This set of books is edited by Richard Edwards and professors
of the Illinois State University. It has been prepared with the
single design of furnishing the pupils of our common schools with
such help as will enable them to read understandingly and
effectively. Its sole purpose is to teach young pupils to
appreciate and read good English. The selections in the book have
been made with great care, and are believed to be well adapted to
their purpose.
爱德华兹校长编写的这套学生读本《美国语文阅读经典》，英文原版共六册，与麦加菲编写的课本《美国语文读本》在功能和形式上十分接近。由于爱德华兹比麦加菲出生的年代要晚一代，所以这套《美国语文阅读经典》的选材范围更广一些，收录了西方道德、文学、文史、科学等领域的经典篇章。英语水平的提高，离不开大量课外阅读，尤其是阅读国外原著。《美国语文阅读经典》译自英文原版4-6册内容,这些美妙而感人的选文，既是中小学生训练英语的优秀读物，也是提高其文学素养、丰富文史知识的经典读物。愿《美国语文阅读经典》带给读者内心的喜悦与心灵的律动！
1 HOW JOHNNY BOUGHT A SEWING-MACHINE ◆ 强尼买缝纫机的故事
2 HOW JOHNNY BOUGHT A SEWING-MACHINE CONTINUED
强尼买缝纫机的故事（续篇）
3 WINTER AND ITS FLORA ◆ 冬天和冬季植物群
4 WINTER AND ITS FLORA CONTINUED ◆ 冬天和冬季植物群（续篇）
5 WINTER AND ITS FLORA CONCLUDED ◆ 冬天和冬季植物群（终篇）
6 SUSY’S DRAGON ◆ 苏西的龙
7 THE DAISY’S FIRST WINTER ◆ 雏菊的第一个冬日
8 THE DAISY’S FIRST WINTER CONTINUED ◆ 雏菊的第一个冬日（续篇）
9 THE ENGLISH REDBREAST AND THE AMERICAN ROBIN
英国的知更鸟和美国的知更鸟
10 THE ENGLISH REDBREAST AND THE AMERICAN ROBIN CONTINUED
英国的知更鸟和美国的知更鸟（续篇）
11 CHICKENS ◆ 小 鸡
12 THE CAT-BIRD ◆ 猫 鹊
13 THE CAT-BIRD CONTINUED ◆ 猫鹊（续篇）
14 THE NUTCRACKERS OF NUTCRACKER LODGE
胡桃夹子小屋里的胡桃夹子
15 THE NUTCRACKERS OF NUTCRACKER LODGE CONTINUED
胡桃夹子小屋里的胡桃夹子（续篇）
16 MISS KATYDID AND MISS CRICKET ◆ 纺织娘小姐和蟋蟀小姐
17 THE SQUIRRELS THAT LIVE IN A HOUSE ◆ 住在房子里的松鼠们
18 THE SQUIRRELS THAT LIVE IN A HOUSE CONTINUED
住在房子里的松鼠们（续篇）
19 AMONG THE ICE-CUTTERS ◆ 采冰机
20 AMONG THE ICE-CUTTERS CONTINUED ◆ 采冰机（续篇）
21 THE VIOLET’S LESSON ◆ 紫罗兰的功课
22 THE LITTLE POST-BOY ◆ 小信差
23 THE LITTLE POST-BOY CONTINUED ◆ 小信差（续篇）
24 NATURE’S JOKES ◆ 大自然的玩笑
25 HOW A PINETREE DID SOME GOOD ◆ 松树的用处
26 HOW A PINETREE DID SOME GOOD CONTINUED
松树的用处（续篇）
27 LAWRENCE’S LESSON ◆ 劳伦斯的游泳课
28 LAWRENCE’S LESSON CONTINUED ◆ 劳伦斯的游泳课（续篇）
29 HOW THE CRICKETS BROUGHT GOOD FORTUNE ◆ 带来好运的蟋蟀
30 LAST DAY ◆ 最后一日
31 LAST DAY CONTINUED ◆ 最后一日（续篇）
32 A LESSON IN POLITENESS ◆ 礼仪课
33 HOW THE INDIAN CORN GROWS ◆ 玉米是怎样长成的
34 THE INEQUALITIES OF FORTUNE ◆ 不均等的财富
35 THE BATTLE OF FORT DONELSON ◆ 多纳尔森要塞战役
36 THE BATTLE OF FORT DONELSON CONTINUED
多纳尔森要塞战役（续篇）
37 THE HOSPITAL NURSE ◆ 医院的护士
38 THE SAGACIOUS DOG ◆ 聪明的狗
39 SUMMER RAIN ◆ 夏天的雨
40 HELPING FATHER ◆ 给爸爸帮忙
41 THE VETERAN EAGLE ◆ 久经沙场的鹰
42 THE VETERAN EAGLE CONTINUED ◆ 久经沙场的鹰（续篇）
43 THE TURNING OF THE LEAF ◆ 翻开新的一页
44 TREES ◆ 树 木
45 A VISIT FROM OLD NEPTUNE ◆ 老海王的来访
46 THE VINDICTIVE MATE ◆ 复仇的大副
47 REPULSIVE HOMES ◆ 讨厌的家
48 THE MISER ◆ 吝啬鬼
49 THE GRATEFUL LAWYER ◆ 感恩的律师
50 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS ◆ 真相与诚实
51 THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH ◆ 炉边的蟋蟀
52 THINKING AND REVERIE NOT THE SAME ◆ 思考与幻想不同
53 ROBINSON CRUSOE’S MANNER OF LIVING AND DRESS
鲁宾逊? 克鲁索的生活方式与穿着
54 ROBINSON CRUSOE FINDS HIS MAN FRIDAY
鲁宾逊? 克鲁索发现仆人星期五
55 OUTWARD BOUND ◆ 开往外地
56 A FLOWER FOR THE WINDOW ◆ 窗边的花
57 NOTHING IS LOST IN NATURE ◆ 大自然一切常在
58 TRADITIONS OF THE NATCHEZ ◆ 纳奇兹族的传统
59 SAM WELLER’S VALENTINE ◆ 山姆? 维勒的情人
60 RAIN AND SUNSHINE ◆ 雨与阳光
61 A SOLDIER’S FUNERAL ◆ 士兵的葬礼
62 A MOTHER’S LOVE ◆ 母 爱
63 PATRICK HENRY ◆ 帕特里克? 亨利
64 THE FATE OF EUROPEAN KINGS ◆ 欧洲国王的命运
65 MY PROPERTY ◆ 我的财产
66 THE HIGHLAND LIGHT-HOUSE ◆ 高地灯塔
67 THE BLIND PREACHER ◆ 失明的牧师
68 MENTAL CULTURE FOR WOMEN ◆ 女性的精神修养
69 RAINY DAYS ◆ 下雨天
70 BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS AT SEA ◆ 海上美景
71 PECULIARITIES OF LORD BYRON ◆ 拜伦勋爵的与众不同
72 DEATH OF LORD CHATHAM ◆ 查塔姆勋爵之死
73 ALEXANDER THE GREAT, AND A ROBBER ◆ 亚历山大大帝与强盗
74 THE INFINITY OF THE UNIVERSE ◆ 宇宙的无限
75 THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM ◆ 断开的钟摆
76 ROADS AND BRIDGES OF THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS
古代秘鲁人的路桥
77 GOOD NATURE ◆ 善 性
78 CLOSE OF THE HOLIDAYS ◆ 假期的结束
79 WORK AND PLAY ◆ 工作与娱乐
80 A RILL FROM THE TOWN PUMP ◆ 城镇水泵引出的溪流
81 CHILDREN—WHAT ARE THEY ◆ 什么是孩子
82 THE WILL OF ISABELLA THE CATHOLIC ◆ 天主教伊莎贝拉的遗嘱
83 ADVENTURE WITH A BUFFALO ◆ 与牛共“武”
84 OLIVER CROMWELL ◆ 奥利佛? 克伦威尔
85 ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES II ◆ 查理二世统治下的英格兰
86 THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY ◆ 基督教的传播
87 IRRITABILITY ◆ 易 怒
88 IRRITABILITY CONTINUED ◆ 易怒（续篇）
89 IRRITABILITY CONCLUDED ◆ 易怒（终篇）
90 A CHEERFUL TEMPER ◆ 乐天派
91 CHARACTER OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN ◆ 亚伯拉罕? 林肯之性格
92 SYMPATHY FOR GREECE ◆ 希腊之悲悯
93 ELI WHITNEY ◆ 伊莱? 惠特尼
94 TRAVEL ◆ 旅 行
95 REPLY TO HAYNE ◆ 答海恩
96 UNFINISHED PROBLEMS OF THE UNIVERSE ◆ 宇宙未解之难题
97 PROVIDENCE IN WAR ◆ 战争之先见
98 MILITARY INSUBORDINATION ◆ 军队违令
99 WE CHERISH THE MEMORY OF OURHONORED DEAD
我们珍视令人尊重的逝者记忆
內容試閱：
HOW JOHNNY BOUGHT A SEWING-MACHINE
强尼买缝纫机的故事
1. Just across the street from the Methodist Church, in the
principal street of Benton, is a small one-story house, consisting
of three rooms only. This is occupied by Mrs. Cooper, a widow, and
her only son Johnny, with whom it is our purpose to become further
acquainted. When the Great Rebellion broke out, Johnny’s father was
one of the first to enlist. It was a great trial to him to leave
behind his wife and son, but he felt it his duty to go. For more
than a year he wrote cheerful letters home; but one dark day there
came over the wires tidings of the disastrous battle of
Fred-ericksburg, and in the list of killed was the name of James
Cooper.
2. It was a sad day for Mrs. Cooper; but she had little time to
mourn. The death of her husband threw the burden of maintaining
herself and Johnny upon her shoulders. After a while she obtained a
pension of eight dollars a month, which helped her considerably.
One half of it paid her rent, and the other half paid for her fuel
and lights. But it costs a good deal to buy food and clothes for
two persons, and she was obliged to toil early and late with her
needle to make up the requisite sum. Johnny was now eleven years
old,
and might have obtained a chance to peg shoes in some of the
shoe-shops in the village, as indeed he wanted to do; but Mrs.
Cooper felt that he ought to be kept at school. As she would not be
able to leave him money, she was resolved at least to give him as
good an education as the village schools would allow.
3. One evening, just after tea, Mrs. Cooper laid down her work
with a little sigh. “Johnny,” said she, “I will get you to run over
to Squire Baker’s, and say that I shall not be able to finish his
shirts to-night, but I will try to send them over in the morning
before he goes.”
4. “You don’t feel well mother, do you?”
“No, I have a bad headache. I think I shall go to bed early, and
see if I can’t sleep it off.”
“I don’t believe it agrees with you to sew so much,” said
Johnny.
“I sometimes wish I had a sewing-machine,” said his mother. “That
would enable me to do three times as much work with less
fatigue.”
5. “How much does a sewing-machine cost?”
“I suppose a good one would cost not far from a hundred
dollars.”
“A hundred dollars! That is a good deal of money,” said
Johnny.
“Yes, quite too much for our means. Of course there is no chance
of my
being able to purchase one.”
6. As Johnny went across the field to Squire Baker’s, he could
not help thinking of what his mother had said. He had hoped the
cost of a machine would not exceed twenty dollars, for in that case
there might be some chance of his earning the amount in time.
Occasionally the neighbors called upon him to do odd jobs, and paid
him small sums. These in time might amount to twenty dollars. But a
hundred seemed quite too large for him to think of
accumulating.
7. “Still,” thought Johnny, “I’ve a good mind to try. I won’t
wait for jobs to come to me; I’ll look out for them. I have a good
deal of time out of school when I might be doing something. If I
don’t get enough to buy a sewing-machine, I may get something else
that mother will like.”
8. The next day was Saturday, and school did not keep. It was
about the first of October. In the town where Johnny lived there
were many swamps planted with cranberries, which were now ripe and
ready for gathering. It was necessary to pick them before a frost,
since this fruit, if touched with the frost, will decay rapidly. As
Johnny was coming home from the store, he met a school companion,
who seemed to be in a hurry.
9. “Where are you going, Frank?” he inquired.
“I’m going to pick cranberries for Squire Baker.”
“How much does he pay?”
“Two cents a quart.”
“Do you think he would hire me?” asked Johnny, with a sudden
thought.
“Yes, and be glad to get you. He’s got a good many cranberries on
the vines, and he’s afraid there will be a frost to-night.”
“Then I’ll ask mother if I can go. Just hold on a minute.”
“All right.”
10. Having obtained permission, Johnny rejoined his companion,
and proceeded at once to the swamp. The fruit was abundant; for the
crop this year was unusually good, and Johnny found that he could
pick quite rapidly. When noon came, he found that he had picked
twenty quarts.
“Can you come again this afternoon?” asked the squire.
“Yes, sir,” said Johnny promptly.
“I shall be very glad to have you, for hands are scarce.”
11. Johnny had already earned forty cents, and hoped to earn as
much more in the afternoon. He was so excited by his success that
he hurried through his dinner with great rapidity, and was off once
more to the swamps. He worked till late, and found at the end of
the day that he had gathered fifty quarts. He felt very rich when
the squire handed him a one-dollar greenback in return for his
services. He felt pretty tired in consequence of stooping so much,
but the thought that he had earned a whole dollar in one day fully
repaid him.
12. “Mother,” said Johnny, when he got home, “if you are willing,
I will keep this money. There is something very particular I want
it for.”
“ Certainly,” said his mother. “You shall keep this, and all you
earn. I am very sure you will not wish to spend it unwisely.”
“No, mother, you may be sure of that.”
13. On Monday it so happened that the teacher was sick, and
school was suspended. Johnny found no difficulty in obtaining a
chance to pick cranberries for another neighbor. He was determined
to do a little better than on Saturday. When evening came, he was
paid for fifty-three quarts,—one dollar and six cents.
“I wish there were cranberries to be picked all the year
round,” thought Johnny. “I should soon get a hundred
dollars.”
14. But this was about the last of his picking. School kept the
next day, and though he got a little time after school, he could
only pick a few quarts. When the cranberry season was over, Johnny
found himself the possessor of four dollars. After that his gains
were small. Occasionally he ran on an errand for a neighbor. Once
he turned the grindstone for about half an hour, and received the
small compensation of one cent from a rather parsimonious farmer.
Johnny was about to throw it away, when the thought came to him,
that, small as it was, it would help a little.
15. So the autumn slipped away, and winter came and went. In the
spring Johnny found more to do. On the first day of June he counted
his money and found he had fifteen dollars.
“ It’ll take a long time to get a hundred dollar,” sighed
Johnny. “If mother would only let me go to work in a shoe-shop? But
she thinks I had better go to school. But by and by there’ll be a
chance to pick cranberries again. I wish there’d be a vacation
then.”
HORATIO ALGER, JR
【中文阅读】
1.
从卫理公会教堂穿过大街，走上本顿街的主街道，就会看到一栋小小的平房，平房里面只有三个房间。寡妇库珀太太带着她唯一的孩子强尼就住在这里。我们要说的，就是这个强尼。大动乱爆发时，强尼的父亲是第一批报名参军的。离开妻儿上战场对他是个艰难的抉择，然而，他觉得保家卫国，匹夫有责。一年多来，他往家写过许多轻松愉快的信。然而，在一个黑暗的日子里，传来弗雷德里克斯堡灾难性战役的消息，在阵亡名单中，赫然写着詹姆斯·库珀的名字。
2.
对库珀太太来说，那日子真叫人悲痛欲绝，但她没有多少时间哀伤。丈夫一死，维持母子两人生计的重担就压上了她的肩头。之后，她每个月可以领到八美元的抚恤金，这很大程度上缓解了她的压力。这八美元一半拿去付房租，一半拿去买煤买蜡烛。可是，两个人的吃穿用度也不是小数目，她不得不日夜操劳，做些针线活补贴家用。当时强尼11
岁，本可以到村子里的鞋店里钉鞋，而且他也乐意去干这活儿；可是库珀太太认为他应该留在学校念书。她认为，既然不能给他留下什么钱财，就一定要让他把书念完，至少接受村里的学校所能提供的最好的教育。
3.
一天傍晚，刚喝过晚茶，库珀太太放下手头的活计，轻轻叹了口气。她说：“强尼，你要替我去跑一趟贝克老爷家，就说他的衬衫今晚我做不完了，不过我会努力赶在他明早出门前送过去的。”
4.“妈妈，您身体不舒服，是吗？”
“是啊，我头痛得厉害。我觉得我应该早点儿上床睡觉，看看睡上一觉能不能好一些。”
“您老是这么缝啊补的，我看这头痛没那么容易好。”强尼说。
“有时候我想，要是有台缝纫机就好了，”妈妈说，“有了缝纫机，就不会这么累了，而且干的活儿能是现在的三倍。”
5.“一台缝纫机多少钱？”
“我觉得一台好的缝纫机怎么着也要一百来美元。”
“一百美元！那可是一大笔钱呢。”强尼说。
“是啊，对我们来说确实太贵了。当然了，我肯定没有机会去买一台回来。”
6.
强尼穿过田野，朝贝克老爷家走去，他忍不住想着妈妈刚才的话。他真希望一台缝纫机不要超过二十美元，要是那样，他就可以去挣钱买回来了。邻居们偶尔会叫他去帮忙做些杂务，付给他点儿小费。把这些钱全部攒起来说不定能攒到二十美元。但是一百美元太多了，他想都不敢想什么时候能攒够。
7.“可是，”强尼心想，“我还是要试试。我不会等工作来找我。我可以主动去找活儿干。我有很多时间都不用上学，可以去干点儿什么。就算我攒不到足够的钱去买缝纫机，也可以去买点儿妈妈喜欢的东西呀。”
8.
第二天就是星期六，学校周末休息。那天大概是十月一日吧。强尼住的镇子里有很多沼泽地里都种了蔓越橘，现在正是蔓越橘成熟的季节，要准备采摘了。这种水果一沾到寒霜就会迅速腐烂，所以必须要抢在霜冻降临前把它们采回去。强尼正从商店往家走，这时，他突然遇到一个同校的伙伴，那个伙伴走得很匆忙。
9.“弗兰克，你去哪儿？”他问道。
“我去给贝克老爷采蔓越橘。”
“他给你开多少钱？”
“一夸脱两美分。”
“你觉得他会不会雇我？”强尼突然心思一动，问道。
“会，他会很高兴雇你的。他还有很多蔓越橘没采呢，而且他担心今晚就有寒霜。”
“那我要去问问妈妈让不让我去。你等我一下。”
“好的。”
10.
得到妈妈的许可后，强尼找到他的伙伴，两人马上朝沼泽地走去。今年收成特别好，蔓越橘非常多。强尼发现自己采得很快，到中午时分，已经采了二十夸脱。
“你今天下午能再来吗？”贝克老爷问。
“能，先生。”强尼马上答道。
“你来帮我干活儿我很高兴，因为人手十分紧缺。”
11.
强尼已经挣到了四十美分，希望下午能挣得更多。他对自己的成就十分激动，匆匆扒了几口饭就往沼泽地赶去。他干到很晚，一共采了五十夸脱。当贝克老爷把一张一美元的绿色美钞付给他的时候，他觉得自己简直成了富翁。他累得腰都弯不下去了，可是一想到自己一天就挣了一美元，他就觉得非常值得。
12. 强尼回到家，说：“妈妈，如果您同意，我想自己保管这笔钱。我想买件非常特殊的东西。”
“当然可以，”妈妈说，“你可以自己保管。你自己挣的钱都自己拿着吧。我相信你肯定不会乱花钱的。”
“是的，妈妈，这您放心。”
13.
星期一，刚好老师生病了，学校停课。强尼很快就找到活儿干了——去帮另一家邻居采摘蔓越橘。他一心要比星期六干得更好。到傍晚时分，他采了五十三夸脱，挣了一美元六美分。
“真希望全年都有蔓越橘采，”强尼心想，“那样我很快就能挣够一百美元了。”
14.
但这是他最后一次采蔓越橘了。学校第二天就开始上课了，尽管放学后还能干一会儿，可只能采到几夸脱。蔓越橘采摘期结束时，强尼发现自己挣了四美元。此后，他挣得很少。偶尔帮邻居跑跑腿。有一次，他推磨推了半个小时，那个吝啬的农民只给了他一美分的酬劳。强尼想把这一美分丢掉，但他转念一想，就算挣得再少也多少能有点儿用。
15.
秋天就这么过去了，冬天来到又走了。春天，强尼找到了更多的活。六月一日，他数了数自己的积蓄，发现已经攒了十五美元。
“要挣够一百美元得花很长时间啊，”强尼叹了口气，“要是妈妈准我去鞋店上班呢？可她觉得我最好去上学。过不了多久，就又有机会采蔓越橘了。希望到时候学校放假。”
（小霍雷肖·阿尔杰）
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