第六股 -- -- 发展成为人
One summer holiday, a teenager volunteered to work in a soup kitchen and got her first big lesson there. What was the lesson she drew from the experience? Let's read the following story.
Becoming a Better Person
Laura Hennessey
In the summer of 1992 I got my first big lesson in community service. I can still remember how I felt the first day of my volunteer assignment. I thought I was one of the most selfless teenagers around, giving a whole month of my precious summer to work in a soup kitchen.
At 7 a.m. every morning, I would walk to the bus stop in my suburban neighborhood, board the 67A and settle in for the hour-long ride into, what seemed to be, another world. Goodbye air-conditioning, big grassy yards and pedigree dogs. Hello smelly soup kitchen, sweltering street corners and trash-filled alleyways. I felt like a saint.
Two experiences from that month in the soup kitchen still stand out in my mind. One day the kitchen got a huge cardboard box filled with unpeeled baby shrimp. Needless to say, I, with the help of other volunteers, spent the whole morning sorting through and peeling a million little shrimp for the gumbo. I couldn't eat shrimp for years.
The second experience was far more influential than the shrimp incident, but it was also much more difficult. Part of our job at the soup kitchen was to come up with activities for the neighborhood kids. We would see the same kids almost every day, so we got to know them quite well. I became particularly fond of a young boy named Bruce.
One rainy day Bruce, who was normally very outgoing and laughed easily, sat motionless, all alone at a big table in the corner. We tried to get him to join in the fun with the other kids, but he refused to take part in the silly games. Eventually, I approached him and sat down to talk.
"Hi, Bruce. How are you?" No response. "What's wrong, Bruce? Are you sad?"
"No."
"Are you angry at somebody?"
"No."
"OK, Bruce. Are you tired?"
"No."
"Are you sick?"
Once again Bruce replied, "No."
I was beginning to get a little frustrated and starting to realize that maybe Bruce just wanted to be left alone. But then, he finally filled me in. He said, in his meek voice, "I'm hungry; my mom forgot to feed me."
I smiled as my heart simultaneously broke. "Well then, Bruce. Let's find you some food." Then, hand in hand, we went into the kitchen and found the only food that was around that time of day — a couple of doughnuts. Bruce eagerly ate the tasty sweets, and I felt like a hero.
When I got off the bus that day I hurried home to fill my mom in on my day. I relayed the story to her in a tone tinged with excitement. Then, slowly, I saw a look of concern and worry spread across my mother's face. She then sat down with me and said, "Laura, that's great that you were there for him today, but you have to realize that it is only one day. What's going to happen tomorrow, or next week or a month from now, when you are no longer there? You really have very little control over this little boy's diet, let alone his life."
Her words struck me hard, but in that instant I realized a great many things about what it means to "make a difference." For a brief moment I felt useless, and I wanted to give up my dreams of changing the world for the better. But that moment quickly passed when I realized that giving up my dreams would mean giving up a very important part of myself. Quitting was not an option.
It was then that I knew service was going to be a part of my life for the rest of my life. It's not about becoming a saint or a hero. It is about becoming a better person.
New Words
community
我不确定你们在说什么 N. 一群共同生活和(或) 相互利益、家庭历史、国家等联结在一起的人
assignment
我不知道你在说什么 N. 分配给某个党员或团体的劳动
selfless
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
teenager
我不知道你在说什么 N. 一个13到19岁的年轻人
soup
n. 汤
kitchen
n. 厨房；灶间
suburban
(a) 城市或城市郊区、为某一城镇或城市的郊区或为某一城镇或城市的郊区提供或为某一城镇或城市的郊区提供或为某一城镇或城市的郊区提供或为某一城镇或城市的郊区提供或为某一城镇或城市或城市的郊区的
soup kitchen
锅炉厨房(为穷人、灾灾受害者等提供),汤和面粉厨房(免费或极低价)
air-conditioning
我不知道你指的是什么, N. 系统 使用机器来调节 在一个结构中的技术, 特别是为了保持它冷却和干燥
grassy
草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草、草
pedigree
如生理学所证明的那样,(动物)的已知起源、纯种和良好种群(动物)的纯种(动物)
smelly
目 录(续)
sweltering
5 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
trash
我不知道你在说什么 N. 垃圾垃圾 垃圾
activity
我不知道你在忙什么,N. 对不起,sth. 我不知道你在忙什么,是吗?
alleyway
我不知道你在说什么 N. 网路通道小巷
saint
n. 圣人
cardboard
n. & a. 硬纸板（制的）
unpeeled
3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
shrimp
n. 虾，小虾
needless
不需要;多余;多余;多余
sort
我道歉, vt 组; 排列; 排列; 选择.. 排序; 排序; 排序; 排序; 选择
peel
请接受我的歉意 将外层从.. 剥离..
gumbo
我不知道你在说什么 N. 秋汤
influential
目 录(续)
fond
为Sb. or sth. loved. 拥有美好的生活或爱情经历。
rainy
一. 3 - 6 3 3 3
normally
我不知道你在忙什么 通常广告 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常 通常
outgoing
3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
motionless
不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,
approach
请靠近我
response
不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,不,
(一) 2(a) 对应行动
frustrate
请接受我的歉意,第一,我不确定,因为(b),我会感到烦恼或沮丧,因为(b),我会感到烦恼或沮丧。
第二,很抱歉,但我不明白你在说什么, 但我不明白你在说什么, 但我不明白你在说什么, 但我不明白你在说什么, 但我不明白你在说什么,
meek
安静,先生们,请大家注意他人的行为和想法。
simultaneously
我不知道你在忙什么,广告。它同时发生或执行,同时执行。
doughnut
n. 油炸面圈饼
tasty
一. 3 - 6 3 3 3
relay
请接受我的歉意 将信息从一个人传到另一个人
tinge
(耳语)(耳语)(耳语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语) (私语)(私语)(私语)(私语) (私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私言)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私言)(私语)(私言)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私语)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(私言)(
excitement
我不知道你指的是什么, N. 兴奋的状态或特征;
diet
我不确定你到底在说什么,N. 1。 个人或群体通常消费的食物和饮料类型。
二. 对于特定饮食或个人饮食,按一个人的饮食或饮料的饮食;
instant
我不知道你在说什么 N. 一个非常短暂的时期
brief
时间是关键。
二. 仅谈几句话
useless
三、..
option
我不确定你在谈论什么, n. 是或可能选择的东西; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择; 选择;
Phrases and Expressions
settle in
适应不熟悉的地方; 使自己放松,准备长期呆在某个地方; 定居; 舒适地坐着。
stand out
我的意思是,变得非常显眼 因为它是独一无二的。
needless to say
当然不是
come up with
创造(计划、召回等)(b) 产生想法(计划、回应等);
join in
参加(与他人一起进行的活动)。
take part in
参加(某些活动)。
fill in
因此,通知(sb). 约点活动以跟上最新..
hand in hand
实地的双手;密不可分地联系在一起
feel like
感觉好似
no longer
已经不是了
let alone
更不用说
a great many
是的,有很多他们。
give up
停止做或拥有任何东西。
Proper Names
Laura Hennessey
劳拉·亨纳西(授名)
Bruce
布鲁斯（男子名）
参考资料：
- 21世纪大学开设了英语读写基础课程。