Unit 1
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A CLASS ACT
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Florence Cartlidge
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1. Growing up in bomb-blitzed Manchester during the Second World War 6
meant times were tough, money was short, anxiety was rife and the pawnshop was a familiar destination for many families, including mine.
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2. Yet I could not have asked for more enterprising and optimistic 10
增益控制parents. They held our family together with hard work, dignity and 11
bucketloads of cheer. My sturdy and ingenious father could turn his hand 12
to almost anything and was never short of carpentry and handyman work.
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He even participated in the odd bout of backstreet boxing to make ends 14
meet. For her part, our mum was thrifty and meticulously clean, and her 15
five children were always nt to school well fed, very clean, and attired 16
spotlessly, despite the hard conditions.
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3. The trouble was, although my clothes were ironed to a knife-edge, 19
and shoes polished to a gleam, not every item was standard school uniform 20
issue. While Mum had scrimped and saved to obtain most of the gear, I 21
still didn’t have the pres cribed blue blazer and hatband.
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4. Becau of the war, rationing was in place and most schools had 24
relaxed their attitude towards proper uniforms, knowing how hard it was
to obtain clothes. Nevertheless, the girls’ school I attended made it
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strict policy that each of its students was properly attired, and the
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deputy headmistress who ran the daily asmbly made it her mission to
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teach me a lesson.
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5. Despite my attempts at explaining why I couldn’t comply, and
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despite the fact that I was making slow progress towards the full uniform,
every day I would be pulled out of line and made to stand on the stage 32
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as a shining example of what not to wear to school.
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6. Every day I would battle back tears as I stood in front of my peers,
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embarrasd and, most often, alone. My punishment also extended to being
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barred from the gym team or to not taking part in the weekly ballroom
dancing class, which I adored. I desperately wished that just one
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teacher in this horrid school would open their eyes and e all I could
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do, rather than constantly telling me what I couldn’t do.
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7. However, in my 12-year-old mind I had no choice but to e the
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punishment through. I knew it was very important not to let my
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well-meaning mother know about this ritual humiliation. I didn’t dare
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risk her coming to the school to speak up for me as I knew the blinkered,
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hard-nod staff would similarly mortify her and that would mean two of
us unhappy and indignant. And, Heaven forbid, if she ever told my father
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he would have instantly been on the warpath in my defence.
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bleaching
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8. Then one day our family won a newspaper competition for a free 51
photographic portrait sitting. I was beside mylf with excitement: my 52
imagination fuelled by glamorous shots of the popular Hollywood temptress. I couldn’t wait to te ll my friends the thrilling news.
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9. That was, until Mum told me that I would have to wear my best,
loweslace trimmed bright green dress to school that day, as the portrait
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sitting was straight after class. She had no hint of the torment I faced.
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10. There was none of my usual pleasure in putting on the
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cherished dress that day. Heavy-hearted, I dragged mylf to school, an 61
emerald green target in a a of blue. At asmbly I didn’t bother to wait for the command but trudged up to the stage of my own accord to endure
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the sniggers of the other girls and the beady eyes of the deputy head.
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11. Tears of frustration threatened to break free as I wondered
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for the umpteenth time why the unfeeling teacher couldn’t look past my 67
英文邮箱clothes for once and e the obedient and eager-to-participate young girl beneath.
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12. After asmbly our first class was English Literature, my 71
favourite lesson with my favourite teacher. I consoled mylf that I could 72
at least lo mylf in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities for a whi le
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at the back of the class to recover and regain my composure. Imagine my 74
dismay when, immediately the class began, Miss McVee ordered me to come 75
and sit in the front row, directly before her. I slowly ro and, blinking 76拖车费英文
back tears, headed to the front of the class. Surely Miss McVee hadn’t 77
韩文我爱你怎么写crosd into the enemy camp, too?
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13. With downcast eyes and bowed head, tears once again 80
threatened to betray my dejection, even though I had always tried my 81
hardest not to show how mirable I was at being singled out time after 82
time.
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14. As I took my at at the front, Miss McVee cocked her head 85
to one side and looked me up and down carefully. And then she came out 86
with the most welcome ntence I had ever heard at that mean-spirited 87
place.
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15. “My dear, I dec lare you are the brightest and loveliest 90
sight in this entire dreary school. I am only sorry that I shall have 91
the pleasure of looking at you for just one lesson and not the entire 92
day.”
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16. The block of ice that was my young heart thawed instantly
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and my shoulders ro back to their full height. I’m sure the smile I 96
gave that woman must have been the widest she’d ever en. I floated
through the rest of the day buoyed by the warmth generated by her
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thoughtfully chon words.
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17. Although English Literature was her forte, that day Miss McVee 100
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taught me, and perhaps the whole class, a lesson in compassion that I
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have never forgotten. She taught me that one kind word in a time of need翻译中文
can last a lifetime. Indeed, her thoughtful words strengthened a part 103
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of my soul that has never been weakened by anyone or anything since. 105
课堂义举
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弗洛伦斯·卡特里奇
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1. 二战时，曼彻斯特饱受空袭之苦。成长在那里，意味着岁月艰难、钱财109
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短缺、心情焦虑，也意味着许多家庭都是当铺的常客，包括我家。
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2. 不过，我的父母最是乐观向上。他们用勤劳、自尊和满屋子的欢笑撑112
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起了这个家。我父亲身体结实，心灵手巧，他那双手几乎无所不能，从不缺木
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匠和手工活儿。他甚至偶尔还会参加偏僻街道的拳击比赛来补贴家用。我母亲
勤俭节约，把家收拾得干净利落。尽管条件艰苦，但她总能让自己的五个孩子115
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吃得饱饱、穿得整整齐齐、干干净净地上学去。
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3. 问题是：虽说我的衣服熨得有棱有角，皮鞋擦得铮亮铮亮的，可总有118
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些地方不符合标准校服的要求。尽管母亲缩衣节食为我筹到了大部分装束，但
