全新版大学英语综合教程课文原文.docx

全新版大学英语综合教程课文原文.docx

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全新版大学英语综合教程课文原文

unit1Mr.DohertyBuildsHisDreamLife

1TherearetwothingsIhavealwayswantedtodo--writeandliveonafarm.TodayI'mdoingboth.IamnotinE.B.White'sclassasawriterorinmyneighbors'leagueasafarmer,butI'mgettingby.Andafteryearsoffrustrationwithcityandsuburbanliving,mywifeSandyandIhavefinallyfoundcontentmenthereinthecountry.

2It'saself-reliantsortoflife.Wegrownearlyallofourfruitsandvegetables.Ourhenskeepusineggs,withseveraldozenleftovertoselleachweek.Ourbeesprovideuswithhoney,andwecutenoughwoodtojustaboutmakeitthroughtheheatingseason.

3It'sasatisfyinglifetoo.Inthesummerwecanoeontheriver,gopicnickinginthewoodsandtakelongbicyclerides.Inthewinterweskiandskate.Wegetexcitedaboutsunsets.Welovethesmelloftheearthwarmingandthesoundofcattlelowing.Wewatchforhawksintheskyanddeerinthecornfields.

4Butthegoodlifecangetprettytough.Threemonthsagowhenitwas30below,wespenttwomiserabledayshaulingfirewooduptheriveronasled.Threemonthsfromnow,itwillbe95aboveandwewillbecultivatingcorn,weedingstrawberriesandkillingchickens.Recently,SandyandIhadtoretilethebackroof.SoonJim,16andEmily,13,theyoungestofourfourchildren,willhelpmemakesomelong-overdueimprovementsontheoutdoortoiletthatsupplementsourindoorplumbingwhenweareworkingoutside.Laterthismonth,we'llspraytheorchard,paintthebarn,plantthegardenandcleanthehenhousebeforethenewchicksarrive.

5Inbetweensuchchores,Imanagetospend50to60hoursaweekatthetypewriterordoingreportingforthefreelancearticlesIselltomagazinesandnewspapers.Sandy,meanwhile,pursuesherowndemandingschedule.Besidestheusualhouseholdroutine,sheoverseesthegardenandbeehives,bakesbread,cansandfreezes,drivesthekidstotheirmusiclessons,practiceswiththem,takesorganlessonsonherown,doesresearchandtypingforme,writesanarticleherselfnowandthen,tendstheflowerbeds,stacksalittlewoodanddeliverstheeggs.Thereis,astheoldsayinggoes,norestforthewickedonaplacelikethis--andnotmuchforthevirtuouseither.

6Noneofuswilleverforgetourfirstwinter.WewereburiedunderfivefeetofsnowfromDecemberthroughMarch.Whileonestormafteranotherblastedhugedriftsupagainstthehouseandbarn,wekeptwarminsideburningourownwood,eatingourownapplesandlovingeveryminuteofit.

7Whenspringcame,itbroughttwofloods.Firsttheriveroverflowed,coveringmuchofourlandforweeks.Thenthegrowingseasonbegan,swampingusunderwaveafterwaveofproduce.Ourfreezerfilledupwithcherries,raspberries,strawberries,asparagus,peas,beansandcorn.Thenourcanned-goodsshelvesandcupboardsbegantogrowwithpreserves,tomatojuice,grapejuice,plums,jamsandjellies.Eventually,thebasementfloordisappearedunderpilesofpotatoes,squashandpumpkins,andthebarnbegantofillwithapplesandpears.Itwasamazing.

8Thenextyearwegrewevenmorefoodandmanagedtogetthroughthewinteronfirewoodthatwasmostlyfromourowntreesandonly100gallonsofheatingoil.AtthatpointIbeganthinkingseriouslyaboutquittingmyjobandstartingtofreelance.Thetimingwasterrible.Bythen,ShawnandAmy,ouroldestgirlswereattendingexpensiveIvyLeagueschoolsandwehadonlyafewthousanddollarsinthebank.Yetwekeptcomingbacktothesamequestion:

Willthereeverbeabettertime?

Theanswer,decidedly,wasno,andso--withmyemployer'sblessingsandhalfayear'spayinaccumulatedbenefitsinmypocket--offIwent.

9Therehavebeenafewanxiousmomentssincethen,butonbalancethingshavegonemuchbetterthanwehadanyrighttoexpect.Forvariousstoriesofmine,I'vecrawledintoblack-beardensforSportsIllustrated,hitchedupdogsledracingteamsforSmithsonianmagazine,checkedouttheLakeChamplain"monster"forScienceDigest,andcanoedthroughtheBoundaryWaterswildernessareaofMinnesotaforDestinations.

10I'mnotmakinganywherenearasmuchmoneyasIdidwhenIwasemployedfulltime,butnowwedon'tneedasmucheither.Igenerateenoughincometohandleour$600-a-monthmortgagepaymentsplustheusualexpensesforafamilylikeours.Thatincludeseverythingfrommusiclessonsanddentalbillstocarrepairsandcollegecosts.Whenitcomestoinsurance,wehaveapoorman'smajor-medicalpolicy.Wehavetopaythefirst$500ofanymedicalfeesforeachmemberofthefamily.Itpicksup80%ofthecostsbeyondthat.Althoughwearestuckwithpayingminorexpenses,ourpremiumislow--only$560ayear--andwearecoveredagainstcatastrophe.Asidefromthatandthepolicyonourtwocarsat$400ayear,wehavenootherinsurance.Butweare