Mark‘s First Deer马克的只鹿

读故事

“Wait.... Wait.... Don't do it all at a breath.... It's at close range.... At any moment now.... There! Shoot!”
Bam!
The deer fell to the ground.
Mark was at a loss! He had killed another living creature. Now he would never be able to associate himself with Bambi* again, he was a hunter! And it hadn't required an associate's degree in artillery. His father had taught him how to shoot in a day; something his mother had forbidden him at birth. But she was dead now. Gone for two years. And he had finally asked his father to teach him how to shoot.
It was an exhilarating feeling at first, but then he saw the dead animal. His heart was beating at a rate of a million miles per hour as he looked at it. But then his dad said that they would be eating venison for a week and he felt his body go at ease. They would at best not let the deer die in vain!
Mark didn't want to help carve the deer at all. And his father understood. He was patient at all times and for that Mark was grateful.
Later, back in the cabin, as Mark ate freshly cooked venison, one bite at a time, he began to feel the rush of what he had done again! It was exciting.
As he and his father continued to talk it seemed as if they had bonded as never before. That was worth the whole experience at any price.
*Bambi: A Disney movie about a deer in the woods. Everyone loves Bambi.

记短语

associate with把…联系在一起；使联合，使结合在一起，使混合
associate's degree大专学位
at a breath一口气
at a loss亏本地；困惑不解，茫然不知所措
at a rate（或speed） of以…速度
at a time每次，一次
at all［用于否定句］丝毫，一点，根本；［用于疑问句、条件从句及肯定句］究竟
at all times随时，总是
at any price不惜一切代价，无论如何
at any time（或moment）在任何一刻，随时
at best就最乐观的一方面看；充其量，至多
at birth出生时
at close range在附近，近距离
at ease安适，不拘束，不拘礼，自在
at first起先，开始时

“等等……等等……别一口气都做完了……它就在附近……现在随时都会……好啦，开枪！”
嘭！
那只鹿倒下了。
马克有些茫然不知所措！他又杀了一次生。现在他不能再把自己和班比联系在一起了，因为他成了一名猎人！而且做一名猎人不需要有炮兵射击术方面的大专学位。他父亲在的时间里就教会了他射击。这件事可是出生时妈妈就禁止的。但是现在她已经死了。已经去世两年了。他终于让父亲教会了他如何打枪。
开始时他觉得很兴奋，可后来他看见了那只死动物。看它的时候他心跳的速度到了每小时100万英里。后来父亲说他们将吃一星期的鹿肉，他感觉他的身体很放松。他们充其量没有让那只鹿白白死掉！
马克一点儿也不想帮着切鹿肉。父亲对他表示理解。他总是有耐心，对于这一点马克很感激。
后来，回到小木屋之后，马克吃着刚烧好的鹿肉，他一次咬一口，这时他又开始为他做过的事情感到一阵激动！那确实是让人激动。
随着他和父亲的谈话继续进行，他俩好像比以往任何时候都团结了。就凭这一点，无论如何整个这次经历都是值得的。
*班比：迪斯尼动画片中森林里的一只鹿，深受大家的喜爱。

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