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Where the Wild Things Are 野兽冒险乐园

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课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

As children, we likely all wished at some point that we could escape to our own private fantasyland free of bossy adults. And we no doubt created our fair share of mischief, too. Such natural childhood tendencies are perfectly captured in the classic children’s picture book Where the Wild Things Are.

在童年的某些片刻，我们很可能都曾想过要逃到自己的幻想世界里，摆脱爱颐指气使的大人。我们也无疑地制造了许多麻烦。这种孩子的天性在经典儿童绘本《野兽国》中有完美的刻画与呈现。

First published in 1963, Where the Wild Things Are has lost none of its original appeal over nearly five decades. It tells the story of a mischievous young boy, Max, who is sent to his room without supper by his mother. While he fumes in his room, a mysterious forest starts to grow all around him, and he’s transported to an unfamiliar land. Max then travels across an ocean “night and day …. almost over a year, to where the wild things are.” The wild things are an assortment of huge, fierce creatures, but when Max encounters them, he isn’t the least bit scared. Instead, he tames them with a single glance, and they recognize Max as “the most wild thing of all” and make him their king. After enjoying a wild “rumpus” with his new friends, Max starts to feel homesick and decides to go back home. On returning to his room, he finds his supper waiting for him, “still hot.”

《野兽国》于1963年首次出版，近50年来魅力丝毫未减。该书讲述调皮的小男孩麦克斯（中译绘本将Max译为阿奇）的故事，妈妈罚他待在房间不准吃晚餐。正当他在房间气得直跺脚时，周围长出了一片神秘的森林，而他也被送到了一个陌生的国度。接着麦克斯飘洋过海，「一天又一天……，航行一年多，终于到了野兽国」。那里的野兽是各种体型巨大且性情凶猛的动物，但麦克斯跟牠们对峙时却一点也不害怕。相反地，麦克斯光以一个眼神就驯服了牠们，野兽们因此认定麦克斯是「最野的野兽」，封他为野兽大王。和新朋友们痛快地「大闹一场」后，麦克斯开始想家并决定要回家去。他一回到房间就发现晚餐正等着他，而且「还是热腾腾的」。

The book’s author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak, has been a leading figure in children’s literature since the 1950s right up to the present day. Of all his books, though, Where the Wild Things Are remains the most popular. To date, it has been translated into fifteen languages and has sold over two million copies worldwide.

从1950年代一直到现在，这本书的作者兼插画家莫里士．桑塔克一直都是儿童文学的领导人物。不过在他所有的作品中，《野兽国》仍然最受欢迎。到目前为止，该书已被译为15种文字，全球销售超过两百万册。

Vocabulary

 单词发音

escape [əˋskep] v. 逃跑；逃脱

mischief [ˋmɪstʃɪf] n. 胡闹，恶作剧

tendency [ˋtɛndənsɪ] n.〔发育﹑思想﹑行为等的〕倾向

capture [ˋkæptʃɚ] v. （特点);表现,体现(感情、气氛); 捕捉; 捕获

classic [ˋklæsɪk] adj. 典型的; 经典的

fume [fjum] v. 发怒；咆哮

transport [ˋtræns͵pɔrt] v. 运送，运输

assortment [əˋsɔrtmənt] n. 各色各样的搭配

fierce [fɪrs] adj. 凶猛的；好斗的

the least bit 毫厘；半点  in the slightest degree or in any respect

tame [tem] v. 驯化，驯养

glance [glæns] n. 一瞥；扫视

leading [ˋlidɪŋ] adj. 领导的；领路的; 主要的；最重要的

literature [ˋlɪtərətʃɚ] n. 文学

to date  至今; 到目前为止

More Information

 单词发音

fantasyland [ˋfæntəsɪlænd] n. 梦境；太虚幻境

bossy [ˋbɑsɪ] adj. 爱指挥他人的，跋扈的

to have one’s fair share of something 得到(超过)通常得到的或期望得到的数量 to have a lot or more than enough of something bad

mischievous [ˋmɪstʃɪvəs] adj. 调皮的，淘气的

supper [ˋsʌpɚ] n. 晚餐，晚饭

rumpus [ˋrʌmpəs] n.【口】喧嚣；争吵

illustrator [ˋɪləs͵tretɚ] n. 插图画家

课文朗读

课文讲解

Today, the idea of a boy fooling around with imaginary monsters seems fairly innocent. However, when Where the Wild Things Are first appeared, it was criticized by some reviewers as being too scary for young readers. The children themselves would be the best judges, though, and they loved its creepy charms. In recognition of its popularity, it was subsequently awarded the 1964 Caldecott Medal as the “Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year.”

小男孩和想象中的野兽们一起胡闹撒野的概念，现今看来相当天真无邪。然而，《野兽国》刚出版时，很多评论家都批评该书对小读者来说太可怕了。不过小孩们本身就是最佳的裁判，而他们爱死了这本书令人战栗的魔力。为表彰该书的超人气，《野兽国》随后获颁1964年的「卡德科特图画书奖」年度最佳绘本。

One of the reasons behind the book’s success is the fact that kids can easily identify with the character of Max. Besides having an active imagination, he also displays a range of emotions, including anger, just like any normal kid. Compared to the cute images that fill most children’s books, the monstrous wild things are quite a breath of fresh air. Perhaps more than the story itself, it’s the masterful and moody quality of Sendak’s illustrations that stick most in the mind. This is why so many people still clearly remember their first encounter with the wild things long after growing up.

这本书成功背后的原因之一，就是孩子们能很容易地认同麦克斯这个角色。他除了有丰富的想象力之外，还展现了包含愤怒等各种情绪，就像任何一个正常的孩子一样。大部分的童书都充满着可爱的图案，相较之下，可怕的野兽反而令人耳目一新。最能让读者把这部作品牢牢记在心里的，也许不是故事本身，而是桑塔克插画中展现的精湛技巧及丰富的情绪表现。这就是为什么很多人在事隔多年长大后，还能清晰地记得自己与野兽们的初次邂逅。

This year marks a new chapter in the story of Where the Wild Things Are, as a much-anticipated movie of the book is set to be released in October. Rather than relying on lots of special effects, the monsters are played by actors in padded suits, with only their faces being computer generated. The original story has also been padded out, exploring Max’s relationship with the wild things in greater detail. So, if you haven’t yet been charmed by this fantastic tale, now’s the time to discover your inner wild thing!

今年为《野兽国》的故事写下新章节，因为众所期待的改编电影将于十月上映。电影中怪兽们的呈现并不全仰赖特效，除了脸部由计算机动画处理，其余皆由身着填装棉垫衣物的真人演员扮演。原本的故事在电影中也延伸拉长，对麦克斯和野兽们互动的细节多所著墨。所以，如果你还没迷上这个奇幻的故事，现在正是时候，去探索内心世界的野兽吧！

−by David Vickers

Vocabulary

 单词发音

imaginary [ɪˋmædʒə͵nɛrɪ] adj. 想象中的；虚构的

fairly [ˋfɛrlɪ] adv. 颇为，相当地

innocent [ˋɪnəsnt] adj. 天真的，单纯的

in recognition of 为酬报…; 为褒奖...

popularity [͵pɑpjəˋlærətɪ] n. 讨人喜欢的特点﹐受欢迎

subsequently [ˋsʌbsɪ͵kwɛntlɪ] adv. 随后，接着

monstrous [ˋmɑnstrəs] adj. 可怕的，毛骨悚然的

a breath of fresh air 使人耳目一新的人; 使人耳目一新 someone or something that is new and different and makes everything seem more exciting

moody [ˋmudɪ] adj. 心情不稳的，喜怒无常的

illustration [ɪ͵lʌsˋtreʃən] n. 插图

much-anticipated 万众期待的

rely on 依靠

fantastic [fænˋtæstɪk] adj.【口】极好的，了不起的

inner [ˋɪnɚ] adj. 内心的

More Information

 单词发音

fool around 游手好闲, 鬼混 to waste time doing something without a particular purpose

creepy [ˋkripɪ] adj. 令人毛骨悚然的；不寒而栗的

identify [aɪˋdɛntə͵faɪ] v.（与……）认同；感同身受[（+with）]

masterful [ˋmæstɚfəl] adj. 老练高明的; 熟练的；出色的

stick in the mind 令...难忘  if something sticks in the mind, you remember it easily, often because it was exciting or strange

padded [ˋpædɪd] adj. 装有衬垫的﹐有护垫的

pad out 拉长…的篇幅; 用不必要的材料来拉长 to make something appear to be larger or longer by adding unnecessary material

Reading Questions

1.  What does NOT feature in the story of Where the Wild Things Are?

A. A naughty boy.

B. A violent battle.

C. A long journey.

D. Big scary monsters.

2.  What do we know about the book itself?

A. It was written in the 1950s.

B. It has sold millions of copies in America.

C. It recently won an award.

D. Its author also drew its pictures.

3.  What reason is given for the book’s continued popularity?

A. Children can relate to the main character.

B. Its illustrations frighten children.

C. It’s easy for readers to recall the story.

D. It makes readers feel very emotional.

4.  What is mentioned about the movie of the book?

A. It uses lots of computer-generated effects.

B. It sticks very closely to the original story.

C. It starts a number of famous actors.

D. Many people have been looking forward to its release.

Where the Wild Things Are --TRAILER--

 Answer