19 The secret life of the Gomez Twins

Thestoryisabouttheprocessofthegrowthoftwinsofindependentliving.ChristmaswasanexcitingdaybutitfortheGomezTwinswasapainfulmoment.Becausetheydidin’thaveanymoney.Andnopresents,notree,noholidaydinner.Inthissituation,Tonygavehistwinabearhuganddecidedtosticktogether.Stickingtogether•ThosewordssignifiedJohnandTonyGomez’smeansofsurvival.Theylivedsohardwhenotherchildrenenjoyedtheirlife.InSep.1983,thetwin’sfatherdecidedtomovebackMexico.Whenthetwinsknowntheplan,theyfeltdisbelief.•Whataboutourdreams?Sotheydidin’tleavehere.Theirfatherknewhowindependentthetwowere.Soheaskedthemnottogetintotroubleandpaidrentinadvance,leavedaphonenumberanddraveaway.•Inthisarticle,thefatherlefthischildrensoeasy.•ButinChina,almostparentscouldn’thaveleftsosmallchildrentomaketheirownlife.FantasizingaFutureJohnandTonyforgedtheirpacttostaytogetherandkeeptheirsituationsecret.Everydaytheydidtheirdailyroutine.Theyhaddifferentpersonalitiesthatmakethemhelpeachother,remindeachother.Afterworkorduringrareidlemoments,theywouldfantasizeaboutthefuture.Butmoneywastheirbiggestpromble.Becausetheywerenotyetoflegalworkingage,theyhadjobsatanearbybakery,wheretheywerepaid“underthetable”.Butitcouldn’tcovertheirdailyspending.Onholidaysandtheirbirthday,theyfeltlonelierthanusual.RoughplayWhentheirneighborsaskedaftertheirparents,theyalwaysmadesomeexcuses.Abadmanofferedthemsomemarijuana.Outofcuriousity,eachinhaledthedrug.Afterafewminutes,theythought,Thatdoesn’tmakemefeelgood.Drugcan’teverbeapartofus,thetwinsdecided.Anyonewhooffersusdrugsistryingtodisruptoursystem.Onemorningtheirbikeshadbeenstolen.Theyblamedeachother.Thatnighttheargumentescalatedintoaroaringfightanddrewthepolice.Whenthepolicemanleft,theyrealizedhowclosetheyhadcometoruiningeverythingtheyhadworkedsohardfor.BlurtingtheSecret•Atage16thetwinstookjobsinafast-foodreastaurant.ThemanagerAnneKeggwasakindofcarefully.Shefoundtheirserioussecretandhelpedthemkeepthesecret.Depression•WhentheygrownupthenjoinedtheUSNavalSeaCadetCropsandtheKeyClubandkeepgoodgrades.Seeingotherkidsreceivingsupportfromparentsmadethetwinsfeelespeciallylonely.Atthesametime,theirmotherhadbeendesperatelysearchingforherlostsons.•Someday,somehow,we'llfindthem.TheninOct.1987thetwins'gruelingroutinestartedtotellonTony.•Notevenhisbrothercouldmotivatehim.Butonemorning,whenhelookedathimselfinthemirror.TonythoughtThisisnotme!I'mnotaquitter.I'mgottogetbackintoschoolandstudyhard.TriumphNow18,thetwinsnolongerneededtofeardetection.Tonywritingastorythattittleisindependent.Anditwouldupintheschoolnewspaper.OnthedaybeforeJohn'sgraduation,thetwinsreceivedaphonecallfromtheirsister.Shegavetheboystheirmother'sphonenumber.•Willsheremebermeaftertenyears?Johnwondered.Whentheirmotherhearhersonssounds,shesatstunned,unabletospeak.•Tonyinvitedshetoparticipateinhisgraduation.Thenextday,themother,thetwinsandtheirsisterfellintooneanother'sarms,huggingandcrying.•Finally,theybegantoahappylife.Andeverydaythetwinsstillremindthemselves:Whateveryoudo,neverquit!Discussion•Howdoyoulookatsibling(兄弟姐妹)rivalry(竞争)?Doyouthinkitisgenerallypositiveornegative?Thecompetitionbetweenthem,theycanlearnfromeachother,toremindeachother,thecommonprogress.•Butmostofusaretheonlychild.Wecannotbelikethetwinswhenareintrouble.•Doesanyonewanttoshareyourexperiencehowtoovercomedifficulties.ChildLabour•AccordingtoILO(InternationalLabourOrganization)of1973,childlabourreferstoanyworkperformedbychildrenundertheageof12,non-lightworkdonebychildrenaged12–14,andhazardousworkdonebychildrenaged15–17.•Lightworkwasdefined,underthisConvention,asanyworkthatdoesnotharmachild'shealthanddevelopment,andthatdoesnotinterferewithhisorherattendanceatschool.Someofthekeyphrases•meansofsurvival生存的方式•beconsumedwith满脑子想着•playpranks开玩笑•underthetable背地里•confideinsb.向某人诉说秘密•comparenotes交流想法，心得•overtime经过一段时间