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UnitOneHalfaDayIwalkedalongsidemyfather,clutchinghisrighthand.Allmyclotheswerenew:theblackshoes,thegreenschooluniform,andtheredcap.Theydidnotmakemehappy,however,asthiswasthedayIwastobethrownintoschoolforthefirsttime.Mymotherstoodatthewindowwatchingourprogress,andIturnedtowardsherfromtimetotime,hopingshewouldhelp.Wewalkedalongastreetlinedwithgardens,andfieldsplantedwithcrops:pears,anddatepalms.Whyschool?Iaskedmyfather.WhathaveIdone?I'mnotpunishingyou,hesaid,laughing.School'snotapunishment.It'saplacethatmakesusefulmenoutofboys.Don'tyouwanttobeusefullikeyourbrothers?Iwasnotconvinced.Ididnotbelievetherewasreallyanygoodtobehadintearingmeawayfrommyhomeandthrowingmeintothehuge,high-walledbuilding.Whenwearrivedatthegatewecouldseethecourtyard,vastandfullofboysandgirls.Goinbyyourself,saidmyfather,andjointhem.Putasmileonyourfaceandbeagoodexampletoothers.Ihesitatedandclungtohishand,buthegentlypushedmefromhim.Beaman,hesaid.Todayyoutrulybeginlife.Youwillfindmewaitingforyouwhenit'stimetoleave.Itookafewsteps.Thenthefacesoftheboysandgirlscameintoview.Ididnotknowasingleoneofthem,andnoneofthemknewme.IfeltIwasastrangerwhohadlosthisway.Butthensomeboysbegantoglanceatmeincuriosity,andoneofthemcameoverandasked,Whobroughtyou?Myfather,Iwhispered.Myfather'sdead,hesaidsimply.Ididnotknowwhattosay.Thegatewasnowclosed.Someofthechildrenburstintotears.Thebellrang.Aladycamealong,followedbyagroupofmen.Themenbegansortingusintoranks.Wewereformedintoanintricatepatterninthegreatcourtyardsurroundedbyhighbuildings;fromeachfloorwewereoverlookedbyalongbalconyroofedinwood.Thisisyournewhome,saidthewoman.Therearemothersandfathershere,too.Everythingthatisenjoyableandbeneficialishere.Sodryyourtearsandfacelifejoyfully.Well,itseemedthatmymisgivingshadhadnobasis.FromthefirstmomentsImademanyfriendsandfellinlovewithmanygirls.Ihadneverimaginedschoolwouldhavethisrichvarietyofexperiences.Weplayedallsortsofgames.Inthemusicroomwesangourfirstsongs.Wealsohadourfirstintroductiontolanguage.WesawaglobeoftheEarth,whichrevolvedandshowedthevariouscontinentsandcountries.Westartedlearningnumbers,andweweretoldthestoryoftheCreatoroftheuniverse.Weatedeliciousfood,tookalittlenap,andwokeuptogoonwithfriendshipandlove,playingandlearning.Ourpath,however,wasnottotallysweetandunclouded.Wehadtobeobservantandpatient.Itwasnotallamatterofplayingandfoolingaround.Rivalriescouldbringaboutpainandhatredorgiverisetofighting.Andwhiletheladywouldsometimessmile,shewouldoftenyellandscold.Evenmorefrequentlyshewouldresorttophysicalpunishment.Inaddition,thetimeforchangingone'smindwasoverandgoneandtherewasnoquestionofeverreturningtotheparadiseofhome.Nothinglayaheadofusbutexertion,struggle,andperseverance.Thosewhowereabletookadvantageoftheopportunitiesforsuccessandhappinessthatpresentedthemselves.Thebellrang,announcingthepassingofthedayandtheendofwork.Thechildrenrushedtowardthegate,whichwasopenedagain.Isaidgoodbyetofriendsandsweetheartsandpassedthroughthegate.Ilookedaroundbutfoundnotraceofmyfather,whohadpromisedtobethere.Isteppedasidetowait.WhenIhadwaitedforalongtimeinvain,Idecidedtoreturnhomeonmyown.Iwalkedafewsteps,thencametoastartledhalt.GoodLord!Wherewasthestreetlinedwithgardens?Wherehaditdisappearedto?Whendidallthesecarsinvadeit?Andwhendidallthesepeoplecometorestonitssurface?Howdidthesehillsofrubbishfindtheirwaytocoveritssides?Andwherewerethefieldsthatborderedit?Highbuildingshadtakenover,thestreetwasfullofchildren,anddisturbingnoisesshooktheair.Hereandtherestoodconjurersshowingofftheirtricksormakingsnakesappearfrombaskets.Thentherewasabandannouncingtheopeningofacircus,withclownsandweightlifterswalkinginfront.GoodGod!Iwasinadaze.Myheadspun.Ialmostwentcrazy.Howcouldallthishavehappenedinhalfaday,betweenearlymorningandsunset?Iwouldfindtheanswerathomewithmyfather.Butwherewasmyhome?Ihurriedtowardsthecrossroads,becauseIrememberedthatIhadtocrossthestreettoreachourhouse,butthestreamofcarswouldnotletup.Extremelyirritated,IwonderedwhenIwouldbeabletocross.Istoodtherealongtime,untiltheyoungboyemployedattheironingshoponthecornercameuptome.Hestretchedouthisarmandsaid,Grandpa,letmetakeyouacross.UnitTwoGoingHomeTheyweregoingtoFortLauderdale,Florida.Thereweresixofthem,threeboysandthreegirls,andtheygotonthebusat34thStreet,carryingsandwichesandwineinpaperbags.Theyweredreamingofgoldenbeachesandseatidesasthegrey,coldspringofNewYorkvanishedbehindthem.Vingowasonthebusfromthebeginning.AsthebuspassedthroughNewJersey,theybegantonoticethatVingonevermoved.Hesatinfrontoftheyoungpeople,hisdustyfacemaskinghisage,dressedinaplainbrownsuitthatdidnotfithim.Hisfingerswerestainedfromcigarettesandhechewedtheinsideofhislipalot.Hesatincompletesilenceandseemedcompletelyunawareoftheexistenceoftheothers.Deepintothenight,thebuspulledintoaHowardJohnson'srestaurantandeverybodygotoffthebusexceptVingo.Theyoungpeoplebegantowonderabouthim,tryingtoimaginehislife:perhapshewasaseacaptain;maybehehadrunawayfromhiswife;hecouldbeanoldsoldiergoinghome.Whentheywentbacktothebus,oneofthegirlsbecamesocuriousthatshedecidedtoengagehiminaconversation.Shesatdownb
本文标题:现代大学英语精读1课文
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