptacrossMrPeck’sface.‘Howoftenhaveyoubeendoingthis,mydear?’heasked.‘Neverbefore,’saidAmy.‘Butfromnowon,I’llbeeverynight.’‘Hm,’saidMrPeck.‘You’regoingtobehereeverynight,yousay.’TheamazinghedgehoggirlWhenAmycamehomefromschoolthenextday,MrPeckwasinhisfrontdrive.Hewasfixingalargeboardtothegate.AssoonashesawAmy,hethrewhiscoatoverit.Amyhadpromisedtoshowhermumthehedgehog.Itwasgettingdarkwhentheysteppedintothegardentoseeherhedgehogfriend.Amywentdownonherkneesandbegantosnort.Thistimetwohedgehogscameuptoher.‘Whatareyoutalkingabout?’whisperedMrsHarris.‘Slugs.’Therewasasoundfromnextdoor.Amyshonehertorchtowardsthefence.Therewerepeoplestaringintohergarden.Theyallhadtheirmouthsopen.Onepersonstoodout.ItwasMrPeck.典范英语8-1刺猬女孩艾蜜AmytheHedgehogsGirl第4页共5页‘I’veaskedafewfriendsover,’hesaidsmoothly.‘Ihopeyoudon’tmind.’Amywascross,butshealsofeltratherproudthatsomanypeoplehadcometoseeher.‘Youmaywatch.Butpleasedon’ttalkormakeanoise.Andnophotos.’Thepeoplenodded.Amywentdownonherkneesandsnortedoncemore.