SC-L15 The Carpenter and the Drummer Boy

The Carpenter and the Drummer Boy by Duncan Searl 《木匠和鼓手男孩》作者：Duncan Searl

John Potter gathered planks for his uncle's new ship. John Potter 正在為叔叔的新船收集木板。  
He was only twelve, but he was already a good carpenter. 他才十二歲，但已經是個很會做木工的木匠了。  
He had personally helped build three ships at his uncle's boatyard in Bristol Harbor, Rhode Island. 他親自在叔叔位於羅德島布里斯托港的造船廠，幫忙建造了三艘船。

Those ships had all been burned. 那些船全都被燒掉了。  
John's uncle was a Patriot, and the British were at war with Patriots. John 的叔叔是愛國者，而英國人正在和愛國者打仗。  
Earlier that year, redcoats had marched into Bristol and set the ships on fire. 那年更早之前，紅衣兵走進布里斯托，把那些船放火燒了。

John and his uncle were not discouraged. John 和叔叔並沒有灰心。  
They were building a new ship. 他們正在建造一艘新船。  
When it was finished, they would sail again. 等新船完成後，他們就會再出海航行。  
Maybe they would fight the redcoats in it! 也許他們還會用這艘船去跟紅衣兵作戰！

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Thomas Strand was British. Thomas Strand 是英國人。  
He was a drummer boy with his father's regiment at Newport, Rhode Island. 他在羅德島紐波特，跟著爸爸的軍團當鼓手男孩。  
Wherever the soldiers marched, Thomas led the way. 不管士兵走到哪裡行軍，Thomas 都走在最前面帶路。  
A long line of redcoats followed his drum's sharp rat-a-tat-tat-tat. 一長排紅衣兵跟著他清脆的鼓聲「rat-a-tat-tat-tat」往前走。

"Thomas," the British major called one morning.「Thomas，」某天早上英國少校叫道。  
"Assemble the men!"「集合所有人！」  
Thomas began a long drumroll. Thomas 開始敲起一段很長的鼓聲連打。  
The redcoats rushed to organize themselves into position. 紅衣兵立刻衝去排隊站好位置。

"We're heading to Bristol!" the major said.「我們要前往布里斯托！」少校說。

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The march to Bristol was long, hot, and dusty. 前往布里斯托的行軍路程很長，又熱又滿是灰塵。  
Thomas did not feel well. Thomas 覺得不太舒服。  
Usually, he loved nothing more than drumming a steady marching beat. 平常他最喜歡的，就是敲出穩定的行軍節奏。  
Today this chore seemed *tedious*. 但今天這份工作卻讓他覺得很 *乏味*。

In Bristol, John Potter was alone in the boatyard. 在布里斯托，John Potter 一個人待在造船廠。  
He saw the British soldiers coming, and tried to run, but it was too late. 他看到英國士兵走來，想要逃跑，但已經來不及了。  
The redcoats quickly captured him and tied his hands. 紅衣兵很快就抓住他，並把他的手綁起來。

The soldiers were *efficient*. 士兵們動作很 *有效率*。  
It took them no time to set fire to the new ship. 他們一下子就把新船放火燒了。  
Then they started the march back to Newport, with John as their prisoner. 接著他們開始走回紐波特，並把 John 當成俘虜帶著走。

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The smoke from the burning ship had brought tears to John's eyes. 燃燒的船冒出的煙，燻得 John 眼睛流淚。  
He wouldn't be sailing with his uncle anytime soon. 他短時間內不可能和叔叔一起出海了。  
Worse yet, he was a prisoner. 更糟的是，他成了俘虜。  
What would the British do with him? 英國人會拿他怎麼辦呢？  
John started to feel better when he realized that the march would take them right past his home. 當 John 發現行軍路線會剛好經過他家時，他的心情稍微好了一些。  
Maybe he would catch a glimpse of his mother or sister before going to a British prison. 也許在被送進英國監獄前，他還能看媽媽或姊妹一眼。

Thomas Strand was feeling worse and worse. Thomas Strand 覺得越來越不舒服。  
As he led the redcoats along the rural road, he became hungry and tired. 當他帶著紅衣兵走在鄉間道路上時，他又餓又累。  
Gradually his drumming slowed. 漸漸地，他打鼓的速度變慢了。  
Then it stopped completely. 然後鼓聲完全停了下來。

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As the redcoats approached John's farmhouse, Thomas fainted and fell to the ground. 當紅衣兵靠近 John 家的農舍時，Thomas 昏倒了，倒在地上。  
The major sent two of his men to the house to ask for water. 少校派了兩名士兵到屋裡去要水。

At first, Mrs. Potter and her daughter Eliza were not anxious to help the redcoats. 一開始，Potter 太太和女兒 Eliza 並不太想幫紅衣兵。  
Then they saw the sick drummer boy lying in the road. 後來她們看到那個生病的鼓手男孩躺在路上。  
"He's no older than our John," Eliza said to her mother.「他年紀跟我們的 John 差不多大，」Eliza 對媽媽說。  
They brought some bread and tea out to Thomas. 她們拿了一些麵包和茶出去給 Thomas。

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Of course, it wasn't long before Mrs. Potter spotted her son. 當然，沒多久 Potter 太太就看見了自己的兒子。  
"John!" she called, rushing toward him.「John！」她喊著，急忙衝向他。  
"Why are you here with the redcoats?"「你為什麼會跟紅衣兵在一起？」

"I'm their prisoner, Mother," he replied softly.「我是他們的俘虜，媽媽，」他輕聲回答。

Mrs. Potter turned angrily to the major. Potter 太太生氣地轉向少校。  
"What do you mean by this, sir? What right do you have to make my son your prisoner?"「你這是什麼意思，先生？你有什麼權利把我兒子當俘虜？」  
"It is the king's order, Madam," the major answered.「這是國王的命令，夫人，」少校回答。  
"Burn the ships at Bristol and take the Patriots prisoner. That is what we were ordered to do."「把布里斯托的船燒掉，並抓捕愛國者當俘虜。這就是我們接到的命令。」

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John's sister Eliza spoke in a soft voice. John 的妹妹 Eliza 用輕柔的聲音說話。  
"I know the king would be grateful that we helped his drummer. I think he would show his thanks by freeing my brother now."「我知道我們幫了國王的鼓手，國王一定會很感激。我想他會用現在就放了我哥哥來表達他的感謝。」

"I'm not sure about the king," said the major, "but I will release your brother."「我不確定國王會怎麼做，」少校說，「但我會放了妳哥哥。」

John was untied and freed. John 被解開綁住的繩子，獲得自由。  
He and his mother promised to return Thomas to Newport when he felt better. 他和媽媽答應，等 Thomas 覺得好一點，就把他送回 Newport。

Later that day, John and Eliza rowed Thomas back to Newport. 那天晚些時候，John 和 Eliza 划船把 Thomas 送回 Newport。  
"When the war is over," said Thomas, "I will come back here. Maybe I can help you build a new ship."「等戰爭結束，」Thomas 說，「我會回到這裡。也許我可以幫你造一艘新船。」  
"Maybe you can," said John.「也許你可以，」John 說。

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Children of the 1700s 《1700 年代的孩子們》

In the 1700s, children dressed like their parents. 在 1700 年代，孩子的穿著打扮會跟父母一樣。  
They didn't get new shoes often, as shoes were expensive. 因為鞋子很貴，他們不常買新鞋。  
All shoes were the same whether they were for the left or the right foot. 不管是左腳還是右腳，所有鞋子都長得一樣。  
It was easy to **organize** them! 所以要把鞋子**整理／分類**起來很容易！

Many towns didn't have a school. 很多城鎮沒有學校。  
If they did, children from ages six through twelve would share the same room. 就算有學校，六歲到十二歲的孩子也會在同一間教室一起上課。  
It wasn't a very **efficient** way to learn! 這不是很**有效率**的學習方式！

Most children had to work doing dull chores, and they found the work **tedious**. 大多數孩子都得做一些無聊的雜事，他們覺得那些工作很**繁瑣又無趣**。  
Boys started to learn a trade at the age of nine. 男孩九歲就開始學一門手藝。  
Girls would make cloth, candles, and soap at home. 女孩會在家做布料、蠟燭和肥皂。

Many colonists lived on **rural** farms. 許多殖民地居民住在**鄉村**的農場。  
Even very young children in these areas worked hard in the fields. 就連很小的孩子，在這些地方也要在田裡辛苦工作。

Boys as young as twelve served as drummers in the army during the Revolution. 在獨立革命期間，年紀小到十二歲的男孩也會在軍隊裡當鼓手。  
The drummer would **personally** lead the soldiers into battle. 鼓手會**親自**帶領士兵走進戰場。

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1. Having children of all ages share a schoolroom is not a very _______________ way to learn. 1. 讓各個年齡的孩子共用同一間教室，並不是很 _______________ 的學習方式。

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2. It is easy to _______________ your shoes if they all look exactly the same. 2. 如果你的鞋子看起來都一模一樣，就很容易 _______________ 你的鞋子。

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3. Much of the work that children had to do was _______________. 3. 孩子們必須做的許多工作都很 _______________。

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4. What is something that most people like, but which you personally do not like? 4. 有什麼是大多數人喜歡，但你個人不喜歡的東西？  
___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

5. What can you expect to see in a rural area? 5. 在鄉村地區你可以預期會看到什麼？  
___________________________________________________________

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1. Why is Thomas Strand a drummer boy for the British? 1. 為什麼 Thomas Strand 會替英軍當小鼓手？

2. Compare how Mrs. Potter and Eliza act when they find that John is a prisoner. 2. 比較 Mrs. Potter 和 Eliza 在發現 John 成了囚犯時，她們的表現有什麼不同。

3. What does John Potter expect to happen to him, and what actually happens to him? 3. John Potter 原本以為自己會發生什麼事？但實際上發生了什麼？

4. Why do you think the major decides to free John in the end? 4. 你覺得為什麼少校最後決定放了 John？