1、 woman my wife was encouraging me to date is my mother, a 72-year-old widow who has lived alone since my father died 20 years ago. Right after his death, I moved 2,500 miles away to California and started my own life and career. When I moved back near my hometown six years ago, I promised myself tha
2、t I would spend more time with mom. But with the demands of my job and three kids, I never got around to seeing her much beyond family get-togethers and holidays. Mom was surprised and suspicious when I called and suggested the two of us go out to dinner and a movie. Whats wrong? she asked. I though
3、t it would be nice to spend some time with you, I said. Just the two of us.I would like that a lot, she said. When I pulled into her driveway, she was waiting by the door with her coat on. Her hair was curled, and she was smiling. I told my lady friends I was going out with my son, and they were all
4、 impressed. They cant wait to hear about our evening, Mother said. Questions:1. What would make the speaker closer to his wife, Peggy?2. What do you know about the speakers mother?3. Which of the following adjectives best describes Peggy?Text 2Dating with My Mother (Part Two) We didnt go anywhere fa
5、ncy, just a neighborhood place where we could talk. Since her eyes now see only large shapes and shadows, I had to read the menu for both of us. I used to be the reader when you were little,Then it is time for you to relax and let me return the favor, I said. We had a nice talk over dinner, just cat
6、ching up on each others lives. We talked for so long that we missed the movie. Ill go out with you again, my mother said as I dropped her off, but only if you let me buy dinner next time. I agreed.How was your date? my wife asked when I got home that evening.Nice.nicer than I thought it would be, I
7、said. Mom and I get out for dinner a couple of times a month. Sometimes we take in a movie, but mostly we talk. I tell her about my trails at work and brag about the kids and Peggy. Mom fills me in on family gossip and tells me about her past. Now I know what it was like for her to work in a factory
8、 during the Second World War. I know how she met my father there, and know how they went through the difficult times. I cant get enough of these stories. They are important to me, a part of my history. We also talk about the future. Because of health problems, my mother worries about the days ahead.
9、 Spending time with my mom has taught me the importance of slowing down. Peggy was right. Dating another woman has helped my marriage.1. What does the story mainly tell us?2. Which of the following is true?3. What can you learn from the story?Part CConversation 1:W: You know, many American parents a
10、re now wondering why they cant keep their teenage children from drinking.M: Im aware of that. To my mind, its the permissive attitude of the parents that is to blame.Q: What can you learn from the mans response?Conversation 2: Dont you think its good to give our children a monthly allowance? I think
11、 so. It can teach them the value of money. With a monthly allowance they can learn to budget their expenses wisely. What are they talking about?Conversation 3: Mom, Ive got a part-time job at a supermarket. Three hours a day weekdays and all day Saturday. Congratulations, Tom. But are you sure you c
12、an handle it? What about your homework and your piano lessons? How does the mother feel about Toms part-time job at the supermarket?Conversation 4: Hey, Mary. You look so upset. What happened? My father had an accident the other day. He is now in hospital and will have an operation tomorrow. You see
13、, his heart is rather weak. I really dont know whether he can survive it. Whats the woman worried about?Conversation 5:W : Mothers Day is coming soon. Could you tell me what sons and daughters do in your country on that day? Well, they send their mothers flowers and cards to celebrate the occasion.
14、Besides, it is a common practice for them to wear pink carnations on that day. Which of the following is true of the customs of Mothers Day in the mans country?Unit 2Text1What a Coincidence! (Part One) Andrew had always wanted to be a doctor. But the tuition for a medical school in 1984 was 15,000 d
15、ollars a year, which was more than his family could afford. To help him realize his dream, his father, Mr. Stewart, a real estate agent, began searching the house-for-sale ads in newspapers in order to find extra business. One advertisement that he noted down was for the sale of a house in a nearby
16、town. Mr. Stewart called the owner, trying to persuade him to let him be his agent. Somehow he succeeded and the owner promised that he would come to him if he failed to get a good deal with his present agent. Then they made an appointment to meet and discuss the thing. As good things are never easy
17、 to acquire, the time for the appointment had to be changed almost ten times. On the day when they were supposed to meet at 3 oclock in the afternoon, Mr. Stewart received another call from the owner. His heart sank as he feared there would be another change of time. And so it was. The owner told hi
18、m that he couldnt make it at three but if he would come right then, they could talk it over. Mr. Stewart was overjoyed. Leaving everything aside, he immediately set out to drive to the house. As he approached the area, he had a strange feeling of having been there before. The streets, the trees, the
19、 neighborhood, all looked familiar to him. And when he finally reached the house, something clicked in his mind. It used to be the house of his father-in-law! The old man had died fifteen years ago but when he was alive, he had often visited him with his wife and children. He remembered that, like h
20、is son Andrew, his father-in-law had also wanted to study medicine and, failing to do so, had always hoped that one of his two daughters or his grandchildren could someday become a doctor. 1. Who are the two main characters in the story you have just heard?2. How did Mr. Stewart get to know the owne
21、r of the house?3. What problem did Mr. Stewart have?4. What is the coincidence in the story you have just heard?Text2 (Part Two) When he entered the house, Mr. Stewart was even more amazed to find that the house was decorated exactly as he had remembered it. He told the owner about this and the latt
22、er became intrigued too. However, they were in for even greater surprises. It so happened that in the middle of their discussion, a postman came to deliver a letter. And the letter was addressed to Mr. Stewarts father-in-law! Were it not for Mr. Stewarts presence there and then, the letter would be
23、returned as no person of that name lived in the house any longer. As the postman demanded a signature on the receipt slip, Mr. Stewart signed for his long-deceased father-in-law. Mystified, the owner urged Mr. Stewart to open the letter and see what it contained. The letter was from a bank. When he
24、opened it, two words immediately met his eye - For education. It was a bank statement of an amount his father-in-law had put in years ago for his grandchildrens education needs. With the interest it had earned over the years, the standing value of the amount came to a little over $15,000, just enoug
25、h money to cover the tuition of Andrews first year at a medical college! Another thing that is worth mentioning is about the postman. The original postman, who had worked in this neighborhood, called in sick that day. So the postman, who was new to the area, came to deliver mail in his place. Had it
26、 been the old postman, the letter would undoubtedly be returned to the sender as he knew full well that no person bearing that name lived in that house any longer. The miracle was a blessing for Andrew. With the money given to him by his grandfather he was able to study medicine. Now he is a doctor
27、in Illinois. Statements:1. Several coincidences happened in the story. 2. The coincidences made it possible for the owner to sell his house at a good price. 3. No one actually benefited from the coincidences. 4. It can be inferred that Mr. Stewart did not have to seek extra work from then on. 5. Wit
28、h the extra money Mr. Stewart had earned, Andrews dream finally came true.Dad Stops for Gas, Finds Lost Son Nueng Garcia was the son of an American serviceman stationed in Thailand in 1969. But his father went back to the States when Nueng was only three months old. When he grew up Nueng immigrated
29、to the United States and worked as a gas station clerk in Pueblo, Colorado. His dream was to find his father John Garcia. Year after year, he tried in vain to search for information about the whereabouts of his father. It was a fine day in Pueblo. There was not a cloud in the blue sky. But for him,
30、it was just another day on the job. Suddenly he noticed the name of one customer who paid with a check. The man, who was in his fifties, had the same surname as his own. Nueng raised his head from the check and looked at the man. Could this be his father? Are you John Garcia? he asked.Yes, came the an
copyright@ 2008-2022 冰豆网网站版权所有
经营许可证编号:鄂ICP备2022015515号-1