终于读到最后一章。从圣诞节开始，又到圣诞节结束。
一年的时间，经历了各种酸甜苦辣，大起大落的女孩们，终于成长为懂事的小大人。在英语里，就是little girls, 变成了little women.
语言不一样，文化不一样，感觉不一样。 中文语系里，或者中国文化里，大家觉得女孩才是个褒义词，而WOMEN是妇女，一般至少得嫁了人才能称为“妇”，所以没嫁人的女子基本不愿被人称为“妇女”，平白老了一截似的。
但西方文化里则相当不同。记得大学刚毕业不久，还没嫁人的时候，有个老外称赞我pretty woman, 我还相当的不高兴，还纠正他说我只是个girl。老外很困惑，解释说未成年的才叫girl，而且说你woman是表扬你，如果你还是未成年的girl，但说你是woman，那更是了不得的表扬。
然后想起来，英语里因为男女有不同的词，man, woman，连超人也要分superman, superwoman, 今天还在文章里看到snow maiden, 学生们都有点懞，其实把它看成snowman就好啦，我们中文雪人没有性别，英语分出性别而已，但阅读时只需还是当它是雪人就好。所以，The Little Women，不看性别的话，把它理解为“小大人”就好。
一个小孩，你说它是个小大人，倒确实也算得上是种称赞。
终章一开场，就很有大结局的感觉。首先是又要圣诞节了，缺席一年的父亲终于要回来了。Beth正一天一天好起来，原本隔离在姑妈家的Amy也回来了，每个人都准备着要过一个愉快的圣诞假。
The weeks leading up to Christmas were peaceful. Mr. March sent word he'd be home early in the new year. Beth was improving every day. Amy was home from her aunt's. Everyone was busy preparing for a very merry holiday.
Beth说，好开心啊，不过要是父亲在这里就好了。众人正由衷地赞同时，Laurie调皮地伸了脑袋进来，说，马奇家还有一个礼物哦！然后，像变魔术一般，父亲出现了。女孩们疯狂冲上去拥抱，亲吻，欢笑，还有哭泣。高兴得眼泪都流也来了。
Suddenly, their beloved father appeared. In an instant, all pairs of loving arms embraced him. There were hugs, kisses, giggles, and even a few happy tears.
一家人终于可以整整齐齐地坐在一起享用圣诞大餐，隔壁的Laurence 先生和Laurie还有帮了大忙的家庭教师Brooke也都来了。Jo感叹说，简直不能相信，一年前我们还在抱怨即将到来的圣诞节有多悲惨。
“It was just a year ago that we all complained about the miserable Christmas we expected, " Jo pointed out.
"The year ended up being pleasant on the whole, didn't it?" Meg asked as she quietly thought about Mr.Brooke's handsome eyes.
Meg说，这一个总的来说还是愉快结束的，对不对？她一边说，一边想着Brooke先生迷人的眼睛。
Then Amy said, "It's been a very hard year, too."
"I'm so glad it's over," Beth commented, looking at her father, "because now we have you back."
Amy说这一年其实也是挺难熬的。Beth接下去说，我很高兴这一年终于过去了，因为父亲终于又回到了身边。
Mr. March smiled at his brood of lovely daughters. He congratulated each for working hard and overcoming her faults, and for being kind and considerate. But most of all, he praised them for loving each other and truly becoming his "Little Women".
父亲微笑着看他的一群女儿，祝贺她们每位都克服了自身的缺点，并变成善良而又体贴。最重要的是，他表扬了孩子们，因为她们彼此友爱，并真正成长为”小妇人。
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