Scene 1 Under the Sea
Warm-up question:
1. If someone always badmouths you, how will you feel? Try to express the emotion.
2. How do you show that you're excited?
Characters:
L--------------------------Laura
G-------------------------Grandmother
S1, S2, S3 --------------Three sisters
N: In the deep sea palace, there lived four mermaid princesses. The youngest one was eight. Her name was Laura who had the most beautiful voice in the world. Like the other older sisters, she liked to hear stories from her grandmother who often told them stories about a different world where people didn't swim but “walked”.
S1: I know that wonderful place. The land was so beautiful. When I sat on the rocks, I saw many lovely animals, forests and towns. But the most beautiful thing was to lie in the moonlight in the quiet sea near the coast to gaze on a large town nearby.
S2: I rose just at sunset and that was the most beautiful sight of all. The whole sky looked like gold with violet and rose-colored clouds spread on it, and it was all reflected in the water. How amazing!
S3: When the time came, I swam up a broad river. I heard the voices of human being. On the banks I saw some children running and playing on the shore. I wanted to play with them.
L: (Envious but depressed) All of you have risen up out of the sea except me. (Shaking her grandmother's hands) Grammy, When can I see them? Can I go now?
G: (Smiling kindly) Not now, dear. When you're sixteen, you'll be allowed to swim up out of the sea, sit on the rocks in the moonlight and watch the ships sailing by and then you'll see all we're telling you about.
(All except Laura leave.)
L: (Saying to herself) I want to be where the people are. I want to go to the land. I want to see them dancing, walking around on those — what do they call them — oh, feet. (Laughing)
N: The little mermaid began to dream about living on the land.
New Words:
coast n. 海岸
gaze vi. 凝视，注视
sunset n. 日落
violet n. 紫罗兰色
spread v. 散布
reflect vt. 反射，反映
broad adj. 宽阔的
shore n. 海岸
envious adj. 嫉妒的
depressed adj. 情绪低落的