Flowers on the Bus
公交车上的鲜花
文章选自《心灵鸡汤》
主题语境:人与社会 子语境:亲情关系 原文出处:Inspirational Stories 语篇类型:记叙文关键词:summer;passenger;smile;flower
篇章导读:33年前的那个夏天,我们一大群人,每天都坐公共汽车。在从郊区出发的清晨,我们坐在那里,睡眼惺忪,衣领贴在耳朵上,一群人无精打采,沉默寡言。
原汁原味外刊阅读及模拟强化训练
We were a very motley crowd of people who took the bus every day that summer 33 years ago. During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily with our collars up to our ears, a cheerless and taciturn bunch.One of the passengers was a small grey man who took the bus to the centre for senior citizens every morning. He walked with a stoop and a sad look on his face when he, with some difficulty, boarded the bus and sat down alone behind the driver. No one ever paid very much attention to him.Then one July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled short-sightedly down through the bus before he sat down. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.The next day, the old man boarded the bus energetically, smiled and said in a loud voice: “And a very good morning to you all!” Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured “Good morning,” in reply.The following weeks we were more alert. Our friend was now dressed in a nice old suit and a wide out-of-date tie. The thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.One morning he had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. They were already dangling a little because of the heat. The driver turned around smilingly and asked: “Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie ” We never got to know if his name really was “Charlie”, but he nodded shyly and said yes.The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie bowed and waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.Every morning after that Charlie always brought a flower. Some of the regular passengers began bringing him flowers for his bouquet, gently nudged him and said shyly: “Here.” Everyone smiled. The men started to jest about it, talk to each other, and share the newspaper.The summer went by, and autumn was closing in, when one morning Charlie wasn’t waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn’t there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or — hopefully — on holiday somewhere.When we came nearer to the centre for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. We all held our breaths when she went to the door.Yes, the staff said, they knew who we were talking about. The elderly gentleman was fine, but he hadn’t been coming to the centre that week. One of his very close friends had died at the weekend. They expected him back on Monday. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping a bit more, a little bit more grey, and without a tie. He seemed to have shrinked again. Inside the bus was a silence akin to that in a church. Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us, who he had made such an impression on that summer, sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.
读后强化训练
I. 单句语法填空
1. Some trading officials are (guard) optimistic that the market is now on the road to recovery.
2. These changes were (gradual) assimilated into everyday life.
3. It had become almost a dormitory (市郊) of the city.
4. I did not get the (impress) that they were unhappy about the situation.
5. I could hear the sound of (clap) from the other room.
II.阅读理解
1. Why does Charlie take the bus with a bunch of flowers
A. He likes the smell of flowers.
B. He likes the smell of flowers.
C. For his girlfriend.
D. Visit a sick friend.
2. How can we describe Charlie
A. Considerate.
B. Pessimistic.
C. Optimistic.
D. Diligent.
3. What kind of subject may this story be extracted from
A. Success.
B. Happiness.
C. Inspiration.
D. Love.
词汇积累
Ⅰ. 核心词汇
1. suburb n. 郊区;城外
2. guardedly adv. 谨慎地
3. gradually adv. 逐步地;逐渐地
4. clap v. 鼓掌
5. impression n. 印象;感想;影响
Ⅱ. 核心短语
1. look up 查阅
2. a bunch of 一束
Ш. 拓展词汇
1. motley adj. 杂七杂八的;混杂的
2. taciturn adj. 沉默寡言的
3. alert adj. 警觉的;警惕的
4. bouquet n. 花束
金句赏析
1.During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily with our collars up to our ears, a cheerless and taciturn bunch.
【句意】在从郊区出发的清晨,我们坐在那里,睡眼惺忪,衣领贴在耳朵上,一群人无精打采,沉默寡言。
【句式剖析】
句子主干:... we sat drowsily ...
赏析:
①介词短语During the early morning ride from the suburb作时间状语;
②with our collars up to our ears是with的复合结构,在句中作伴随状语;
③a cheerless and taciturn bunch作同位语。
2.Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us, who he had made such an impression on that summer, sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.
【句意】尽管没有人谈论过这件事,但我们所有人都坐在那里,眼里噙满了泪水,手里拿着一束野花。
【句式剖析】
句子主干:... all those of us, ... sat ...
赏析:
①Even though no one had talked about it是even though引导的让步状语从句;
②非限制性定语从句who he had made such an impression on that summer在句中作插入语;
③with的复合结构with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands中,our eyes filled with tears与 a bunch of wild flowers in our hands是并列关系。
参考译文
We were a very motley crowd of people who took the bus every day that summer 33 years ago. During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily with our collars up to our ears, a cheerless and taciturn bunch.One of the passengers was a small grey man who took the bus to the centre for senior citizens every morning. He walked with a stoop and a sad look on his face when he, with some difficulty, boarded the bus and sat down alone behind the driver. No one ever paid very much attention to him.33年前的那个夏天,我们是一大群人,每天都坐公共汽车。在从郊区出发的清晨,我们坐在那里,睡眼惺忪,衣领贴在耳朵上,一群人无精打采,沉默寡言。其中一名乘客是一名身材矮小的灰色男子,他每天早上都乘车前往老年人中心。当他艰难地登上公共汽车,独自坐在司机后面时,他佝偻着腰,脸上露出悲伤的表情。从来没有人关注过他。Then one July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled short-sightedly down through the bus before he sat down. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.The next day, the old man boarded the bus energetically, smiled and said in a loud voice: “And a very good morning to you all!” Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured “Good morning,” in reply.然后在7月的一个早晨,他向司机说了声早上好,并在坐下来之前,在公交车上短暂地笑了笑。司机小心翼翼地点头。我们其余的人都沉默了。第二天,老人精力充沛地登上了公交车,微笑着大声说道:“祝你们大家早上好!”我们中的一些人抬起头,惊讶地喃喃道:“早上好。”。The following weeks we were more alert. Our friend was now dressed in a nice old suit and a wide out-of-date tie. The thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.One morning he had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. They were already dangling a little because of the heat. The driver turned around smilingly and asked: “Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie ” We never got to know if his name really was “Charlie”, but he nodded shyly and said yes.接下来的几周,我们更加警觉。我们的朋友现在穿着一套漂亮的旧西装,打着一条过时的领带。细头发已经仔细梳理过了。他每天都跟我们说早上好,我们慢慢地开始点头,互相交谈。一天早上,他手里拿着一束野花。由于天气炎热,他们已经有点摇晃了。司机微笑着转过身问:“查理,你有女朋友了吗?”我们一直不知道他的名字是否真的是“查理”,但他害羞地点头说是。The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie bowed and waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.Every morning after that Charlie always brought a flower. Some of the regular passengers began bringing him flowers for his bouquet, gently nudged him and said shyly: “Here.” Everyone smiled. The men started to jest about it, talk to each other, and share the newspaper.The summer went by, and autumn was closing in, when one morning Charlie wasn’t waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn’t there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or — hopefully — on holiday somewhere.其他乘客向他吹口哨、鼓掌。查理鞠了一躬,挥了挥手,然后坐在座位上。从那以后,查理每天早上都会带来一朵花。一些普通乘客开始给他送花,轻轻地推着他,害羞地说:“给。”每个人都笑了。男人们开始开玩笑,互相交谈,分享报纸。夏天过去了,秋天快到了,一天早上查理没有在他通常的车站等候。当他第二天不在的时候,我们开始怀疑他是生病了还是——希望是——在某个地方度假。When we came nearer to the centre for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. We all held our breaths when she went to the door.Yes, the staff said, they knew who we were talking about. The elderly gentleman was fine, but he hadn’t been coming to the centre that week. One of his very close friends had died at the weekend. They expected him back on Monday. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.当我们走近老年人中心时,其中一名乘客要求司机等候。她走到门口时,我们都屏住了呼吸。是的,工作人员说,他们知道我们在谈论谁。这位上了年纪的绅士很好,但那周他没有来中心。他的一位密友在周末去世了。他们期待他周一回来。我们在上班的路上是多么沉默。The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping a bit more, a little bit more grey, and without a tie. He seemed to have shrinked again. Inside the bus was a silence akin to that in a church. Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us, who he had made such an impression on that summer, sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.下一个星期一,查理在车站等着,腰弯得有点弯,脸色有点灰,没有打领带。他似乎又退缩了。车内一片寂静,类似于教堂里的寂静。尽管没有人谈论过这件事,但我们所有人都坐在那里,眼里噙满了泪水,手里拿着一束野花。
读后强化训练
参考答案
I. 单句语法填空
1. Some trading officials are guardedly (guard) optimistic that the market is now on the road to recovery.
2. These changes were gradually (gradual) assimilated into everyday life.
3. It had become almost a dormitory suburb (市郊) of the city.
4. I did not get the impression (impress) that they were unhappy about the situation.
5. I could hear the sound of clapping (clap) from the other room.
II.阅读理解
1. Why does Charlie take the bus with a bunch of flowers
A. He likes the smell of flowers.
B. He likes the smell of flowers.
C. For his girlfriend.
D. Visit a sick friend.
【答案】C
【解析】
推理判断题。从文章的第六段内容“Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie ” We never got to know if his name really was “Charlie”, but he nodded shyly and said yes可知,查理拿着鲜花是为了送给他的女朋友。故选C项。
2. How can we describe Charlie
A. Considerate.
B. Pessimistic.
C. Optimistic.
D. Diligent.
【答案】A
【解析】
观点态度题。这全文内容可知,查理是一位充满爱心善良的绅士故选A项。
3. What kind of subject may this story be extracted from
A. Success.
B. Happiness.
C. Inspiration.
D. Love.
【答案】D
【解析】
推理判断题。根据故事的描述,可知主要讲述的是老人查理的爱情故事。故选D项。
词汇积累
Ⅰ. 核心词汇
1. suburb n. 郊区;城外
2. guardedly adv. 谨慎地
3. gradually adv. 逐步地;逐渐地
4. clap v. 鼓掌
5. impression n. 印象;感想;影响
Ⅱ. 核心短语
1. look up 查阅
2. a bunch of 一束
Ш. 拓展词汇
1. motley adj. 杂七杂八的;混杂的
2. taciturn adj. 沉默寡言的
3. alert adj. 警觉的;警惕的
4. bouquet n. 花束
金句赏析
1.During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily with our collars up to our ears, a cheerless and taciturn bunch.
【句意】在从郊区出发的清晨,我们坐在那里,睡眼惺忪,衣领贴在耳朵上,一群人无精打采,沉默寡言。
【句式剖析】
句子主干:... we sat drowsily ...
赏析:
①介词短语During the early morning ride from the suburb作时间状语;
②with our collars up to our ears是with的复合结构,在句中作伴随状语;
③a cheerless and taciturn bunch作同位语。
2.Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us, who he had made such an impression on that summer, sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.
【句意】尽管没有人谈论过这件事,但我们所有人都坐在那里,眼里噙满了泪水,手里拿着一束野花。
【句式剖析】
句子主干:... all those of us, ... sat ...
赏析:
①Even though no one had talked about it是even though引导的让步状语从句;
②非限制性定语从句who he had made such an impression on that summer在句中作插入语;
③with的复合结构with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands中,our eyes filled with tears与 a bunch of wild flowers in our hands是并列关系。