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英语沙龙:Lucky to Be Alive活着真幸运

时间:2010-02-22 06:24来源:互联网 提供网友:shajizhang   字体: [ ]
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Lucky to Be Alive

Maria,a gentle,soft-spoken woman o f seventy,had always managed to view the world with a child's sense of wonderment.She greeted the dawn of each new day with the brightness of the sun itself and found joy in the smallest of things:a dove perched on her birdfeeder,the fresh morning dew,the sweet scent2 of jasmine in her garden.

A widow,Maria lived alone in a run-down neighborhood in Deerfield Beach,Florida.One day while out tending the small garden in front  of her modest home,Maria had been injured in a drive-by shooting.The bullet had pierced through her skin with a ferocious3 bite and lodged4 itself in the old woman's right thigh5.Crying out in agony,she had dropped to the sidewalk.When the mailman found her unconscious nearly an hour later,her injured leg had been bleeding profusely6.She'd made it to the hospital just in time and later,the doctor had told Maria she was lucky to be alive.

Returning home,Maria didn't feel so lucky.Before the shooting,the elderly woman had always been grateful that she was healthy for her age.Now just getting the daily mail required a Herculean effort.In addition,her medical bills were mounting alarmingly,straining her meager7 income.And although she had watched the neighborhood deteriorate,somehow things had seemed safe in the daylight--but not anymore.For the first time in her life,Maria felt frightened,alone and vulnerable.

“I feel defeated,”she had told her friend Vera.“I'm just an old woman with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

”When Vera came to pick up Maria for her checkup at the medical center,she hardly recognized her old friend.Maria' s soft brown eyes held a haunting sadness and her face was gaunt and haggard.All the curtains were drawn8 and her hands shook with fear as she hobbled out onto the front porch,a cane9 stabilizing10 her injured leg.

They were a little early for Maria's appointment,so to try to cheer up Maria,Vera took a longer,more scenic11 route.They were stopped at a red light when Maria suddenly shrieked12.“Look at that cat.It's trying to run across the street。”Vera looked up to see a small black-and-white cat bounding out in to the middle of traffic.Both women screamed as they saw one car,then another,and finally a third,hit the cat.The cat lay motionless,its small body flung onto the grass.Cars slowed,but no one stopped to help.

“We must save that poor creature,”said Maria.Vera pulled over,got out of the car and went to the hurt animal.Miraculously,it was still alive,but badly injured.

“Take my jacket and wrap the kitty in it,”said Maria.Vera carefully put the cat on the seat between them.It looked up at Maria and gave her a plaintive,barely audible meow.

“Everything will be all right,my little friend,”Maria said tearfully.

Finding an animal clinic,they went inside and told the receptionist what had happened.

“I'm sorry,”she said,“but we cannot accept stray animals.”

It was the same at the next clinic.Finally,at the third clinic,a kind veterinarian,Dr.Susan Shanahan,agreed to help and quickly started working on the cat.

“This little guy is lucky to be alive,”she told Maria and Vera.“If you hadn't been there for him,he never would have made it.”

The vet13 took Maria aside.“The cat's injuries are very serious,”she said.“He has severe head trauma,crushed paws and a cracked collarbone.He'll need a lot of expensive medical attention.Today's bill alone will cost at least $400.”

Maria gasped14.But taking her worn cloth wallet out of her handbag,she gave the doctor all the money she had after paying her bills--$50.

“It' s all I have right now,but I promise I will pay you the rest over time.Please don't put that kitty to sleep.” she pleaded.“I'll take him home.We need each other.”

Sensing how important this was,Dr.Shanahan kneeled and took Maria's hands in hers.“I could get into trouble with my boss for doing this,”she said gently.“You see,I really shouldn't have helped the cat in the first place,but,don't worry..I will personally pay for this.”

While the cat was at the clinic,Maria went to check on him every day.She spoke1 softly to him and gently stroked his chin with her little finger.As the days passed,the cat began to purr and the sparkle returned to Maria's eyes.

The day arrived for the cat to come home.As excited as a little girl on Christmas morning,Maria smiled brightly as she walked into the clinic to pick him up. “What have you decided15 to name the cat?” asked Dr.Shanahan.

Cradling the cat in her arms,Maria answered happily,“I'm going to call him Lucky,because together we have found a new life.”

by christine E. Belleris 
活着真幸运

70岁的玛丽亚性情温和,说话轻声细语。她总是用孩子般的新奇目光观察世界。玛丽亚以欢快的心情迎接每一天的到来,她善于从生活中最细微的事情中寻得欢乐:从栖息在食糟上的鸽子、清新的晨露、到花园里茉莉花的芳香。

寡居的玛丽亚独自一人住在佛罗里达州迪尔菲尔德市一个破败的街区。有一天,她正在那间简朴的屋前侍弄着她的小花园,一颗流弹击中了她。子弹穿过皮肉,射入她的右腿,一阵钻心的疼痛。玛丽亚痛苦地叫喊着,倒在人行道上。被邮递员发现时,她已经失去知觉近一个小时,受伤的腿流血不止。她被及时地送进了医院。事后医生说她能活下来真是幸运。

   出院回家后,玛丽亚并不觉得有多么幸运。遭枪击前,这位高龄的妇女一直庆幸她这么大的年纪还很健康。可是现在每天出屋取一趟邮件都要费好大的劲。况且,她那微薄的收入已经不敷支付纷至沓来的医院帐单。虽然从前她眼看着她所在的地区世风日下,但不管怎样白天治安情况还算可以,可现在却不行了。玛丽亚有生以来第一次感到害怕、孤独和脆弱。

“我垮了,”玛丽亚告诉她朋友薇拉说,“我只是个老太太,无事可干,也无处可去。”薇拉来接她去医院检查,她几乎没认出她的老朋友。玛丽亚那浅棕色眼睛显露一丝令人难忘的忧虑,她面容瘦削,憔悴。屋里的窗帘全拉着。她拄着拐棍支撑那条伤腿,一瘸一拐地朝前廊挪动,两手因恐惧而不停地颤抖。

离预约的时间还早了些,为了让玛丽亚心情好点,薇拉绕远经过景致宜人的街区。在等红灯的时候,玛丽亚突然尖叫着说,“瞧那只猫。它想过马路。”薇拉抬头看见一只黑白相间的小猫从路边向车流跳去。先是一辆,然后另一辆,接着第三辆,连着三辆车撞了小猫,薇拉和玛丽亚同时尖声喊叫。小猫给甩在草地上,躺在那儿一动不动。来往汽车都减速了,可是没人停车相助。

“咱们得救救那可怜的小东西。”玛丽亚说道。薇拉把车靠在路边,下车走向那受伤的小猫。它还奇迹般地活着,但伤得很厉害。

“用我的上衣裹上它。”玛丽亚说道。薇拉小心翼翼地把猫放在她们俩之间的座位上。小猫抬头瞧着玛丽亚,痛苦地发出轻到几乎听不见的一声“喵”。

玛丽亚含着泪水说,“小家伙,一切都会过去的。”

她们找到了一家动物诊所,进去告诉接待员所发生的事。

“我很抱歉,”接待员说道,“我们不接待无主的动物。”

在第二家诊所也是同样的遭遇。最后,在第三家,心地善良的兽医苏珊·沙纳汉同意相助,立即动手抢救。

“这小家伙能活着真幸运,”她告诉玛丽亚和薇拉说,“你们要是不救它,它就没命了。”

兽医把玛丽亚领到一边。“小猫伤得很重,”她说,“头部有伤,爪子压断,锁骨骨折。治疗费用会很昂贵。光今天一笔花销就得400块钱。”

玛丽亚听了倒抽一口气,可她还是从手提袋里拿出旧布钱包,给了医生50块钱。这是她付了自己的医疗费后仅剩的钱。

“我的钱全在这儿了,不过我答应你过后还清其余的钱。请你不要让它安乐死,”她哀求道,“我打算带它回家。我需要它,它也需要我。”

沙纳汉医生意识到救活那只猫有多么重要,她弯下身来,握住玛丽亚的双手,温和地说道,“老板要是知道我这么做,我就会有麻烦了。其实,一开始我就不该抢救这只猫,不过,别担心……我自己掏腰包先把钱付了。”

小猫待在诊所的日子里,玛丽亚每天都去看望它。她轻声细气地跟它说话,用小指轻轻抚摸小猫的下巴。日子一天天过去,小猫开始呜呜做声,玛丽亚的眼睛又闪烁着喜悦的光。

小猫回家的日子到来了。激动得如同圣诞节早上的小女孩,玛丽亚满面春风地走进诊所接小猫。“你给它想好名字了吗?”沙纳汉医生问道。

玛丽亚怀里抱着小猫,高兴地回答说,“我打算管它叫‘幸运’,因为我们俩一起获得新的生命。”
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
2 scent WThzs     
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
  • The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
3 ferocious ZkNxc     
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的
参考例句:
  • The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
  • The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。
4 lodged cbdc6941d382cc0a87d97853536fcd8d     
v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 );暂住;埋入;(权利、权威等)归属
参考例句:
  • The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 thigh RItzO     
n.大腿;股骨
参考例句:
  • He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了,疼得很。
  • The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
6 profusely 12a581fe24557b55ae5601d069cb463c     
ad.abundantly
参考例句:
  • We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture. 我们搬动家具大费气力,累得大汗淋漓。
  • He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活,身上大汗淋漓的。
7 meager zB5xZ     
adj.缺乏的,不足的,瘦的
参考例句:
  • He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。
  • The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火,开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。
8 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
9 cane RsNzT     
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的
参考例句:
  • This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
  • English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。
10 stabilizing 37789793f41246ac9b11622dadb461ab     
n.稳定化处理[退火]v.(使)稳定, (使)稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
  • These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句
11 scenic aDbyP     
adj.自然景色的,景色优美的
参考例句:
  • The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。
  • The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。
12 shrieked dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe     
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
  • Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫,陆子潇尖声叫:“告诉什么? 来自汉英文学 - 围城
13 vet 2HfyG     
n.兽医,退役军人;vt.检查
参考例句:
  • I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
  • Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。
14 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
15 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
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