经典童话悦读《木偶奇遇记》1
今天开始和大家一起阅读意大利名著《木偶奇遇记》。每天阅读一小段，大概5到10分钟，中英文对照，时间不在长短，在于坚持。然后会把这一段里的重点词组和语法单独拿出来延伸学习加强记忆。通过阅读文学名著学语言，是掌握英语的绝佳方法。既可接触原汁原味的英语，又能享受文学之美，一举两得，何乐不为？
The Adventure of Pinoccho
Chapter 1
How it came to pass that Master Cherry the carpenter found a piece of wood that laughed and cried like a child.
故事的发生是这样的：樱桃师傅发现了一块像个孩子般又会哭又会笑的木头。
There was once upon a time.
很久很久以前有……
"A king!" my little readers will instantly exclaim.
"一位国王！"我的小读者们立刻脱口而出。
No, children, you are wrong. There was once upon a time a piece of wood.
不是的，孩子们，你们错了。很久很久以前有一块木头。
This wood was not valuable; it was only a common log like those that are burnt in winter in the stoves and fireplaces to make a cheerful blaze and warm the rooms.
这块木头并不怎么值钱，它就是一块平常的木材，在寒冬时分，放到炉灶和壁炉里生火和取暖用的。
I cannot say how it came about, but the fact is, that one fine day this piece of wood was lying in the shop of an old carpenter of the name of Master Antonio. He was, however, called by everybody Master Cherry, on account of the end of his nose, which was always as red and polished as a ripe cherry.
我也不清楚事情是怎么发生的，反正事实就是，某一日，这块木头出现在一位老木匠的店铺里。老木匠的名字是安东尼奥，不过，每个人都称他为樱桃师傅，因为他的鼻头通常都是红彤彤的，还油光发亮，就像是一颗成熟的樱桃。
延伸学习：
came to pass：（文学或圣经）发生。
once upon a time：从前，很久以前，那时候（指比现在好得多的过去某一时期）
Once upon a time you used to be able to leave your front door unlocked.（从前，大门是可以不上锁的。）还有一个短语意思与它相近a long time ago:从前，很久以前。.
instantly exclaim：（大声地）脱口而出
blurt out （不假思索地）脱口而出 instantly available 唾手可得
He blurted the news out before we could stop him. (我们还没来得及阻止，他据脱口说出了那个消息。) The information was instantly available.(信息唾手可得)
on account of：因为，由于。
She was told to wear flat shoes, on account of her achy knee.
由于膝盖疼，她被建议穿平底鞋。
词语辨析：as, like, as if
As…as 中间是形容词或副词。参考原文
Like 后接名词。例如：A movie is not like a book. (不说not as a book)
电影和书不一样。
as if 之后接从句，用于比较虚实两种情形。例如：He talked to them as if they were children. 他同他们说话，就当他们是孩子一样。
which，引导的是一个非限制性定语从句，修饰the end of his nose，对先行词不起限制作用，只对它加以描写， his nose was always as red and polished as a ripe cherry.
