现代大学英语精读1.docx

现代大学英语精读1.docx

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现代大学英语精读1

LessonOne   HalfaDay

 Iwalkedalongsidemyfather,clutchinghisrighthand.Allmyclotheswerenew:

theblackshoes,thegreenschooluniform,andtheredcap.Theydidnotmakemehappy,however,asthiswasthedayIwastobethrownintoschoolforthefirsttime.Mymotherstoodatthewindowwatchingourprogress,andIturnedtowardsherfromtimetotime,hopingshewouldhelp.Wewalkedalongastreetlinedwithgardens,andfieldsplantedwithcrops:

pears,anddatepalms."Whyschool?

"Iaskedmyfather."WhathaveIdone?

""I'mnotpunishingyou,"hesaid,laughing."School'snotapunishment.It'saplacethatmakesusefulmenoutofboys.Don'tyouwanttobeusefullikeyourbrothers?

"Iwasnotconvinced.Ididnotbelievetherewasreallyanygoodtobehadintearingmeawayfrommyhomeandthrowingmeintothehuge,high-walledbuilding.Whenwearrivedatthegatewecouldseethecourtyard,vastandfullofboysandgirls."Goinbyyourself,"saidmyfather,"andjointhem.Putasmileonyourfaceandbeagoodexampletoothers."Ihesitatedandclungtohishand,buthegentlypushedmefromhim."Beaman,"hesaid."Todayyoutrulybeginlife.Youwillfindmewaitingforyouwhenit'stimetoleave."Itookafewsteps.Thenthefacesoftheboysandgirlscameintoview.Ididnotknowasingleoneofthem,andnoneofthemknewme.IfeltIwasastrangerwhohadlosthisway.Butthensomeboysbegantoglanceatmeincuriosity,andoneofthemcameoverandasked,"Whobroughtyou?

""Myfather,"Iwhispered."Myfather'sdead,"hesaidsimply.Ididnotknowwhattosay.Thegatewasnowclosed.Someofthechildrenburstintotears.Thebellrang.Aladycamealong,followedbyagroupofmen.Themenbegansortingusintoranks.Wewereformedintoanintricatepatterninthegreatcourtyardsurroundedbyhighbuildings;fromeachfloorwewereoverlookedbyalongbalconyroofedinwood."Thisisyournewhome,"saidthewoman."Therearemothersandfathershere,too.Everythingthatisenjoyableandbeneficialishere.Sodryyourtearsandfacelifejoyfully."Well,itseemedthatmymisgivingshadhadnobasis.FromthefirstmomentsImademanyfriendsandfellinlovewithmanygirls.Ihadneverimaginedschoolwouldhavethisrichvarietyofexperiences.Weplayedallsortsofgames.Inthemusicroomwesangourfirstsongs.Wealsohadourfirstintroductiontolanguage.WesawaglobeoftheEarth,whichrevolvedandshowedthevariouscontinentsandcountries.Westartedlearningnumbers,andweweretoldthestoryoftheCreatoroftheuniverse.Weatedeliciousfood,tookalittlenap,andwokeuptogoonwithfriendshipandlove,playingandlearning.Ourpath,however,wasnottotallysweetandunclouded.Wehadtobeobservantandpatient.Itwasnotallamatterofplayingandfoolingaround.Rivalriescouldbringaboutpainandhatredorgiverisetofighting.Andwhiletheladywouldsometimessmile,shewouldoftenyellandscold.Evenmorefrequentlyshewouldresorttophysicalpunishment.Inaddition,thetimeforchangingone'smindwasoverandgoneandtherewasnoquestionofeverreturningtotheparadiseofhome.Nothinglayaheadofusbutexertion,struggle,andperseverance.Thosewhowereabletookadvantageoftheopportunitiesforsuccessandhappinessthatpresentedthemselves.Thebellrang,announcingthepassingofthedayandtheendofwork.Thechildrenrushedtowardthegate,whichwasopenedagain.Isaidgoodbyetofriendsandsweetheartsandpassedthroughthegate.Ilookedaroundbutfoundnotraceofmyfather,whohadpromisedtobethere.Isteppedasidetowait.WhenIhadwaitedforalongtimeinvain,Idecidedtoreturnhomeonmyown.Iwalkedafewsteps,thencametoastartledhalt.GoodLord!

Wherewasthestreetlinedwithgardens?

Wherehaditdisappearedto?

Whendidallthesecarsinvadeit?

Andwhendidallthesepeoplecometorestonitssurface?

Howdidthesehillsofrubbishfindtheirwaytocoveritssides?

Andwherewerethefieldsthatborderedit?

Highbuildingshadtakenover,thestreetwasfullofchildren,anddisturbingnoisesshooktheair.Hereandtherestoodconjurersshowingofftheirtricksormakingsnakesappearfrombaskets.Thentherewasabandannouncingtheopeningofacircus,withclownsandweightlifterswalkinginfront.GoodGod!

Iwasinadaze.Myheadspun.Ialmostwentcrazy.Howcouldallthishavehappenedinhalfaday,betweenearlymorningandsunset?

Iwouldfindtheanswerathomewithmyfather.Butwherewasmyhome?

Ihurriedtowardsthecrossroads,becauseIrememberedthatIhadtocrossthestreettoreachourhouse,butthestreamofcarswouldnotletup.Extremelyirritated,IwonderedwhenIwouldbeabletocross.Istoodtherealongtime,untiltheyoungboyemployedattheironingshoponthecornercameuptome.Hestretchedouthisarmandsaid,"Grandpa,letmetakeyouacross."

LessonTwoTheBoyandtheBankOfficer

Ihaveafriendwhohatesbankswithaspecialpassion."Abankisjustastorelikeacandystoreoragrocerystore",hesays."Theonlydifferenceisthatabank'sgoodshappentobemoney,whichisyoursinthefirstplace.Ifbankswererequiredtosellwalletsandmoneybelts,theymightactlesslikechurches."IbeganthinkingaboutmyfriendtheotherdayasIwalkedintoasmall,overlightedbranchofficeontheWestSide.Ihadcometoopenacheckingaccount.Itwaslunchtimeandtheonlyofficerondutywasafortyishblackmanwithshort,pressedhair,apencilmustache,andaneatlypressedbrownsuit.Everythingabouthimsuggestedacarefullydressedauthority.ThisofficerwasstandingacrossasmallcounterfromayoungwhiteboywhowaswearingaV-neckedsweater,khakis,andloafers.Hehadsandyhair,andIthinkIwasespeciallyawareofhimbecausehelookedmorelikeakidfromaprepschoolthanacustomerinaWestSidebank.Theboycontinuedtoholdmyattentionbecauseofwhathappenednext.Hewasholdinganopensavings-accountbookandwearinganexpressionofopendismay."ButIdon'tunderstand,"hewassayingtotheofficer."Iopenedtheaccountmyself,sowhycan'tIwithdrawanymoney?

""I'vealreadyexplainedtoyou,"theofficertoldhim,"thatafourteen-year-oldisnotallowedtowithdrawmoneywithoutaletterfromhisparents.""Butthatdoesn'tseemfair,"theboysaid,hisvoicebreaking."It'smymoney,Iputitin.It'smyaccount.""Iknowitis,"theofficersaid,"butthosearetherules.Nowifyou'llexcuseme."Heturnedtomewithasmile."MayIhelpyou,sir?

"Ididn'tthinktwice."Iwasgoingtoopenanewaccount,"Isaid,"butafterseeingwhat'sgoingonhere,IthinkI'vechangedmymind.""Excuseme?

"hesaid."Look,"Isaid."IfIunderstandwhat'sgoingonherecorrectly,whatyou'resayingisthatthisboyisoldenoughtodeposithismoneyinyourbankbuthe'snotoldenoughtowithdrawit.Andsincetheredoesn'tseemtobeanyquestionastowhetherit'shismoneyorhisaccount,thebank'sso-calledpolicyisclearlyridiculous.""Itmayseemridiculoustoyou,"herepliedinavoicerisingslightlyinirritation,"butthatisthebank'spolicyandIhavenootherchoicebuttofollowtherules".Theboyhadstoodhopefullynexttomeduringthisexchange,butnowIwasjustashelpless.SuddenlyInoticedthattheopensavingsbookhecontinuedtograspshowedabalanceofabout$100.Italsoshowedthattherehadbeenaseriesofsmalldepositsandwithdrawals.Ihadmyopening."Haveyouwithdrawnmoneybeforebyyourself?

"Iaskedtheboy. "Yes,"hesaid.Imovedinforthekill."Howdoyouexplainthat?

"Izeroedinontheofficer."Whydidyoulethimwithdrawmoneybefore,butnotnow?

"Helookedannoyed."Becausethetellerswerenotawareofhisagebeforeandnowtheyare.It'sreallyverysimple".Iturnedtotheboywithashrug."You'rereallygettingcheated,"Isaid."Yououghttogetyourparentstocomeinhereandprotest."Theboylookeddestroyed.Silently,heputhissavingsbookinarear-pocketandwalkedoutofthebank.Theofficerturnedtome."Youknow,"hesaid,"youreallyshouldn'thaveinterfered.""Shouldn'thaveinterfered?

"Ishouted."Well,itdamnwellseemedtomethatheneededsomeonetorepresenthisinterests.""Someonewasrepresentinghisinterests,"hesaidsoftly."Andwhomightthatbe?

""Thebank."Icouldn'tbelievewhatthisidiotwassaying."Look,"Iconcluded,"we'rejustwastingeachother'stime.Butmaybeyou'dliketoexplainexactlyhowthebankwasrepresentingthatboy'sinterests?

""Certainly,"hesaid."Wewereinformedthismorningthatsomeneighborhoodbullyhasbeenshakingthisboydownformorethanamonth.Theotherguywasforcinghimtotakemoneyouteveryweekandhanditover.Thepoorkidwasapparentlytooscaredtotellanyone.That'stherealreasonhewassoupset.Hewasafraidofwhattheotherguywoulddotohim.Anyway,thepoliceareonthecaseandthey'llprobablymakeanarresttoday.""Youmeanthereisnoruleaboutbeingtooyoungtowithdrawmoneyfromasavingsaccount?

""NotthatIeverheardof.Now,sir,whatcanwedoforyou?

"

LessonThreeMessageoftheLand

Yes,theseareourricefields.Theybelongedtomyparentsandforefathers.Thelandismorethanthreecenturiesold.I'mtheonlydaughterinourfamilyanditwasIwhostayedwithmyparentstilltheydied.Mythreebrothersmovedouttotheirwives'houseswhentheygotmarried.MyhusbandmovedintoourhouseasisthewaywithusinEsarn.Iwastheneighteenandhewasnineteen.Hegavemesixchildren.Twodiedininfancyfromsickness.Therest,twoboysandtwogirls,wentawayassoonaswecouldaffordtobuyjeansforthem.Ouroldestsongotajobas