33My Son
一、请根据两个提示句进行故事续写,150词左右。
I didn’t like Tommy. Love him It seemed unlikely that I ever could. I knew our differences had to be dealt with soon or I would have to stop trying to be his stepmother.
Tommy’s natural mother had died a year before. When Tommy’s father and I married, it seemed like an ideal arrangement. His sons would have a mother and my daughters would have a father, so here were six we could combine to establish a real family.
I knew I treated the boy kindly, yet I was drowning in feelings of guilt about him. It was easier with Tommy’s younger brother, though I never understood why. When Tommy wasn’t crying, or gulping(狂饮)milk, he was pulling on his T-shirt and stretching it. Sometimes he locked me out of my bedroom when his father was home so he could visit with him and I couldn’t. Tommy would block the television screen so my daughters couldn’t watch. In my eyes Tommy was rapidly developing into a thoroughly difficulty child. He was only seven.
We’d been married several months and tension was building up. Each night I carefully tucked(盖好被子) him into bed and kissed him good night while he was glaring at me. I was at a loss what to do and turned to my husband, Tommy’s father, who had told me that Nancy had been seriously ill and when he called the boys into the house to tell them she had died, all Tommy asked was whether he could go back out to play. My husband, drowned in his own sorrow, simply interpreted this response as childhood innocence and avoided acknowledging and talking Tommy out of his grief(悲伤). The boys did not attend the funeral and the subject was closed. The popular attitude was that life was for the living, but part of Tommy had also died.
I was pretty certain the difficulty with Tommy was related to his loss. With no training in psychology, and no personal experience with death, I knew that by addressing the issue I might be opening a Pandora’s box that I was ill equipped to handle. I had to take the chance as well as the courage.
One night, as I tucked Tommy into bed, I sat close to him, asking “Tommy, do you miss your mother ” _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ After the night talk, Tommy came downstairs for breakfast the next morning. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________
二、原版品读
My Son
I didn’t like Tommy. Love him It seemed unlikely that I ever could. I knew our differences had to be resolved soon or I would have to stop trying to be his stepmother. Tommy’s natural mother had died a year before and he and his brother had gone througha series ofhousekeepers and sitters, and now us.
When Tommy’s father and I married it seemed like an idealarrangement. His sons would have a mother and my daughters would have a father, so here were six we could combine to establish a real family.
Tommy was chubby and constantly stood in front of the open refrigerator door gulpinggallons of milk. It wasn’t necessary to correct him about anything, because with just a look in his direction tears flooded his eyes. I knew I treated the boy kindly, yet I was drowning in feelings of guilt about him. It was easier with Tommy’s younger brother, though I never understand why.
When Tommy wasn’t crying, or gulping milk, he was pulling on his T-shirt and stretching it. Sometimes he locked me out of my bedroom when his father was home so he could visit with him and I couldn’t. Tommy would block the television screen so my daughters couldn’t watch. In my eyes, Tommy was rapidly developing into a thoroughlyobnoxious child. He was only seven.
We’d been married several months and tension was building at a phenomenal rate. Each night I dreaded the ritual of tucking Tommy into bed and kissing his fat little cheek as he glared at me.
Tommy’s father had told me about their loss. Nancy had been ill a long time and when he called the boys into the house to tell them she had died, Tommy’s only response was to ask if he could go back out to play. My husband, caught up in his own sorrow, interpreted this as childhood innocence and avoided acknowledging and resolving Tommy’s grief. The boys did not attend the funeral and the subject was closed. The prevailing attitude was that life was for the living, but part of Tommy had also died.
I was pretty certain the difficulty with Tommy was related to his loss. With no training in psychology, and no personal experience with death, I knew that by addressing the issue I might be opening a Pandora’s box that I was ill equipped tohandle. I had to take the chance.
That night, as I tucked Tommy into bed, I sat down close to him. “Do you miss your mother ” I asked. There was no trembling chin, no shining tears or hatefulglancesin response to this question. This time a volcaniceruption of grief burst from the little boy. As he cried and sobbed, I held him in my arms and for the first time we really touched. My hugs and kisses were given by choice, not duty, and his reception was honest and real. After the tear storm subsided, we talked.
“I understand her eyes were blue like yours,” I said, still holding him. He nodded. I refused to allow him to withhold the rest so I probed deeper.
“What do you miss most about your mother ” I asked.
“I miss her pizza. She made really good pizza,” he said. The sobs had quieted and now he was ready to talk.
When I kissed the chubby cheek and hugged the little boy that night there was love in the kisses we shared. At last we had begun to communicate, and I was able to sincerelygive of myself to him and he to me.
The next morning, when Tommy came into the kitchen for breakfast he casually called me “Mom.” I hadn’t asked him to. He just did.
I knew I would never take his natural mother’s place. I didn’t want to. She would always be special in Tommy’s heart but Tommy also needed a real live mother every day. He chose me and I love him and his brother completely. (713 words)
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
resolve [r z lv] vt.解决 innocence [ n s ns] n.天真
stepmother [ stepm (r)] n.继母 acknowledge [ k n l d ] vt.承认
housekeeper [ ha ski p (r)] n.管家 grief [ɡri f] n.悲伤
sitter [ s t ] n.临时保姆 funeral [ fju n( )r( )l] n.葬礼
ideal [a di l] adj.理想的,完美的 prevailing [pr ve l ] adj.普遍的,盛行的
arrangement [ re nd m nt] n.安排 psychology [sa k l d ] n.心理学
combine [k m ba n] vt.结合 handle [ h ndl] vt.处理,应付
establish [ st bl ] vt.建立 tremble [ trembl] vi.颤抖
chubby [ t bi] adj.胖乎乎的 chin [t n] n.下巴
constantly [ k nst ntli] adv.不断地,一直 hateful [ he tfl] adj.可恶的
gulp [ɡ lp] vi.大口吞咽 glance [ɡlɑ ns] n.一瞥
gallon [ g l n] n.加仑(液量单位) volcanic [v l k n k] adj.火山的
guilt [g lt] n.内疚,自责 eruption [ r p ( )n] n.爆发
stretch [stret ] vt.撑大,拽宽 burst [b st] vi.爆发
thoroughly [ θ r li] adv.非常,及其 sob [s b] vi.抽噎
obnoxious [ b n k s] adj.极讨厌的 hug [h ɡ] n.拥抱
tension [ ten n] n.紧张关系 reception [r sep n] n.反应,接纳
phenomenal [f n m nl] adj.惊人的 subside [s b sa d] vi.平息
dread [dred] vt.害怕,担心 withhold [w h ld] vt.不吐露,隐瞒
ritual [ r t u l] n.仪式,老规矩 probe [pr b] vi追问;探究
tuck [t k] vt.给…盖好被子 sincerely [s n s li] adv.真诚地
glare [ɡl r] vi.怒视 casually ['k l ] adv.随意地
sorrow [ s r ] n.悲伤,悲痛
短语 释义 短语 释义
go through 经历 address the issue 解决问题
a series of 一系列 a Pandora’s box 潘多拉的盒子
drown in 沉浸在某种情绪里 be ill equipped to do 没有准备好做某事
pull on 拉扯 in response to 作为对…的回答
at a … rate 以…的速度 hold sb in one’s arms 抱着某人
caught up in 陷入,卷入 by choice 出于自己的选择
interpret…as… 把…诠释理解为… give of oneself 奉献,贡献时间等
be related to 和…有关 take one’s place 代替某人
III. Read to appreciate: Fill in the blanks according to Chinese translations
1. 没有必要纠正他什么,只要看他一眼,他立马就泪眼婆娑。
It wasn’t necessary to him about anything, because with just a look in his direction tears his eyes. (Action+Emotion)
2. 我知道我对那个男孩很好,但还是沉浸在对他的内疚自责中。
I knew I treated the boy kindly, yet I was in feelings of about him. (Thinking+Emotion)
3. 汤米不是在哭,就是在喝牛奶,或是拉扯他的T恤,扯到都变形了。
When Tommy wasn’t crying, or milk, he was on his T-shirt and it. (Action)
4. 每天晚上,我都害怕这样的例行公事:给汤米盖好被子并亲吻他那胖乎乎的小脸蛋的同时,汤米愤怒地瞪着我。
Each night I the ritual of Tommy into bed and kissing his fat little cheek as he
at me. (Emotion+Action)
5. 没有接受过心理学的培训,没有任何关于应对死亡的个人经验,我知道解决这个问题就好像打开了一个我还没准备好去应对的潘多拉盒子。
With no training in psychology, and no personal experience with death, I knew that by the issue I might be opening a box that I was ill to . (Metaphor)
6. 这一次,他没有用颤抖的下巴、哭泣的泪水或可恶的一瞥来回应这个问题。
There was no chin, no shining tears or hateful in response to this question. (Emotion)
7. 这一次,小男孩悲痛欲绝,悲伤像火山一样爆发了。
This time a volcanic eruption of from the little boy. (Emotion)
8. 他抽泣着,我把他抱在怀里,我们第一次真情相拥。
As he cried and , I him in my arms and for the first time we really touched. (Emotion+Action)
IV. Language in use
Application of the key words: Fill in the blanks according to the Chinese sentences
1. 救援机构里弥漫着沮丧情绪。Relief agencies are __________ in frustration.
2. 卡尔从床上坐起来,打了个哈欠,伸伸懒腰。Carl sat up in bed, yawned, and __________.
3. 我给孩子们盖好被子说晚安。I __________ the children in and said goodnight.
4. 她站在那里,双手叉腰瞪着他。She stood there with her hands on her hips __________ at him.
5. “也许你是对的。”她承认道。“Maybe you are right,” she __________.
6. 她打开信,激动得双手颤抖。Her hands were __________ with excitement as she opened the letter.
7. 达米安紧张地瞥了一眼手表。Damien __________ nervously at his watch.
8. 他恼羞成怒,都要气炸了。He felt he would __________ with anger and shame.
9. 他禁不住失控地抽噎起来。He couldn’t help __________ uncontrollably.
10. 她走到女儿身边,紧紧地拥抱她。She went to her daughter and __________ her tightly.
Imitation of the scenes:
“What do you miss most about your mother ” I asked.
“I miss her pizza. She made really good pizza,” he said. The sobs had quieted and now he was ready to talk.
When I kissed the chubby cheek and hugged the little boy that night there was love in the kisses we shared. At last we had begun to communicate, and I was able to sincerely give of myself to him and he to me.
模仿:描写孩子(Sam) 跟母亲因学校表现吵架后,母亲主动来到房间找孩子沟通。
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2. That night, as I tucked Tommy into bed, I sat down close to him. “Do you miss your mother ” I asked. There was no trembling chin, no shining tears or hateful glances in response to this question. This time a volcanic eruption of grief burst from the little boy. As he cried and sobbed, I held him in my arms and for the first time we really touched.
模仿:描写当Emma Stone第一次获得最佳女演员奖时,先是惊呆了,然后喜极而泣的场景。
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Key:
一、读后续写
One night, as I tucked Tommy into bed, I sat close to him, asking “Tommy, do you miss your mother ” He didn’t respond, just burying his face in the pillow and sobbing. Lost for words, I held him in my arms, stroking his hair. This was the first time that we had been so close. After his sobbing quieted, I kissed his chubby check with love. “Do you know my mommy ” He looked up at me in my arms and was ready to talk. That night, we opened up to each other and had a sincere talk before Tommy went into his dream. (87 words)
After the night talk, Tommy came downstairs for breakfast the next morning. Seeing me busy with their breakfast, Tommy greeted me “Mom” just like my daughters. Tears welling up, I couldn’t believe my ears. I knew I would never take the place of his natural mother, and I didn’t want to. However, Tommy indeed needed a mother to grow up just like other kids. He chose to accept me and I love him and his brother as my own kids. There were still many problems to be solved, yet we started to be a real family. (90 words)
二、原作品读
III.
1. correct 2. flooded 3. drowning 4. guilt 5. gulping 6. pulling 7. stretching 8. dreaded 9. tucking 10. glared 11. addressing 12. Pandora’s 13. equipped 14. handle 15. trembling 16. glances 17. grief 18. burst 19. sobbed 20. held
IV.
(1)1. drowning 2. stretched 3. tucked 4. glaring 5. acknowledged 6. trembling 7. glanced 8. burst 9. sobbing 10. hugged
(2)
1. “Are you still wide awake ” I tiptoed into his room, closed the door behind gently, and sat close to him stroking his hair. Sam didn’t respond, covering his face with his quilt. “It must have been a hard week for you in school,” I whispered, “I know how stressed you are.” Sam sobbed and sprang out of his bed to hug me. This was the first time in the past week that we had been so closed and Sam was ready to talk.
2. That night, as the host announced the final result, all the people present were nervous. “The Best Actress Award goes to Emma Stone!” At first, there was no trembling body, no shining tears or cheerful shouts from Emma in response to this announcement. Then, a volcanic eruption of excitement burst from her. As she cried and sobbed, the director held her in his arms, saying, “Congratulations! For the first time, you really won Oscar!”