21 Realizing a Dream
一、请根据两个提示句进行故事续写,150词左右。
I was standing in a building that looks like a circus ring(马戏团),looking up at skinny ladders, a maze (迷宫) of wires, and a thin trapeze(秋千) bar. “What brings you here ” a young instructorasked me as he wrapped his arm around me in the same way that he would ask his grandmother. “I’m really fifty years late,” I replied, “I should have done this many years ago.” Then, I signed up for the beginner class.
Ever since I was a young girl climbing walls barefooted, I’d been fascinated by circus performers. I often dreamed of standing on the platform at the top of a tent in a shining costume, waiting to let loose and swing to the opposite end while performing in the air.
Now at the age of 60, I finally plucked up my courage to do something I’ve been longing to do. The class began with a flying-out trapeze practice. One by one, we climbed up the narrow wooden ladder to the platform. We were supposed to immediately lift our legs and hang our knees over the bar, then release hands to hang upside down.Thetrapezeslows down when it comes back, and the trick doesn’t work well if you’re not fast enough.All this has to be done on the first swing out. Hesitate, and you miss the grab. You just have eight seconds to complete the trick.
As I watched the others practicing, many questions ran through my mind: Could I lift my body up high enough to catch the bar Could I be fast enough to grab the trapeze I could feel my heart beating as the line became shorter and shorter. I doubted whether I could make it. Though I could barely reach the trapeze without stepping off the platform, I held on and waited for the instruction.
In the blink of an eye, it was my turn. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ I learned more than how to fly on a trapeze that day. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________
二、原版品读
Realizing a Dream
I was standing in a building that resembled a circus ring(马戏团), looking up at skinnyladders, a maze of wires, and a thin trapeze bar. To the instructors, I looked out of place --- not surprising since I showed up wearing pink shorts and a flowered tank top(背心装).
“What brings you here ” asked one kindly young man as he wrapped his arm around me in the same way he would comfort his grandmother. In my mind, I could hear him saying, “There, there.”
“I’m really fifty years late,” I replied. “I should have done this many years ago.”
I had signed up for a beginner trapeze class. The instructors were lean and young. So were the other participants. When I signed the release form(授权协议书) requesting my insurance information, I put “Medicare.”
Ever since I was a young girl doing cartwheels across the back yard and climbing walls barefooted, I’d been fascinated by circus performers — specifically the beautiful ladies on the flying trapeze. I often dreamed of standing on the platform at the top of a tent in a glittering costume, waiting to let loose and swing to the opposite end while performing gravity-defying tricks in the air.
I’ve always been agile, but the decades have stiffened some of my muscles. So my heart beat rapidly as the participants lined up to try out the stationary bar before climbing the “real” apparatus. As I watched the others, so many questions zoomed through my mind: Could I lift my body up high enough to mount the bar (I’m short.) Could I flip my body around the bar without letting go Could I dismount without spraining an ankle
But I did okay — better than some who were young enough to be my children. That gave my confidence a small boost.
Next, each of us was strapped into a waist harness attached to a wire — in case the worst should happen. Then, one by one, we climbed up the narrow wooden ladder to the platform. The instructor helped position each person as they grabbed the trapeze, leaned forward and waited for the quick “Go” command. We were supposed to immediately lift our legs and hang our knees over the bar on the way out, then release hands to hang upside down. The trapeze slows down when it comes back, and the trick doesn’t work well if you’re not fast enough. You just have to let go and drop into the net below.
Yes, that’s what happened my first time. The sensation of flying in the air was so exciting that I didn’t react quickly enough to complete the trick. But we got a second chance to try it, and I did much better.
Then it was time for the main event — fly out, knees up, hands off, and swing upside down for a split second(一瞬间)before a hunky acrobat on the other end of the apparatus catches you mid-air.
Whew! Could I do that I knew that it would take rapid-fire movements, and I still felt so unsure and new at this. My turn came. I could feel my heart beating as I climbed the ladder to the platform. I could barely reach the trapeze without stepping off the platform, but I held on and waited for the instructor to shout, “Go!”
Then immediately, “Knees up!”
“Hands off!”
“Look back!”
All this had to be done on the first swing out. Hesitate, and you miss the grab. Eight seconds to complete the trick.
I did it! I swung out, quickly wrapped knees around the bar and let go. Before I could think about what was happening, I felt two strong hands grasp my wrists as the trapeze swung back toward the platform. I hung on in disbelief for a few seconds until I realized it was over, and it was time to drop into the net.
I did it! That was all I could think when dismounting the tall net by doing a somersault over the edge. The instructor came over, and instead of a “there, there” pat on the back, he raised my arms in victory. His smile was almost as bright as mine.
And that wasn’t all. With my unexpected success, the trapeze instructors realized I could do more. So, they taught me some new tricks and let me try those, too.
This was truly a dream come true. But I learned more than how to fly on a trapeze that day. I learned that it’s never too late to try new things. Now I’m not afraid to step out of my comfort zone with activities such as ziplining, hang gliding(悬挂式滑翔运动), parasailing, paragliding, Fly boarding, and skydiving. I’ve traveled worldwide to fascinating places including Antarctica, India, Nepal, Cuba, and seven countries in Africa.
I. Words for understanding (加粗的单词为熟记单词,其它认识即可):
单词 音标 词性释义 单词 音标 词性释义
resemble [r zembl] vt.类似于;像 apparatus [ p r t s] n.器械
skinny [ sk ni] adj.极瘦的 zoom [zu m] v.快速移动
ladder [ l d r] n.梯子 flip [fl p] v.快速翻转
maze [me z] n.迷宫 dismount [d s ma nt] v.(体操动作的)完成
wire [wa ] n.电线 sprain [spre n] vt.扭伤
trapeze [tr pi z] n.吊杆 strap [str p] vt.用带子系
wrap [r p] vt.用...包裹 harness [ hɑ rn s] n.保护带
comfort [ k mf t] vt.安慰 position [p z n] vt.安置
lean [li n] adj.瘦且健康的 command [k mɑ nd] n.命令
cartwheel [ kɑ rtwi l] n.侧手翻 release [r li s] vt.放开
specifically [sp s f kli] adv. 具体地 hunky [ h ki] adj.健壮迷人的
platform [ pl tf m] n.平台 acrobat [ kr b t] n.杂技演员
glittering [ ɡl t r ] adj.闪闪发光的 rapid-fire [ r p d fa r] adj.急速的
defy [d fa] v.挑战 somersault [ s m rs lt] n.翻滚
agile [ d l] adj.敏捷的 parasailing [ p r se l ] n.水上拖伞运动
stiffen [ st fn] v.变僵硬 paragliding [ p r ɡla d ] n.滑翔伞运动
stationary [ ste neri] adj.静止的
短语 释义 短语 释义
sign up for 报名参加 lean forward 前倾
comfort zone 舒适区
I.Read to appreciate: Fill in the blanks according to Chinese translations
1. “什么风把你吹来了 ” 一个和蔼的年轻人用手臂搂着我问道,就像他在安慰他的祖母时那样。
“What _______ you here ” asked one kindly young man as he ________ his arm around me in the same way he would_______ his grandmother. (Action)
这让我的自信心稍稍增强了一点。
That gave my confidence a small _______. (Action)
我们应该立即抬起双腿,膝盖悬吊在吊杆上,然后松开双手倒挂
We were supposed to immediately _____ our legs and _____ our knees over the bar on the way out, then _______hands to hang upside down. (Action)
我难以置信地坚持了几秒知道我意识到所有的动作都已经结束了,是跳入下面保护网的时候了。
I hung on in _________ for a few seconds until I realized it was over, and it was time to ______ into the net. (Emotion+Action)
他的笑容几乎和我一样灿烂。
His smile was almost as _______ as mine. (Emotion)
因此当参与者们在爬上真正的器械前排队尝试固定杆时,我的心跳的很快。
So my heart ______ ________ as the participants lined up to try out the stationary bar before climbing the “real” apparatus. (Action+Emotion)
IV. Language in use
Application of the key words: Fill in the blanks according to the Chinese sentences
一定会有办法把我们繁忙的生活安排得既舒适又能找到内心平静。
Surely there is some way of ordering our busy lives so that we can live in________and find spiritual harmony too.
她因为了解了这片奇异的土地而心醉神迷。She was __________ to learn about this strange land.
她吓呆了。She _______ with fear.
灼热的阳光直射到他那光光的秃顶上。The sun ______ down on his bald pate.
她慢慢地爬上台阶。She slowly _______ the steps.
他推了她一把,帮她翻过围墙。He gave her a ______ over the fence.
她迅速在桌子后面就位。She quickly _________ herself behind the desk.
她感到自己的眼泪突然而甜蜜地流出来。She felt the sudden sweet ________ of her own tears.
他一把没抓牢,让那孩子跑掉了。The child slipped from his ______ and ran off.
Imitation of the scenes:
As I watched the others, so many questions zoomed through my mind: Could I lift my body up high enough to mount the bar (I’m short.) Could I flip my body around the bar without letting go Could I dismount without spraining an ankle
模仿:描写我的脑海里充满了13岁孩子开学第一天所有的问题和担忧:午餐我会坐在哪里?我该和谁说话?我的心跳加快,感到紧张。
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Key:
读后续写
In the blink of an eye, it was my turn.The momentmy instructor shouted, “Go!”, I swung out, quickly wrapped knees around the bar and let go. Before I could think about what was happening, I felt two strong hands grasp my wrists as the trapeze swung back toward the platform. I hung on in disbelief for a few seconds until I realized it was over.I did it— better than some who were young enough to be my children. That gave my confidence a small boost.
I learned more than how to fly on a trapeze that day. It was truly a dream come true andI realized I could do more than circus. I’m not afraid to step out of my comfort zone with activities such as parasailingand skydiving. I’ve traveled worldwide to fascinating places including Antarctica, India, Cuba, and many countries in Africa. It dawned on me that it’s never too late to start something new and do all those things that you’ve been longing to do.
原作品读
III.
brings,wrapped,comfort 2.boost 3. lift,hang,release 4.disbelief,drop 5.bright 6.beat,rapidly
IV.
comfort 2.fascinated 3.stiffened 4.beat 5.mounted 6.boost 7.positioned 8.release 9.grasp
My mind was racing with questions and concerns of any 13-year-old on the first day of school: where would I sit at lunch Who would I talk to My heartbeat quickened and I felt nervous.