Behind me，Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend，"Like we're going to use this in real life.Like it's going to say on our job applications，'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'"
"And why，Mr.Jackson，"Brunner said，"to paraphrase Miss Bobofits excellent question，does this matter in real life？"
"Busted，"Grover muttered.
"Shut up，"Nancy hissed，her face even brighter red than her hair.
At least Nancy got packed，too.Mr.Brunner was the only one who ever caught her saying anything wrong.He had radar ears.
I thought about his question and shrugged."I dont know，sir."
"I see."Mr.Brunner looked disappointed."Well，half credit，Mr.Jackson.Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine，which made him disgorge his other five children，who，of course，being immortal gods，had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach.The gods defeated their father，sliced him to pieces with his own scythe，and scattered his remains in Tartarus，the darkest part of the Underworld.On that happy note，it's time for lunch.Mrs.Dodds，would you lead us back outside？"
The class drifted o ff，the girls holding their stomachs，the guys pushing each other around and acting like doofuses.
Grover and I were about to follow when Mr.Brunner said，"Mr.Jackson."
I knew that was coming.
I told Grover to keep going.Then I turned toward Mr.Brunner."Sir？"
Mr.Brunner had this look that wouldn't let you go-intense brown eyes that could've been a thousand years old and had seen everything.
布龙纳老师继续解说希腊墓葬艺术。
南西·波波菲吱吱喳喳的拿石柱上的裸体开玩笑。我转头对她说：“你可以闭嘴吗？”
我的音量比想象中的还大。所有人都笑了，布龙纳老师停止讲故事。
“杰克逊先生，”他说：“你有什么高见？”
我的脸涨红了。我说“没有。”
布龙纳老师指着石柱上的一幅图说：“也许你可以告诉我们，这张图象征什么？”
我看那幅图后松了一口气，因为我真的认得。“是克罗诺斯在吃他的小孩。”
“没错，”布龙纳老师显然不太满意，“那么，他做这件事情是因为……”
“嗯，”我绞尽脑汁用力想，“克罗诺斯是天神之王，而且……”
“是'天神'吗？”布龙纳老师质疑。
“喔，是'泰坦巨神'之王，”我自己更正，“而且……他不相信他的天神孩子，所以，嗯，克罗诺斯吃了他们，对吧？他太太把还是婴儿的宙斯藏起来，拿一个石头代替，交给克罗诺斯。宙斯长大之后打败克罗诺斯，救出哥哥和姐姐……”
“咦？”这声音是从我后面那群女生中发出来的。
“…所以天神们和泰坦巨神之间发生了一场大规模的战争，”我继续说：“最后是天神赢了。”
一阵窃笑声从那人群之中传来。
就在我后面，南西·波波菲跟她的朋友发牢骚说：“请解释一下为什么克罗诺斯要吃掉他的孩子'。说得像是我们在真实生活会用到，或是找工作时要回答这些问题一样。”
“杰克逊，回应一下波波菲同学这个很棒的问题，这样的事会不会存在于真实生活中？”布龙纳老师说。
“惨了。”格洛弗咕哝着。
“闭嘴啦！”南西用气音说，她的脸已经比头发还要红。
这至少让南西住嘴了，布龙纳老师是唯一一个抓到她乱说话的人，他有一双雷达耳。
我思考了一下他的问题，然后耸耸肩：“我不知道”
“好吧，”布龙纳老师看起来很失望，“杰克逊说对了一半。宙斯将芥末和葡萄酒混合，喂克罗诺斯吃，逼他吐出其他五个孩子，也就是我们说的天神，他们在这位泰坦巨神的胃里面生活及成长，没有被消化掉。天神打败了父亲克罗诺斯，用克罗诺斯自己的镰刀将他切成碎片，丢到塔耳塔洛斯去，那是冥界最黑暗的角落。各位，在这有趣的故事的陪伴下，午餐时间不知不觉到啦！道斯老师，请带我们回到外面去，好吗？”
同学们往外散开，女生都笑闹成一团，男生则像笨蛋一样互相推来推去。
格洛弗和我正要跟大家一起走出去，这时布龙纳老师说：“杰克逊。”
我知道那个要来了。
我叫格洛弗先走，然后转身对布龙纳老师说：“有。”
布龙纳老师露出一副“不让你走”的表情。他明亮的褐色眼睛，看起来好像已经活了一千岁，看尽了世间沧桑。
单词短语透视
1.snicker[sn?k?]v.窃笑
例句 We all snickered at Mrs.Swenson.
我们都暗暗嘲笑斯温森太太。
2.naked[ne?k?d]adj.裸体的，无装饰的
例句 It was so cold that nobody can make his hands naked.
天气太冷，没有人能把手露在外面。
3.stele[stil]n.石碑，匾额，石柱
例句 There are also many ancient temples，stone stele，ancient tombs，and other cultural footprints.此外还有许多古刹庙宇、石刻碑碣、古塔古墓等文物足迹。
4.shut up 安静，闭嘴
例句 Shut up.Im trying to think.别说了，我在想问题。
5.comment[k?ment]n.意见，评论
例句 Have you any comment（s）to make on the recent developments？
你对最近的事态发展有什么评论吗？
6.point to 表明，指向
例句 I cant point to any one particular reason for it.
那件事我找不出具体原因来。
7.carving[kɑ?v??]n.雕刻，雕刻术，雕刻物，雕刻品
例句 I am especially interested in Chinese art and craft，such as jade carving，ivory carving，wood and bamboo carving as well.我对贵方的工艺品特别感兴趣，如玉雕、象牙雕、木刻和竹刻等。
8.flush[昀??]n.红晕，红光
例句 He turned away embarrassed，his face flushing red.
他难为情地扭过头去，羞红了脸。
9.relief[r?l??f]n.减轻，安慰，救济
例句 I breathed/heaved a sigh of relief when I heard he was safe.我听到他平安的消息时才松了一口气。
10.obviously[ɑbv??sl?]adv.明显地，显然地
例句 She obviously hates you.她明显不喜欢你。
11.rack[r?k]v.使受极大痛苦，折磨
例句 A coughing fit racked her whole body.
她一阵咳嗽，全身都十分难受。
12.correct[k?rekt]v.改正，矫正，纠正，校准
例句 Please correct my pronunciation if I go wrong.
假若我的发音不准就请你纠正。
13.barf[bɑ：f]v.呕吐
例句 When I first tasted it，I almost barfed.
我第一次尝这个的时候，差点没呕出来。
14.mumble[m?mbl]v.含糊地说，咕哝着说
例句 He always mumbles when hes embarrassed.
他感到难为情时说话就含糊不清了。
15.application[?pl?ke??n]n.申请，要求
例句 We received 400 applications for the job.
对这份工作，我们接到400人的申请。
16.paraphrase[p?r?fre?z]v.改写，改述
例句 Try to paraphrase the question before you answer it.
先试解释一下问题再作回答。
17.mutter[m?t?]v.喃喃自语，作低沉声
例句 Don't mutter！I can't hear you.别叽叽咕咕的！我听不见。
18.hiss[h?s]v.发出嘘声
例句“Stay away from me！”she hissed.
“去你的吧！”她带着愤怒的嘶嘶声嚷道。
19.shrug[?r?g]v.耸，耸肩
例句 I asked her where Sam was，but she just shrugged her shoulders.我问她萨姆在哪儿，她只是耸了耸肩。
20.disappointed[d?s?p??nt?d]adj.失望的，沮丧的
例句 A disappointed look came into his face.
他脸上浮现出一种失望的神情。
21.mixture[m?kst??]n.混合，混合物，混淆
例句 The city was a mixture of old and new buildings.
该市是新旧建筑物的混合体。
22.mustard[m?st?]v.芥末
例句 This meat should be seasoned with salt and mustard.
这肉里应该加点盐和芥末调味。
23.disgorge[d?sg??d?]v.吐出，呕出
例句 She was trying hard to disgorge a fish bone.
她拼命想把鱼刺吐出来。
24.immortal[?m?rtl]adj.永远的，不死的
例句 The heroes of the people are immortal.人民英雄永垂不朽。
25.completely[complete]adv.完整地，彻底地，完全地
例句 I'm new here，so I'm not completely au fait with the system.我初来乍到，所以对这个系统还不完全熟悉。
26.undigested[，?nd?d?est?d]adj.未消化的
例句 Arent most Chinese sensitive to undigested lactose？
难道大多数中国人不是乳糖不耐受的吗？
27.scythe[sa??]n.长柄大镰刀
例句 Hes cutting grass with a scythe.他正在用一把大镰刀割草。
28.scatter[sk?t?]v.消散，溃散，分散
例句 The crowd scattered.人群散开了。
29.drift off（人）渐渐离开
例句 Every time I drift off course，I get reminded of this story.
每当我对人生漫不经心时，我就会想起这个故事。
30.doofus[du：f?s]n.混蛋，蠢人
例句 She would be so miserable tagging along after this insensitive doofus.她跟着这蠢蛋不会快乐的。
31.intense[?ntens]adj.非常的，紧张的，强烈的
例句 He looked at me with intense hatred.他满怀敌意地看着我。