The Long Walk一次长途散步

Jimmy loved ice-cream. It was his favorite dessert1. He wanted to eat ice-creamall the time. His parents let him have a small dish each night after dinner， if he ateall of his vegetables. At home， Jimmy usually had milk or strawberry ice-cream. Hismother scooped2 it out of the carton3 and into his bowl.

吉米喜欢冰激凌。这是他最喜欢的甜点。他无时无刻不在想着吃冰激凌。如果他每天晚饭吃完所有的蔬菜，父母会让他在饭后吃一小碟。在家里，吉米一般会吃牛奶或草莓味的冰激凌。他妈妈把它从纸盒里舀出来，放进他的碗里。

Jimmy liked eating ice-cream at home， but he really loved going to the icecreamstand4 to get an ice-cream cone5. There were so many different flavors6 totry！ Jimmy always tried a new kind of ice-cream each time.

吉米喜欢在家吃冰激凌，但他更喜欢去冰激凌摊买冰激凌甜筒。那儿有许多不同的口味可以尝试！吉米每次都会尝试新口味的冰激凌。

When Jimmy turned eight， he had a checkup7 at the doctor’s office. The doctorsaid that ice-cream wasn’t a very healthy snack8. “It’s fine to have a little icecreamonce in a while， but not every night，”she said.

八岁时，吉米在医生的办公室做了一次健康检查。医生说冰激凌不是非常健康的零食，她说：“可以偶尔吃点冰激凌，但不要每晚都吃。”

After the doctor’s visit， Jimmy and his mom drove home.“Can I still have icecreamfor dessert tonight？”Jimmy asked.

看完医生后，吉米和妈妈开车回家了。“我今晚还能吃冰激凌当甜点吗？”吉米问。

“I don’t think so， honey，”Mom said.“We should all try to be healthier.”

“我觉得不行，亲爱的。”妈妈说，“我们都应该努力变得更健康。”

That night at dinner， Jimmy ate all his vegetables. But there was no ice-creamfor dessert. Instead， Mom came up with a new rule“. If we want to eat ice-cream，we’ll have to earn9 it by walking to the ice-cream stand，”she said.

那天享用晚餐时，吉米吃光了所有的蔬菜，但没有冰激凌当甜点。相反，妈妈提出了一个新的规则。她说：“如果想吃冰激凌，我们就必须走到冰激凌摊那儿去买。”

Jimmy was willing to give it a try， so they decided to take their walkon Saturday afternoon. According to the map， the ice-cream stand was a kilometeraway.

吉米愿意试一试，所以他们决定周六下午去散步。根据地图显示，那个冰激凌摊在一公里外的地方。

Saturday was a hot and sunny day. Jimmy began to feel sweaty10“. I’m hot，”said Jimmy.“How much farther is it？”Mom checked the map on her phone.“We’renot even halfway yet. Do you want to turn around？”

星期六是一个炎热又晴朗的日子，吉米开始出汗了。“我好热。”吉米说，“还有多远啊？”妈妈用手机查了查地图，“我们还没走到一半。你想回去了么？”

Jimmy did want to turn around， but he also wanted ice-cream. Walking was theonly way to get it. Jimmy and Mom crossed several streets. They passed his schooland the playground. Jimmy’s legs felt heavy. He wanted to sit down， but there wereno benches11 around. There were a few trees， but they didn’t do much to shade12the sidewalk.

吉米确实想回去了，但他也想吃冰激凌，走下去是得到它的唯一方法。吉米和妈妈穿过了几条街道。他们经过了他的学校和操场。吉米感觉腿很沉重。他想坐下来，但周围没有长椅。有几棵树，但并没有给人行道遮多少荫。

“Mom？”Jimmy asked. He was about to quit13. He looked up to tell Mom he was ready to turn around.

“妈妈？”吉姆问。他想要放弃了。他抬起头来告诉妈妈他准备回去了。

But when he did， he could see the purple flag at the top of the ice-cream stand.They were almost there！ Jimmy started to walk faster. He could almost taste the cool，creamy14 ice-cream already. It was a long walk， but it was worth15 the trip.

但是当他这么做的时候，他可以看得到冰激凌摊上的紫色旗了。他们快到了！吉米开始加快脚步。他几乎已经能尝到冰凉的奶油冰激凌了。这次路程很长，但值得一走。

▏Notes

1. dessert （正餐后的）甜点

2. scoop 用勺舀，用铲子铲

3. carton 硬纸盒，塑料盒

4. stand 货摊，售货亭

5. cone （盛冰激凌的）锥形蛋卷筒，蛋筒冰激凌

6. flavor 滋味

7. checkup 检查；健康检查

8. snack 零食，点心，小吃

9. earn 赢得，博得

10. sweaty 出汗的；吃力的

11. bench 长凳，长椅

12. shade 背阴处，阴凉处

13. quit 离开（某地）；停止，戒掉

14. creamy 似奶油的，柔滑细腻的

15. worth 值得的