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妈妈和孩子
添加时间:2014-05-19 09:13:15 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty-seven third graders eagerly anticipated the great day of gifts giving.

    那是1961年的圣诞节。我在俄亥俄州的一个小镇上教小学三年级。班上27个孩子都在积极参加"礼物赠送日"的活动。

    A tree covered with tinsel and gaudy1 paper chains graced one corner. In another rested a manger scene produced from cardboard and poster paints by chubby2, and sometimes grubby, hands. Someone had brought a doll and placed it on the straw in the cardboard box that served as the manger. It didn't matter that you could pull a string and hear the blue-eyed, golden-haired dolly say, "My name is Susie." "But Jesus was a boy baby!" one of the boys proclaimed. Nonetheless, Susie stayed.

    教室的一角被一棵树装点得熠熠生辉,树上缀满了金银丝帛和华丽的彩纸。教室的另一角是一个涂着海报油彩由纸板制成的马槽,这出自孩子们那胖乎乎、脏兮兮的小手。有人带来了一个娃娃,把它放在纸板槽里的稻草上(假装小耶稣)。只要拉拉它身上的一条细绳,这个蓝眼睛、金发的娃娃就会说道,"我叫苏西",不过这都没有关系。一个男孩提出:"耶稣可是个小男孩呀!"不过苏西还是留了下来。

    Each day the children produced some new wonder -- strings3 of popcorn4, hand-made trinkets, and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling. Through it all she remained aloof5, watching from afar, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly withdrawn6. I hoped the festivities would appeal to her. But nothing did. We made cards and gifts for mothers and dads, for sisters and brothers, for grandparents, and for each other. At home the students made the popular fried marbles and vied with one another to bring in the prettiest ones. " You put them in a hot frying pan, Teacher. And you let them get real hot, and then you watch what happens inside. But you don't fry them too long or they break."So, as my gift to them, I made each of my students a little pouch7 for carrying their fried marbles. And I knew they had each made something for me: bookmarks carefully cut, colored, and sometimes pasted together; cards and special drawings; liquid embroidery8 doilies, hand-fringed, of course.

    每天孩子们都会做点儿新玩意--爆米花串成的细链子、手工做的小装饰品和墙纸样做的德国式风铃,我们把这些风铃挂在了天花板上。但自始至终,她都是孤零零地远远观望,仿佛是隔了一道几里长的障碍。我猜想着这个沉默的孩子发生了什么事,原来那个快乐的孩子怎么突然变得沉默寡言起来。我希望节日的活动能吸引她,可还是无济于事。我们制作了许多卡片和礼物,准备把它们送给爸爸妈妈、兄弟姐妹、祖父母和身边的同学。学生们在家里做了当时很流行“油炸"玻璃弹子,并且相互比着,要把最好看的拿来。"老师,把玻璃弹子放在热油锅里,让它们烧热,然后看看里面的变化。但不要炸得时间过长否则会破裂。"所以,我给每个学生做了一个装"油炸弹子"的小袋作为礼物送给他们。我知道他们每个人也都为我做了礼物:仔细剪裁、着色,或已粘集成串的书签;贺卡和特别绘制的图片;透明的镶边碗碟垫布,当然是手工编制的流苏。

    The day of gift-giving finally came. We oohed and aahed over our handiwork as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching. I had made a special pouch for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened the package so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away. I had not penetrated9 the wall of isolation10 she had built around herself.

    赠送礼物的那天终于到了。在交换礼物时我们为对方亲手做的小礼品不停地欢呼叫好。而整个过程,她只是安静地坐在那儿看着。我为她做的小袋很特别,红绿相间还镶着白边。我非常想看到她笑一笑。她打开包装,动作又慢又小心。我等待着,但是她却转过了身。我还是没能穿过她在自己周围树起的高墙,这堵墙将她与大家隔离了开来。

    After school the children left in little groups, chattering11 about the great day yet to come when long-hoped-for two-wheelers and bright sleds would appear beside their trees at home. She lingered, watching them bundle up and go out the door. I sat down in a child-sized chair to catch my breath, hardly aware of what was happening, when she came to me with outstretched hands, bearing a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands. She said nothing. "For me?" I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and gingerly opened it. There inside, glistening12 green, a fried marble hung from a golden chain. Then I looked into that elderly eight-year-old face and saw the question in her dark brown eyes. In a flash I knew -- she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows. A mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.

    放学后,学生们三三俩俩地离开了,边走边说着即将到来的圣诞节:家中的圣诞树旁将发现自己心系已久的自行车和崭新发亮的雪橇。她慢慢地走在后面,看着大家拥挤着走出门外。我坐在孩子们的小椅子上稍稍松了口气,对要发生的事没有一点准备。这时她向我走来,双手拿着一个白色的盒子向我伸过来。盒子没有打包装,稍有些脏。好像是被孩子未洗过的小手摸过了好多遍。她没有说话。"给我的吗?"我微微一笑。她没出声,只是点点头。我接过盒子,非常小心地打开它。盒子里面有一条金色的链子,上面坠着一块闪闪发光的“油炸"玻璃弹子。然后我看着她的脸,虽只有8岁,可却是成人的表情。在她深棕色的眼睛里我找到了问题的答案。我在一瞬间明白过来--这是她为妈妈做的项链,她再也见不到的妈妈,再也不能抱她、给她梳头或一起讲故事的妈妈。她的妈妈已再也不能分享她充满童稚的快乐,分担她孩子气的忧伤。就在3个星期前她的妈妈离开了人世。

    I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and secured the simple clasp at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the shiny piece of glass and the tarnished13 golden chain, then back at the giver. I meant it when I whispered," Oh, Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it."Neither of us could stop the tears. She stumbled into my arms and we wept together. And for that brief moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.

    我拿起那条链子。她用双手接过它,向前探了探身,在我的脖子后把简易的项链钩系好。然后她向后退了几步,好像在看看是否合适。我低下头看着闪闪发亮的玻璃珠和已失去光泽的金色链子,然后抬起头望着她。我很认真地轻声说道:“哦,玛丽亚,这链子真漂亮。你妈妈一定会喜欢的。"我们已无法抑制住泪水。她踉踉跄跄地扑进我的怀里,我们都哭了。在那短暂的一刻我成了她的妈妈,而她送给了我一份最珍贵的礼物:她的信任和爱。

     9级    美文 


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    1 gaudy [ˈgɔ:di] QfmzN   第10级
    adj.华而不实的;俗丽的
    参考例句:
    • She was tricked out in gaudy dress. 她穿得华丽而俗气。
    • The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him. 浮华的蝴蝶却相信花是应该向它道谢的。
    2 chubby [ˈtʃʌbi] wrwzZ   第9级
    adj.丰满的,圆胖的
    参考例句:
    • He is stocky though not chubby. 他长得敦实,可并不发胖。
    • The short and chubby gentleman over there is our new director. 那个既矮又胖的绅士是我们的新主任。
    3 strings [strɪŋz] nh0zBe   第12级
    n.弦
    参考例句:
    • He sat on the bed, idly plucking the strings of his guitar. 他坐在床上,随意地拨着吉他的弦。
    • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp. 她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
    4 popcorn [ˈpɒpkɔ:n] 8lUzJI   第7级
    n.爆米花
    参考例句:
    • 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,里塞满了爆米花。
    5 aloof [əˈlu:f] wxpzN   第9级
    adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的
    参考例句:
    • 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. 这小女孩在晚上一直胆怯地远离人群。
    6 withdrawn [wɪðˈdrɔ:n] eeczDJ   第10级
    vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出
    参考例句:
    • 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。
    7 pouch [paʊtʃ] Oi1y1   第10级
    n.小袋,小包,囊状袋;vt.装...入袋中,用袋运输;vi.用袋送信件
    参考例句:
    • 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。
    8 embroidery [ɪmˈbrɔɪdəri] Wjkz7   第9级
    n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品
    参考例句:
    • This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration. 这件精美的绣品,使人惊叹不已。
    • This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery. 这是简第一次试着绣花。
    9 penetrated ['penɪtreɪtɪd] 61c8e5905df30b8828694a7dc4c3a3e0   第7级
    adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式
    参考例句:
    • The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
    • They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。
    10 isolation [ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃn] 7qMzTS   第8级
    n.隔离,孤立,分解,分离
    参考例句:
    • The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world. 这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
    • He retired and lived in relative isolation. 他退休后,生活比较孤寂。
    11 chattering [t'ʃætərɪŋ] chattering   第7级
    n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
    参考例句:
    • The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
    • I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。
    12 glistening ['glɪstnɪŋ] glistening   第8级
    adj.闪耀的,反光的v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )
    参考例句:
    • 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》
    13 tarnished [ˈtɑ:nɪʃt] e927ca787c87e80eddfcb63fbdfc8685   第10级
    (通常指金属)(使)失去光泽,(使)变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 ); 玷污,败坏
    参考例句:
    • The mirrors had tarnished with age. 这些镜子因年深日久而照影不清楚。
    • His bad behaviour has tarnished the good name of the school. 他行为不轨,败坏了学校的声誉。

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