Unit-6-Feathers-From-a-Thousand-Li-Away英语课件

高等学校研究生英语综合教程（上）---Unit6主编：熊海虹WhatdoChineseimmigrantsandtheirdescendentsseekinAmerica?ReadtheextractbelowtakenfromTheJoyLuckClubbyAmyTan.ItisthestoryoffourChinesewomenbornandraisedinChinabefore1949andtheirfourAmerica-borndaughters.FEATHERSFROMATHOUSANDLIAWAYAmyTan1TheoldwomanrememberedaswanshehadboughtmanyyearsagoinShanghaiforafoolishsum.Thisbird,boastedthemarketvendor,wasonceaduckthatstretcheditsneckinhopesofbecomingagoose,andnowlook!Itistoobeautifultoeat.2Thenthewomanandtheswansailedacrossanoceanmanythousandsofliwide,stretchingtheirneckstowardAmerica.Onherjourneyshecooedtotheswan:InAmericaIwillhaveadaughterjustlikeme.Butovertherenobodywillsayherworthismeasuredbytheloudnessofherhusband'sbelch.Overtherenobodywilllookdownonher,becauseIwillmakeherspeakonlyperfectAmericanEnglish.Andoverthereshewillalwaysbetoofulltoswallowanysorrow!Shewillknowmymeaning,becauseIwillgiveherthisswan---acreaturethatbecamemorethanwhatwashopedfor.3Butwhenshearrivedinthenewcountry,theimmigrationofficialspulledherswanawayfromher,leavingthewomanflutteringherarmsandwithonlyoneswanfeatherforamemory.Andthenshehadtofilloutsomanyformssheforgotwhyshehadcomeandwhatshehadleftbehind.高等学校研究生英语综合教程（上）---Unit6主编：熊海虹4Nowthewomanwasold.AndshehadadaughterwhogrewupspeakingonlyEnglishandswallowingmoreCoca-Colathansorrow.Foralongtimenowthewomanhadwantedtogiveherdaughterthesingleswanfeatherandtellher,Thisfeathermaylookworthless,butitcomesfromafarandcarrieswithitallmygoodintentions.Andshewaited,yearafteryear,forthedayshecouldtellherdaughterthisinperfectAmericanEnglish.Jing-MeiWoo5MymotherbelievedyoucouldbeanythingyouwantedtobeinAmerica.Youcouldopenarestaurant.Youcouldworkforthegovernmentandgetgoodretirement.Youcouldbuyahousewithalmostnomoneydown.Youcouldbecomerich.Youcouldbecomeinstantlyfamous.6“Ofcourse,youcanbeaprodigy,too,”mymothertoldmewhenIwasnine.“Youcanbebestanything.WhatdoesAuntieLindoknow?Herdaughter,sheisonlybesttricky.”7Americawaswhereallmymother’shopeslay.ShehadcometoSanFranciscoin1949afterlosingeverythinginChina:hermotherandfather,herhome,herfirsthusband,andtwodaughters,twinbabygirls.Butsheneverlookedbackwithregret.Therearesomanywaysforthingstogetbetter.高等学校研究生英语综合教程（上）---Unit6主编：熊海虹8Wedidn’timmediatelypicktherightkindofprodigy.AtfirstmymotherthoughtIcouldbeaChineseShirleyTemple.We’dwatchShirley’smoviesonTVasthoughtheyweretrainingfilms.Mymotherwouldpokemyarmandsay,“Nikan”–Youwatch.AndIwouldseeShirleytappingherfeet,orsingingasailorsong,orpursingherlipsintoaveryroundOwhilesaying,“Ohmygoodness.”9“Nikan,”saidmymotherasShirley’seyesfloodedwithtears.“Youalreadyknowhow.Don’tneedtalentforcrying!”10SoonaftermymothergotthisideaaboutShirleyTemple,shetookmetoabeautytrainingschoolintheMissiondistrictandputmeinthehandsofastudentwhocouldbarelyholdthescissorswithoutshaking.Insteadofgettingbigfatcurls,Iemergedwithanunevenmassofcrinklyblackfuzz.MymotherdraggedmeofftothebathroomandtriedtowetdownmyhairasifIhaddonethisonpurpose.11Theinstructorofthebeautytrainingschoolhadtolopoffthesesoggyclumpstomakemyhairevenagain.“PeterPanisverypopularthesedays,”theinstructorassuredmymother.Inowhadhairthelengthofaboy’s,withstraight-acrossbangsthathungataslanttwoinchesabovemyeyebrows.Ilikedthehaircutanditmademeactuallylookforwardtomyfuturefame.高等学校研究生英语综合教程（上）---Unit6主编：熊海虹12Infact,inthebeginning,Iwasjustasexcitedasmymother,maybeevenmoreso.Ipicturedthisprodigypartofmeasmanydifferentimages,tryingeachoneonforsize.Iwasadaintyballerinagirlstandingbythecurtains,waitingtoheartherightmusicthatwouldsendmefloatingonmytiptoes.IwasliketheChristchildliftedoutofthestrawmanger,cryingwithholyindignity.IwasCinderellasteppingfromherpumpkincarriagewithsparklycartoonmusicfillingtheair.13Inallofmyimaginings,IwasfilledwithasensethatIwouldsoonbecomeperfect.Mymotherandfatherwouldadoreme.Iwouldbebeyondreproach.Iwouldneverfeeltheneedtosulkforanything.14Butsometimestheprodigyinmebecameimpatient.“Ifyoudon’thurryupandgetmeoutofhere,I’mdisappearingforgood,”itwarned.“Andthenyou’llalwaysbenothing.”15EverynightafterdinnermymotherandIwouldsitattheFormicakitchentable.Shewouldpresentnewtests,takingherexamplesfromstoriesofamazingchildrenthatshereadinRipley’sBelieveItorNot,GoodHousekeeping,Reader’sDigest,oranyofadozenothermagazinesshekeptinapileinourbathroom.Mymothergotthesemagazinesfrompeoplewhosehousesshecleaned.Andsinceshecleanedmanyhouseseachweek,wehadagreatassortment.Shewouldlookthroughthemall,searchingforstoriesaboutremarkablechildren.高等学校研究生英语综合教程（上）---Unit6主编：熊海虹16Thefirstnightshebroughtoutastoryaboutathree-year-oldboywhoknewthecapitalsofallthestatesandevenmostoftheEuropeancountries.Ateacherwasquotedassayingthatthelittleboycouldalsopronouncethenamesoftheforeigncitiescorrectly.17“What’sthecapitalofFinland?”mymotheraskedme,lookingatthestory.18AllIknewwasthecapitalofCalifornia,becauseSacramentowasthenameofthestreetwelivedoninChinatown.“Nairobi!”Iguessed,sayingthemostforeignwordIcouldthinkof.Shecheckedtoseeifthatwaspossiblyonewaytopronounce“Helsinki”beforeshowingmetheanswer.19Thetestsgotharder—multiplyingnumbers