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1、AFableforTomorrowTherewasonceatownintheheartofAmericawherealllifeseemedtoliveinharmonywithitssurroundings.Thetownlayinthemidestofacheckerboard(西洋跳棋盘)ofprosperous(繁盛的)farms,withfieldsofgrainandhillsidesoforchards(围起来的果园)・Alongtheroads,laurel,viburnumandalder,greatfernsandwildfl
2、owersdelightedthetravelefseyesthroughmuchoftheyea匚Eveninwintertheroadsideswereplacesofbeauty,wherecountlessbirdscametofeedontheberriesandontheseedheadsofdriedweeds(杂草)risingabovethesnow・Thecountrysidewas,infact,famousfortheabundanceandvarietyofitsbirdlife,andwhenthefloodofmigr
3、antswaspouringinspringandfallpeopletraveledfromgreatdistancestoobservethem・Otherscametofishthestreams,whichflowedclearandcoldoutofthehillsandcontainedshadypoolswheretrout(鱒鱼)lay.Soithadbeenfromthedaysmanyyearsagowhenthefirstsettlersraisedtheirhouses,sanktheirwells,andbuiltthei
4、rbarns-Thenthestrangeblight(枯萎,荒芜)crept(匍匐,爬)over(偷偷袭近)theareaandeverythingbegantochange・Someevilspell(咒语)hadsettledonthecommunity:mysteriousmaladies(疾病)swepttheflocksofchickens;thecattleandsheepsickenedanddied・Everywherewasashadowofdeath.Thefarmersspokeofmuchillnessamongtheir
5、families.Inthetownthedoctorshadbecomemoreandmorepuzzledbynewkindsofsicknessappearingamongtheirpatients.Therehadbeenseveralsuddenandunexplaineddeaths,notonlyamongadultsbutevenamongchildren,whowouldbestrickensuddenlywhileatplayanddiewithinafewhours・Therewasastrangestillness・Theb
6、irds,forexample,wherehadtheygone?Manypeoplespokeofthem,puzzledanddisturbed.Thefeedingstationsinthebackyardsweredeserted・Thefewbirdsseenanywhereweremoribund(垂死的);theytrembledviolentlyandcouldnotfly.Itwasaspringwithoutvoices・Onthemorningsthathadoncethrobbedwiththedawnchorusofrob
7、ins,catbirds(猫雀),doves鸽,jays鸟,wrens鹅鵜andscoresofotherbirdvoicestherewasnownosound;onlysilencelayoverthefieldsandwoodsandmarsh.Onthefarmsthehensbrooded孵蛋,butnochickshatched・Thefarmerscomplainedthattheywereunabletoraiseanypigs—thelittersweresmallandtheyoungsurvivedonlyafewdays.T
8、heappletreeswerecomingintobloombutnobeesdroned嗡嗡amongthebloss