It seems to me since time began,

　　It seems to be the rule,

　　That every teacher has to say,

　　First day back at school:

　　‘What did you do in the holidays?

　　Write as much as you can,

　　Did you travel abroad this year

　　Or stay in a caravan1 ?

　　Did you visit a stately home2

　　Or walk in the countryside?

　　Remember to put in the details

　　So that I know you've tried.

　　Perhaps you went to the seaside,

　　Perhaps you stayed with Gran,

　　We'll call it “Holiday Memories”—now

　　Write as much as you can.’

　　Same old thing, year in year out,

　　And everybody knows

　　We'll have to write at least a page

　　Oh well, eyes down, here goes..

　　Notes: 1. caravan n. 野营屋拖车 2. stately home指的是英格兰一些建于16世纪中叶—20世纪期间的豪宅。这些豪宅不同于真正的城堡，它们是英格兰一些大家族地位的象征,其建筑通常宏伟壮观，风格特异，室内陈设也不乏一些精美的艺术品，因此我们也可称这种Stately home是living museum。

　　(文/王顺美 选注；英语通初三版2004年第8期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)