【导读】 在欧美国家，圣诞节是最主要的节日之一，人们都希望自己的愿望能在这个重要的节日里得到满足。哥哥的愿望是什么呢？
Brother's Wish
A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present.On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office，a street urchin①
was walking around the shiny new car，admiring it.【1】 “Is this your car，sir？” he asked.
Paul nodded and said，“My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was
very astounded②.“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything? Boy，I really wish...” he hesitated.
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for.He was going to wish he had a brother like that.But what the lad③ said jarred④ Paul all the way⑤.【2】
“I wish，” the boy went on，“that I could be a brother like that.”
Paul looked at the boy in astonishment，and then impulsively⑥ he added，“Would you like to go for a ride in my car？”
“Oh yes，I'd love that！”
After a short ride，the boy turned with his eyes aglow⑦ and said，“Sir，would you mind driving in front of my house？”
Paul smiled a little.He thought he knew what the lad wanted to do.He wanted to show his neighbours that he could go home in a big automobile.But Paul was wrong again.“Will you stop where those two steps are？” the boy asked.
He ran up the steps.Then after a while Paul heard him coming back，but he was not coming fast.He was carrying his little crippled⑧ brother.He sat him on the bottom step，then sort of squeezed⑨ up against him and pointed to the car.
He said，“There it is，buddy，just like I told you upstairs.His brother gave it to him for Christmas.And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it，then you can see by yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the crippled lad to the front seat of his car.The elder
brother climbed in and sat beside him.The three of them began a memorable holiday ride.
On that Christmas Eve，Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said：“It is more blessed to give...”
哥哥的愿望
我有一个名叫保罗的朋友，他的哥哥送他一辆汽车作为圣诞礼物。圣诞节前夕，保罗离开办公室时，一个街上的流浪儿绕着那辆闪闪发亮的新车转，十分羡慕。
他问：“先生，这是你的车吗？”
保罗点点头说：“这是我哥哥送给我的圣诞节礼物。”男孩很惊讶，支支吾吾地说：“你是说这是你哥哥送你的礼物，没花你一分钱？哇，我真希望……”
保罗当然知道那个男孩希望什么。他希望能有一个像那样的哥哥。但小男孩说的话却完全出乎了保罗的意料。
“我希望自己能成为送车给弟弟的哥哥。”男孩继续说。
保罗惊讶地看着那个男孩，然后冲动地说：“你要不要坐我的车去兜风？” “哦，当然好了，我太想坐了！”
车开了一小段路后，那个男孩转过头来，眼睛闪闪发光地说：“先生，你能不能在我家门前开车？”
保罗笑了笑，他想他知道那个少年想干什么。他想向邻居展示，他坐了一辆大汽车回家。但是这次保罗又错了。“你能把车停在那两个台阶所在的地方吗？”男孩问道。
男孩跑上了阶梯，然后过了一会儿保罗听到他回来了，但动作有些缓慢。原来他把他跛脚的弟弟带出来了，让他坐在底下的台阶上，然后紧紧地抱着他，指着那辆车。
他说：“兄弟，你看，这就是我刚才在楼上对你说的那辆车。这是他的哥哥送给他的圣诞礼物！将来有一天，我也会送给你一辆像这样的车，然后你就能自己去看那些在圣诞节时挂在窗户上的漂亮东西了，就像我一直告诉你的那样。”
保罗走下车子，把跛脚男孩抱到车子的前座。哥哥也爬上车子，坐在他的身旁。(就这样)他们三人开始了一次令人难忘的假日兜风。
在那个圣诞节前夕，保罗才真正体会到了耶稣所说的“施比受更有福……”
的道理。
[知识积累]
1．urchin n．流浪儿
2．astound vt.使大惊；使震惊 3．lad n．少年；小伙子 4．jar v．(使)撞击；相冲突 5．all the way完全地；无保留地 6．impulsively adv.冲动地 7．aglow adj.发红光 8．cripple vt.使跛；使残废 9．squeeze v．挤压；向……勒索
[1]本句是复合句，when引导时间状语从句，现在分词短语admiring it作伴随状语。
[2]本句是复合句，句中what the lad said是what引导的主语从句。 [文化链接]
节日解读
圣诞节(Christmas)是基督教的一个重要节日，定于每年的12月25日，纪念耶稣的诞生，同时也是普遍庆祝的世俗节日。
2019-2020学年人教版高中英语必修3练习：英美文化欣赏1[含答案]
