时间:2018-12-26 作者:英语课 分类:温馨夜读


英语课

 


 


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[00:00.55]The Gift 礼物


[00:07.00]It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio


[00:13.46]where my twenty-seven third graders eagerly anticipated the great day of gifts giving.


[00:19.37]Each day the children produced some new wonder—strings of popcorn 1, hand-made trinkets,


[00:26.70]and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling.


[00:31.62]Through it all she remained aloof 2, watching from afar, seemingly miles away.


[00:38.29]I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, 


[00:42.16]once so happy, now so suddenly withdrawn 3.


[00:46.28]I hoped the festivities would appeal to her. But nothing did.


[00:51.42]The day of gift-giving finally came.


[00:54.49]We oohed and aahed over our handiwork as the presents were exchanged.


[00:59.85]Through it all, she sat quietly watching.


[01:03.13]I had made a special pouch 4 for her, red and green with white lace.


[01:08.49]I wanted very much to see her smile.


[01:11.56]She opened the package so slowly and carefully.


[01:15.93]I waited but she turned away.


[01:18.77]After school the children left in little groups, 


[01:23.05]but she lingered, watching them go out the door.


[01:26.10]I sat down to catch my breath, 


[01:28.86]hardly aware of what was happening when she came to me with outstretched hands,


[01:33.55]bearing a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled,


[01:38.47]as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands.


[01:43.06]“For me?” I asked with a weak smile. 


[01:46.65]She said not a word, but nodded her head.


[01:49.74]I took the box and gingerly opened it. 


[01:53.31]There inside, glistening 5 green, lay a golden chain.


[01:57.94]In a flash I knew—she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again,


[02:04.94]a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story,


[02:10.09]a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows.


[02:15.12]A mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.


[02:19.83]I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward,


[02:25.19]and secured the simple clasp at the back of my neck.


[02:28.80]She stepped back then as if to see that all was well.


[02:33.17]I looked down at the golden chain, then back at the giver, 


[02:37.85]“Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it.”


[02:42.47]Neither of us could stop the tears.


[02:45.65]She stumbled into my arms and we wept together.


[02:49.83]And for that brief moment I became her mother,


[02:53.52]for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.


 



1 popcorn
n.爆米花
  • I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时,喜欢吃爆米花。
  • He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后,嘴里塞满了爆米花。
2 aloof
adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的
  • Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
  • On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。
3 withdrawn
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出
  • Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
  • All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。
4 pouch
n.小袋,小包,囊状袋;vt.装...入袋中,用袋运输;vi.用袋送信件
  • He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
  • The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。
5 glistening
adj.闪耀的,反光的v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )
  • Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
  • Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》
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3-Ethyl-4-picoline
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