Is This Seat Taken
阿莉莎·伊特罕德 / Aliza Etkind
I look at spiders and butterflies. I watch caterpillars and moths. Sometimes I think I’m the only one who notices these things. But if it hadn’t been for a crowded cafeteria， I wouldn’t have ever noticed Valeri. After all， I wasn’t looking for new friends.
Valeri was a new student. She walked to class with her books huddled against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. After a month at our school， she hadn’t made any friend. At recess， she sat on a bench and read. If you asked who she was， you’d get a response like this， “She’s in my PE class. I can’t remember her name.”
One day at lunch， I had nowhere to sit. Most tables were full， my friends scattered among them. But Valeri sat alone， book in hand. I walked over to her.
“May I sit here？” I asked.
“Sure，” she said.
The cafeteria was noisy， but silence hung between us. Valeri didn’t seem to mind， but it drove me crazy. I searched my mind for things to say.
“So，” I said， “is that a good book？” Valeri gave a small nod and went back to reading. “What’s it about？” I asked， after several more agonizing seconds of silence. She looked at me， her eyes sparkling.
“Well， it’s called Eragon， and it’s about a dragon！ This boy， Eragon， finds this dragon egg when he goes hunting one day. He thinks it’s a rock！ The egg hatches and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big.”
“That sounds cool，” I said. I was about to ask another question， but the bell rang.
As I rushed out of the cafeteria， I called to Valeft， “See you later.”
“Yeah，” she said， “see you later.” She sounded doubtful.
A couple days later， I spotted Valeri looking for a place to sit at lunch.
“Valeri， over here.” I pointed to an empty chair.
She sat down and pulled out her book. Everyone was talking about next week’s talent show. “So， what are you doing for the show？” My friend Erin asked my friend Kelly.
“Oh， I don’t know， probably nothing，” Kelly sighed. “What are you doing？” She pointed to Valeri.
“Oh，” Valeri put her book down. “I don’t know. Maybe nothing.”
The week flew by. Before I knew it， I was sitting in the auditorium， listening to a group of girls sing the latest pop songs at the talent show. I was bored out of my life， and I wanted it to end so I could read Eragon. I’d checked it out at the library. Then a shy girl walked on stage. I recognized her immediately. Valeri clutched a violin in one hand and a bow in the other.
She started to play. The notes formed a soft， sweet tune. Then it turned fast， then faster. The music stopped altogether before the soft tune returned. Valeri ended the song with one hard， fast， loud note. The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished. Still in a half-trance， we burst into applause. Valeri took a swift bow and walked off stage.
I smiled to myself. Valeri wasn’t just a “quiet girl”. She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing I’d ever heard. Like a caterpillar or butterfly， she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely.
我观察蜘蛛和蝴蝶，还研究毛毛虫和飞蛾。有时，我想我是唯一注意这些事物的人了。要不是一家拥挤的自助餐厅，我将永远不会注意到瓦莱丽。毕竟，我一直都没有找新朋友。
瓦莱丽是新来的学生。她总是将书抱在胸前，低着头走进教室。只有在老师提问她时，她才肯说话。她来我们学校一个月了，还没交到一个朋友。课间，她就坐在长椅上看书。如果你想知道她是谁，那你多半会得到这样的答复：“我和她在一起上体育课，但我不记得她叫什么。”
一天，吃午餐时，餐桌差不多都坐满了，我没地方坐了，我的朋友们都分散开了。但瓦莱丽却拿着书一个人坐在那儿。于是，我朝她走了过去。
“我可以坐在这儿吗？”我问。
“当然可以。”她说。
餐厅里喧闹不已，而我们却一直沉默着。瓦莱丽好像并不在意，但我却憋得受不了了。我绞尽脑汁，想找点话说。
“呃，那本书很好看吧？”瓦莱丽轻轻地点了点头，又继续看书。“都写了些什么呢？”我问道。一阵令人恼火的沉默之后，她终于看着我，眼中闪出异样的光芒。
“唔，它叫《龙骑士》，讲的是关于一条龙的故事！ 一天，一个名叫鄂尔根的男孩打猎时，发现了一枚龙蛋。他以为那是一块石头，但那枚龙蛋却孵化出龙来，鄂尔根怕他的叔叔和堂兄发现便把那条龙藏了起来，直到它长大。”
“听起来真不错，”我说。我还想再问个问题，可上课铃响了。
我一边往餐厅外冲，一边对她大叫：“再见。”
“好的，”她说，“再见。”她的声音若有若无。
几天后，还是在餐厅，我瞥见瓦莱丽在找座位。
“瓦莱丽，来这里。”我指一个空座位说。
她坐了下来，拿出书。当时，大家都在谈论下个星期的才艺展示会。
“你打算表演什么？”我的朋友埃林和凯利交谈着。
“噢，我不知道，也许会放弃，”凯利叹着气。“你呢？”她问瓦莱丽。
“噢，”瓦莱丽放下书，“我不知道，也许什么也不演。”
不知不觉中，那个周末就到了，我坐在会堂里，听一群女孩子唱当下最流行的歌曲，枯燥极了，真希望演唱快点结束，那样我就可以看《龙骑士》了，我在图书馆找到的这本书。这时，一个腼腆的女孩走上了舞台，我立刻认出了她——瓦莱丽。她一手抓着小提琴，一手拿着琴弓。
她开始拉提琴了。一个个音符组成了柔和、谐美的旋律，韵律逐渐加快，她越拉越急，音乐声戛然而止了。乐曲在瓦莱丽拉出一串强硬、急速、洪亮的音符后归于沉寂。会堂里出奇的安静，过了一会，我们才意识到她已经演奏完了。仍陶醉于美妙中的我们对她报以雷鸣般的掌声。瓦莱丽快速地鞠了一躬，走下舞台。
我暗自微笑，原来瓦莱丽不仅仅是一个“安静的女孩”，她博览奇妙的好书，能拉出我闻所未闻的小提琴乐曲。她就像那毛毛虫或蝴蝶，当你靠近她，仔细地观察，你会发现，她有着惊人的美。
记忆填空
1. After a month at our ， she hadn’t made any friend. At recess， she on a bench and read. If you asked she was， you’d get a response this，“She’s in my PE class. I can’t remember her .”
2. She sat and pulled out her book. Everyone was talking next week’s talent show.“So， what are you doing for the ？”My friend Erin my friend Kelly.
3. The auditorium l completely silent until we realized the music finished. Still in a half-trance， we burst applause. Valeri took a swift bow and walked off .
佳句翻译
1. 餐厅里喧闹不已，而我们却一直沉默着。
2. 乐曲在瓦莱丽拉出一串强硬、急速、洪亮的音符后归于沉寂。
3. 她就像那毛毛虫或蝴蝶，当你靠近她，仔细地观察，你会发现，她有着惊人的美。
短语应用
1. As I rushed out of the cafeteria， I called to Valeft，“See you later.”
rush out of：冲出，离开
2. The week flew by.
flow by：流过，流逝
