原文
For a few moments the terrified occupants of Avonlea school did not know
whether it was an earthquake or a volcanic explosion that had occurred.
The innocent looking parcel which Anne had rashly supposed to contain
Mrs. Hiram's nut cakes really held an assortment of firecrackers
and pinwheels for which Warren Sloane had sent to town by St.
Clair Donnell's father the day before, intending to have a birthday
celebration that evening. The crackers went off in a thunderclap of
noise and the pinwheels bursting out of the door spun madly around the
room, hissing and spluttering. Anne dropped into her chair white with
dismay and all the girls climbed shrieking upon their desks. Joe Sloane
stood as one transfixed in the midst of the commotion and St. Clair,
helpless with laughter, rocked to and fro in the aisle. Prillie Rogerson
fainted and Annetta Bell went into hysterics.
語彙など
- terrified:おびえて
- occupant:占有者
- earthquake:地震
- volcanic explosion:火山爆発
- innocent:無害な
- rashly:軽率に,早まって
- assortment of:〜の取り合わせ
- firecracker:爆竹
- pinwheel:回転花火,輪転花火
- celebration:祝典,祝うこと
- cracker:癇癪玉
- go off:爆発する
- thunderclap:雷鳴
- burst:爆発する
- spin:回転する
- hiss:シューと音を立てる
- splutter:バチバチという音
- dismay:ろうばい
- shriek:悲鳴を上げる
- transfix:立ちすくませる
- in the midst of:〜のまっただ中で
- commotion:興奮
- to and fro:行ったり来たり
- aisle:通路
- faint:気絶する
- go into hysterics:ヒステリーを起こす