Chapter 2

CHAPTER Two The girls climbed the marbled stairs and went through the huge front door. The school was light and airy with many windows. It was decorated with statues and paintings of unicorns. Ms Nettles walked so fast that Sophia barely had time to take it all in. It was all very grand, colourful and enormous. Sophia was certain that she'd spend the first week getting lost. Ms Nettles finally stopped outside an arched multicoloured glass door that reminded Sophia of the lake. "We are about to enter the hall. You must be

第二章女孩们爬上大理石楼梯，穿过巨大的前门。 学校有许多窗户，光线充足，空气流通。 里面装饰着独角兽的雕像和绘画。 尼特尔斯女士走得太快了，索菲亚几乎没有时间去领会这一切。 这一切都非常宏伟，色彩缤纷，规模庞大。 索菲娅确信她会在第一个星期迷路。 最后，荨麻女士在一扇拱形的彩色玻璃门外停了下来，这扇门让索菲亚想起了湖。 “我们要进大厅了。 你一定是

on your best behaviour and please ensure you are looking smart before you go in and meet Ms Primrose." Sophia pushed her long curls back over her shoulders. When the new girls had finished tugging at their clothes, Ms Nettles inspected them. "Lovely, Valentina." She smiled at the brown-haired girl. "Tuck your necklace in though, dear. Jewellery shouldn't be on show." "Thanks, Aunt… Oops, I mean Ms Nettles!" Valentina smirked. "Aunt!" mouthed Ava, widening her eyes. Sophia widened hers back. "Really!" "No talking!" snapped Ms Nettles again. She led the girls into the hall. Sophia caught her breath. High up, a domed glass roof filled with coloured swirls flooded the room with soft rainbow light. Its long rays lit up the magical map positioned in the centre of the room. The map was a model of Unicorn Island in

在你进去见樱草花女士之前，请确保你看起来很漂亮。” 索菲亚把她长长的卷发向后梳到肩上。 新来的女孩们拉完衣服后，奈特尔斯女士检查了她们。 “可爱,瓦伦蒂娜。”她对棕色头发的女孩微笑。 “亲爱的，把项链塞进去。 珠宝不应该被展出。” “谢谢，姨妈……哎呀，我是说荨麻老师！”瓦伦蒂娜傻笑。 “阿姨！”艾娃睁大了眼睛，用嘴说。 索菲娅挺直了背。“真的!”“不许说话！”荨麻女士又厉声说。 她把姑娘们领进大厅。 索菲娅屏住了呼吸。在高处，一个充满彩色漩涡的圆顶玻璃屋顶使房间充满了柔和的彩虹光。 它长长的光线照亮了房间中央那张神奇的地图。 这张地图是独角兽岛的模型

miniature, with snowy mountains, lush green valleys, dusty plains, deep green forests and sandy beaches. The school with its lake and fountain were right in the centre of the island. The map was protected by a glimmering magical force field. Sophia's mum had told her that the map was very powerful and you could visit anywhere on the island just by touching the place you wanted to go to. Sophia longed to try it out but Mum had said that it was only to be used by teachers, and pupils who had graduated. Ms Nettles marched across the room to where a large group of students were whispering in front of an enormous stage. A regal-looking lady, sitting on a high-backed chair, watched as Sophia and the others approached. That must be Ms Primrose, thought Sophia. According to her mum, Ms Primrose was almost as old as the island itself. Sophia didn't believe that, but looking at her wrinkled face and pure-white hair, she guessed that Ms

迷你版，有雪山、葱郁的山谷、尘土飞扬的平原、深绿色的森林和沙滩。 那所带湖和喷泉的学校就在岛的正中央。 地图被一个闪烁的魔法力场保护着。 索菲娅的妈妈告诉她，这张地图非常强大，只要触摸你想去的地方，你就可以去岛上的任何地方。 索菲娅很想试试，但妈妈说只有老师和毕业的学生才能用。 纳特尔斯女士穿过房间，走到一个巨大的舞台前，一大群学生正在窃窃私语。 一位看起来很高贵的女士坐在一张高靠背的椅子上，看着索菲亚和其他人走近。 那一定是樱草花女士，索菲娅想。 据她妈妈说，樱草花女士几乎和这座岛一样古老。 索菲娅不相信，但看着她满是皱纹的脸和纯白的头发，她猜她是

Primrose was very old indeed. Hearing a whinny, Sophia realised that Ms Primrose wasn't alone. Waiting in the wings at the side of the stage were a group of young unicorns, all with glimmering snow-white coats, glittering horns and silky manes and tails. Some of them were hanging back shyly, others were pushing their way forward, ears pricked. Ms Primrose rose to her feet gracefully.

樱草花确实很老了。 听到一阵呜呜声，索菲亚意识到迎春花女士并不孤单。 一群年轻的独角兽在舞台的一侧等待着，它们都穿着闪闪发光的雪白外套，闪亮的角和丝绸般的鬃毛和尾巴。 他们中的一些人害羞地往后退缩，另一些人则向前挤着，耳朵被扎了起来。 樱草花女士优雅地站了起来。

"Good afternoon, everyone." Her voice was low and serious but Sophia caught a twinkle in her blue eyes. "Welcome to Unicorn Academy. Now you are ten years old it is time for you to spend a year here, training and bonding with your own special unicorn. You and your unicorn will be partners for life, helping each other and looking after Unicorn Island." She paused and gestured towards one of the large windows overlooking the gardens. "Unicorn Academy is a very special place because it is also the home of Sparkle Lake. The lake's waters originate from the centre of the earth and flow up through the fountain into the lake and then around the island in rivers and streams. Its magical water helps all the people, plants and animals on Unicorn Island flourish." She paused and let her gaze fall on every single pupil in the room. "During your year at the school, your unicorn should come into his or her magical powers. Some of you are likely to

“大家下午好。” 她的声音低沉而严肃，但索菲娅看到了她蓝眼睛里的闪光。 “欢迎来到独角兽学院。 现在你已经十岁了，是时候在这里花一年的时间，和你自己的独角兽一起训练和建立联系了。 你和你的独角兽将成为一生的伴侣，互相帮助，共同照顾独角兽岛。” 她停了一下，指着一扇可以俯瞰花园的大窗户。 “独角兽学院是一个非常特别的地方，因为它也是火花湖的所在地。 湖的水起源于地球的中心，通过喷泉流入湖中，然后以河流和小溪的形式环绕岛屿。 它神奇的水帮助独角兽岛上所有的人、植物和动物茁壮成长。” 她停顿了一下，把目光落在房间里的每一个学生身上。 “在你上学的那一年里，你的独角兽应该发挥出他或她的魔力。 你们中的一些人可能会

discover this early in the school year, others will take longer. You will be paired with your unicorn in a moment." Sophia felt like she was going to burst with excitement. Which unicorn was going to be hers? A few of the young unicorns were pressing forward eagerly, peering out at the girls. There was a beautiful unicorn with long eyelashes and a pale-blue and silver tail that swept all the way to the floor; a cheeky-looking unicorn with red, yellow and gold swirls on her body that matched her mane and a tail; and a unicorn with rainbow swirls on his white coat and a rainbow mane and tail. As his lively brown eyes met hers, Sophia's heart flipped. I want him! The thought leapt into her head. The unicorn gazed back at her and Sophia wondered if he was feeling the same.

在学年的早期发现这一点，其他的将需要更长的时间。 你马上就能和你的独角兽配对了。” 索菲娅觉得自己兴奋得要爆发了。 哪只独角兽会是她的？ 几只小独角兽急切地向前挤着，望着女孩子们。 有一只美丽的独角兽，长着长长的睫毛，淡蓝色和银色的尾巴一直拖到地板上；一只厚脸皮的独角兽，身上有红色、黄色和金色的漩涡，与鬃毛和尾巴相配；还有一只独角兽，白色的外套上有彩虹的漩涡，还有彩虹的鬃毛和尾巴。 当他活泼的棕色眼睛与她相遇时，索菲娅的心怦怦直跳。 我要他！这个想法突然出现在她的脑海里。 独角兽凝视着她，索菲娅想知道他是否也有同样的感觉。