·Unda Sledge·
“Can I see my baby?”the happy new mother asked. When the bundIe was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped.The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.
The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect.It was only his appearance that was marred.
When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy，“A boy, a big boy……called me a freak.”
He grew up, handsome but for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that.He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.
The boy's father had a session with the family physician，“Could nothing be done?”
“I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be gotten.”the doctor declared. They searched for a person who would make such a great sacrifice for the young man.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son，“You're going to the hospital, son.Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need.But the identity of the donor is a secret.”
The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius.School and college became a series of triumphs.He married and entered the dipIomatic service.
He would ask his father，“Who gave me the ears?Who gave me so much?I could never do enough for him or her.”
“I do not believe you could，”said the father，“but the agreement was that you are not to know……not yet.”
The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother's casket.Slowly, tenderIy, the father stretched forth his hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never got her hair cut，”his father whispered gently，“and nobody ever thought your mother less beautiful, did they?”
芸达·斯莱奇
“我能看看我的孩子吗？”刚刚做了母亲的女人高兴地问。当襁褓被放到她怀里，她拿开挡着孩子小脸的布时，她倒吸了一口凉气。医生快速地转过身，向窗外望去。
孩子天生没有耳朵。时间证明了他的听力完全没有问题，只是容貌上有缺陷。
一天，他从学校飞奔回家，投入妈妈的怀抱。她叹息着，知道他的一生将伴随着一连串的伤心。他说出了那件让人心碎的事情：“一个男孩，大个子男孩，叫我怪物。”
他长大了，尽管命运悲惨，他还是长得很英俊。他人缘很好，如果不是因为残疾，他本可以做班长的。他在文学和音乐方面很有天赋。
男孩的爸爸去问家庭医生：“难道真的一点办法也没有吗？”
“办法是有的。如果能找到一对合适的外耳，我就可以帮他移植了。”医生说。他们开始寻找，看有谁愿意为年轻人做出这样的牺牲。
两年过去了。一天，父亲告诉儿子：“孩子，你终于可以做手术了。妈妈和我找到愿意为你捐耳朵的人了。但是，捐献者要求身份保密。”
手术非常成功，他脱胎换骨了。他的才华宛如鲜花怒放般得到了施展，学业也取得了一连串的成功。后来，他结了婚，还做了外交官。
他问父亲：“是谁给了我耳朵？是谁如此慷慨？我永远报答不尽。”
“我不认为你有那个能力去报答，”爸爸说，“当初协议中规定你不能知道他是谁，至少现在还不能。”
父亲的守口如瓶使这个秘密保持了许多年，但是，这一天终于还是来了。他和爸爸站在妈妈的棺木前。慢慢地，轻柔地，爸爸伸出手撩起了妈妈那浓密的棕红色的头发，显露在孩子面前的竟是：妈妈没有耳朵！
“妈妈说她很庆幸自己从来不用去理发，”爸爸低声说道，“但没人会认为你母亲因此缺少了一丝一毫的美丽，不是吗？”
Practising&Exercise 实战提升篇
核心单词
bundIe['bʌndl]n.捆，卷；包裹
prove[pru：v]v.证明，证实
favorite['feivərit]n.特别喜爱的人（或物）；受宠的人
donate[dəu'neit]v.捐献，捐赠
dipIomatic[,diplə'mætik]adj.外交的；外交人员的
tenderIy['tendəli]adv.温和地，柔和地；体贴地
实用句型
They searched for a person who wouId make such a great sacrifice for the young man.
他们开始寻找，看有谁愿意为年轻人做出这样的牺牲。①who在这里修饰a person。
②search for搜查，搜寻。类似的表达还有search into探究，调查；search out找到。
翻译练习
1.他一不留心说出了一个深藏心底的秘密。（blurt out）
2.他今天穿了一双新鞋子。（a pair of）
3.当心！你要撞到树了。（look out）
Kobe Bryant’s Growing Road“小乔丹”科比·布莱恩特的成长之路
Kobe Bryant first started turning heads on the basketball court when he was in middle school. His talents dominated the game so much that high shools from all over the Philadelphia area watched him grow up.The almost six-foot tall seventh grader definitely had the make-up and genes for the game, as his dad was former NBA forward, Joe Bryant.Kobe developed his basketball skills under the watchful eye of his father, helping his mission to become a professional basketball player.He worked daily on his game, watching video, playing in the playgrounds and listening to his father's advice.
When he entered high school in Philadelphia, Kobe was a highly touted recruit. He proved that he had the skills and work ethic to be a star at the next level and the scouts noticed this.Kobe didn't let anybody down either, as he played on the varsity basketball team his freshman year.He wouldn't immediately be a superstar, though.Rather it was the countless hours of early morning workouts by himself in the gymnasium that escaIated Kobe's talents.
Kobe became a better player when he played in high school and soon enough, he had developed into one of the premier talents at the high school level. He sold out the games everywhere he played during his junior and senior years and he didn't disappoint anyone.He once packed the school gym so much that it caused a traffic jam on the main highway just outside the school.
He went on to finish his high school career as the all-time leading point scorer in Pennsylvania history with a total of 2，883 points. Kobe's highly decorated high school career made him the 13th overall choice by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft.
科比·布莱恩特第一次关注篮球是在他上初中的时候。他在篮球方面很有天赋，费城的各所中学都密切关注着他的成长。这个近六英尺高的七年级学生的确有打篮球的气质和基因，因为他的爸爸是前NBA前锋乔·布莱恩特。科比在他父亲的关注下发挥自己的篮球天赋，父亲帮助他成为了一名职业篮球运动员。他每天都努力改进篮球技术，看录像带，在操场上练习，并听从爸爸的建议。
当科比进入费城的一所高中时，他已是一个备受吹捧的新人了。他证明自己有成为下一届球星的技术和职业道德，球探也发现了这一点。科比没有让任何人失望，他在高一时就加入了校队，尽管他没一下子成为超级球星。无数个清晨在体育馆的单独训练使他的才华得到了进一步的提升。
科比刚进高中时就很出色了。不久，他就成为高中组的佼佼者。他在高三、高四时的每场比赛都备受关注，并且没有让任何人失望。他曾经使学校体育馆挤满了人，还造成了学校外面的主要高速公路交通堵塞。
他继续完成了他的高中学业，而此时他已经是宾夕法尼亚州历史上创纪录的得分王了，他的总分为2883分。科比充满荣誉的高中生涯使他在1996年的NBA选秀中以第十三顺位被夏洛特黄蜂队选中。
Practising&Exercise 实战提升篇
核心单词
dominate['dɔmineit]v.支配，统治，控制
gene[dʒi：n]n.基因，遗传因子
mission['miʃən]n.外交使团；使命，任务
recruit[ri'kru：t]v.征募；吸收 n.新成员
scout[skaut]n.侦察者；侦察兵；星探；球探
escaIate['eskəleit]v.提升；提高
decorate['dekəreit]v.装饰，修饰
实用句型
He sold out the games everywhere he played during his junior and senior years and he didn't disappoint anyone.
他在高三、高四时的每场比赛都备受关注，并且没有让任何人失望。
①这是everywhere引导的状语从句。
②sell out卖光。类似的表达还有sell up卖掉。
翻译练习
1.他们两人逐渐产生了友情。（grow up）
2.别担心，我决不会让你失望的。（let……down）
3.这家商店的衬衫都卖光了。（sell out）