HowIgotsmart1.docx

HowIgotsmart1.docx

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HowIgotsmart1

loveatfirstsight

fallinlove[withsb.]

makeapassatsb.挑逗某人,对某人献殷勤

puppylove初恋

haveacrushonsb.迷恋某人

flirtwithsb.调情

lovebirds多情的人

beheadoverheelsinlove深深陷入爱情

sweepsb.offhis/herfeet一见倾心

2.Doyourememberthefirsttimeyoufellinlove?

Didyouletthepersonknowhowyoufelt?

Didyoulearnanythingfromtheexperience,orwasitjustasillyincident?

HowIGotSmartSteveBrody

Acommonmisconceptionamongyoungstersattendingschoolisthattheirteacherswerechildprodigies.Whoelsebutabookworm,withnoneofthenormalkid'stendencytoplayratherthanstudy,wouldgrowuptobeateacheranyway?

I'vetrieddesperatelytoexplaintomystudentsthattheimagetheyhaveofmeasanenthusiasticdevoteeofbooksandhomeworkduringmyadolescencewasabitoutoffocus.Onthecontrary,Ihatedcompulsoryeducationwithapassion.Icouldneverquiteacceptthenotionofhavingtogotoschoolwhilethefishwerebiting.

Butinmysophomoreyear,somethingbeautifulandexcitinghappened.Cupidaimedhisarrowandstruckmerightintheheart.Allatonce,Ienjoyedgoingtoschool,ifonlytogazeatthelovelyfaceinEnglishII.

Myprincesssatnearthepencilsharpener,andthatyearIgroundupenoughpencilstofuelacampfire.Alas,Debbiewasfarbeyondmywildestdreams.Wewereseparatednotonlybyfiverowsofdesks,butbyabout50I.Q.points.ShewasthetopstudentinEnglishII,theappleofMrs.Larrivee'seye.

Occasionally,Debbiewouldcatchmestaringather,andshewouldflashasmilethatradiatedintelligenceandquickenedmyheartbeat.Itwasasmilethatsignaledhopeandmademetemporarilyforgettheintellectualgulfthatseparatedus.

Ischemeddesperatelytobridgethatgulf.Andoneday,asIwaspassingthesupermarket,anideacametome.Asigninthewindowannouncedthatthestorewasofferingthefirstvolumeofasetofencyclopediasatthespecialpriceof29cents.Theremainingvolumeswouldcost$2.49each.

IpurchasedVolumeI—AardvarktoAsteroid—andbeganmyventureintotheworldofknowledge.Iwouldhenceforthbecomeaseekeroffacts.IwouldbecomeChiefBraininEnglishIIandsweepmyprincessoffherfeetwithasurgeoferudition.Ihaditallplanned.

Myfirstopportunitycameonedayinthecafeterialine.Ilookedbehindmeandthereshewas.

"Hi,"shesaid.

Afterapause,Iwetmylipsandsaid,"Knowwhereanchoviescomefrom?

"

Sheseemedsurprised."No,Idon't."

Ibreathedasighofrelief."Theanchovylivesinsaltwaterandisrarelyfoundinfreshwater."Ihadtotalkfast,sothatIcouldgetallthefactsinbeforewereachedthecashregister."FishermencatchanchoviesintheMediterraneanSeaandalongtheAtlanticcoastnearSpainandPortugal."

"Howfascinating,"saidDebbie,shakingherheadindisbelief.ItwasobviousthatIhadmadequiteanimpression.

Afewdayslater,duringafiredrill,Icasuallywentuptoherandasked,"EverbeentotheAleutianIslands?

"

"Neverhave,"shereplied.

"Mightbeaniceplacetovisit,butIcertainlywouldn'twanttolivethere,"Isaid.

"Whynot?

"saidDebbie,playingrightintomyhands.

"Well,theclimateisforbidding.Therearenotreesonanyofthe100ormoreislandsinthegroup.Thegroundisrockyandverylittleplantlifecangrowonit."

"Idon'tthinkI'devencaretovisit,"shesaid.

Thefiredrillwasoverandwebegantofileintothebuilding,soIhadtostepituptogetthenativesin."TheAleutsareshortandsturdyandhavedarkskinandblackhair.Theyliveonfish,andtheytrapbluefoxesandsealsfortheirvaluablefur."

Debbie'seyeswidenedinamazement.

OnedayIwasbrowsingthroughthelibrary.IspottedDebbiesittingatatable,absorbedinacrosswordpuzzle.Shewasfrowning,apparentlystumpedonaword.IleanedoverandaskedifIcouldhelp.

"Four-letterwordforOrientalfemaleservant,"Debbiesaid.

"Tryamah,"Isaid,quickasaflash.

Debbiefilledintheblanks,thenturnedtostareatmeinamazement."Idon'tbelieveit,"shesaid."Ijustdon'tbelieveit."

Andsoitwent,thatglorious,joyous,romanticsophomoreyear.Debbieseemedtorelishourlittleconversationsandhungonmyeveryword.Naturally,themoreIread,themoremyconfidencegrew.

Intheclassroom,too,Iwasgraduallymakingmypresencefelt.Oneday,duringadiscussionofColeridge's"TheAncientMariner",wecameacrossthewordalbatross.

"Cananyonetelluswhatanalbatrossis?

"askedMrs.Larrivee.

Myhandshotup."Thealbatrossisalargebirdthatlivesmostlyintheoceanregionsbelowtheequator,butmaybefoundinthenorthPacificaswell.Thealbatrossmeasuresaslongasfourfeetandhasthegreatestwingspreadofanybird.Itfeedsonfishandshellfish.Thealbatrosshasanenormousappetite,andwhenit'sfullithastroublegettingintotheairagain."