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初中英语阅读短文
初中英语阅读短文二：If the Dream is Big Enough如果梦想足够大
I used to watch her from mykitchenwindow, she seemed so small as she muscled her way throughthecrowd of boys on the playground. The school was across thestreetfrom our home and I would often watch the kids as theyplayedduring recess. A sea of children, and yet to me, she stoodout fromthem all.I remr the first day I saw her playing basketball.
I watched in wonder as she ran circles around the other kids.Shemanaged to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into thenet.The boys always tried to stop her but no one could.I begantonotice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone.Shewould practice dribbling and shooting over and overagain,sometimes until dark.
One day I asked her why she practicedsomuch. She looked directly in my eyes and without a momentofhesitation she said, “I want to go to college. The only way Icango is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I decided thatifI were good enough, I would get a scholarship.
I am going toplaycollege basketball.
I want to be the best. My Daddy told me ifthedream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Then she smiledandran towards the court to recap the routine I had seen overandover again.
Well, I had to give it to her—she was determined.Iwatched her through those junior high years and into highschool.Every week, she led her varsity team to victory.One day inhersenior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head cradled inherarms.
I walked across the street and sat down in the coolgrassbeside her. Quietly I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,”came asoft reply. “I am just too short.” The coach told her that at5’5”she would probably never get to play for a top ranked team—muchless offered a scholarship—so she should stop dreamingaboutcollege.She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tightenas Isensed her disappointment.
I asked her if she had talked to herdadabout it yet.She lifted her head from her hands and told methather father said those coaches were wrong. They just didnotunderstand the power of a dream. He told her that if shereallywanted to play for a good college, if she truly wantedascholarship, that nothing could stop her except one thing — herownattitude. He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, thefactsdon’t count.”The next year, as she and her team went totheNorthern California Championship game, she was seen by acollege recruiter.
She was indeed offered a scholarship, a fullride, toa Division I, NCAA women’s basketball team. She was goingto getthe college education that she had dreamed of and workedtoward forall those years.It’s true: If the dream is big enough,the factsdon’t count.
我以前常常从厨房的窗户看到她穿梭于操场上的一群男孩子中间，她显得那么矮小。
学校在我家的街对面，我可以经常看到孩子们在下课时间打球。尽管有一大群的孩子，但我觉得她跟其他的孩子截然不同。
我记得第一天看到她打篮球的情景。看着她在其他孩子旁边兜来转去，我感到十分惊奇。她总是尽力地跳起投篮，球恰好越过那些孩子的头顶飞入篮筐。那些男孩总是拼命地阻止她，但没有人可以做得到。
我开始注意到她有时候一个人打球。她一遍遍地练习运球和投篮，有时直到天黑。有一天我问她为什么这么刻苦地练习。她直视着我的眼睛，不加思索地说:“我想上大学。只有获得奖学金我才能上大学。我喜欢打篮球，我想只要我打得好，我就能获得奖学金。我要到大学去打篮球。我想成为最棒的球员。我爸爸告诉我说，心中有目标，风雨不折腰。”说完她笑了笑，跑向篮球场，又开始我之前见过的一遍又一遍的练习。
嘿，我服了她了——她是下定了决心了。我看着她这些年从初中升到高中。每个星期，她带领的学校篮球代表队都能够获胜。
高中那会儿的某一天，我看见她坐在草地上，头埋在臂弯里。我穿过街道，坐到她旁边的清凉的草地上。我轻轻地问出什么事了。“哦，没什么，”她轻声回答，“只是我太矮了。”原来篮球教练告诉她，以五英尺五英寸的身材，她几乎是没有机会到一流的球队去打球的——更不用说会获得奖学金了——所以她应该放弃想上大学的梦想。
她很伤心，我也觉得自己的喉咙发紧，因为我感觉到了她的失望。我问她是否与她的爸爸谈过这件事。
她从臂弯里抬起头，告诉我，她爸爸说那些教练错了。他们根本不懂得梦想的力量。他告诉她，如果真的想到一个好的大学去打篮球，如果她真的想获得奖学金，任何东西也不能阻止她，除非她自己不愿意。他又一次跟她说：“心中有目标，风雨不折腰。”
第二年，当她和她的球队去参加北加利福尼亚州冠军赛时，她被一位大学的招生人员看中了。她真的获得了奖学金，一个全面资助的奖学金，并且进入美国全国大学体育协会其中一队女子甲组篮球队。她将接受她曾梦想并为之奋斗多年的大学教育。
是的，心中有目标，风雨不折腰。
近年来,英语阅读的份量和重要性在英语学习中愈来愈突出,教师和学生对阅读能力的培养投入了很大的精力,然而收获的实际情况并不像他们所期望的理想。我整理了优秀初中英语背诵短文，欢迎阅读!
This summer, I had some special days. I joined Dongzhou International Educational Exchange Summer Camp.
First, I will tell you about our foreign teachers, they are Shrina and Rebecca. They are friendly and beautiful. They are students at Oxford University.
We talked about many things: famous people, subjects in England, different jobs, our deal days, western star signs, what can we say in a restaurant and so on.
We know lots of things, like what the difference is between "chef" and "cook", all the parts of the body…
We tried to write a letter to Principal Zhang. We made a play and we drew our own comics and tried to sell it. We gave some other students English lessons, we taught them about Chinese Dragon, Chinese Martial Arts and the Olympics.
Every afternoon, we played exciting games: Chinese Whispers, Tongue Twisters, Wheelbarrow, egg and spoon, three legs…
On the last day, we had a good time. We made black tea. We put tea bags, some milk and lots of water in to a big bowl, and then we stirred the tea until it became red and dark. Oh, it tasted good! Later, we used eggs, flour and milk to make many pancakes. To cook them is very interesting. When we finished it, the pancakes looked round and nice. We put some jam on it. How delicious! I won't ever forget it.
The summer Camp is a really good chance for me. I know the local things in England. I learned a lot and like English more. I also know better ways to learn English well.
I hope one day I can see you in England.
今年夏天，我有一些特殊的日子。我加入了东洲国际教育交流夏令营。
首先，我会告诉你我们的外籍教师，他们是Shrina和丽贝卡。他们是友好和美丽。他们在牛津大学的学生。
我们谈了许多事情：著名的人，受试者在英格兰，不同的工作，我们的交易日，西方的星座，我们可以说，在餐馆等。
我们知道很多东西，像什么区别“厨师”和“厨师”，所有的身体部位…
我们试图写张校长的一封信。我们做了一个游戏，我们把我们自己的漫画，并试图将其出售。我们提出了一些其他学生的英语课，我们教他们中国龙，中国武术和奥运会。
每天下午，我们玩刺激的游戏：中国私语，绕口令，手推车，鸡蛋和勺子，三条腿…
在最后一天，我们有一个很好的时间。我们做了红茶。我们把茶叶袋，一些牛奶和大量的水在一个大碗里，然后我们搅拌茶，直到它变成红色和黑色。哦，味道很好!后来，我们用鸡蛋，面粉和牛奶使许多薄煎饼。做饭很有趣。当我们完成它，煎饼环顾四周，很好。我们把它的一些果酱。多么美味!我永远不会忘记它。
夏令营对我来说是一个非常好的机会。我知道在英格兰本土的东西。我学到了很多，更喜欢英语。我也知道更好的方法来学习英语。
我希望有一天我能看见你在英格兰。
Everyone loves to do something when he has free time, and I do, too. What's my favorite activity? It's shopping. Shopping is so exciting and fun. When you walk along the street, you can see many different kinds and styles of clothes. They're really beautiful and new to me, so I find it hard to control myself. I want to buy everything. Of course, after shopping I have less money and I become sane because it will be a long time until I have enough money for my next shopping spree.
每个人都喜欢在他们空闲的时间里做点事情，我也一样。我最喜欢的活动是什么呢?是购物。购物是很刺激和有趣的。当你沿着大街走的时候，你可以看到不同类型和风格的衣服。对我来说，它们都是又漂亮又新的。所以我总是无法控制我自己。所有的东西我都想买。当然，购物之后，我的钱变少了，我也变得理智了。因为将会是很长一段时间直到我有足够的钱来供我下一次狂欢。
A new term began. Students all returned to school met again. They were talking about what they had done in the holidays. I was happier. I couldn't wait to tell my story. Now it's my turn. I told them I got a job in a restaurant. I worked as a waitress.
They didn't believe at first.
"Yes, it's true. "I said," I really had a hard time at the beginning. But several days later, I could do a good job. I earned six hundred yuan this holiday. "They all looked at me with their mouths open.
新学期开始了，同学们都返回学校重新见面。他们正在谈论自己的暑假生活。我更高兴，迫不及待地想告诉他们我是怎么过的。终于轮到我，了，我告诉他们我暑假期间在一家餐馆当服务员。他们起初并不相信。“是真的。”我说，“刚开始时可惨了，但几天我就做得很好了。暑假我挣了600元钱呢。”他们都目瞪口呆地看着我。
我建议经常看一下中央九套吧！这个不错…
美国花花公子！
如下：
1、可可英语，内容非常全面，可可APP里面加了变速功能。可可英语有网页，建议可以看看网页。
2、每日英语听力和朗易思听，可以变速，个人常用每日英语听力和可可英语。
3、掌中英语为你带来各种形式的学习体验。在这里你可以找到关于英语的各种资料，你可以阅读到大量的英语美文，可以听到原汁原味的英语音频，你还可以看到各种各样的英语视频。涵盖之广，娱乐于教，最好的学习体验还继续上演。
4沪江听力酷用来听写很赞，不过手机软件的听力酷不好，无法帮你自动改，强烈建议使用网页沪江听力酷!听写完可以帮你改，听写完可以看到听写正确率。
初中英语学习方法
初中英语是为同学们以后英语的学习打基础的，上面已经提到了，单词是作为最为基础的存在。而语法同样也是初中英语之中的基础。初中英语的语法学好了，同学们日后英语的学习就会十分轻松。
而且初中英语之中，同学们学习较多的就是词法，而不是句法，因为词法是英语之中较为简单的，有些同学是才刚刚接触英语不久，而中考是面对大多数的同学的，所以中考的考察的重点就是词法。而同学们所涉及到的句法都是较为简单的。
寻找一切可以听英语的机会。可以选择你不知内容的文章去听，这将会对你帮助很大，而你去听学过的课文的磁带，那将会对你的语言语调的学习有很大的帮助。
google用高级搜索，限制网站为英国或美国就可以了，自己筛选一下吧
EF可以，还不错
英语阅读，是英语学习和英语教学中的一个重要环节，它是我们获取知识、外界信息，与外界交流的主要途径之一。我精心收集了关于初中英语短文，供大家欣赏学习!
I am one year older than my cousin. Both of us are the only child in the family, so my cousin and I are very closed, we are just like the sisters. I like to share my secret with my cousin, because I don’t want to tell my parents. My cousin is a good listener, when I feel not happy, I will tell her about my annoyance, then she will comfort me and make me feel better. When Friday comes, I will ask my cousin to sleep with me, we will talk about a lot of things. I am so lucky that I have a cousin as my good friends.
我比我的表妹大一岁。我们都是家里的独生子女，所以我和我的表妹很亲近，我们就像亲姐妹一样。我喜欢和我的表妹分享我的秘密，因为我不想告诉父母。我的表妹是一个好的倾听者，当我感到不开心时，我会告诉她我的烦恼，然后她会安慰我让我感受好一些。每到周五，我会叫我的表妹和我睡觉，我们会谈论很多事情。我很幸运，有一个表妹作为我的好朋友。
Dear mother ,
The mother's day is coming and I would like to say “Happy mother's day” in this letter. I love you and thank you so much for everything you did for me. This day，I will stay away and can't give you my appreciation at home. I know I will watch myself，so don't worry about me. I am doing very well on my study. My schoolmates and teachers are all very nice. Though I can't be at home， I hope you will have a wonderful mother's day.
Your son,
Li ming
亲爱的母亲：
母亲节快到了，我想在这封信里对您说“母亲节快乐”。我爱你，感谢你为我做的一切。这一天，我离开了，不能在家给您表达我的谢意。我知道我会看着自己，所以不要担心我。我在学习上做得很好。我的同学和老师都很好。尽管我不在家里，我仍希望您有一个美好的母亲节。
你的儿子，
李明
I get up at seven o’clock in the morning every day. After I brush my teeth and wash face, I eat my breakfast. My mother makes the breakfast for me. I go to school at 7:30 am, and come back from school at 6:00pm. Before I go to bed I will do some homework. I usually go to sleep at 10:00pm. On the weekend, I will go to play football with my friends, in the summer we like to go swimming. These are my daily life.
我每天早上7点起床。刷牙洗脸之后我就吃早餐，早餐是我妈妈给我做的。我早上7：30去学校，下午6点放学。在我上床睡觉之前我会做一些作业。我通常晚上10点睡觉。周末的时候，我会跟朋友去踢足球，夏天我们喜欢去游泳。这些就是我的日常生活。
关于初中英语短文篇4
My deskmate is a girl, her name is Xiao Xue. She has long hair, her pony tail often whips my face when she turns around, but I don’t mind. She likes to wear the white dresses, they make her clean and innocent, which she is. She is very interested in painting, she also won an award in the Painting competition in the city. She is nice to everyone, all the classmates like her very much.
我的同桌是个女孩，她的名字叫小雪。她有一头长发，当她转身的时候，她的马尾辫经常会甩到我脸上，但是我并不介意。她喜欢穿白色的裙子，这让她看起来很干净清纯，而她正是这样。她对画画非常感兴趣，她还在市里的画画比赛上赢了奖。她对每个人都很友好，全班同学都很喜欢她。
美国花花公子！
21世纪英语报非常好，我一直在看，买一份就够了，里面内容很多而且都是原汁原味的地道英语，对快速提高英语很有帮助，下面是报纸的简介。英文《21世纪报》是由国内最大的英文报系中国日报主办，集世界各地第一手的英文报刊资讯，是一张面向中国广大英语爱好者的普及性英语周报。在使用和学习英语的广大知识知识分子、涉外工作者中享有极度高的声誉和广泛的影响力。《21世纪中学生英文报》分为“初中版”和“高中版”，由我国唯一的全国性英文日报《中国日报》主办。“高中版”原为《21世纪报·中学生版》，创办于2001年10月，是国内第一份根据中学生的英语阅读水平和需求而设计的英语时事周报。它以时事性专题报道为主，广泛采用由国际主流媒体和出版机构提供的独家的、最新的信息资讯，以浅显地道的英语为您提供丰富多彩的新闻时事报道。为保证读者的学习效率和读报兴趣，“高中版”坚持以国家规定的中学英语教学词汇为基础，并适当加以注释和改写。2003年6月，《21世纪报·中学生版》更名为“高中版”，同时“初中版”开始试刊和征订。2003年9月，“初中版”正式出版发行。这是中国日报社继成功创办“高中版”后，推出的一份专门面向广大初中学生的英语学习时事周报。她的诞生，标志着我国的初中学生拥有了第一份属于自己的英语新闻报纸。还帮你找了可以下载报纸的网站官方网站： 里面有经常更新的文章 ------------------------------------------------------------------另外你如国想提高发音的话，建议看疯狂英语。这个杂志有配套的磁带，里面的发音非常的好。希望之星应该对口语有很高的要求，所以练练口语对比赛是有帮助的。《疯狂英语》简介 声载英语魅力 文承异域风采 也许有人不会忘记在学校书店里奋力抢购《疯狂英语》的那一幕，也许有人还记得倾听Crazy English时那一双双专注的眼睛。在十年多时间里，凭着对英语的一份执着和独特的感受力，《疯狂英语》深深吸引了无数读者…… 为什么许多人学了十几年的英语，还是耳不能听、口不能说？考试得高分，实际运用能力却很低，这算不算是学好了英语？本着对传统英语教学的一种叛逆精神，《疯狂英语》——中国第一份有声杂志应运而生。 96年创刊，国内首创的英语学习有声读物。以精选电影原声、挚情演讲、异域风情、动人美文、畅销书和欧美流行曲等多种形式将适合模仿学习的英语素材献给广大英语爱好者。由于英语发音纯正地道，素材取自生活，弥补了教材的不足，更激发了学生们的兴趣。让原来枯燥无味的英语学习变得生动有趣，真正实现听说读写全方位提高。 （每篇文章均附：中英对照译文、发音标示、学习方法、生词注释、西方文化精点。） 栏目简介： ●诗情无限 琅琅上口的传世之作、充满哲理的人生诗篇，配以旋律优美的古典音乐；精辟独到的感悟尽显英语辞藻的精华。 ●电影沙龙 每期挑选一部或多部电影的经典难忘对白，以最动人的主题线索向你展现新老电影的精彩片断。CE精挑的片段，一句简单的对白或一段美妙的插曲，都能让你感受到有声世界的无限精彩！ ●口才集训营 怀一个梦想，踏前人的足迹创一片新天地。字字铿锵的激昂演讲，让你热血沸腾、久久回味之余，还能助你成为自我表达的能手，练就一口标准的发音，展现自信的魅力。 生动地道的“看电视学英文”挑选时下热门电视连续剧，带你走进国外多彩的生活，学习最新最贴心的生活口语。 ●智慧人生 各界名人的励志故事，感人动情的美文，睿智精妙的短文；深刻隽永的思想，让你从另一个角度看待人生。 ●异域采风 介绍各国风土人情、胜地美景、典故传说等，让你耳朵去旅行，领略异域别样风光。 ●黄金书屋 每期节选最新畅销书或经典文坛著作，加以简介点评，优美的文笔、巧妙的结构，浓缩灵魂建筑师笔下文字的力量。 ●情趣物语 幽默的话题，轻松有趣、别具一格的英语表述，让你在平凡枯燥的学习生活中忍俊不禁。原来换个表达法，生活会变得这么有趣！ ●闪烁星辰 走近当红明星艺人，聆听他们真实的声音、不为人知的故事，真挚访谈亲口细述过往人生悲喜历程。 ●新闻聚光灯 头条新闻，资讯社会，关注热点，放眼世界，短小精悍的多国新闻令你紧贴社会的脉搏，快速英语让你感受的全球性语言的蓬勃生气。 ●岁月留声 不经典不推荐！一首老歌，一颗巨星，一个故事！悠扬的旋律划出岁月的痕迹，烙下经典的印记，带你回首一段段不可磨灭的星情往事。 ●玫瑰咖啡屋 精选适合英语学习的欧美上榜流行歌曲，节奏欢快的乐曲尽显时下年轻人的心声，让你一听难忘、放声跟唱。 创刊十年铸辉煌 给你听觉的盛宴，值得收藏的声音！--------------------------------------------------------最后祝你在比赛中取得好成绩！
在初一阶段，阅读一些优秀的短文也是很有必要的。下面是我整理的初一英语优秀短文以供大家阅读。
初一英语优秀短文(一)
The thing that goes the farthest toward making life worthwhile,
That costs the least and does the most, is just a pleasant smile.
The smile that bubbles from the heart that loves its fellow men,
Will drive away the clouds of gloom and coax the sun again.
It’s full of worth and goodness, too, with manly kindness blent;
It’s worth a million dollars, and it doesn’t cost a cent.
There is no room for sadness when we see a cheery smile;
It always has the same good look; it’s never out of style;
It nerves us on to try again when failure makes us blue;
The dimples of encouragement are good for me and you.
It pays the highest interest — for it is merely lent;
It’s worth a million dollars, and it doesn’t cost a cent.
A smile comes very easy — you can wrinkle up with cheer,
A hundred times before you can squeeze out a salty tear;
It ripples out, moreover, to the heartstrings that will tug,
And always leaves an echo that is very like a hug.
So, smile away! Folks understand what by a smile is meant;
It’s worth a million dollars, and it doesn’t cost a cent.
初一英语优秀短文译文：
那最能赋予生命价值、代价最廉而回报最多的东西，
不过一个令人心畅的微笑而已。
由衷地热爱同胞的微笑，来源：优习网
会驱走心头阴郁的乌云，心底收获一轮夕阳。
它充满价值和美好，混合着坚毅的仁爱之心;
它价值连城却不花一文。
当我们看到喜悦的微笑，忧伤就会一扫而光;
它始终面容姣好，永不落伍;
失败令我们沮丧之时，它鼓励我们再次尝试;
鼓励的笑靥于你我大有裨益。
它支付的利息高昂无比──只因它是种借贷形式;
它价值连城却不花一文。来源：优习网
来一个微笑很容易──嘴角欢快翘起来，
你能百次微笑，可难得挤出一滴泪;
它的涟漪深深波及心弦，
总会留下反响，宛若拥抱。
继续微笑吧!谁都懂得它意味着什么;
它价值连城却不花一文。
初一英语优秀短文(二)
One windy spring day，I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing. As the strong winds gusted against the kites，a string kept them in check.
Instead of blowing away with the wind，they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled，but the restraining string and the cumbersome tail kept them in tow，facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string，they seemed to say，“Let me go!Let me go!I want to be free!”They soared beautifully even as they fought the restriction of the string. Finally，one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. “Free at last，”it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind.”
Yet freedom from restraint simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic breeze. It fluttered ungracefully to the ground and landed in a tangled mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. “Free at last” free to lie powerless in the dirt，to be blown helplessly along the ground，and to lodge lifeless against the first obstruction.
How much like kites we sometimes are. The Heaven gives us adversity and restrictions，rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength. Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the commandment and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.
Let us each rise to the great heights，recognizing that some of the restraints that we may chafe under are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve.
初一英语优秀短文译文：
在一个有风的春日，我看到一群年轻人正在迎风放风筝玩乐，各种颜色、各种形状和大小的风筝就好像美丽的鸟儿在空中飞舞。当强风把风筝吹起，牵引线就能够控制它们。
风筝迎风飘向更高的地方，而不是随风而去。它们摇摆着、拉扯着，但牵引线以及笨重的尾巴使它们处于控制之中，并且迎风而上。它们挣扎着、抖动着想要挣脱线的束缚，仿佛在说：“放开我!放开我!我想要自由!”即使与牵引线奋争着，它们依然在美丽地飞翔。终于，一只风筝成功挣脱了。“终于自由了，”它好像在说，“终于可以随风自由飞翔了!”
然而，脱离束缚的自由使它完全处于无情微风的摆布下。它毫无风度地震颤着向地面坠落，落在一堆乱草之中，线缠绕在一颗死灌木上。“终于自由”使它自由到无力地躺在尘土中，无助地任风沿着地面将其吹走，碰到第一个障碍物便毫无生命地滞留在那里了。
有时我们真像这风筝啊!上苍赋予我们困境和约束，赋予我们成长和增强实力所要遵从的规则。约束是逆风的必要匹配物。我们中有些人是如此强硬地抵制规则，以至我们从来无法飞到本来能够达到的高度。我们只遵从部分戒律，因此永远不会飞得足够高，使尾巴远离地面。
让我们每个人都飞到高处吧，并且认识到这一点：有些可能会令我们生气的约束，实际上是帮助我们攀升和实现愿望的平衡力。
适合七年级的英语阅读文章
英语现在已经发展成为一个在世界范围内使用最广泛的语言。英语作为英美文化信息的载体和表现形式,一度深深地烙上了英美独有的文化印记。下面我收集了英语的阅读文章，很适合七年级的同学阅读欣赏，希望同学们喜欢!
You went to the butcher's for meat, the pharmacy for aspirin, and the grocery store for food. But when I spent the summer with my Grandmother in Warwick, N.Y., she sent me down to the general store with a list. How could I hope to find anything on the packed, jumbled shelves around me?
I walked up to the counter. Behind it was a lady like no one I'd ever seen. Fake-jewel-encrusted glasses teetered on the tip of her nose, gray hair was piled on her head.
"Excuse me," I said. She looked up.
"You're that Clements kid," she said. "I'm Miss Bee. Come closer and let me get a look at you." She pushed her glasses up her nose. "I want to be able to describe you to the sheriff if something goes missing from the store."
"I'm not a thief!" I was shocked. I was seven year too young to be a thief!
"From what I can see you're not much of anything. But I can tell you've got potential." She went back to reading her newspaper.
"I need to get these." I said, holding up my list.
"So? Go get them." Miss Bee pointed to a sign on the screen door. "There's no one here except you and me and I'm not your servant, so I suggest you get yourself a basket from that pile over there and start filling. If you're lucky you'll be home by sundown."
Sundown was five hours away. I wasn't sure I would make it.
I scanned the nearest shelf for the first item on my list: pork and beans. It took me three wall-to-wall searches before I found a can nestled between boxes of cereal and bread. Next up was toilet paper, found under the daily newspaper. Band-Aids—where had I seen them? Oh, ye next to the face cream. The store was a puzzle, but it held some surprises too. I found a new Superman comic tucked behind the peanut butter.
I visited Miss Bee a couple of times a week that summer. Sometimes she short-changed me. Other times she overcharged. Or sold me an old newspaper instead of one that was current. Going to the store was more like going into battle. I left my Grandma's house armed with my list—memorized to the letter—and marched into Miss Bee's like General Patton marching into North Africa.
"That can of beans is only twenty-nine cents!" I corrected her one afternoon. I had watched the numbers change on the cash register closely, and Miss Bee had added 35 cents. She didn't seem embarrassed that I had caught her overcharging. She just looked at me over her glasses and fixed the price.
Not that she ever let me declare victory. All summer long she found ways to trip me up. No sooner had I learned how to pronounce bicarbonate of soda and memorized its location on the shelf, than Miss Bee rearranged the shelves and made me hunt for it all over again. By summer's end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. The morning I was to return to Brooklyn, I stopped in to get a packet of gum.
"All right, Miss Potential," she said. "What did you learn this summer?" That you're a meany! I pressed my lips together. To my amazement, Miss Bee laughed. "I know what you think of me," she said. "Well, here's a news flash: I don't care! Each of us is put on this earth for a reason. I believe my job is to teach every child I meet ten life lessons to help them. Think what you will, Miss Potential, but when you get older you'll be glad our paths crossed!" Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! The idea was absurd...
Until one day my daughter came to me with homework troubles.
"It's too hard," she said. "Could you finish my math problems for me?"
"If I do it for you how will you ever learn to do it yourself?" I said. Suddenly, I was back at that general store where I had learned the hard way to tally up my bill along with the cashier. Had I ever been overcharged since?
As my daughter went back to her homework, I wondered: Had Miss Bee really taught me something all those years ago? I took out some scrap paper and started writing.
Sure enough, I had learned ten life lessons:
1. Listen well.
2. Never assume—things aren't always the same as they were yesterday.
3. Life is full of surprises.
4. Speak up and ask questions.
5. Don't expect to be bailed out of a predicament.
6. Everyone isn't as honest as I try to be.
7. Don't be so quick to judge other people.
8. Try my best, even when the task seems beyond me.
9. Double-check everything.
10. The best teachers aren't only in school.
The significant inscription found on an old key---“If I rest, I rust”---would be an excellent motto for those who are afflicted with the slightest bit of idleness. Even the most industrious person might adopt it with advantage to serve as a reminder that, if one allows his faculties to rest, like the iron in the unused key, they will soon show signs of rust and, ultimately, cannot do the work required of them.
Those who would attain the heights reached and kept by great men must keep their faculties polished by constant use, so that they may unlock the doors of knowledge, the gate that guard the entrances to the professions, to science, art, literature, agriculture---every department of human endeavor.
Industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasury of achievement. If Hugh Miller, after toiling all day in a quarry, had devoted his evenings to rest and recreation, he would never have become a famous geologist. The celebrated mathematician, Edmund Stone, would never have published a mathematical dictionary, never have found the key to science of mathematics, if he had given his spare moments to idleness, had the little Scotch lad, Ferguson, allowed the busy brain to go to sleep while he tended sheep on the hillside instead of calculating the position of the stars by a string of beads, he would never have become a famous astronomer.
Labor vanquishes all---not inconstant, spasmodic, or ill-directed labor; but faithful, unremitting, daily effort toward a well-directed purpose. Just as truly as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, so is eternal industry the price of noble and enduring success.
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room‘s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn‘t hear the band - he could see it in his mind‘s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly and painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.
Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words… "PAID IN FULL".
How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? I trust you enjoyed this. Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. Sometimes we don't realize the good fortune we have or we could have because we expect "the packaging" to be different. What may appear as bad fortune may in fact be the door that is just waiting to be opened.
推荐看《书虫》，这是双语读物，有入门级和1~6级“书虫”是外语教学与研究出版社和牛津大学出版社共同奉献给广大英语学习者的一大精品。如今这只“书虫”漂洋过海，奇迹般的降落到了中国英语学习者的掌中。“书虫”首先将给你自信，即使你只有几百的词汇量，也可以不太费劲地阅览世界名作了。书虫还会用它细细的鸣叫声不停地提醒你：要坚持不懈地读下去，要广泛而丰富地读下去。待到读完丛书系列中的最后一本，你也许会突然发现：你已经如蛹化蝶，振翅欲翔了！“书虫”系列丛书主要用于英语阅读的启蒙和提高。中英双语对照阅读，提高阅读量，扩增单词量。建议初学者能熟练的掌握3-5本，通读100本左右。对英语的提高很有好处。
适合初学者的英语阅读短文
【2】Companionship of Books以书为伴
A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never chance. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness, amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in age.
Men often discover their affinity to each other by the mutual love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third.There is an old proverb, "Love me, love my dog." But there is more wisdom in this: "Love me, love my book." The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together, and he in them.
"Books," said Hazlitt, "wind into the heart; the poet's verse slides in the current of our blood. We read them when young, we remember them when old. We feel that it has happened to ourselves. They are to be very cheap and good. We breathe but the air of books."
A good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life could think out; for the world of a man's life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which, remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters. "They are never alone," said Sir Philip Sidney, "that are accompanied by noble thoughts." The good and true thought may in times of temptation be as an angel of mercy purifying and guarding the soul. It also enshrines the germs of action, for good words almost always inspire to good works.
Books possess an essence of immortality. They are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay, but books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author's minds, ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page. The only effect of time has been to sift out the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.
Books introduce us into the best society; they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did; we see them as if they were really alive; we sympathize with them, enjoy with them, grieve with them; their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were in a measure actors with them in the scenes which they describe.
The great and good do not die, even in this world. Embalmed in books, their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens. Hence we ever remain under the influence of the great men of old. The imperial intellects of the world are as much alive now as they were ages ago.
了解一个人，通常可以看他读什么书，结交什么人.因为有人以人为伴，有人以书为伴。无论是书友还是朋友，生活中我们都应该和最佳最善者常相伴。
好书可以是你最好的朋友。它始终不渝，过去如此，现在如此，将来也永不改变。它是最有耐心、最令人愉悦的伴侣。在我们遭受不幸，忧伤悲痛的时候，它不会抛弃我们。它总是一如既往地亲切相待。我们年少时，好书给我们带来欢笑和知识;我们年老时，好书又给我们以亲抚和慰藉。
喜欢同一本书的人，常常发现彼此间习性也相近，就像有一时两个人因为敬慕同一个人而成为朋友一样。古时有句谚语：“爱屋及鸟。”其实，“爱我及书”这句活蕴涵更多的哲理。书是更为真诚而高尚的情谊纽带。人们可以通过共同喜爱的作家沟通思想，交流感情，产生共鸣。他们和作家情感相通，作家和他们思想相融。
哈兹利特曾经说过：“书潜移转化人们的内心，诗歌熏陶人们的气质品性。少小所习，老大不忘，恍如身历其事。书籍价廉物美，不啻我们呼吸的空气。”
好书常如最精美的宝器，珍藏着人生思想的精华，因为人生命的境界主要在于其思想的境界。因此，最好的书是金玉良言，是崇高思想的宝库，这些良言和思想若铭记于心并多加珍视，就会成为我们忠实的伴侣和永恒的慰藉。菲利普·锡德尼爵士说得好:“有高尚思想做伴的人永不孤独。”当我们面临诱惑的时候，优美纯真的思想会像仁慈的天使一样，纯洁并保卫我们的灵魂。优美纯真的思想也孕育着行动的胚芽，因为金玉良言几乎总会启发善行。
书籍具有不朽的本质，是人类努力创造的最为持久的成果。寺庙会倒塌，神像会朽烂，而书却经久长存。对于伟大思想来说，时间是无关紧要的。多年前初次闪现于作者脑海的伟大思想今天依然清新如故。他们昨日的言论和思想刊载于纸张之上，如今依然生动如初，向我们娓娓道来。时间唯一的作用是淘汰不好的作品，因为只有真正的佳作才能经世长存。
书籍介绍我们与最优秀的人为伍，使我们置身于历代伟人巨匠之间，如闻其声，如观其行，如见其人，同他们情感交融，悲喜与共.感同身受。一定程度上，我们觉得自己仿佛在作者所描绘的舞台上和他们一起粉墨登场。
即使在人世间，伟大杰出的人物也永生不朽。他们的精神被载人书册，传于四海。书是有生命力的声音，是人类至今仍在聆听的智慧之声。所以，我们永远都受历代伟人的影响。多少世纪以前的盖世英才，如今仍同当年一样，显示着强大的生命力。
课堂笔记：
1.此处的“as well as”相当于连词"and"、连接两个介词短语。
2.虚拟语气在由“whether”引导的让步状语从句中，从句谓语用动词原形，表示“不论是……还是……”同时，"whether"一词可以省去，而将“be”动词放在主语前.此从句可以变为“be it of books or of men”.
3."the same as"和"the same that"都指“和…相同”的含义，但前者强调的是类型的相同，而后者强调的是事物本身的相同。此处指的是好书本身，故而用的是"the same that".
4.句中的两个介词“by"均表示方式，表“通过”之意。省略"that”的定语从句从句"they have for a book”用于修饰“love"。连词“as”表示“正如……一样”，后接从句，用于比较。关系代词“which”引导的定语从句“which both entertain for a third”用于修饰“admiration"。
5."Love me, love my dog.”常被译为“爱屋及乌”英语中有关“dog”的谚语很多，比如:a lucky dog(幸运儿);Every dog has his day.(人人皆有得意日。);It rains cats and dogs.(下倾盆大雨。);a cat-and-dog life(争争吵吵的日子)等等。
6.威廉·哈兹利特(William Hazlitt,1778-1830)，英国散文家、评论家、画家.
7.这是由关系代词which引导的非限制性定语从句，修饰先行词treasuries，从句中的过去分词结构“remembered and cherished(铭记于心并多加珍视)”用作状语，表示条件.
8.菲利普·锡德尼爵士(Sir Philip Sidney, 1554- 1586 )，英国文艺复兴时期的著名的散文家、政治家，有很高的艺术修养.科学知识丰富.
9.此处的but为介词，表示“除……以外”的含义，what引导的从句作but的宾语。
第一类：小说1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone《哈利波特与魔法石》难度：二星第一本，是陪我们从小到大的哈利波特系列。这个故事，想必大家都非常熟悉，而它的英文原版，非常的适合我们在看英文原版时入门阅读用。故事充满了浓浓的“爱”和“友谊”，还有J.K.罗琳加入其中的魔法。读者在领略罗琳创造的魔法世界时，也有了更广阔的想象空间。看完这本，还可以看看Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets（哈利波特与密室）和Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkab（哈利波特与阿兹卡班的囚徒）噢。2 The old man and the sea 《老人与海》难度：二星简介： 这是一本经典名著，但是它却并不枯燥难懂。我们的语文课本选录过里面的篇章，现在，我们可以读读原版。海明威的特点是用词简单易懂，且篇幅不长，以短篇居多，因此非常适合我们阅读。这本书会让我们了解什么是真正的硬汉，也会给我们力量。还记得那句话吗？Man is not made for defeat.A man can be destroyed but not defeated.相信看了这本，你还会想看看海明威其他的作品。3 The house on mango street 《芒果街上的小屋》难度：二星一本优美纯净的小书，如诗一般，用词不难却优美。故事讲述了居住在芝加哥拉美移民社区芒果街上的女孩埃斯佩朗莎生的故事。她以同情心和对美的感觉力，用清澈的眼打量周围的世界，用稚嫩的语言讲述成长和沧桑，讲述生命的美好与不易，讲述年轻的热望和梦想。4 Flipped《怦然心动》难度：二星你看过电影《怦然心动》吗？这本便是同名电影的原著小说。它讲述了一个单纯美好的故事，里面有美好的田园风光和校园生活，还有属于布莱斯和朱莉的故事。 小说要比电影有意思很多，相信你看的时候一定会笑出声来。叙述以男孩和女孩视角的章节交错进行，画面感很强。5 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin 《傲慢与偏见》难度：三星这本书是简奥斯汀的经典代表作，也是她最为人喜爱且流传最广的作品。这位杰出的英国女作家，关注乡绅家庭女性的婚姻和生活，她以女性特有的细致入微的观察力和活泼风趣的文字，真实地描绘了她周围世界的小天地。6 The Hunger Games 饥饿游戏难度：三星又是一本改编成了同名电影的原著小说。在荒蛮的野外环境中，每个人都想置你于死地，你能靠自己的力量生存下来吗？24人参加竞赛，只有一人能够存活。抽签日那天，凯特尼斯的人生彻底改变了…书中的故事饱满而扣人心弦。自美国出版以来，它就畅销不衰，佳评如潮。 英文原版难度适宜，对于想靠原版书提高英语的同学们，再适合不过了。第二类：绘本7 The little word of Liz Climo你今天真好看难度：一星这本画风萌系、温暖的治愈系绘本，收录了莉兹·克里莫150多张逗趣漫画。画中的故事简单却动人，围绕着各种萌萌的小动物展开，有兔子，蜥蜴，棕熊，企鹅等。简短有趣的句子配上可爱清新的漫画，很快就可以看完。8 Hyperbole and a Half-Allie Brosh 我幼稚的时候好有范难度：一星比尔盖茨2015年的推荐书单里就有这本奇特的小书。他说道“你会希望小说更长，因为这些故事很有趣，很睿智。”它故事短小，画风奇特，非常适合于碎片时间阅读。这本盖茨也喜欢看的”小人书”到底讲了多有趣的故事？到书里去找答案吧。第三类：童话9 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 《查理和他的巧克力工厂》难度：二星内容：一本有趣好看而充满想象力的童话小说，讲述了穷孩子查理幸运拿到可以进入巧克力工厂参观的金券后，一系列的奇遇。 在书中可以看到，小查理和他的家里人过得生活虽然贫穷，可他们深深地懂得爱，这维持了他们除生活外的一切满足感…看完如果意犹未尽，还可以看看同名电影。10 The wonderful wizard of Oz《绿野仙踪》难度：两星故事讲述了小萝莉多萝西被大风吹到一个奇异国度（奥兹国）的奇遇记。这个可爱的小故事里有一个善良的小萝莉，一个稻草人，一个铁皮机器人与一个狮子。短小精悍，没什么难度，易读易懂，却又引人入胜。
追风筝的人 比较短 而且确实很感人，里面的单词除了地名都不会太难懂，是一部不错的小说，哈利波特其实也很好，不过太长了。。。爱丽思漫游奇境记Howl's moving castle（哈尔的移动城堡），也很好，不过你觉得幼稚的话就算了。书虫系列书，可以帮你提高英语水平。新概念英语也很好，那里每篇文章都是短小故事。如果可以背下来更好，快速提高水平。至于疯狂英语系列的文章，人物介绍，时政等题材是提升英语水平的重要途径。至于鲁宾孙漂流记，也不错。