这部小说以家庭生活为描写对象，以家庭成员的感情纠葛为线索，描写了马奇一家的天伦之爱。马奇家的四姐妹中，无论是为了爱情甘于贫困的海格，还是通过自己奋斗成为作家的乔，以及坦然面对死亡的贝思和以扶弱为己任的艾米，虽然她们的理想和命运都不尽相同，但是她们都具有自强自立的共同特点。描写了她们对家庭的眷恋；对爱的忠诚以及对亲情的渴望。
Little Women《小妇人》-Louisa May Alcott露意莎.梅.奥尔科特
CHAPTER ONE第一章
PLAYING PILGRIMS 朝圣
"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
“没有礼物圣诞节怎么过？”乔躺在小地毯上咕哝。
"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
“贫穷真可怕！”梅格发出一声叹息，低头望着身上的旧衣服。
"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
“有些女孩子拥有荣华富贵，有些却一无所有，我认为这不公平。”艾美鼻子轻轻一哼，三分出于轻蔑，七分出于嫉妒。
"We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said Beth contentedly from her corner.
“但我们有父母姐妹，”坐在一角的贝思提出抗议。
The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, "We haven't got Father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never," but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.
这句令人愉快的话使炉火映照下的四张年轻的脸庞明亮起来。”我们没有父亲，很长一段时间都将没有，”乔伤心地说。听到这句话，大家的脸又暗淡下去。她虽没说"可能永远没有"，但每个人心里都把这句话悄悄说了一遍，同时想起远在战场的父亲。
Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, "You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't," and Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.
大家一时无言。一会梅格换了个声调说：“你们知道妈妈为什么建议今年圣诞节不派礼物吗？因为寒冷的冬天就要来了，而我们的男人在军营里受苦受难，我们不应该花钱寻乐。虽然我们能力有限，但可以在这方面做出一点小小的牺牲，而且应该做得高高兴兴。不过我可并不高兴。”梅格摇摇脑袋。想到那些梦寐以求的漂亮礼物，她感到遗憾不已。
"But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from Mother or you, but I do want to buy _Undine and Sintran_ for myself. I've wanted it so long," said Jo, who was a bookworm.
“我看我们那丁点儿钱也帮不上什么忙。我们每人只得一元钱，献给部队也没多大用处。我们不要期待妈妈给我们什么礼物，不过我真的很想买一本《水中女神》，那本书我早就想买了，”乔说。她是个蛀书虫。
"I planned to spend mine in new music," said Beth, with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth brush and kettle-holder.
“我本来打算买些新乐谱，”贝思轻轻叹了口气说，声音轻得谁也听不到。
"I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing pencils; I really need them," said Amy decidedly.
“我要买一盒精致的费伯氏画笔。我真的很需要，”艾美干脆地说。
"Mother didn't say anything about our money, and she won't wish us to give up everything. Let's each buy what we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it," cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner.
“妈妈没说过这钱该怎么花，要是看着我们两手空空，她也不会高兴的。我们倒不如各自买点自己喜欢的东西高兴高兴。为挣这些钱，我们花了我多少心血！“乔大声说道，蛮有绅士风度地审视着自己的鞋跟。
"I know I do--teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I'm longing to enjoy myself at home," began Meg, in the complaining tone again.
“可不是嘛--差不多一天到晚都得教那些讨厌的孩子，现在多想回家轻松一下啊！”梅格又开始抱怨了。
1.grumble n. 怨言, 满腹牢骚 v. 抱怨
They will grumble about having to do the work.
他们将为不得不干那项工作而抱怨。
2.rug n. 毯子, 地毯, 旅行毯
She put a rug over the sleeping child.
她给睡著的孩子盖上了毯子.
3.dreadful ['dredful] adj. 可怕的
What a dreadful situation for you.
您的处境真糟糕。
4.sniff [snif] n.嗤之以鼻
5.alter v. 改变
I'll have to alter the diagram. I've made a mistake.
我得修改图表. 我出了点儿错.
6.bookworm n. 书呆子
A shepherd who cannot read will known more about sheep than the wisest bookworm.
一个不识字的放羊娃在有关羊的知识方面比饱读诗书的人所懂得要多得多。
7.decidedly [di'saididli] adv. 断然，果断地， 明确地，毫无疑问
He spoke so decidedly that I dared not question him.
他讲的那么坚决, 我不敢质问他。
8.gentlemanly adj. 彬彬有礼的；绅士风度的；绅士派头的
1.The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words...
【难句解析】这句的主干是...faces...brighted...，on which引导的定语从句修饰faces，后面的动词darkened的主语也是faces
【句子翻译】这句令人愉快的话使炉火映照下的四张年轻的脸庞明亮起来
2.You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone...
【难句解析】这句的主干是you know the reason...was...，其中的Mother... Christmas做定语修饰reason
【句子翻译】你们知道妈妈为什么建议今年圣诞节不派礼物吗？因为寒冷的冬天就要来了...