第8章 在那不勒斯岛上(1)
On Naples Island
Scene 1
It was early in the morning.Someone was knocking at the door.Although Ding Rue went to bed very early，she still felt very tired.She knew it was jet lag due to the time difference and her biological clock working.She opened the door.It was Jennifer.
"Sweetheart，please come down stairs to have breakfast.You are a lucky bird.What a beautiful day we have！"said Jennifer.
"Thanks，I will，"said Ding Rui although she really wanted to stay in bed.
Ding Rui washed and walked down stairs.The Greens were there in the dinning room.They had big breakfast on the table—cereal，pan cakes，fried eggs，bread and butter，bacon and coffee laid out on the table.Kathy put some cereal into the bowl，then she poured milk over it and eat it.Ding Rui followed her.She also ate some fried eggs and drink two cups of coffee.
After breakfast，Ding Rui went back to get her bag.
Jennifer followed her with a bottle in her hand and said："MayI follow you to your room？""Of course，"said Ding Rui"If you do not mind，let me help you put some sunscreen on."said Jennifer in Ding Rui's room.
When Jennifer smeared sunscreen on her back，Ding Rui felt something warm in her heart.At this time，she felt Jennifer was really her elder sister.
When they went out，John was there.There was a beautifulspeed boat which was towed by the car.
In a quarter hour or more，they arrived at the beach.Naples seemed tiny and crowded but it was simply lovely.Palm trees swayed in a bay breeze while children frolicked in the sand or paddle around in colorful，little kayaks.Quite a lot of ladies in bikinis and gentlemen only in briefs laid on the deck chairs in the sunshine.Anchored sail boats and yachts bobbed up and down on the gentle waters of the Alamitos Bay which feeds into the Pacific Ocean.The prime attractions in Naples were the canals，bay and beaches.
They got out the car.Ding Rui opened her umbrella.When they were walking，Ding Rui felt somebody snatch her umbrella from her hand.It was Jennifer.She ran with the umbrella.
"You，crazy young woman."shouted Ding Rui.
She was running quickly after her to take her umbrella back.Anna ran after them，Kathy and John laughed behind.In a minute，Ding Rui caught up with Jennifer and got her umbrella back.
"My sister.You know I was always the champion at racing inour school，"said Ding Rui.
"Sweetheart.What a nice sunshine！You hide yourself underyour umbrella."said Jennifer and she giggled.
"I am afraid that is a cultural difference.You know most of Chinese girls are not so white as they want to be.Every lady in China tries to keep themselves from sunshine and fights to be white.They think it is beautiful.You are white enough.In American culture，brown is best.It means healthy and beautiful.When you traveled in China，it was in the winter.That was why you had no chance to notice it，"said Ding Rui.
"You are an expert.Honey，"said Kathy.Everybody laughed.
一大清早，就有人敲门。虽然很早就上床睡觉了，丁瑞还是感到很乏，她明白自己在倒时差，都是生物钟在添乱。她打开门，是詹妮弗。
詹妮弗说：“小妹妹，下楼吃早饭吧，你真幸运，天气多好啊。”
虽然她真想再睡一会，丁瑞还是说“谢谢，我就来。”丁瑞洗漱完毕下了楼，格林一家已经在餐厅了。桌子上早餐很丰盛——麦片粥、锅饼、煎鸡蛋、黄油和面包、咸肉、咖啡。凯西盛了些麦片在碗里，然后倒了些牛奶在上面，吃了起来。丁瑞比葫芦画瓢吃了些麦片粥，又吃了些煎鸡蛋，喝了两杯咖啡。
早饭过后，丁瑞回房间拿包。詹妮弗拿着个瓶子，跟在后面说：“能一起去你房间吗？”丁瑞说：“当然。”在丁瑞房间，詹妮弗说：“不介意的话，我帮你擦些防晒霜吧。”詹妮弗把防晒霜涂到丁瑞背上的时候，丁瑞感到一股暖流涌上心头。那个时候，她感到詹妮弗就是她姐姐。她们走出来，约翰就在那里等着。一艘漂亮的快艇拖在汽车后面。差不多十五分钟，他们就来到海滩。那不勒斯显得小而拥挤，但有种朴素的美。海湾的微风中棕榈树轻摇，孩子们或在沙滩上嬉戏，或在五颜六色的小皮艇中划水。很多身着比基尼的女士、只穿短裤的男士躺在沙滩椅上晒着太阳。阿拉米托斯海湾的水流入太平洋，海湾平静的海面上，抛锚停泊的帆船和游艇随着海水，上下摇曳，那不勒斯的主要景点是运河、海湾和海滩。
他们从车里出来。丁瑞撑开她的伞。走着走着，丁瑞感到有人从她手里突然把伞抢走了，是詹妮弗拿着伞跑了。
丁瑞叫道：“你这个疯女孩。”丁瑞在后面飞快地跑着，她要把伞抢回来。安娜紧随其后。凯西和约翰在他们身后大声笑着。很快，丁瑞就追上詹妮弗，把伞夺了回来。
丁瑞说：“阿姐，你可知道我一直是学校的赛跑冠军。”詹妮弗咯咯笑着说：“宝贝，多好的太阳啊，你呢，把自己藏在伞下。”
丁瑞说：“恐怕这就是文化差异。你知道多数中国女士，皮肤都没有自己所希望的那么白，在中国，女士都不要太阳晒，都在为更白一些，而奋斗。他们认为这样才美。你们都够白了。美国文化中，棕色才是最好的，棕色才是健康、漂亮的标志。你们在中国旅行时那是冬天，所以没机会注意到这一点。”
凯西说：“宝贝，你是个专家啊！”大家都笑了起来。
New Words and Expressions
1.jet lag 时差
2.biological clock 生物钟
3.cereal n.麦片
4.bacon n.咸肉、熏肉
5.sunscreen n.防晒霜
6.smear vt.抹上、涂上
7.tow vt.拖，曳，牵引
8.tiny adj.微小
9.palm n.棕榈树
10.sway v.摇摆、摇动
11.bay n.海湾
12.breeze n.微风
13.frolic vi.嬉戏n.嬉闹
14.paddle vi.&；n.划桨
15.kayak n.爱斯基摩人用的皮船，皮船
16.bikinis n.比基尼
17.brief n.短裤
18.deck chair n.沙滩椅
19.yacht n.游艇
20.bob v.上下或来回的动
21.feed into 流入
22.snatch v.攫取n.攫取
Scene 2
John drove the speed boat going like the wind.The beauties stood in the wind with their hair flying.
Then he stopped and shouted，"OK，Girls，it is time for us towater ski."
Kathy took two pairs of waterskis.
"It will be easier to ski with a pair of waterskis than with wakeboard，"said she.
"We promised you to go water skiing together.Come on，Jennifer."shouted Anna.The two girls jumped into the water."Ready？"shouted John.
"Yes，Daddy，"answered Jennifer and Anna.
The speed boat raced and flew over the water.The two girls skied in parallel behind.Their flying hair，nice figures and water skiing skill together made the most beautiful picture on the earth.Ding Rui could not help taking many pictures.
Suddenly John stopped.The two girls swam and climbed up the boat.
"Now，it is your turn，Jane.Let's me check your life jacket.OK.Go，Sweet heart！"said Anna.
"I've never tried water-skiing before，but I'd love to have abash at it，"said Ding Rui.
She jumped into the water and imitated Jennifer and Anna to stand on a pair of waterskis.
"Ready？"shouted John.
"Yes，uncle John，"said Ding Rui.
John started the speed boat.Ding Rui's legs expanded widely and she fell into the water.John stopped at once.Then she tried several times more and she did not succeed once.In the end，she climbed up into the boat with tears down her face.
Kathy comforted her and said，"Take it easy，honey.Rome was not built in a day."
"Let's go to paddle in kayaks，"said Jennifer.
"A good idea，"said Anna."I will go，"said Ding Rui.
Ding Rui paddled with the Greens and enjoyed herself very much.