典范英语2up打印版，打印前请将版面分页设置为“2up”，即可在一张A4纸上打印两页。The Masked Cleaning
Ladies of Om
There was a problem at the castle. “I give up,”said Mrs Binns, The royal cleaner, “there?s too much work here for one person.” Mrs Binns gave Queen Norah the keys to the castle and left.
Queen Norah told the rest of the royal family. “what are we going to do?” asked the Princess Jane. “For a start ,you cannot have your friends round here any more . ? said Queen North. “why not?”asked Princess Jane. “Because they make too much me ss.”“perhaps we can all try to keep the castle tidy,” said King Harry. “I?m sure that Captain Jones and Captain Smith will help. I can even do a bit of washing myself.”
“what!” shouted Queen Norah. “people will say that King Harry does his own cleaning!
Never!”
“we can put up an advert for a cleaner,” said Princess Jane. “Good idea,” said Queen Norah.
“Write an advert at once.” Princess Jane wrote a notice. She pinned it to the castle door.
The days went by and nobody came to ask about the cleaning job. The castle became dirtier and dirtier. There were no more clean clothes and no more clean plates.
One morning Queen Norah heard singing coming from the kitchen. She popped her head round the door. She saw a shocking sight.
King Harry was at the sink doing the dishes. Captain Smith was mopping the floor. Captain Jones was washing the royal shirts.
“stop this at once, ” cried Queen Norah. “these are not jobs for a king and his captains. You should be out fighting dragons. ”
“we?ve never seen any dragons, dear,” said the King. “you have never even looked for them,”said Queen Norah.
Queen Norah was so upset that she made up her mind to go on a royal tour that minute. …and you three: don?t even think about doing the cleaning,? she added, …you will go on a quest while I?m away.?
…a quest?? said King Harry, he went pale, … a quest for dragons??
…you can look for them, too.? Said Queen Norah. …but the main job is to find a new cleaner.?… what about me?? asked Princess Jane.
You can stay at home and don?t let any burglars in or your friends.?
Queen Norah sent for her royal cases and bags and began her royal tour.
King Harry, Captain Jones and Captain Smith set off on their quest for a cleaner. They looked very unhappy.
Princess Jane waved them goodbye.
…it?s not fair.? Sniffed Princess Jane. …everyone?s off on quests and tours, and I am stuck on my own in this smelly old castle.?
Princess Jane stuck out her lip and had a good suck.
She had just finished her suck when there was a knock on the castle door.
Princess Jane opened the door. There stood three figures in masks. …we are the Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om? said one.
…we were sent by your father, King Harry,?said another.
…that was quick.? Said Princess Jane, …where is my father??
…chasing dragons.? Said the third masked figure.
…why are you masked ?? asked Princess Jane
…we have to protect ourselves from the dust.?Said one, …can we start??
All day the Masked Cleaning Ladies scrubbed, dusted, washed and polished. By evening, the castle sparkled.
…now that the castle is clean you can take off your masks.? Said Princess Jane.
…oh, no? said one, …we can?t do that.?
…why not?? demanded Princess Jane
…er,er,? said another, …if we take off our masks we won?t be the Masked Cleaning Ladies of Om.?Princess Jane began to think very hard. Burglars often wore masks. Queen Norah had told her not to let burglars into the castle.
The next day, Princess Jane set out to find out who the Masked Cleaning Ladies really were.
The first Masked Cleaning Lady was in the kitchen, stuffing a pile of dirty shirts into the washing machine.
…Hm,? she said, …shall I wash this tablecloth on …hot?or …very hot? ?
Princess Jane came up behind her. She grabbed the tablecloth and pulled. It over the cleaning Lady?s head.
…help!? mumbled the cleaning lady, …where am i??
The second Masked Cleaning Lady was scrubbing the dungeon floors.
…Excuse me,? said Princess Jane, standing outside one of the cells. …but, it?s very dirty in here.?
…I swept it only five minutes ago.? Said the second cleaning lady. …let me have a look.? She walked into the cell.
Princess Jane closed the door and turned the key.
The third cleaning lady was making a terrific noise with the vacuum cleaner. She did not see Princess Jane creeping up behind her. Princess
Jane grabbed the vacuum. She pointed the nozzle at the cleaning lady.
…one false move.? Shouted Princess Jane, … and I?ll suck you into the vacuum, now, take off your mask.?
Slowly the cleaning lady took off her mask.
…Father!? cried Princess Jane.
The other two cleaning ladies turned out to be Captain Smith and Captain Jones.
…I think that you had better explain.? Said Princess Jane.
…well,? said king Harry, we set off on our quest. When we reached the woods, we saw a dragon.?
…W e think we saw a dragon,? said Captain Jones.
…at least, we heard sth moving in the woods and it sounded like a dragon.? Said Captain Smith.
…so we thought we had better come home.?Said Captain Jones.
…we dressed up as cleaners.? Said Captain Smith.
…we rather like doing housework,? said King Harry, …we like the smell of polish.?
…we like the hum of the vacuum cleaner.? Said Captain Jones.
…we like the feel of soap flakes.? Said Captain Smith.
…and it?s much less dangerous than fighting dragons.? Added King Harry.
…dragons are very rare.? Said Captain Jones. …it?s not fair to hunt them.?
…Hm,? said Princess Jane. … it seems to me that you three have been telling lies, Father, you have always told me to tell the truth.?…I?m very sorry,?said King Harry.
…what will the Queen say? She?ll find out that you haven?t found any cleaners or fought any dragons.? Said Princess Jane … she will send you on a year?s dragon quest.?
King Harry, Captain Smith and Captain Jones went pale.
… please don?t tell,? they begged, …I won?t tell if …? said Princess Jane
…if what??… if my friends can come round to play.?…agreed.? Said King Harry.
The next day, Queen Norah came back from her royal tour. She was very pleased to find the castle neat and tidy. …so? she said, …the quest was a success, who did you find??
…we found three cleaners.? Said King Harry. …they wear masks? said Captain Jones.
…and they can only come on Mondays? said Captain Smith. …why?s t hat?? asked Queen Norah.
…now that we have proper cleaners.? Said King Harry. …don?t you think that Jane?s friends can come here again??
Queen Norah was so pleased to be in a nice clean castle that she agreed at once.
Every Monday Queen Norah waves goodbye to king Harry and his two captains as they set off to fight dragons. Princess Jane?s friends come to play. Later, the masked cleaning ladies of om arrive to clean the castle. So everybody is happy.
castle 城堡
give up 不干了
royal cleaner 王室/御用清洁工
There?s too much work here for one person.
这里一个人干的活儿太多了。Queen Norah 诺拉王后
the keys to 的钥匙
the rest of the royal family 王室的其他成员Princess Jane 简公主
For a start 首先
have your friends round here
带朋友到这儿来
make too much mess 把这儿弄得乱七八糟Perhaps 也许
keep the castle tidy 让城堡保持整洁
King Harry 哈瑞王
captain 上尉
do a bit of washing 洗点儿东西
does his own cleaning 自己搞卫生
put up an advert for 张贴广告招聘
at once 马上
notice 告示
pinned it to 把它钉在了上
Cleaner wanted 招聘清洁工
Good Pay 工资优厚
The days went by 几天过去了
ask about 询问
became dirtier and dirtier 变得越来越脏plates 盘子
singing 歌声
popped her head round the door
从门边探出头来shocking sight 惊人景象
at the sink 在洗碗池边
doing the dishes 洗盘子
mopping the floor 拖地板
Stop this 停止
These are not jobs for 这可不是干的活儿fighting dragons 与龙作战
so upset that 十分难过，于是
made up her mind 打定主意
go on a royal tour 进行一次御驾旅行that minute 当场，立马
don?t even think about 想都别想
added 补充道
go on a quest 去寻找
while I?m away 我不在的时候
went pale 脸色发白
quest for 寻找
main job 主要任务
burglars 盗贼
sent for 派人去拿
royal cases 御用衣箱
set off on their quest 动身去寻找
waved them goodbye 和他们挥手告别
It?s not fair这不公平
sniffed 忿忿不平地说
off 离开，出去
I am stuck on my own 我自己一个人被困在smelly 臭烘烘的
stuck out her lip 噘起了嘴
had a good sulk 生了好半天闷气
when there was a knock on the castle door
这时候城堡大门传来敲门声There stood three figures in masks.
门口站着三个戴着面具的人。
That was quick 好快呀
chasing 在追捕
protect ourselves from the dust
避免吸入灰尘
scrubbed 擦洗
dusted 除尘
washed 洗涤
polished 擦亮
sparkled 锃亮
take off 取下
demanded 追问道
Er,er 呃，呃
（表示犹豫或不知所措）不知所措think very hard 苦思冥想
stuffing into 把塞进
a pile of 一堆
tablecloth 台布
on “Hot” or ”very hot”
用“热”还是“极热”（洗衣机上的水温控制）came up 出现
grabbed 抓起
pulled it over 把它蒙在上
mumbled闷声闷气地喊道
dungeon 地牢
cells 牢房，囚室
swept 打扫过
turned the key 转动钥匙锁上门making a terrific noise with
用发出极大的噪音vacuum cleaner 吸尘器
creeping up behind her
蹑手蹑脚地从背后靠近她pointed the nozzle at 把吸口对准
one false move 乱动一下
suck you into 把你吸进
turned out to be 原来是
explain 解释是怎么回事
at least 至少
dressed up as 装扮成
rather like 很喜欢
doing housework 干家务
the smell of polish 抛光剂的味道
hum 嗡嗡声
the feel 手感
soap flakes 肥皂片
rare 稀有，罕见
hunt 捕捉
tell the truth 说真话
please don?t tell 千万别说出去begged 央求道
agreed 一言为定
neat and tidy 既干净又整齐
success 成功
having lots of trouble with 深受的困扰tidy 打扫
now that 既然
proper 正规的