058 教导塔夫提

旁白 neutral

The electricity was back on in our apartment building

我们公寓楼又通电了。

旁白 neutral

But Mr. Calabria said no one could turn on any air conditioners yet

但卡拉布里亚先生说现在还不能开空调。

旁白 neutral

The workmen needed to put in special wiring for that

工人们需要为此铺设专门的线路。

旁白 neutral

But our lights were back on, and our refrigerator was humming again

但我们的灯又亮了，冰箱也又嗡嗡作响了。

旁白 neutral

My head was humming too

我的脑袋也嗡嗡作响。

旁白 neutral

" I have a plan," I told my friends

“我有个计划，”我对朋友们说。

旁白 neutral

" Let's teach Tufty to talk

“我们教塔夫蒂说话吧。

旁白 neutral

Then maybe he'll talk instead of making loud noises."

那样也许他就会说话，而不是发出吵闹的声音了。”

旁白 neutral

" But, Iggy," Jenny reminded me." Tufty doesn't talk

“但是，伊吉，”珍妮提醒我，“塔夫蒂不会说话。

旁白 neutral

I don't think he can learn to say any words."

我觉得他学不会任何词。”

旁白 neutral

I thought for a moment

我想了一下。

旁白 neutral

" I did a research project in school about parrots," I said

“我在学校做过一个关于鹦鹉的研究课题，”我说。

旁白 neutral

" You can teach them to talk by repeating the same words over and over again."

“你可以一遍又一遍地重复同样的话来教它们说话。”

旁白 neutral

Josh seemed to like my idea

乔什似乎很赞成我的主意。

旁白 neutral

" We could use my computer to make a recording," he said

“我们可以用我的电脑录一段音，”他说。

旁白 neutral

" Then we could play it over and over for Tufty."

“然后我们可以一遍遍放给塔夫蒂听。”

旁白 neutral

" That's a great idea!" I said

“这主意太棒了！”我说。

旁白 neutral

Josh ran downstairs to get his computer

乔什跑下楼去拿他的电脑。

旁白 neutral

" Since Molly is Tufty's owner, I think she should make the recording," I suggested

“既然莫莉是塔夫蒂的主人，我觉得应该让她来录音，”我建议道。

旁白 neutral

A few minutes later, Josh came back

几分钟后，乔什回来了。

旁白 neutral

He plugged in his computer and placed it in front of Molly

他把电脑接上电源，放在莫莉面前。

旁白 neutral

" Ready?" asked Josh

“准备好了吗？”乔什问。

旁白 neutral

" Wait!" cried Molly." What am I supposed to say?"

“等等！”莫莉叫道，“我该说什么呢？”

旁白 neutral

" Say something calming," Jenny suggested," like ' Now it's time to go to sleep.'"

“说些让人平静的话，”珍妮建议，“比如说‘现在该睡觉了。’”

旁白 neutral

" But Tufty is already asleep," I pointed out

“可塔夫蒂已经睡着了啊，”我指出。

旁白 neutral

Sure enough, Tufty was still asleep with his head under his wing

果然，塔夫蒂还在睡，脑袋埋在翅膀底下。

旁白 neutral

" I'll wake him up," said Molly

“我叫醒他，”莫莉说。

旁白 neutral

" Tufty!" she said, gently nudging him." Wake up!"

“塔夫蒂！”她轻轻推推它，“醒醒！”

旁白 neutral

Tufty woke up and opened his mouth wide

塔夫蒂醒了，把嘴张得大大的。

旁白 neutral

" Uh-oh, here comes the subway train!" cried Jenny

“哎呀，地铁来了！”珍妮喊道。

旁白 neutral

Everyone put their hands over their ears

大家都用手捂住了耳朵。

旁白 neutral

But all Tufty did was yawn

但塔夫蒂只是打了个哈欠。

旁白 neutral

" Well, at least he's awake now," said Josh

“嗯，至少他现在醒了，”乔什说。

旁白 neutral

Josh tapped a key on his computer, and Molly started recording

乔什敲了一下电脑键盘，莫莉开始录音。

旁白 neutral

" My name is Tufty, and I'm a very quiet parrot," she said softly

“我的名字叫塔夫蒂，我是一只非常轻言细语的鹦鹉，”她轻声说道。

旁白 neutral

" Good!" said Josh

“很好！”乔什说。

旁白 neutral

" Now I'll fix the computer so Molly's recording will repeat over and over."

“现在我要调整好电脑，让莫莉的录音能一遍遍地重复播放。”

旁白 neutral

Josh pressed more buttons on his computer

乔什又在电脑上按了几个按钮。

旁白 neutral

Then he pressed a key to play Molly's recording

然后他按下一个键，播放莫莉的录音。

旁白 neutral

" My name is Tufty, and I'm a very quiet parrot," we heard Molly say

我们听到莫莉的声音说：“我的名字叫塔夫蒂，我是一只非常轻言细语的鹦鹉。”

旁白 neutral

Tufty opened his eyes and cocked his head

塔夫蒂睁开眼睛，歪了歪头。

旁白 neutral

" He's listening!" whispered Jenny

“他在听呢！”珍妮小声说。

旁白 neutral

" Let's leave him alone so he can pay attention," I said

“我们别打扰他，让他专心听，”我说。

旁白 neutral

We went in Molly's room and played cards

我们进了莫莉的房间，打起了牌。

旁白 neutral

From the living room, we could hear Molly's voice again and again:

从客厅那边，我们能一遍又一遍地听到莫莉的声音：

旁白 neutral

" My name is Tufty, and I'm a very quiet parrot."

“我的名字叫塔夫蒂，我是一只非常安静的鹦鹉。”

旁白 neutral

Molly glanced at a clock

莫莉瞥了一眼钟。

旁白 neutral

" How long do you think it will take for Tufty to learn to talk?" she asked

“你觉得塔夫蒂要学会说话得花多长时间？”她问道。

旁白 neutral

" We'll go back in twenty minutes," I said

“我们二十分钟后再过去，”我说。

旁白 neutral

" That should be long enough

“那应该够长了。

旁白 neutral

Parrots are smart."

鹦鹉很聪明。”

旁白 neutral

Exactly twenty minutes later, we all crept back into the living room

正好二十分钟后，我们蹑手蹑脚回到客厅。

旁白 neutral

Molly's voice was still droning away on the computer

莫莉的声音仍从电脑里单调地播放着。

旁白 neutral

But Tufty was fast asleep!

可塔夫蒂已经呼呼大睡了！

旁白 neutral

" I guess my voice put him back to sleep," said Molly

“估计是我的声音又把它哄睡着了。”莫莉说。

旁白 neutral

" He didn't learn a thing!" groaned Jenny

“它什么也没学到！”珍妮抱怨道。

旁白 neutral

" Don't be so sure," I said

“别那么肯定。”我说。

旁白 neutral

" Sometimes people learn new things in their sleep

“有时人会在睡梦中学习新东西。

旁白 neutral

Maybe parrots can too."

也许鹦鹉也可以。”

旁白 neutral

At that moment Tufty opened his eyes

就在这时，塔夫蒂睁开了眼睛。

旁白 neutral

He shook his feathers

它抖了抖羽毛。

旁白 neutral

Then he stood on one foot and opened his beak

然后单腿站立，张开了嘴。

旁白 neutral

" Look! He's going to talk!" cried Molly

“看！它要说话了！”莫莉喊道。

旁白 neutral

But Tufty didn't talk

但塔夫蒂并没有说话。

旁白 neutral

Instead he made a sound

而是发出了一个声音。

旁白 neutral

Broo-ooo-oot!

嘟——！

旁白 neutral

It was the longest, loudest car horn I had ever heard

这是我听过的最长、最响亮的汽车喇叭声。

旁白 neutral

Molly's mom ran into the room

莫莉的妈妈冲进房间。

旁白 neutral

" Molly!" she cried." Tufty is too loud!

“莫莉！”她喊道，“塔夫蒂太吵了！

旁白 neutral

He has to quiet down by tonight

它今晚之前必须安静下来。

旁白 neutral

If he doesn't, we'll have to find him a new home!"

不然我们就得给它找个新家了！”