大学英语课外阅读Word文件下载.docx

大学英语课外阅读Word文件下载.docx

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HowwouldKatefunctionifChrisweretodiefirst?

Weoftenwondered.

Bedtimefollowedaritual.WhenIbroughttheeveningmedication,Katewouldbesittinginherchair,innightgownandslippers,awaitingmyarrival.UnderthewatchfuleyesofChrisandmyself,Katewouldtakeherpill,thencarefullyChriswouldhelpherfromthechairtothebedandtuckthecoversinaroundherfrailbody.

Observingthisactoflove,Iwouldthinkforthethousandthtime,goodheavens,whydon'

tnursinghomeshavedoublebedsformarriedcouples?

Alltheirlivestheyhaveslepttogether,butinanursinghome,they'

reexpectedtosleepinsinglebeds.Overnightthey'

redeprivedofacomfortofalifetime.

Howveryfoolishsuchpoliciesare,IwouldthinkasIwatchedChrisreachupandturnoffthelightaboveKate'

sbed.Thentenderlyhewouldbend,andtheywouldkissgently.Chriswouldpathercheek,andbothwouldsmile.Hewouldpullupthesiderailonherbed,andonlythenwouldheturnandaccepthisownmedication.AsIwalkedintothehall,IcouldhearChrissay,"

Goodnight,Kate,"

andherreturningvoice,"

Good-night,Chris,"

whilethespaceofanentireroomseparatedtheirtwobeds.

IhadbeenoffdutytwodaysandwhenIreturned,thefirstnewsIheardwas,"

Chrisdiedyesterdaymorning."

"

How?

Aheartattack.Ithappenedquickly."

How'

sKate?

Bad."

IwentintoKate'

sroom.Shesatinherchair,motionless,handsinherlap,staring.Takingherhandsinmine,Isaid,"

Kate,it'

sPhyllis."

Hereyesnevershifted;

sheonlystared.Iplacedmyhandunderherchinandslowlyturnedherheadsoshehadtolookatme.

Kate,IjustfoundoutaboutChris.I'

msosorry.

Attheword"

Chris"

hereyescamebacktolife.Shelookedatme,puzzled,asthoughwonderinghowIhadsuddenlyappeared."

sme,Phyllis.I'

msosorryaboutChris."

Recognitionandsadnessfloodedherface.Tearswelledupandsliddownhercheeks."

Chrisisgone,"

shewhispered.

Iknow,"

Isaid."

Iknow."

WepamperedKateforawhile,lettinghereatinherroom,surroundingherwithspecialattention.Thengraduallythestaffworkedherbackintotheoldschedule.Often,asIwentpastherroom,IwouldobserveKatesittinginherchair,scrapbooksonherlap,gazingsadlyatpicturesofChris.

BedtimewastheworstpartofthedayforKate.AlthoughshewasallowedtomovefromherbedtoChris'

sbed,andalthoughthestaffchattedandlaughedwithherastheytuckedherinforthenight,stillKateremainedsilentandsadlywithdrawn.Passingherroomanhouraftershehadbeentuckedin,I'

dfindherwideawake,staringattheceiling.

Theweekspassed,andbedtimewasn'

tanybetter.Sheseemedsorestless,soinsecure.Why?

Iwondered.Whythistimeofdaymorethantheotherhours?

ThenonenightasIwalkedintoherroom,onlytofindthesamewide-awakeKate,Isaidimpulsively,"

Kate,coulditbeyoumissyourgood-nightkiss?

Bendingdown,Ikissedherwrinkledcheek.

ItwasasthoughIhadopenedthefloodgates.Tearsrandownherface;

herhandsgrippedmine."

Chrisalwayskissedmegood-night,"

shecried.

Iwhispered.

Imisshimso,allthoseyearshekissedmegood-night."

ShepausedwhileIwipedthetears."

Ijustcan'

tseemtogotosleepwithouthiskiss."

Shelookedupatme,hereyesfulloftears."

Oh,thankyouforgivingmeakiss."

Asmallsmileturnedupthecornersofhermouth."

Youknow,"

shesaidconfidentially,"

Chrisusedtosingmeasong.

Hedid?

Yes,"

—herwhiteheadnodded—"

andIliehereatnightandthinkaboutit."

Howdiditgo?

Katesmiled,heldmyhandandclearedherthroat.Thenhervoice,smallwithagebutstillmelodious,liftedsoftlyinsong:

Sokissme,mysweet,andsoletuspart.

AndwhenIgrowtoooldtodream,

Thatkisswillliveinmyheart.

BenefitsfromPets

Recently,anumberofUSnewspaperscarriedaverysmallarticleentitled"

ThingsYouCanLearnfromYourDog"

.Thearticlelistedseventhingsdoneregularlybypetdogswhichcouldbehelpfultopetownersiftheythemselvesdidthem.Thesethingsare:

1）Whenyourlovedonecomeshome,runtogreethim.2）Eatwithpleasure.3）Whenit'

shot,drinklotsofwater.4）Takenaps.5）Don'

tbite,justgrowl.6）Whenyouwantsomethingbadly,digforit.7）Giveunconditionallove.

Therearemanypeoplewhowouldliketoinsistthatonlyhumanbeingsarecapableoffeelingtheemotionoflove.However,therearemanymorepeople,usuallypetowners,whofeelthattheynotonlylovetheirpets,butthattheirpetslovetheminreturn.Thisisonlyone,butaveryimportant,benefitofowningapet.Allofuswanttoenjoygoodhealth.Thousandsofarticlesarewritteninnewspapersandmagazinesgivingadviceofalltypesastowhatpeopleshouldbedoingiftheywishtoimprovetheirchancesofhavinggoodhealth.Mostoftenthisadviceincludessuggestionsthatweshouldeatright,exercise,takevitaminsandgetapet.Whygetapet?

Becausemoreandmorestudiesareshowingthatpeoplewhohavepetsarehealthier,bothphysicallyandmentally,thanthosewhodon'

t.RightnowmorethanhalfofthehouseholdsintheUnitedStateshaveacompanionanimal.Thatincludes51milliondogs,56millioncats,45millionbirds,andothersmallanimals.

Besidestheobviousthings,likebeingcute,interestingtowatch,andalotoffun,petsdomoreforusthanweoftenrealize.Ifyounowhaveorhaveeverhadapet,youknowhowwonderfulitistohavesomeonethereforyou,nomatterhowyoulook,howyouaredressed,orwhatyouaredoing.Petsloveyouunconditionallyanddon'

trequirebrilliantconversation.Asimple"

goodboy"

andapatontheheadorscratchunderthechinisenoughforthem.Theywillfindwaystoletyouknowtheirappreciationofyourpraise,whetheritisbywaggingtheirtails,rubbingagainstyou,purring,orsimplylookingatyouwithadoringeyes.

Peoplewhoownpetsoftenremarkonwhatgoodcompanytheyareandwhatfuntheyhavetogether.Petexpertsandresearchersidentifymanyotheradditionalbenefitsthatcomewithpetownershiporinteraction.Inadditiontothosementionedthusfar,petseasestressandanxiety,aidrelaxation,provideasenseofsecurity,andareagreatdiversionfromtroubles.Onemedicalstudyshowedthatpeople'

sbloodpressurewouldfallwhentheystrokedtheirpets.

PetsareincreasinglybeingusedintherapyfortheelderlyandthosewhohaveAlzheimer'

sdiseaseorphysicaldisabilities.OneladyinTucson,Arizona,sharesherlovelylittledogwithmanyelderlynursinghomeresidents.Shetakesherdogthereatleastonceortwiceaweekandallowstheelderlypeopletoholdandpatherlittledog.Theyeagerlyawaititsarrivalandalwaysaskwhensheandherdogwillbeback.Sheisjustoneofhundredsofpeoplewhosharetheirpetswiththeoldandlonely.Andthen,ofcourse,therearecountlessstoriesofdogstrainedtoaidblind,deaf,orwheel-chairboundindividuals,oftenallowingthemtoliveindependentlywhenotherwisethiswouldnotbepossible.Thelovebetweenthesepeopleandtheirfour-footedfriendsistouching.Evenbrushingorpattingadogisgreatphysicaltherapy,andweallknowthebenefitsofwalking,whichissomethingadogneedstoo.

JamesHerriot,acountryveterinarianinEngland,hasbeenaverypopularwriterintheEnglish-speakingworld.Hehaswrittenanumberofbooksandstoriesaboutpetownersandtheirpets.Manyofhisstoriestellofthelovebetweenthemaswellasthebenefitsthatownersandpetsderivefromeachother.Partofhisgreatpopularityasawritercomesfromthefactthatpeoplewholovepetsliketoreadaboutandidentifywithotherpetlovers.

AGoodHearttoLeanOn

MorethanIrealized,Dadhashelpedmekeepmybalance.

WhenIwasgrowingup,Iwasembarrassedtobeseenwithmyfather.Hewasseverelycrippledandveryshort,andwhenwewouldwalktogether,hishandonmyarmforbalance,peoplewouldstare.Iwouldbeashamedoftheunwantedattention.Ifheevernoticedorwasbothered,heneverleton.

Itwasdifficulttocoordinateoursteps—hishalting,mineimpatient—andbecauseofthat,wedidn'

tsaymuchaswewentalong.Butaswestartedout,healwayssaid,"

Yousetthepace.Iwilltrytoadjusttoyou.

Ourusualwalkwastoorfromthesubway,whichwashowhegottowork.Hewenttoworksick,anddespitenastyweather.Healmostnevermissedaday,andwouldmakeittotheofficeevenifotherscouldnot.Itwasamatterofpridefo