20 You’re How Old
一、请根据两个提示句进行故事续写,150词左右。
On my twenty-fifth birthday, I remember a friend asking, “How does it feel to be a quarter of a century old ” I had never considered age in those terms before. As the years marched on, I grew very comfortable with my age. I was healthy and active, and the number came to mean very little to me. I sometimes had to actually stop and calculate in my head when someone asked me how old I was.
Then, for no apparent reason, I began to round up my age to the next decade. For example, when I was fifty-four, I would say I was sixty. My friends found this annoying because we were all close in age, but I just laughed it off. My patent remark was, “Age is just a number. Pick one you like.”
People who didn’t know me as well would respond, “Wow, you look great for your age!” It made me feel fantastic, even though I knew it was a little white lie. And so, for the better part of my life, I have rounded up my age to the next decade.
Several years ago, unbeknown to me, my two children decided to plan a birthday celebration for me. They felt turning sixty was a big deal and needed to be recognized. Everyone was in on the surprise except me.
The morning of my birthday, I wandered into the dining room for breakfast and was met with a resounding (响亮的) chorus of “Surprise!” Our group was crowded around a table waiting to delight me with birthday wishes. I graciously accepted their comments and birthday cards. After breakfast, as I opened each card, I became more and more puzzled and guilty. Each one wished me a “Happy Sixtieth.” And there was the problem. I wasn’t sixty. I was actually fifty-nine, but I had been rounding up for so long that even my family had lost track of my real age. I really wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. Should I say nothing and just accept the well wishes, or should I admit the truth
As the day wore on, I decided to keep the truth to myself. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ I was so emotional that I could not continue with the lie. Tears filled my eyes. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________
二、原版品读
You’re How Old
On my twenty-fifth birthday, I remember a friend asking, “How does it feel to be a quarter of a century old ” It caught me off-guard at the time. I had never considered age in those terms before. I must admit that for the very first time, I felt older than my twenty-five years, and that feeling stuck with me for a while.
As the years marched on, I grew very comfortable with my age. I was healthy and active, and the number came to mean very little to me. I sometimes had to actually stop and think when someone asked me how old I was. I would do a quick calculation in my head, subtracting the year I was born from the year we were in at the moment.
Then, for noapparentreason, I began to round up my age to the next decade. For example, when I was fifty-four, I would say I was sixty. My friends found this annoying because we were all close in age, but I just laughed it off. My patent remark was, “Age is just a number. Pick one you like.”
People who didn’t know me as well would respond, “Wow, you look great for your age!” It made me feel terrific, even though I knew it was a little white lie. And so, for the better part of my life, I have rounded up my age to the next decade.
Several years ago, Unbeknown to me, my two children decided to plan a birthday celebration for me .They felt turning sixty was a big deal and needed to be recognized. Everyone was in on the surprise except me.
The morning of my birthday, I wandered into the dining room for breakfast and was met with a resounding chorus of “Surprise!” Our group was crowded around a table waiting to regale me with birthday wishes. I graciously accepted their comments and birthday cards. I was embarrassed by all the fuss that had been made.
After breakfast, as I opened each card, I became more and more perplexed and guilt-ridden. Each one wished me a “Happy Sixtieth.” And therein was the problem. I wasn’t sixty. I was actually fifty-nine, but I had been rounding up for so long that even my family had lost track of my real age. I really wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. Should I say nothing and just accept the well wishes, or should I admit the truth
As the day wore on, I decided to keep the truth to myself. After all, it was my birthday. That part was true. Did the number really matter all that much
After an amazing meal, the chef placed a beautifully decorated cake complete with sixty, yes, sixty candles in front of me. The entire dining room sang to me. I was so conflicted but kept my secret to myself.
Later that same evening, my children presented me with a beautiful, black-pearl pendant to symbolize the milestone. I was so emotional that I could not continue with the lie. Tears filled my eyes. Everyone had gone out of their way to make my sixtieth birthday special, and I felt like a jerk for not coming clean sooner.
I took a deep breath and looked at my kids. “I’m so sorry,” I blurted out.
“Sorry for what ” my daughter asked.
“It’s not my sixtieth birthday,” I whispered.
“What did you say ” she replied.
“It’s not my sixtieth birthday,” I repeated, louder this time.
Both my kids burst out laughing. My son responded first. “Oh, Mom,” he chided, “you’ve rounded up your age for so long that you don’t even know how old you are.” They both giggled uncontrollably, but I remained solemn.
“I do know my real age, and it is not sixty; it is fifty-nine. Do the math! I was born in 1948.”
They suddenly fell silent and stared at me. Realization sunk in. I was telling them the truth.
My daughter broke the moment. “Well, don’t expect another party next year then.”
The three of us collapsed in gales of laughter.
I suppose I should have learned my lesson after that, but I have continued to round up my age. I am currently seventy-two years old, but if you ask me, I will tell you that I am eighty.
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
off-guard [' fɡ'ɑ d] adj.无思想准备的. admit [ d m t] v.承认
calculation [ k lkju le n] n.计算 subtract [s b tr kt] vt.减;减去
apparent [ p r nt] adj.显而易见 round up ['ra nd p] 去以成整数
annoying [ n ] adj.烦人的 respond [r sp nd] v.回应; 响应;
unbeknown [ nb n n] adj.不为人知的 celebration [ sel bre n] n.庆典
resounding [r za nd ] adj.响亮的; regale [r ɡe l] vt.使高兴
graciously [ ɡre sl ] adv.优雅地 embarrassed [ m b r st] adj.窘迫的
fuss [f s] n.无谓的激动 therein [ e r n] adv. 在其中
perplexed [p plekst] adj.困惑的 guilt-ridden. [ ɡ lt r d. n] adj.深感内疚的
pendant [ pend nt] n.吊坠 blurt [bl t] vt.冲口说出
chide [t a d] v.责备 solemn. [ s l m] adj.严肃的
短语 释义 短语 释义
stick with sb 紧跟着某人 laugh sth off 一笑置之
lose track of 忘记 wear on (时间)流逝
come clear 坦白 take a deep breath 深吸一口气
burst out laughing 放声大笑 in gales of laughter 在阵阵笑声中
III.Read to appreciate: Fill in the blanks according to Chinese translations
随着岁月的流逝,我对自己的年龄越来越适应了。
As the years ____________ ___________ I grew very ______________ with my age. (Thinking)
2.我的朋友觉得这很烦人,因为我们年龄相近,但我只是一笑置之。
My friends found this_____________ because we were all close in age, but I just __________ _________ ____________. (Emotion+Action)
3.生日那天早上,我走进餐厅吃早餐结果听到一声响亮的“惊喜!”
The morning of my birthday, I___________ __________the dining room for breakfast and was met with a resounding chorus of “Surprise!”(Action)
4.我觉得自己像个混蛋,没能早点坦白。
I felt like a jerk for not____________ ____________ sooner.(Thinking)
5.我深深地吸了一口气,看着我的孩子们。
I ___________ ___________ ____________ ____________and looked at my kid. (Action)
6我太激动了,无法继续撒谎。热泪盈眶.
I was ______________so that I could not continue with the lie. Tears __________my eyes.(Emotion+Action)
7.“我很抱歉。” 我脱口而出。
“I’m so sorry,” I ____________ _____________.(Action)
他们突然沉默下来,盯着我看。意识到了这一点。我我说的是实话
They suddenly___________ ____________ and stared at me. Realization sunk in. I was telling them the truth.
(Environment+Action)
IV. Language in use
Application of the key words: Fill in the blanks according to the Chinese sentences
这个问题让我措手不及It ____________ _____________ ____________at the time.
我必须承认,这是我第一次觉得自己比二十岁大那种感觉在我心中停留了一段时间
I must ___________ that for the very first time, I felt older than my twenty-five years, and that feeling __________ ___________me for a while.
3.真的不知道该如何处理这种情况。我应该什么都不说,只是接受美好的祝愿,还是应该承认真相?
I really wasn’t sure how to ___________ the situation. Should I say nothing and just ___________the well wishes, or should I____________ ___________ ____________
4.他们都忍不住咯咯地笑了起来,但我仍然很严肃。
They both ____________ uncontrollably, but I____________ solemn.
5.我的两个孩子突然大笑起来Both my _____________ ____________ _____________.
6.我们三个笑得崩溃了The three of us _____________ ____________ ___________ ____________ ________________.
我想我应该在那之后吸取教训,但我一直用整数记我的年龄。
I suppose I should have_____________ __________ _____________ after that, but I have continued to____________ ___________ my age.
Imitation of the scenes:
Feeling more and more perplexed and guilt-ridden, I took a deep breath , looked at my kids and blurted out:“I’m so sorry,I didn’t tell you the truth!”
描写我在孩子们面前说出真相,孩子们已然知道的场景。
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key:
一、读后续写
As the day wore on, I decided to keep the truth to myself. After all, it was my birthday. Did the number really matter all that much That night, after I was served from a special menu chosen especially for the occasion, the chef placed a beautifully decorated cake complete with sixty, yes, sixty candles in front of me. The entire dining room sang to me. I felt truly special. So conflicted was I but I kept my secret to myself. Later that same evening, my children presented me with a beautiful, black-pearl jewelry to symbolize the milestone.
I was so emotional that I could not continue with the lie. Tears filled my eyes. “I’m so sorry, but it’s not my sixtieth birthday.” I whispered. My kids burst out laughing. My son responded first. “Oh, Mom, you’ve rounded up your age for so long that you don’t even know how old you are.” They both giggled uncontrollably.“I do know. I am 59.” They suddenly fell silent. My daughter broke the moment. “Well, don’t expect another party next year then.” Everyone burst into laughter. I suppose I should have learned my lesson after that, but I have continued to round up my age.
二、原作品读
III.Read to appreciate: Fill in the blanks according to Chinese translations
1.marched on comfortable
2.laughed it off annoying
3.wandered into
4.coming clean
5.took a deep breath
6.emotional filled
7.blurted out.
8.fell silent
IV. Language in use
(1)Application of the key words: Fill in the blanks according to the Chinese sentences
1.caught me off-guard
2.admitstuck with
3.handleaccept admit the truth
4.giggledremained
5.burst out laughing
6.collapsed in gales of laughter.
7.learned my lessonround up
(2)Imitation of the scenes:
But much to my surprise,they giggled uncontrollably and explained:“ We have known it !” with a load off my mind,I pretended to glare at them but finally we all collapsed in gales of laughter.