Lesson Five First Principles
Frances Gray Patton
本课情节简单。韦德一家如何在丈夫失业，亲戚告急求助这样困难的情况下，愉快地度过了圣诞节。故事也给了我们一些启发，当一个家庭突然遇到一些不幸的事件时，家庭的成员应该如何面对这些。学习课文时，还要注意作者的叙事方法。作者打破传统小说情节发展的时间顺序，用意识流的方式来组织故事。
1. No family had ever had a nicer Christmas, Emily Wade thought happily as she drove the children to school for the first time after the holidays, and, of course, it had been largely Laura's doing. She glanced at Laura, a slim, dark-haired girl of fourteen, sitting beside her, and felt warm with that most comfortable of parental emotions, gratitude to one's own child. The air was soft with the vapors of melting snow, and almost fragrant, as if some delicate flowers were blooming near at hand. \raging sleet storm.\
2. \\
3. \she saw a copy of \(imagine a child saying that!), and thought how wise she and Henry had been when they'd decided to make every possible sacrifice for the sake of Laura's education.
4. Laura, who was in first-year high, had gone to the same public school that her brothers now attended, but this year she was a pupil at Green Valley Academy, a small country day school on the outskirts of the city. It was a very good school and a very expensive one, and most of the Wades' friends thought they were being rather fancy in sending Laura there. They knew Laura was smart, of course, but some of the other Baltimore private schools for girls were excellent and had lower tuition, and even the public high schools were all right. Lots of nice kids, whose fathers had twice as big an income as Henry Wade, went to them. Besides, you weren't doing a girl a favor when you encouraged her to develop tastes she couldn't afford to gratify. You either spoiled her or made her bitter. These arguments were cogent, Emily Wade admitted, but they simply didn't apply to Laura's case. Nothing was too good for that child. Moreover, it was Emily's theory that children learned love as well as discipline by family example;[0610:46] if you did all you could for them, keeping their best interests in mind, they wouldn't let you down in a crisis.[1101:37] And events had certainly proved her theory.
5. How true that had been, thought Emily, driving slowly because she had a quarter hour to spare and she might as well give Laura time to study. Her mind went back to that black moment, a month before, when she'd met Henry for lunch in a restaurant and he'd told her that he was out of a job. The branch sales office he'd been managing had been absorbed by a larger firm, and its whole staff was out in the cold without so much as a month's salary to tide them over. He was pretty sure he could get another and a better position; there was a firm that had been making overtures to him, and only a sense of loyalty to his old firm had made him ignore them up to this point. But the man he'd have to see was out of town and wouldn't be back until the first of the year. Then, too, he'd just had a letter from his brother in Ohio; it seemed that the whole family out there was shot to hell. His brother, who was a schoolteacher, was broke, his stomach ulcers were troubling him, one of his children had to have a serious operation, and his wife was about to have twins. He needed five
hundred dollars.
6. \
7. \knocks Christmas into a cocked hat. [0701:42; 0707:44] I hate to borrow on my insurance.\
8. \no!\Emily had exclaimed. \manage. We can cut our list to the bone and concentrate on the kids. [0701:43]You know how they are — all they want is the illusion of abundance and cheerful confusion.\
9. \ 10. \only thing she's mentioned is a ballerina dress. It's priced at $ 125. She's been invited to some parties by her friends at school.\
11. \
12.\a matter of fact, I'd planned to pay my bill today.\moment, looking at Henry's discouraged face. \only thing to do, dear,\she'd said at last,\to return to first principles.\
13. \
14. \become a sort of advertising display. What we ought to do is give to people we love — give memorable things according to our ability. If you could give your child a horse, say, that would be fine. But if you can't, give her a little locket or a book of verse.\ 15. Henry had looked hopeful but skeptical.
16. \you what we'll do,\she had continued. \We'll have a good time there. We won't have to do any entertaining — the liquor bills alone are always staggering at Christmas.(1204:37) We'll have our turkey and our tree and take long walks and sing carols and forget the world.\
17. \ 18. \
19. \ 20. \
21. \explained the situation to her. And then, being reassured as to his future prospects, she had clasped her hands. \the farm, Mother! It'll be just like a picture on a Christmas card. I adore it there, and I don't care a thing about presents or parties!\to dance.
22. Several days before Christmas, they'd gone down to their little farm. It was just a half-dozen acres that Henry had bought and had hung on to. It made him feel good to own a piece of land. They'd all had a wonderful time, really. They had cut a tree in their own woods. They had eaten and slept, and read by the light of oil lamps. The children had been more than satisfied with their presents; there had been balls, erector sets, a number of story books, and a lot of junk from the five-and-ten for the boys, and for Laura, a picture Emily had found cheap in a second-hand art shop and a small brooch that had belonged to Henry's mother. It was Laura's obvious pleasure that had brightened everything. Whether she was chopping wood, or romping with her brothers, or basting the turkey, or talking politics very sensibly with her father, she'd seemed to radiate happiness. On New Year's Eve, they had given her a weak highball, the first she'd ever had, and
she had gone to sleep sitting on the floor with her rosy cheek against Henry's knee. \believe she's the best girl in the world,\ 23. \
24. \damned from here to eternity!\
25. Emily slowed the car to a full stop near the gates of the Academy. \\
26. \ 27. \
28.She watched Laura hurry up the path. She drove about aimlessly for a while. Then she went to a market and bought some groceries and a big bunch of flowers. The cool blossoms perfumed the car all the way home. They made her think of the ballerina dress, and of all the pure, proud, filmy beauty of the world that belonged, by right, to Laura.
5 首要原则
这是她们家度过的最棒的一个圣诞节。埃米莉·韦德在节日过后第一次开车送孩子们上学的途中，喜滋滋地想着。当然，这主要归功于劳拉。她看了一眼坐在身旁的劳拉，一个苗条、黑发的14岁女孩。感激自己的孩子，这种令父母最舒心的情绪油然涌上心头，使她觉得温暖。雪融化时所产生的水气使空气柔和，几乎散发出香味，好像娇嫩的鲜花在近处怒放。“就像是春天，是吧！”她对劳拉说道。“明天却很可能会有一场猛烈的雨雪。”
“克罗迪厄斯国王式的天气，”劳拉说，使用这个文学典故时，她那不好意思的表情使她更加可爱。“它满脸堆笑，但坏蛋的本性不改。”
“确实如此，”埃米莉应和着。她一时还拿不准克罗迪厄斯国王是谁。这时她看到劳拉的书本中有一册《哈姆雷特》。她觉得她的心里充满了自豪感(想一想一个孩子竟说出这样深奥的话！)，她感到她和亨利决定为劳拉的教育做出一切必要的牺牲，真是明智之极。
劳拉上高中一年级，原先是在她的弟弟们现在就读的那所公立中学学习，不过，今年她进了绿谷高中，这是一所规模不大，座落在城郊的乡间日校。这所学校教学质量好，但学费很昂贵。韦德夫妇大多数的朋友认为，夫妇俩把劳拉送到那里去读书，太不切合他们的实际情况了。他们自然知道，劳拉聪明伶俐。确实，巴尔的摩的其他女子私立学校有一些是很出类拔萃的，并且学费也低一些，即使那些公立中学也是相当不错的。许多讨人喜欢的孩子到这些学校上学，他们父亲的收入却是亨利·韦德的两倍。另外，让一个女孩子培养过于奢侈而无法满足的趣味对她并没有好处，这不是把她惯坏，就是让她感到痛苦。埃米莉·韦德承认这些观点很具说服力，不过劳拉的情况决不会是这样，为这个孩子无论做什么都不算过分。况且，埃米莉的理论是，孩子通过家人的榜样学会去爱别人，学会自律；如果你把他们的最大利益挂在心上，事事为他们尽力而为，在紧要关头他们就不会叫你失望。事情的发展确实证明她的观点是对的。
她的那个观点实在是太正确了，埃米莉想，因为还有一刻钟的时间，她车开得很慢，这样也可以让劳拉有时间学习一会儿。她的思绪回到了一个月以前那个倒霉的时刻。那天她和亨利约好在一家餐馆吃午饭，他告诉她说他失业了。一家更大的公司兼并了他经营管理的那个销售处，销售处的全体员工一下子全都没了工作，连相当于一个月的工资的帮助他们度过难关的遣散费也没有得到。他很有把握能得到另一个更好的职位：有家公司曾多次对他表示过愿接受他过去工作，只是出于对原单位的忠心，他才一直没有理会他们的表示。但他必须拜见的那个人眼下不在城里，直到元旦才会回来，而且当时，他刚刚收到住在俄亥俄州的弟弟的一封会；远在俄亥俄的那一家子人简直是陷入了绝境。他的弟弟是位学校教师，那时身无分文，胃溃疡一直折磨着他，一个孩子还得动一次大手术，他的妻子就要生双胞胎了。他
需要500美元。
“我想他确实是需要500美元”，埃米莉说，“我们得把钱寄给他。” “我想即使给了他那笔钱，我们还能维持下去，”亨利忧心忡忡地说。“不过那我们就得彻底改变圣诞节的过法了。我可不愿动用我的保险金。”
“哦，不！”埃米莉大声说。“我们会有办法的。我们要尽量压缩开支，把钱集中在孩子身上。你知道孩子是怎么一回事——他们要的是一种富足的感觉和热闹的气氛。”
“小家伙们是这样的，”亨利说，“可是劳拉想要什么呢？” “她提到的唯一东西是一件芭蕾舞衣。标价125美元。她还受到学校里朋友们的邀请去参加一些舞会。“
“哦，你能赊账吗？”亨利问道。 “不行，”她说，“我已经赊到最高限额了，我可不愿冒这个险，让他们把我顶回来。事实上，我原打算今天去付款。”她默不作声地坐了一会儿，看着亨利一脸沮丧的样子。“亲爱的，唯一的办法，”她终于说，“就是回到首要原则上去。”
“你说这话什么意思？”
“圣诞节已经被商家炒得失去它的真实意义了。人们互送的礼品已经变成了广告宣传展览。我们应该做的是为我们所爱的人奉献，也就是根据我们的能力送给他们有纪念意义的东西。比方说，如果你能送给你的孩子一匹马，那当然很好。但你要是不能的话，那就送她一只附在项链上的小饰盒或一本诗集什么的。”
亨利看上去满怀希望但又有点疑惑。 “我来告诉你咱们该怎么力，”她接着说。“去农场过圣诞节。我们会在那儿玩得很开心。我们不必款待亲朋好友，圣诞节期间花在白酒上的钱向来是多得吓人。那儿有我们自己的火鸡和圣诞树，我们去散步，唱赞美诗，别的人，别的事一概不去考虑。”
“你有过这样的圣诞节吗？”亨利问。 “老天！没有过！”她答道。
“好吧！一切听你的安排吧，不过这件事要委婉地告诉劳拉。” “劳拉会没事的。”埃米莉微笑着说。 “可怜的爸爸！”当埃米莉把家里当前的处境解释给劳拉听时，小姑娘哭了。然后，确信爸爸还会找到工作，劳拉紧握起了自己的双手。“不过，妈妈，到农场去太棒了！真像圣诞卡上的画一样。我喜欢那儿。我才不大在乎礼物呀、聚会呀什么的！”她惦起了脚尖，好像要翩翩起舞似的。
圣诞节的前几天，他们一家就去了农场。那是个只有6英亩大的农场，亨利买后就一直没有舍得卖掉。因为拥有一块土地，他感到很踏实。他们度过了一段美妙的时光，真的。他们在自己的小林子里砍掉一棵树做成了圣诞树。他们吃饭、睡觉，在油灯下读书。孩子们对他们的礼物非常满意。礼物有小球、积木、故事书，给两个男孩子从廉价商店里买了不少的不值钱的玩意儿。劳拉得到的礼物有一幅画，是埃米莉在出售艺术品的旧货店里发现的，还有一枚小巧别致的胸针，是亨利母亲的。正是因为劳拉喜形于色，给全家增添了节日气氛。她不论是劈木柴，还是跟弟弟们一起玩耍嬉闹，或是给火鸡浇肉汁，或是很有见地地和父亲谈论政治，她脸上似乎总是洋溢着幸福的神采。新年除夕，他们给她喝了低度的高杯酒，她第一次喝这种酒。她坐在地板上睡着了，她那红润的脸颊靠着亨利的膝盖睡着了。“真好！我相信她是世上最好的女孩子！”他轻轻地说。
“她或许就是，”埃米莉说。
“总有一天我要把地球盛在银盘上交给她，”亨利宣告说，“否则就把我贬到阴曹地府吧！”
埃米莉慢慢地把车停在了学校附近。“我们到了，”她说。“我会想你的。”
“我也会想你。”劳拉说。“这个假期过得棒极了。我喜欢那幅画和那枚胸针。” “你当然喜欢，劳拉，”埃米莉说，“你走吧。” 她望着劳拉匆匆走上了那条小径。她漫无目的地开着车转悠了一会儿，然后到市场上买了些日常用品和一大束鲜花。那些鲜花的清香在车里弥漫，一直伴她到家。那朵朵鲜花使她想到那件芭蕾舞衣，使她想到，世上一切纯真的、值得自豪的、朦胧的美，都理所当然地属于劳拉。
往年考过的真题
I.
Paraphrase
1. “King Claudius weather,” said Laura, looking prettily shy as she made the literary allusion. “It can smile and smile and still be a villain.” [0804:37] (2-5:147) A. We shouldn’t take the sunshine too seriously. B. The snow is melting, but it sill still winter. C. The weather is like a smiling villain. D. The weatherman are unreliable.
2. Nothing was too good for that child (Laura). [1201:36] (2-5:148)
A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her. B. Laura was a spoilt child and she was hard to please. C. Laura never took her parents’ love and care for granted. D. Laura was untouched no matter what her parents did for her. 4．Nothing was too good for that child (Laura). [1007:36] (2-5:148) A．Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her． B．Laura was a spoilt child and she was hard to please． C．Laura never took her parents’ love and care for granted．
D．Laura was untouched no matter what her parents did for her． 6. Nothing was too good for that child [Laura]. [0410:47] (2-5:148)
A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her. B. Laura was a spoilt child and she was hard to please. C. Laura never took her parents’ love and care for granted. D. Laura was untouched no matter what her parents did for her. 3. Nothing was too good for that child [Laura]. [1010:39] (2-5-148)
A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her.
B. Laura was never satisfied with whatever her parents did for her.
C. Laura was grateful to her parents for what her parents had done for her.
D. Laura was too greedy a child to appreciate what her parents had done for her. 5. Nothing was too good for that child [Laura]. [0704:47] (2-5:148)
A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her.
B. Laura was never satisfied with whatever her parents did for her.
C. Laura was grateful to her parents for what her parents had done for her.
D. Laura was too greedy a child to appreciate what her parents had done for her.
7．Moreover, it was Emily’s theory that children learned love as well as discipline by family
example. (0610:46) [2-5:148]
自考综合英语2-05
