它那闪闪发光的金色毛发
就像灿烂绚丽的阳光，
于是他有了阳光这个名字。
而他也像它自己的名字一样，
给我的生活带来了阳光。
生命中的阳光
Sunshine
佚名 / Anonymous
His gleaming， golden fur as sunny as sunlight gave Sunshine his name. It also sets him apart from other dogs. His hair has a silky soft feel like lush plush velvet.
His fleecy milk white feet are fluffy like down. He looks at the other dogs， cocks his head sideways， and then follows me. Follows until he becomes the boss.
Sunshine purrs then peers at me through golden green eyes. He leads me towards his dog pan， stops before he gets there， turns his head and scrutinizes me. I follow.
He turns up his nose at yesterday’s food. I put fresh food in his pan. He eyes me， and then turns as I open him a tin of chicken and liver to fill his dish. He eats. I fill his water bowl with fresh water and add a couple of ice cubes. He has me well trained.
Sunshine tells me to whichever door he chooses to pass through when he wants to go outside. He scratches on the French Doors when he decides to come in. I spring from my chair and open the door. He walks in， head held high， tail straight up. He has me under his paw.
When Glenn， my husband， would come home from work， Sunshine would then transfer his affections to him. He never failed to accompany him into the walk-in closet. He smelled， then walked to Glenn’s house shoes， and pulled them forward with his paw.
When Glenn would settle down in his chair to read， Sunshine would curl up on the back of his chair， and nap. During the day， when I worked at my computer， he always quietly curled in my lap.
Many times I have heard Glenn laugh as he looked out the south window. I asked， “Why are you laughing？”
Glenn would say，“There goes Sunshine up the hill to check the menu at Doctor Gene and Mary’s house.” Or he would say， “Sunshine’s coming down the hill. He’s checked out Doctor’s place.” These travels of Sunshine brought about a nickname， The Partnership Dog.
When Sunshine feels left out， he reaches a white paw out and grabs my skirt. I take him in my arms and stroke his velvety fur. That satisfies him.
Sunshine has hobbies. He likes to ride in the car， sleep on the car’s roof in the garage， and watch television， especially the dog food commercials where the dogs swish across the screen.
One day， Sunshine and I strolled across our backyard， which joins the Mark Twain National Forest. I carried my salad bucket planning to pick greens.
Sunshine stopped and made a blood curdling noise deep in his throat. I stopped and looked at him. Oh！The velvet fur stood straight outward from his body. His eyes slanted. What was he looking at？
I stood still and looked toward the woods. A second later， I saw two coyotes just outside the fence. I yelled and threw my salad bucket at the fence. They disappeared.
“Oh， Sunshine，” I picked him up and hugged him， “You sure paid for your keeps today.”
He purred then laid his head on my shoulders.
Glenn suddenly passed away with a heart attack. A stunned shock gripped me. I couldn’t sleep： I couldn’t eat. Exhausted， but I had to carry on. I lay on the bed at night hoping to rest.
I would become aware of breathing， purring by my pillow. Sunshine would be lying on the bed near my head. He had never slept on our bed before. He stroked my hair with his paw. Glenn always stroked my hair before he went to sleep. How did Sunshine know to do this？
Sunshine seems to have changes since Glenn’s passing. He doesn’t take all. He knows how to give by walking away from his dog food in favor of another dog. He shows how to comfort by letting a pup snuggle up to him to sleep. He grants patience with me by not prancing when I’m slow to feed him.
I don’t understand how Sunshine knows so much about me， a human life， but he has helped make my lonely days more bearable.
Through Sunshine， I’ve learned to have more respect， respect for him， respect for all dogs， both the unfortunate discarded ones， and the loved ones. There’s a bond between Sunshine and me. We love each other. We give our love to others.
它那闪闪发光的金色毛发就像灿烂绚丽的阳光，于是它有了阳光这个名字。而这也使它更加区别于其他的狗狗。它的毛发很柔滑，就像光滑的上等天鹅绒。
它的腿上覆盖着雪白的茸毛，蓬松地垂下来。它看着其他的狗狗们，昂着头大摇大摆地跟在我的身后，而最后它却成了“领导人”。
阳光咕噜咕噜地叫着，用它那金绿色的眼睛凝视着我。它领着我向它的狗食盘子走去，还没有走到，它就停了下来，转过脑袋认真地看着我，我跟了过去。
它用鼻子嗅着昨天的食物，我将新鲜的食物放到它的盘子里。它看着我，当我打开一罐鸡肝放到它的食物中时，它转了过去，吃了起来。我将它的水碗倒满了清水，又加了一些冰块。它已经将我训练得很好了。
当它想出去玩的时候，会告诉我它会选择哪扇门通过。当它决定回来的时候，就会用爪子在那扇门上抓个不停，于是我就从椅子上跳起来为它开门。它走了进来，昂着头，尾巴还一直翘着，它已经将我牢牢地控制在它那利爪之下了。
当我的丈夫格伦下班回家的时候，阳光总是毫不吝啬地将它的爱意转移到格伦的身上。它不失时机地跟着格伦一直走到衣柜旁。它闻来闻去，直冲着格伦在家穿的鞋子走过去，然后用爪子将它们拖到格伦的面前。
当格伦坐在椅子上读报纸的时候，阳光就会蜷缩在椅背旁打起盹来。白天，当我对着电脑工作的时候，它就会静静地蜷缩在我的大腿上。
当格伦从南边的窗户向外望去的时候，我有好多次都能听到它的笑声。于是我就问它：“你笑什么呢？”
格伦会说：“阳光正在小山上检查格伦医生和玛丽家的菜单呢。”或者它会这样说：“阳光正在从山上下来呢，它已经检查完医生的家了。”而阳光的这些游历又给自己增添了一个新的昵称——伴侣狗。
当阳光感到冷落的时候，它就会伸出雪白的爪子抓住我的裙摆。我就将它抱起来，抚摸着它那天鹅绒般的毛发，这会使它非常满意。
阳光有自己的爱好。它喜欢坐车，喜欢睡在车库里的汽车顶上，还喜欢看电视，尤其爱看那些狗狗们在电视里跳来跳去的有关狗食的广告节目。
一天，阳光和我在后院漫步，这个后院与马克？吐温国家森林公园相连。我提着色拉桶，打算去摘一些青菜。
阳光停了下来，从喉咙里发出一声沉沉的令人害怕的叫声。我停了下来，看着它。噢！它那天鹅绒般的毛发都竖了起来，它的眼睛斜视着，它在看什么呢？
我静静地站着，向树林深处望去。我立刻看到两只草原狼站在篱笆的外面。我大声喊着，将手中的色拉桶扔到篱笆上。它们不见了。
“噢，阳光，”我把它抱了起来，“你今天真是好样的！没有白养你。”
它咕噜咕噜地叫着，将脑袋靠在我的肩上。
格伦因突发心脏病离开了我们。这场噩耗将我打垮了，我吃不下也睡不着。虽然我已经精疲力竭，但是日子还要继续。晚上我躺在床上希望能够入睡。
我很清楚地听到了呼吸声和咕噜咕噜的声音。阳光躺在床上，靠着我的头。它从未在我们的床上睡过觉。它用爪子抚摸着我的头发。格伦在睡前总会抚摸我的头发，阳光是怎么知道这个的呢？
自从格伦去世之后，阳光看起来也发生了一些变化。它知道怎样帮助他人，它会走到一边，将狗食留给另一只狗；它知道怎么抚慰其他的动物，它让一只小狗依偎在它的身边睡觉。它对我也表现出了很大的耐心，不会因为我给它喂食太慢而感到不耐烦。
我不理解，阳光怎么会如此了解我，了解人类的生活，但是它帮助了我，使我可以在那些孤单的日子里支撑下来。
从阳光的身上，我也学到了更多的尊重，尊重它，尊重所有的狗狗们，不管它们是不幸被遗弃的，还是深受宠爱的。我和阳光之间有一条看不见的纽带。我们爱着彼此，也将爱给予他人。
心灵小语
它那闪闪发光的金色毛发就像灿烂绚丽的阳光，于是它有了阳光这个名字。而它也像它自己的名字一样，给我的生活带来了阳光。
记忆填空
1. Sunshine purrs then peers at me through golden green eyes. He me towards his dog pan， before he gets there， turns his head and scrutinizes me. I follow.
2. He knows to give by walking away from his dog food in favor of another dog. He shows how to by letting a pup snuggle up to him to sleep. He grants with me by not prancing when I’m slow to feed him.
3. Through Sunshine， I’ve to have more ， respect for him， respect for all dogs， the unfortunate discarded ones， and the loved ones.
佳句翻译
1. 它的毛发很柔滑，就像光滑的上等天鹅绒。
译
2. 虽然我已经精疲力竭，但是日子还要继续。
译
3. 我和阳光之间有一条看不见的纽带。我们爱着彼此，也将爱给予他人。
译
短语应用
1. ... Sunshine would curl up on the back of his chair， and nap.
curl up：（使）蜷曲；卷起；撅起（嘴唇等）
造__________________
2. He knows how to give by walking away from his dog food in favor of another dog.
in favor of：赞成……；支持……；有利于……
造__________________
最出色的“罪行”
The Best "Crime"
吉姆·维利斯 / Jim Willis
I stole your dog today. No， I didn’t set a foot on your property， but from the condition of your dog， I can imagine what it looks like... the word “junkyard” comes to mind.
I found her along a road， with a heavy chain wrapped around her neck， still attached to rotten boards from her doghouse， with rusty six-penny nails protruding. Not only did I know that most of the town had already ignored her， judging by where I found her， but I knew that if she had gotten into the woods the“cross” that she dragged behind her would have wrapped around a tree until starvation or thirst killed her. The local populace is usually deaf to the sound or blind to the sight of an animal in need， unless they decide to shoot one for trespassing.
That her ribs showed， that her ears were filthy， that her overall condition was poor and that her coat and eyes were dull， were good indications that you didn’t deserve her. But just to make sure， I checked with the local authorities for a report of a missing dog matching her description and to see if you’d placed a “lost dog” advertisement in the local newspaper. You hadn’t， which I can only surmise means that you do not miss her. That’s rather convenient， because the fact that she is not spayed， probably unvaccinated， and possibly heartworm positive， means that restoring her health could cost me around a thousand dollars.
Perhaps it may be some small comfort to know that she doesn’t miss you. In fact， her very act of escape made it clear that she’d had enough of your brand of pet guardianship. It took her about a day to realize that I’m not you， that I won’t hurt her， that despite our brief acquaintanceship. I love her. It took two days for her to realize that the other animals who live here accept her and that one of the joys she has been missing has been the companionship of other dogs. It took three days for her to appreciate the ecstasy of a homecooked meal and that a couch is meant to be reclined on， and that she no longer has to sleep outside—in fact， when the thunder starts， she’ll get a hug and her ears rubbed， and I’ll make a fool of myself with baby talk.
She has a beautiful name now. Already in the first week she has come to look more like she should. Her eyes sparkle and she has learned to wag her tail in greeting. She has stopped flinching when I make a sudden movement， because she knows now that I won’t beat her， in fact， she rarely leaves my side. She’s even become brave enough to bark at a cat and today I watched from the window as she initiated play with the other dogs. No， it’s clear she does not miss you or her former life of neglect on a chain.
Of all the things that have become apparent from my brief relationship with her—such as the forgiving nature of the dog， their wonderful ability to heal and to trust， the fact that love can work miracles—one of the most apparent is what a fool you are. She was possibly the most trusting， loyal and loving being in your life， and you consigned her to a life of filth and loneliness until she made the best choice she’s ever made when she broke free. Perhaps her guardian angel helped her escape. Lest anyone should mistake me for a angel， I will admit that one day I hope to be as good as she； I believe she forgave you within the first twenty-four hours of her new life for the about four years of her previous “life”， while I still try wrestle with the part of me that hopes that one day you will burn in Hell.
It’s not clear yet whether she’ll remain here or whether I’ll find her a loving home where she can count on more individual attention than I can give her， but one thing is certain， this is one bit of stolen“property” who is never returning to you. So sue me， prosecute me， plead with the courts that she is rightfully yours... I’m convinced this is the best “crime” I’ve ever committed. Hardly anything has pleased me more than the day I stole your dog. I need only look into her beautiful brown eyes to know that she’d defend my decision with her life. If we have one prayer， it is that you will not replace her， and if we have one special day to commemorate together， it is the day I stole your dog and the day she stole my heart.
今天，我偷了你的狗。请不要误解，我并未踏上你的领地，只是从你的狗狗的状态中，想象那是一个什么样的地方……我的脑海中突然闪现出“垃圾场”这个词。
我是在一条马路上发现它的，那个时候，它的脖子上拴着一条铁链，后面拖着一截狗屋上的烂木板，还有六根露在外面已经生锈的钉子。从发现它的地方来判断，我不仅知道这个城镇大部分人都已经不再理睬它了，而且还知道如果它钻进树林，拖着的那个“十字架”一定会缠到树干上，直到它被饿死或渴死。而在通常情况下，当地的居民对这些急需帮助的动物都是熟视无睹、不闻不问的，可是当这些动物做错事时，他们就会立刻将其射杀掉。
它的肋骨露在外面，耳朵很脏，总体条件不是很好，皮毛暗淡无光，眼神呆滞，这一切都显示出你不值得拥有它。不过，为了证明这一点，我去了当地的几家机构，核实是否有丢失狗的报道，看是否有和它的特征一致的描述。你应该在当地的报纸上刊登一则“寻狗启示”的广告，而你没有，我就能猜测到你并不想念它。而且这样为你提供了方便，因为事实上它还没有被节扎，也没有注射过狂犬疫苗，可能有丝虫病，而这些都意味着如果要把它治好，可能会花费1，000美元呢。
如果你知道它也不想你的话，是不是就会感到一些欣慰。事实上，它的出逃已经清晰地表明它受够你的监护了。花了一天时间才让它明白我不是你，而且我不会伤害它，尽管我们相识的时间很短，但是我爱它。用了两天的时间她才意识到这里的其他动物已经接受了它，才意识到它前所未有的快乐就是有朋友的陪伴。它用了三天的时间才享受到家里饭菜的狂喜，才开始享受躺在睡椅上的舒适感觉，而且她再也不用睡在外面了——事实上，响雷的时候，她还会得到一个温暖的拥抱，为它搓揉耳朵，而且我还会像小孩子那样与它交谈。
它现在有了一个漂亮的名字，而且在它来到这里的第一周，它已经恢复了原貌，很漂亮。它的眼睛闪闪发光，还学会了摇尾巴打招呼。当我突然移动的时候，她也不会再畏缩害怕了，因为它现在知道我不会打它，事实上，它总是待在我的身边。它甚至变得勇敢起来，敢于冲着猫狂吠。今天我透过窗户看到，它已经开始和其他的狗狗们玩游戏了。哦，不，很显然，它现在已经不再想你或是回想以前那种备受忽视的铁链生活了。
虽然和它相处的时间不长，但是我懂了许多事情，例如，狗狗天性宽容大度，它们拥有神奇的自我恢复能力，信赖他人，我相信爱能创造奇迹，而我最明白的事情是：你很愚蠢。它也许是你人生中最值得信赖、最忠诚于你的挚爱，而你却让它生活在一个肮脏和孤寂的环境里，直到它做出最好的选择——离开你。也许是它的守护天使帮助它逃脱的。以免其他人误解我原来就是这个天使，我将承诺有一天我会像它的守护天使那样好好地照顾它；我相信在它过上新生活的第一个24小时之后它就原谅了你，原谅了你对它大约4年的冷落对待。而且我试着压制自己的那个念头——总有一天，你会受到地狱般的煎熬。
我现在还不是很确定是否要将它留在这里或是为它找到一个更温馨的家，一个比我还可以给它更多关注的家，但是有一件事情可以确定，这份偷来的“财产”，我绝对不会再归还给你。所以你可以起诉我、告发我，请求法院归还你的所有权……我深信偷走你的狗是我毕生中犯的最出色的“罪行”，偷走你的狗是我一生中最快乐的事情。我只需要看着它那美丽的棕色眼睛，就知道它会终其一生捍卫我的决定。如果我们有一个愿望，那就是希望你不要带走它；如果我们有一个特殊的日子来纪念我们在一起的时光，那就是我偷走你的狗的那一天，而在那一天，它也偷走了我的心。
心灵小语
没有哪只狗想成为流浪狗，也没有哪只狗想对人类心存防备，所以，如果你们决定抚养我，就请好好珍惜我，不要随便遗弃我。如果你们没有准备好要和我一起生活，就不要把我带到你们的世界里去。
记忆填空
1. But just make sure， I checked with the local authorities for a report of a missing dog matching her description and to see you’d placed a “ dog ” advertisement in the local newspaper.
2. She was possibly the trusting， loyal and loving being in your life， and you consigned her to a life of filth and loneliness she made the best she' s ever made when she broke free.
3. It' s not clear yet she’ll remain here or whether I’ll find her a loving home where she can count on more individual than I can give her， but one thing is ， this is one bit of stolen“property”who is never returning to you.
佳句翻译
1. 如果你知道它也不想你的话，是不是就会感到一些欣慰。
译
2. 狗狗天性宽容大度，它们拥有神奇的自我恢复能力，信赖他人。
译
3. 我只需要看着它那美丽的棕色眼睛，就知道它会终其一生捍卫我的决定。
译
短语应用
1. I can imagine what it looks like... the word“ junkyard ”comes to mind.
come to mind：想到
造__________________
2. ... and you consigned her to a life of filth and loneliness...
consign to：交付给
造__________________
给生命带来奇迹的狗
Medical Dog
佚名 / Anonymous
The doctors sent my mother home to die. A fifteen-year survivor of breast cancer， she had suffered two heart attacks when advanced cancer was found in her lung.
Mom had struggled to raise three daughters while holding a full-time job， yet worked hard to maintain a cozy home for her family. Growing up， I knew only two things about my mother： She had an iron will， and she loved nature. During her days of illness， she told me a third： “I’ve had a miserable life.”
My dad was a difficult man to live with， but my mom did not complain， probably because she could not put words to her own need. But when it came clear that because of her progressive deterioration， my dad regarded her as a burden， she and I decided that she would move to my home.
I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements. I changed my work schedule， found transportation， an oncologist， cardiologist， hospice care， medical equipment， a caregiver and bather. My plan for Mom’s final days was simple： She would live with love， and die with grace.
Upon her arrival， after an exhausting five-hour trip， Mom was examined by the home health-care nurse. The nurse took me aside and asked， “How long do you think your mother has？”
“Two， maybe three months. ” I said.
The nurse looked at me sadly.“Adjust your thinking， ” he said.“She has a few days， maybe a week. Her heart is weak and unstable.”
My home， small and comfortable， was a heaven to four cats and a retriever. The animals had the run of my house.
We installed the electric hospital bed and oxygen machine， which frightened the cats from the bedroom. I’d moved their furniture， and they were peeved. The retriever， on the other hand， an immature dog with bad habits， was excited by all the changes in the house. He jumped up， barked and shed more profusely than usual.
He is Otto who was not afraid of the hospital bed， the oxygen machines or the medical smells. Nor was he afraid of the frail woman who had scolded him. Otto jumped onto the foot of Mom’s hospital bed， and stayed.
He was not startled by the nurses. He did not interfere when Mom was fed， nor when she was transferred from bed to commode and back. Whether the disturbance was from changing her bed or because of bathing， he simply waited to resume his post. With the exception of eating and using the litter box， Otto never left Mom’s room.
Days passed， and Mom started to rally. “Not unusual， ” I was told， “a rally is often a sign of imminent death.”
I grieved. But Otto would not give her up so easily. He used her improved condition to reposition himself from the foot of her bed to her side. Her thin fingers found his soft coat. He leaned into her body， as if clinging to the threads of her will to live. Though weak， she caressed the dog and would not allow me to take him.
Days turned into weeks and Mom continued to fight. Once， after the nurses had gone for the day， I heard the sound of Mom’s voice coming from her room. I found her with the head of the bed raised. Otto was tucked into the crook of her elbow， listening adoringly as she read from the newspaper. I will forever cherish the memory of Mom’s face with Otto’s paw， claws retracted， caressing the side of her chin.
Eventually， using a walker， Mom began to take walks through the house. She was trailed by oxygen tubing and Otto. Where she rested， Otto rested. Where she moved， Otto shadowed. It seems I had forgotten my Mom was a mother. Somehow， Otto knew， and during those days he became her dog child， giving her life purpose.
Exactly three years have passed since then. The hospital bed and oxygen machine are long gone. The medicines and nurses are gone， too. But Mom’s still here. And so is Otto. And so is the bond that united them in days of sickness.
When we saw the oncologist a while ago， he patted himself on the back. “I can’t believe it， Lula， ” he said.“I can’t find your cancer and your heart is strong. When your daughter brought you to me， I thought you were a ship that had sailed.” We let the doctor think what he likes， but Mom gives the credit to Otto.
Thankfully， my mother has put off dying， and Otto continues to share his gift of love—a medicine more potent than any drug a doctor could prescribe.
医生让母亲在家中度过生命的最后几天。母亲患乳腺癌已有15年了，并且在发现晚期肺癌期间，她还并发过两次心脏病。
母亲做着一份全职工作，含辛茹苦地养大了三个女儿，她还尽力为家人创造一个温馨的家庭。从小到大，我只知道有关母亲的两个特点：她的意志像铁一样坚强，并且，她非常热爱大自然。患病期间，她又告诉了我第三点：“我的一生很悲惨。”
父亲是一个难以相处的人，但母亲从来没有抱怨过，也许是因为她无法用语言完全表达出来吧。但当母亲的病情恶化时，在父亲眼里，她显然是个累赘。于是，我和母亲都决定，母亲搬来和我一起住。
我利用3个星期的时间来安排一切。我更改了工作表，联系运输公司、肿瘤专家、心脏病专家、晚期病人护理机构，联系购买医疗器械，寻找能帮助她洗澡的护理人员。对于母亲最后的日子，我的安排很简单：让她生活在爱中，优雅地离开人世。
坐了5个小时的车，疲惫不堪的母亲到家了。她立刻接受了家庭护士的检查。护士把我叫到一边，问：“你觉得你的母亲还能坚持多久呢？”
我说：“2个月，也可能是3个月。”
护士悲伤地看着我，“你要有思想准备，”他说，“她只有几天的生命了，最多一个星期。她的心脏很衰弱，而且不稳定。”
我这个小而舒服的家，是4只猫和1只狗的天下。
我们安装好医用电动病床和氧气装置之后，那些猫吓得都不敢进卧室了。他们很不高兴，因为我还挪动了他们的用具。对于家里的一系列变化，那只还未成熟并有着坏习惯的狗显得很兴奋，它跳着，叫着，毛也掉得比平时多。
它叫奥托，只有它对医用病床、氧气设备和医药气味无所畏惧。它也不害怕病床上那个虚弱的女人，尽管她曾经呵斥过它。奥托会跳上母亲的床尾，并待在那里。
它也不害怕护士。当护士给母亲喂饭，或母亲去洗手间时，它很安静，也不捣乱。不管是给母亲换床还是洗澡出现混乱时，他都只是等着回到自己的岗位。除了吃食和大小便，奥托决不离开母亲的房间。
日子一天天过去了，母亲的病情开始有些好转。但别人告诉我：“这很正常，这种好转一般是死亡前的回光返照。”
我很伤心，但奥托没有轻易地放弃母亲。借着母亲病情好转的机会，它从床尾挪到了母亲的身边。母亲用消瘦的手指抚摸着它柔软的皮毛。它斜靠在母亲的身上，似乎要抓住她的求生欲望。尽管母亲很虚弱，但仍然爱抚着它，不让我抱走。
几个星期过去了，母亲仍在和病魔作斗争。有一次，当护士们完成一天的工作离开时，我听到母亲的房间里有声音。我发现它的床头升了起来。奥托依偎在她的臂弯里，敬慕地听她读报纸。奥托用爪子抚摸着母亲的脸，这一幕令我永生难忘。
最终，母亲可以借助助行器在屋子里来回走动了，她的身后跟着奥托，还拖着氧气管。她停下休息，奥托也在那里休息。不管她走到哪里，奥托都寸步不离。我似乎忘记了她也是一位母亲，但奥托明白。这些日子以来它一直是母亲的狗宝宝，并让她有了生活的目标。
转眼间，3年过去了，医用病床和氧气装置都已经撤了，所有的药物都停了，护士也离开了。但母亲和奥托还在，重病期间他们建立起来的那份情感依然存在。
不久前，我们去看了肿瘤医生，他非常满意地说：“卢拉，简直难以置信，你的癌细胞一点儿也找不到了，而且你的心脏也变得强壮了。当年你的女儿带你来看病时，我还认为你已经走到生命的尽头了。”随便医生怎么去想，母亲认为这全是奥托的功劳。
非常幸运的是，母亲最终摆脱了死亡的阴影，奥托也仍然继续陪伴着母亲。它给予母亲的爱，是比医生的处方更有效的灵丹妙药。
心灵小语
你不得不承认，狗身上那种不离不弃的守护常常具有缔造奇迹的力量。那种力量的名字，叫做希望。
记忆填空
1. I’d their furniture， and they were peeved. The retriever， on the other hand， an immature dog with bad ， was excited by all the in the house.
2. Exactly three years have passed then. The hospital bed and oxygen are long gone. The medicines and nurses are ， too.
3. “I can’t it， Lula， ”he said.“I can’t find your cancer and your is strong. When your daughter brought you to me， I thought you were a ship that had .”
佳句翻译
1. 但当母亲的病情恶化时，在父亲眼里，她显然是个累赘。
译
2. 我这个小而舒服的家，是四只猫和一只狗的天下。
译
3. 日子一天天过去了，母亲的病情开始有些好转。
译
短语应用
1. My dad regarded her as a burden， she and I decided that she would move to my home.
regarded …… as：把……视为
造__________________
2. Thankfully， my mother has put off dying， and Otto continues to share his gift of love—a medicine more potent than any drug a doctor could prescribe.
put off：推迟，拖延
造__________________
温暖的眼神
Killer Angels
佚名 / Anonymous
I had just graduated from veterinary school， and I was volunteering at the local shelter in Twin Falls， Idaho. As I looked down at the dog napping in her run， I knew I was going to have to wake her up to put her to sleep. What a cruel euphemism.
She was a Heinz-57 mixed-breed with no name， no home， and no hope. She was horrifically malnourished， and her coat was a mass of mats and burrs.
In a way， she was lucky to be here. Found on the side of the road—like living garbage—she’d been left to die in a remote area of our county.
The kind rancher who found her brought her to the local shelter where she joined dozens of other cutiest and ugliest pressing against the front of the cages hoping to catch the eye of someone who had a heart and home big enough to give them another chance.
Problem was that there were too many homeless pets and not enough homes. Day after day for a week the dog waited and waited， her still-wagging tail marking the time.
But on this day， her time was up. No one had adopted her， like many in the shelter， the animals were too big， too small， too hairy， too young， and too old. Without enough cages to hold all that came through our doors， we were prepared to end her life quickly and without suffering. "Better than starving to death in the country." I said， finding little solace in the words.
I was inspired to enter this profession because of a deep love of animals. I had been highly trained and entrusted to save lives and prevent pain and suffering. Yet here I was about to end the life of this innocent creature. I hated this part of the job， but I had to do it. Choking back my emotions， I readied myself to perform the procedure for which I’d been trained.
I set her on the table， and she wiggled her gaunt frame with delight as I spoke some soothing words and patted her head. The tempo of her tail quickened as she looked up at my face. Looking into her eyes， I saw total trust， unconditional love and absolute loyalty. I felt the cruel irony of what was taking place. God’s precious creatures， embodying the kindest virtues on the planet， being killed for the crime of not being wanted. She held out her leg for me to inject and licked my hand. She was ready. I wasn’t.
I collapsed onto the dog and held her tight as I bathed her with tears. Never， ever would I do convenience euthanasia again. I’d euthanize a pet if it was suffering terribly， or had an incurable disease， but never again because of an uncaring owner’s mere request.
I took the dog back to my veterinary practice and named her G. H. short for Good Home. I’d observed over the years that people who raised litters of puppies or kittens always said， "I just want to find them a good home."
I soon entrusted G. H. to a loving client who had a heart and home big enough to welcome yet another four-legged family member.
Saving G. H. set me on a new path as a veterinarian. Although my hands still held the power of death， my heart didn’t. Now， whenever I look into the dancing liquid eyes of a pet， brimming with love， I realize that looks can save. They did it to me.
从兽医学校毕业的那刻起，我就决定去爱达荷州双瀑市，在一家地方动物收容所做了名志愿者。看到眼前有狗在场子里打瞌睡，我就明白我得叫醒它，然后让它“入睡”。这样说真是既委婉又残酷！
这是只海因茨-57杂种狗，没有名字，也没有家，更没有生存的希望。它严重营养不良，毛长得像一团乱麻。
从某种程度上讲，能待在这里对它来说已经算是幸运的了。要不是人们在路边发现它——当时它就像一团活垃圾——很可能，它就会死在我们县城的某个僻静角落。
一个善良的农场工发现了它，把它送到了当地的动物收容所。在这里，它加入了其他动物的行列。这些动物要么美丽可人，要么丑陋不堪，但个个都挤到笼子前，希望那些既有钱又好心的人多看自己几眼，好让它们再次得到收养。
但问题是，流浪的宠物太多，而且很少有人愿意收养它们。小狗等了整整一周，尾巴不停地摆来摆去，而时间也随着它尾巴的摆动渐渐消逝。
但是今天它要告别这个世界了。像收容所里的其他动物一样，一直没有人收养它，这些动物要么个儿太大，要么个儿太小，要么毛太多，要么太幼小或者太老。因为没有足够的笼子装所有被送进来的动物，我们要让它迅速地、毫无痛苦地结束生命。“这样总比在乡下饿死好。”从这句话里，我也多少找到了安慰。
因为深爱动物，我才从事现在的工作。学校教育以及自身的责任感教会我要挽救它们的生命，减缓它们的痛苦与折磨，然而现在我却要终止这个无辜的小生命。我痛恨工作的这部分，但我必须这样做。我克制住自己，准备开始执行这个我训练过的程序。
我把它抱到桌上，安慰了它几句，又轻轻地拍了拍它的脑袋，它高兴地扭动起那瘦骨嶙峋的身子。它抬起头，望着我，尾巴摇摆得越来越快，眼神中透露出完全的信任、无条件的爱和绝对的忠诚。我感到自己正在做一件残忍的事。上帝把生命赋予这些生灵，它们有着世间最善良的品德，但因为无家可归而被残杀。它把腿伸出让我打针，又舔了舔我的手。它已经准备好了，而我却没有。
我的精神彻底崩溃了，我扑过去紧紧地抱着它，我哭了，泪水打湿了它的身体。永远，我永远不会再给这些动物实施安乐死了。我再也不会因为它们没有主人的关心而对它们实行安乐死，除非它们正遭受病痛的折磨，或是得了不治之症。
我将小狗带回兽医站，给它起了个名字叫G.H.——美好的家(Good Home)的缩写。多年来，我发现小狗小猫的主人经常说：“我只想给它们找一个美好的家。”
很快，我把G.H.送给了一个善良的主人，他很仁慈，家里很宽敞，因此作为这个家四条腿的成员，它很受欢迎。
救助G.H.也使得一条新的道路出现在我的兽医生涯中。尽管我仍然执掌着“生杀”大权，但我没有那种念头。现在，只要一看到它们那充满爱意和神采飞扬的眼睛，我就懂得，眼神能够拯救一个人，而它们用自己的眼神拯救了我。
心灵小语
今天它要告别这个世界了，而我却要减缓它们的痛苦与折磨，终止这个无辜的小生命。不过，当然，你们知道最后的结局，它们用自己的眼神拯救了我。
记忆填空
1. I was inspired to this profession because of a deep love of animals. I had been trained and entrusted to lives and prevent pain and suffering.
2. God’s precious creatures， embodying the virtues on the planet， being killed for the of not being wanted. She held out her leg for me to and licked my hand. She was ready. I wasn’t.
3. I took the dog to my veterinary practice and named her G. H. short for Good Home. I’d observed over the that people who raised litters of puppies or kittens said， “ I just want to find them a good home. ”
佳句翻译
1. 上帝把生命赋予这些生灵，它们有着世间最善良的品德。
译
2. 因为深爱动物，我才从事现在的工作。
译
3. 救助G.H.也使得一条新的道路出现在我的兽医生涯中。
译
短语应用
1. The kind rancher who found her brought her to the local shelter where she joined dozens of other cutiest.
dozens of：很多；几十
造__________________
2. ... brimming with love， I realize that looks can save.
brim with：洋溢着；充满着
造__________________
父亲与狗的温情故事
The Old Man and the Dog
佚名 / Anonymous
Saying goodbye to Meg was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. She’d been part of my life for so long， always there when I needed her.
Throughout the last fifteen years， she’d been my closest friend， sharing my joy and sadness.
She’d seen me marry and divorce， have two children， lose my mother and nurse my father through a long illness. So much in one lifetime.
We buried her in her favourite corner of the garden， beneath the flowering cherry tree. Matthew made a little cross out of wood and Laura carefully printed her name in red crayon.
Friends are always full of good advice at times like that. Get another dog is one of the favourites—but you can’t replace a friend like that.
My father had been left almost helpless after a stroke. I’d nursed him back to health， but I was beginning to feel that we’d taken a step backwards.
A month after Meg’s passing， I took a tray into the garden for Dad. He liked to sit on the bench in the sunshine.
“Tea and biscuits， Dad.” I said cheerfully.
He turned away， startled， but not before I’d seen the tear on his cheek.
“What a lovely day.” I burbled， giving him time to compose himself.
“Yes Jill，” he said at last， “It’s beautiful.”
“Try to eat something， Dad.”
He sighed and looked up at the sky.
“The children will be home from school soon.” I smiled. “Then you’ll have a fight on your hands if you want a biscuit.”
He chuckled softly and I had to swallow the lump which had risen in my throat.
“I love you， Dad.” I rested my hand on his shoulder. “Please， don’t give up. ”
“I don’t know what you mean.” He shrugged.
“Yes， you do. You’ve fought every inch of the way， you were winning， too， but lately， it’s as if you’ve just given up.”
He heaved a sigh and picked up a biscuit， nibbling at it before grinning at me.
Dad’s decline puzzled the doctor， too.
“I’ m sorry. There’s nothing physically wrong with your father， apart from what’s left over from the stroke. And mentally， well， I really don’t think there’s anything to worry about there.”
The doctor was right. Dad’s blood tests came back clear， and further tests showed nothing wrong. He should have been continuing to get better—but he wasn’t.
I tried all kinds of new meals to tempt his failing appetite. I ever persuaded him to come for a drive in the car， but as soon as we got home， he’d sink back into apathy and I’d think， I’m losing him again.
What made it so much harder to bear was the fact that I remembered him so well as a young man. He’d been so full of energy and life， carrying me on his shoulders， chasing me around the park and catching me up in his arms.
He’s set off for a walk and always， always， I’d run out of the house behind him. He’d had such a zest for life that it broke my heart to see him now， sitting out in the garden， a blanket over his knees， gazing miserably into space.
When he first came to live with us after the stroke， he’d been bed-ridden. I smiled as I remembered how Meg had finally got him up.
Dear Meg. She’d brought in a stick from the garden and trotted straight upstairs with it！
I followed her， wondering what on earth she was up to. She deposited the stick on Dad’s bed， then stepped back， wagging her tail like mad.
Dad lifted his head from the pillow.
“What’s this？”
She barked ever so softly and nudged the stick with her nose.
“For me？” Dad chuckled， reaching for it， but Meg was too quick and snatched the stick back.
It turned into a game. Every time Dad tried to touch her stick， she whipped it away. At last， she dropped it on the floor. This time， Meg let him pick it up.
“Jill！” Dad shouted. “Jill！”
When I got to him he was laughing. “Would you help me down the stairs？” he asked. “I’d like to sit out in the garden. I can throw the stick for Meg.”
“Of course， Dad.” I’d been thrilled and from that moment on， he’d progressed in leaps and bounds.
Meg had been a friend to me， a playmate to the children， but she’d been so much more to Dad. She’d been with him all the time， keeping him company for the hours he had to spend alone. No wonder he’d declined. He had time to sit and brood and think， and sadness had settled all around him.
The following day， I settled Dad in the garden and left the children playing under his watchful eye.
“I won’t be long，” I promised. “You’ll be all right， Dad？ If you want anything， Matthew can get it for you.”
“Thanks， love.” Dad smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on things.”
I could never replace Meg， I knew that. But I could， perhaps， fill a void in Dad’s life.
I’d never been to an animal home before and wasn’t prepared for the shock. Not only dogs， but cats， a couple of ponies， three pygmy goats and several rabbits wanted new homes.
Two sisters ran the place. Hardly aware of what I was doing， I found myself pouring out my life story to them.
Bahs， one of the two nurses， led me to the end of the row of pens. There， in the very end， I saw Sadie sitting in the corner. She wasn’t sitting quietly. She was howling—a sad， heart-broken noise. As soon as she saw us， she stopped and came over to me， staring at me through the wire. She seemed to be weighing me up.
When I poked my fingers through the bars， she shied away from them. I spoke softly to her， coaxing her to come to me. After what seemed an age， she came forward and licked my fingers.
“She’s very gentle，” I remarked， wondering how she would take to my noisy children. I’d already lost my heart to her in a way I never imagined possible！
“Her owners moved away，” Babs said. “They put her in boarding kennels， saying they’d be back in a week but they never returned. She won’t give her trust easily， but if she’s given enough love—well， who knows？”
“How cruel！” I gasped.“How could they？”
“Oh， it could have been a lot worse，” Babs continued. “She was never physically hurt， but her confidence has taken a terrible battering. She needs constant reassurance and can’t bear to be alone.”
“She’d never be alone，” I said and Sadie wagged her tail as if she understood. “And in our house， believe me， there’s no shortage of love！”
When I got home， Matthew and Laura were out of sight. Dad， as always， was staring into space. He didn’t even bother to read any more， but seemed to spend his whole life just watching time slip away.
“Dad...”
He turned and looked up at me， taking a moment or two to register that I wasn’t alone. I looked at Dad’s face. He stared at the dog and for an awful moment， I thought he was going to reject her. But Dad could never be cruel... he stretched out his hand and called to her.
“Come on， lass，” he said softly. “I won’t hurt you.”
At last， she ventured up to him and sniffed at his blanket.
“What’s her name？” Dad asked me.
“Sadie.”
“Hello， Sadie.”
She sat beside him， pressing against his legs while he stroked her head.He’d never tired of doing that， just as he’d never tired of petting Meg.
“She needs a lot of love，” I said and explained why.
Dad looked really angry for a moment. He could never stand any kind of cruelty， to animals， children or even over adults.
“Well，” he said softly. “We’ll just have to make it up to her. What made you get another dog？”
“Well， I...”
“No， it’s all right.” Dad patted my hand. “I know how you miss Meg. The children do， too. She’ll be company for you and you’ll be able to go for nice long walks again. Perhaps I’ll be able to take a turn with the walks. I don’t intend to spend the rest of my life sitting here！”
It was the first time in months he’d given any thought to the future. It warmed my heart.
“I couldn’t go far at first，” he went on. “But if I gradually build up my strength...”
Matthew and Laura appeared then and Sadie brightened up. She ran to greet them as if they were long-lost friends. When I looked at Dad， he was laughing.
I thought of the people who had abandoned Sadie and wondered if they really knew just what they were missing. It was their loss， our gain. We were her family now and we’d never let her down. I think she knew that.
In fact， in a strange way， Sadie seemed to take over where Meg left off.
Dad didn’t take her out of the garden， but he’d walk up and down with her， chatting all the time. She’d gaze up at him， entranced.
Yesterday marked the anniversary of Meg’s death. A year has passed. A new era has begun.
The children planted some snowdrops beneath the cherry tree， determined that Meg should never be forgotten. We all shed a few tears.
Then the miracle I’d waited so long for happened. Dad walked slowly into the kitchen and took Sadie’s lead down from its hook.
Sadie barked merrily and turned round and round in circles until she almost fell over. She seemed to sense that this was a special occasion.
“Right， anyone coming for a walk？”
He’s only ever walked her round the garden before. Longer walks were left to me or the children. I held my breath.
“I’ll come.” Matthew grabbed for his coat.
“And me.” Laura was already pushing her arms into the sleeves of her Jacket.
I stood at the window and watched their slow progress down the road， Dad in the middle holding tight to Sadie’s lead， a child on either side of him. He got halfway down the road， then stopped. My heart stopped with him.
I held my breath， then realized he’d stopped because he was laughing！ He laughed so loud that I could even hear him. Tears ran freely down my face.
I hurried to the hall， pulled my coat from the peg and ran outside.
“Dad！” I yelled.
They stopped and turned.
“Dad，” I called again， feeling all of six years old. “Can I come？”
“The more the merrier，” he called back and held out his arms， just like he used to when I was a little girl.
I ran to him， heart pounding， knowing that this time he wouldn’t be able to lift me and whirl me round.
But as he enfolded me in his arms and hugged me close， the feeling was every bit as good.
“Welcome back， Dad，” I whispered， and he hugged me even tighter.
我一生中最难的事莫过于与梅格的诀别。当我需要它时，它总是来到我的身边，它已成为我生命的一部分。
过去15年里，它一直是我最亲密的朋友，与我同欢乐，共悲伤。
它目睹了我一生中的许多事：结婚、离异、生子、失去母亲以及伺候久病的父亲。
在花园角落里的一棵开满鲜花的樱桃树下，我们安葬了它，那里曾是它最喜欢去的地方。马修用木头做了一个小十字架，劳拉则用红彩笔认真地把它的名字写在上面。
在这种情况下，朋友们总会提出各种建议，其中最多的就是让我再养一条狗。可是梅格这样的朋友是任何狗都无法取代的。
父亲在一次中风后，几乎生活不能自理。不过，在我的照料下，他总算康复了。而现在，我却感到他的状况已大不如从前。
梅格已经走了一个月了，一天，我端着托盘到花园找父亲。他喜欢坐在长椅上晒太阳。
“爸，来点茶和饼干吧！”我兴致勃勃地说。
他怔了一下，立刻背转身去。但他面颊的泪水，还是被我看到了。
“真是个好天气！”我忙找话说，给他时间整理思绪。
“是的，吉尔。”他终于开口了，“是个好天气。”
“吃点吧，爸！”
他叹了口气，然后抬起头，望着天空。
“孩子们快放学了，”我笑着说，“到时你再想吃饼干，就得和他们争了。”
父亲微微地笑了一下，而我强忍着没有哭出声来。
“爸，我爱你。”我把手放在他的肩头，“你要挺住。”
“我不知道你在说什么。”他耸了耸肩。
“不，你知道的。你一直在逐步地与病魔抗争，并正在战胜它。但最近你好像要放弃了。”
他叹了口气，拿起一块饼干，咬了一小口，然后冲我笑了。
父亲的状态也使医生很疑惑。
“十分抱歉，除了那次中风留下的后遗症外，你父亲几乎没别的什么病。至于精神方面嘛，我不知道他受过什么打击。”
医生说得对。父亲的血液检查结果毫无问题，其他的检查结果也都表明一切正常。他本来应该恢复得越来越好，可情况并不是这样。
我为他变着花样做饭，想使他渐退的食欲得以提高。甚至，我劝他坐车出去兜风。然而一回到家，他的情绪又低落起来。我隐隐约约觉得我又要失去父亲了。
更令人难以接受的是，父亲年轻时的样子还清晰地印在我的脑海里。他曾是那样的精力充沛，生气勃勃——他会把我扛在肩膀上；跟我在花园里追逐嬉闹，然后把我紧紧地搂在怀里。
我总是在他外出散步时，冲出房门跟在他的身后。他对生活曾是那样的热情，而现在却只能把毯子铺在膝上，端坐于花园中，痛苦地凝视前方，看到他的这一变化，我的心都要碎了。
中风后的父亲刚来我这里时，只能躺在床上。一想到梅格帮助父亲重新站起的情景，我就忍不住要笑。
亲爱的梅格！它从花园里叼起一截木棍，径直跑到楼上去。
我跟着它想看个究竟：它把木棍放到父亲床上，后退了几步，然后用力摇着尾巴。
父亲从枕头上抬起头。
“这是什么？”
它轻柔地叫了起来，然后用鼻子蹭了蹭木棍。
“给我的？”父亲咯咯地笑了，便伸手去够棍子，可梅格却飞快地冲上前，把棍子抢了回去。
这成了一场游戏。每次父亲快要抢到棍子时，梅格总是抢先把棍子夺走。最后，它把木棍丢到地板上。这次梅格让父亲去拾木棍，自己则一动不动。
“吉尔！”父亲大声叫着，“吉尔！”
当我走近他时，他正在开怀大笑：“你能扶我下楼吗？”他问道，“我想坐在花园里，这样我可以为梅格扔木棍。”
“当然可以啊，爸爸。”我激动极了。从那刻起，父亲康复得很快。
梅格是我的朋友、孩子们的玩伴，但对于父亲来说，它更为重要。它整日与父亲形影不离，父亲独自一人时，它就伴随其左右。难怪他现在变得情绪低落。他长时间地坐着沉思，却无法摆脱心中的苦痛。
第二天，我把父亲安顿在花园里，并让他看管玩耍的孩子。
“我不会去太久，”我保证道，“爸，你还好吧？如果你需要什么，马修可以拿给你。”
“谢谢你，孩子，”父亲笑道，“不用担心，我会把一切都照顾好的。”
我知道我无法取代梅格，可是或许我能填补父亲生活中的这一缺憾。
从未光临过动物之家的我，进去吓了一跳：不仅有狗和猫，还有一对小马，三只矮羊和几只兔子：他们正等着进入新家。
这里有两位女看护。我忍不住讲起了自己的故事。
其中一位叫巴布斯的看护把我带到围栏的尽头。在那里，我看到了萨蒂，它蹲在角落里，但并不是安静地待着，而是不停地嚎叫着，那声音听了令人心碎。见到我们后，它静了下来，走到我面前，好像在透过铁丝网打量我。
我把手指从栏杆伸进去，它却怯生生地躲开了；我温柔地跟它说话，哄它过来。似乎过了许久，它才上前舔我的手指。
“它很温顺。”我说道，但心里却想着怎样才能让它喜欢上我那些淘气的孩子：那几乎是不可能的。想到这里，我的心不禁凉了半截。
“它的主人搬家了，”巴布斯说道，“它被寄养在养狗场，主人说一周后来接它，可是至今仍杳无音信。现在要让萨蒂信任别人是一件很困难的事：可一旦它喜欢上你，谁知道将会发生什么事情呢？”
“心太狠了！”我感叹道，“怎么可以这样？”
“噢，也许事实更糟，”巴布斯接着说，“它的肉体从未受过伤害，然而信心却受了重创。它的信心需要不断地恢复。它再也不能忍受孤独了。”
“它不会再孤独了。”我答道。这时，萨蒂摇了摇尾巴，似乎明白了我的意思。“请相信我，在我家永远都有爱。”
回到家时，没有见到马修和劳拉。父亲仍茫然地注视着前方。他连读书的兴趣都没有了，似乎他的生活就是注视着时间慢慢逝去。
“爸……”
他转过身抬头看了看我，看到我不是一个人回来时，他愣住了。我望着父亲，他的眼睛紧盯着这条狗，不知怎的我忽然感到他会拒绝接纳它。但是父亲不是那种人……他把手伸出来招呼萨蒂。
“小姑娘，过来，”他轻声道，“我不会伤害你的。”
终于，萨蒂试着向父亲走去——在他的毯子上嗅来嗅去。
“它叫什么？”父亲问我。
“萨蒂。”
“你好，萨蒂。”
萨蒂紧挨着父亲的腿坐了下来。父亲就像对待梅格—样，轻轻地抚摸着萨蒂的头，他从不厌倦这个动作。
“它需要很多的爱。”我对父亲讲了萨蒂的故事。
霎时父亲看起来很生气，无论是对动物，还是对孩子，甚至是对成人，他从不能容忍任何形式的残忍。
“嗯，”他轻声道，“我们得补偿一下它，你为什么想起又弄只狗来呢？”
“啊，我……”
“没关系，这样很好！”父亲拍了一下我的手说，“我知道你想梅格，孩子们也一样。不过，现在它能陪你们了。你们可以到远点的地方散步了。我也可能跟着你们转转。我可不想坐在这里度过我的后半辈子。”
这是几个月以来父亲第一次提到将来，我的心随之一热。
“我不可能一下子就能走很远的路。”父亲接着说道，“但要是我逐渐恢复元气的话……”
马修和劳拉这时出现了。萨蒂也忍不住兴奋起来。它奔向孩子们，犹如见到了久别的朋友。我看了看父亲，他正开怀大笑。
我想，那些遗弃萨蒂的人，是否会意识到他们失去了什么呢。这是他们失去的，也是我们收获的。萨蒂在这里找到了新家。她不会再失望的。我想，这一点萨蒂也清楚得很。
其实，梅格离去所留下的缺憾正被萨蒂以一种奇特的方式所填补。
父亲没有把萨蒂带出花园。他跟着它在园中四处转，不停地对它讲着什么，而萨蒂则出神地望着父亲。
昨天是梅格离去一周年的日子，过去的一年已经逝去，新的生活已经开始。
在那棵樱桃树下，孩子们栽种了几棵雪花莲，算是对梅格永远的怀念。我们都不禁潸然泪下。
后来，我期待已久的奇迹终于出现了：父亲慢慢地走进厨房，把萨蒂的牵狗带从钩子上取了下来。
萨蒂兴奋地叫着，绕着圈儿不停地跑，差点儿跌倒，似乎它也明白这是个特殊的日子。
“好了，有谁想和我们一块儿去散步吗？”
在这之前，父亲只是绕着花园遛狗，如果要遛的时间长些，他就把它交给我或孩子们。所以这时，我不禁屏住了呼吸。
“我去！”马修抓起了外衣就走。
“我也去！”劳拉的胳膊已经伸进了袖子里。
我站在窗前，看着他们慢慢走向大道。父亲在中间，他的手紧紧拽着萨蒂的牵狗带。两个孩子在左右。走到一半，父亲突然停住了。我的心一下子紧张起来。
我屏住气，这时才发现原来他正在放声大笑。笑声洪亮，甚至连我都听到了。刹那间我的泪水夺眶而出。
我冲向门厅，把外衣从挂衣架上拽下，跑了出去。
“爸！”我喊道。
他们的脚步停了下来，都转向我。
“爸！”我像个6岁的孩子，再次喊道，“我可以和你们一起散步吗？”
“多多益善！”他答道。父亲伸出双臂，那架势把我又带到了孩童时代。
我奔向他，心怦怦地跳着。我知道这次他再也不能像从前那样将我托起，原地打转了。
但是当他把我接在怀中，抱紧我时，我分明感到心中又涌起同样的感受。
“爸，欢迎你回来！”我轻声说道。这时，父亲把我搂得更紧了。
心灵小语
过去的一年已经逝去，新的生活已经开始。两只狗与这个家庭之间存在的这种奇妙而又温暖人心的关系创造了奇迹，带领这个家庭迎来了新生。
记忆填空
1. I tried all of new meals to tempt his failing appetite. I ever persuaded him to come for a in the car， but as soon as we got home， he’d sink back into apathy and I’d think， I’m him again.
2. He’s only walked her round the garden before. Longer walks were left to me or the . I held my .
3. I stood at the window and watched their slow down the road， Dad in the middle holding tight to Sadie’s ， a child on either side of him. He got halfway down the road， then . My heart stopped with him.
佳句翻译
1. 当我需要它时，它总是来到我的身边。
译
2. 过去15年里，它一直是我最亲密的朋友，与我同欢乐，共悲伤。
译
3. 他曾对生活是那样的热情，而现在却只能把毯子铺在膝上，端坐于花园中。
译
短语应用
1. He’d had such a zest for life that it broke my heart to see him now...
have a zest for：对……有热心
造__________________
2. Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on things.
keep an eye on：留意；照看
造__________________
与德牧共度的周末
We Are Not Alone
佚名 / Anonymous
After my husband died suddenly from a heart attack on the tennis court， my world crashed around me. My six children were ten， nine， eight， six， three and eighteen months， and I was overwhelmed with the responsibilities of earning a living， caring for the children and just plain keeping my head above the water.
I was fortunate to find a wonderful housekeeper to care for the children during the week， but from Friday nights to Monday mornings， the children and I were alone， and frankly I was uneasy. Every creak of the house， every unusual noise， any late-night phone all — all filled me with dread. I felt incredibly alone.
One Friday evening I came home from work to find a big beautiful German shepherd on our doorstep. This wonderful strong animal gave every indication that he in tended to enter the house and make it his home. I， however， was wary. Where did this obviously well-cared-for dog come from？ Was it safe to let the children play with a strange dog Even though he seemed gentle， he still was powerful and commanded respect. The children took an instant liking to “German” and begged me to let it in. I agreed to let him sleep in the basement until the next day， when we could inquire around the neighborhood for his owner. That night I slept peacefully for the first time in many weeks.
The following morning we made phone calls and checked lost-and-found ads for German’s owner， but with no results. German， meanwhile， made himself part of the family and good-naturedly put up with hugs， wrestling and playing in the yard. Saturday he was still with us， so again he was allowed to sleep in the basement.
On Sunday I had planned to take the children on a picnic. Since I thought it best to leave German behind in case his owner came by， we drove off without him. When we stopped to get gas at a local station， we were amazed to see German racing to the gas station after us. He not only raced to the car， he leaped onto the hood and put his nose on the wind-shield， looking directly into my eyes. No way was he going to be left behind. So into the station wagon he jumped and settled down in the back for the ride to the picnic. He stayed again Sunday.
Monday morning I let him out for a run while the children got ready for school. He didn’t come back. As evening came and German didn’t appear， we were all disappointed. We were convinced that he had gone home or been found by his owner， and that we would never see him again. We were wrong. The next Friday evening， German was back on our doorstep. Again we took him in， and again he stayed until Monday morning， when our housekeeper arrived.
This pattern repeated itself every weekend for almost 10 months. We grew more and more fond of German and we looked forward to his coming. We stopped thinking about where he belonged－he belonged to us. We took comfort in his strong， warm presence， and we felt safe with him near us. When we saw German come to attention and perk up his ears， and heard that low growl begin deep in his throat， we knew we were protected.
As German became part of the family， he considered it his duty to check every bedroom to be sure each child was snug in bed. When he was satisfied that the last person was lucked in， he took upon his position by the front door and remained there until the morning.
Each week， between German’s visits， I grew a little stronger， a little braver and more able to cope； every weekend I enjoyed his company. Then one Monday morning we patted his head and let him out for what turned out to be the last time. He never came back. We never saw or heard from German again.
I think of him often. He came when I needed him the most and stayed until I was strong enough to go on alone. Maybe there is a perfectly natural explanation for German’s visits to our house—maybe his owner went away on weekends—maybe. I believe German was sent because he was needed， and because no matter how abandoned and alone we feel， somehow， somewhere， someone knows and cares. We are never really alone.
丈夫在网球场上突发心脏病去世了，我的世界从此轰然倒塌了。然而六个孩子中最大的只有10岁，最小的才18个月，其他几个分别是9岁、8岁、6岁和3岁。维持生活、养家糊口、照顾孩子这些重担一下子全部落在了我的肩上，我险些支撑不住。
幸运的是，我找到一位不错的女管家，让她平时在家照顾孩子。说实话，我仍觉得心神不宁，因为周五晚上至周一早上，就只剩下我和孩子们了。无论是深夜响起的电话，还是房子的吱吱作响以及任何奇怪的声音都会让我惊恐万分。我感到难以忍受的孤独。
我周五晚上下班回来时，在家门口看到一只又大又漂亮的德国牧羊犬。种种迹象表明，这个惊人的大动物想住进我们的房子，但我还是保持着警惕，可以看出这只狗曾经的日子过得不错，可它是从哪来的？尽管它看上去很温顺，但它毕竟很强壮而且让人有些敬畏，让孩子们与这样一只陌生的狗玩耍安全吗？孩子们一看到它，就恳求让它进屋，他们显然很喜欢这只德牧。于是我同意让它进屋在地下室睡一晚，明天我们也好向邻居打听它的主人。这么多星期以来，那是我睡得最踏实的一晚。
为了寻找狗的主人，我们第二天上午就开始打电话、查看失物招领广告，结果却一无所获。而此时它正在院子里摔打玩耍。性格温顺的德牧已经融入了我们的家庭。它和我们在一起度过了周六，因此晚上它又可以在地下室睡一夜了。
我准备周日带孩子们去野餐，但开车出发时没带上它，因为我觉得德牧最好留在家里以免它的主人来找它。当我们在当地一个加油站停车加油时，令我们惊奇的是德牧竟然在后面追上了我们，不仅如此，它还跳上发动机罩，鼻子紧贴着防风玻璃并直盯着我的眼睛。无论如何我们也不能再丢下它了，于是让它跳进车里待在后座上，一起去野餐。德牧和我们一起度过了一个星期天。
周一早上孩子们准备上学时，我让德牧出去遛遛马路，然而一直到晚上都没见到它。我们非常失望，心想它一定是跑回家或是被主人找到了，也许再也见不到它了。然而事实并非如此，德牧在下个周五的晚上又出现在我们家门口，然后我们把它带回家，直到周一早上管家到的时候它才离开。
就这样，10个月来，它每个周末都会跟我们在一起。我们越来越喜欢它，也越来越期待它的到来。至于它从哪儿来我们不再去想了，因为它是属于我们的。我们因温和强壮的它的到来而感到欣慰，只要它在我们身边我们就很有安全感。看到德牧全神贯注地竖起耳朵，听到德牧从喉咙深处发出低沉的咆哮，就知道它在保护我们。
为了确保每个孩子都安全地躺在温暖的床上，德牧会仔细检查每间卧室，它把这些都看做是自己作为一个家庭成员应尽的义务。当满意地看到最后一个人睡好后，它就站在前门旁坚守岗位直到次日清晨。
在德牧的陪伴下，我每个周末都过得很开心；而当它不在的时候，我也慢慢变得更坚强、勇敢、更善于处事。然而最后见到它是在一个周一的早晨，我们拍拍它的头让它出去后，它就再也没回来过。从此我们再也没有见到它，也没再听说过它。
我常常会想起它。在我最需要的时刻它来到我们的身边，直到我坚强起来，独自面对生活。也许由于主人周末不在家，因此德牧便造访我们家，这个解释也许合情合理。我们从来都不孤单。因为某处的某人总在了解关心着我们，不管感觉被抛弃的我们是多么的孤独，他总知道我们需要，并将德牧派到我们身边。
心灵小语
我常常会想起它。在我最需要的时刻它来到我们的身边，直到我坚强起来，独自面对生活。那一刻起我知道，我们从来都不孤单。
记忆填空
1. I agreed to let him sleep in the basement the next day， when we could inquire around the neighborhood for his . That night I slept peacefully for the time in many weeks.
2. Each week， between German’s visits， I grew a little ， a little braver and more able to cope； every I enjoyed his company. Then one Monday morning we patted his head and let him out for what turned out to be the time.
3. He came when I him the most and stayed until I was strong enough to go on . Maybe there is a perfectly natural explanation for German’s to our house－maybe his owner went away on weekends－maybe.
佳句翻译
1. 尽管它看上去很温顺，但它毕竟很强壮而且让人有些敬畏。
译
2. 这么多星期以来，那是我睡得最踏实的一晚。
译
3. 至于它从哪儿来我们不再去想了，因为它是属于我们的。
译
短语应用
1. This wonderful strong animal gave every indication that he in tended to enter the house and make it his home.
tend to：有……的倾向，趋势
造__________________
2. We grew more and more fond of German and we looked forward to his coming.
looked forward to：渴望，盼望，期待
造__________________
多待十分钟
An Extra Ten Minutes
佚名 / Anonymous
On Monday afternoons at two o’clock， Beau and I would arrive at the Silver Spring Convalescent Center on Milwaukee’s northeast side of town for an hour of pet therapy with the seniors who lived there. We’d walk the hallways greeting everyone on our way to the hospitality room， where residents would come to pet Beau and bask in the adoration of this beautiful， happy， ten-year-old， ninety-nine-pound Doberman pinscher. You’d never know this was the same dog that arrived at my doorstep eight years earlier so beaten， scarred and scared that as soon as he made eye contact with you， he’d lie down on his back with his feet up in the air and pee until you petted and soothed him into feeling safe.
On our first visit， as we walked through the canary-yellow Hallway One， I heard an elderly man’s excited voice， thick with a German accent， streaming out of room 112.“Ma， Ma， the German dog is here！ The German dog is here！”
No sooner did I hear the voice than a wrinkle-faced， six-foot-tall， white-haired pogo stick of a man was greeting us at the door， swooping his big， open hand and strong arm across the doorway， inviting us in， “I’m Charlie. This is my wife， Emma. Come in， come in.”
When Beau heard Charlie’s friendly， enthusiastic voice， his entire body went into his customary wagging frenzy and lean against your thigh position， waiting for a petting， which was immediately forthcoming from Charlie. As we walked into the room， a frail but lively eighty， violet-haired Emma sat in bed， smiling， patting her hand on the bed. All she had to do was pat once， and Beau， leashed and always obedient， was up on the bed lying down beside her， licking her face. Her eyes were full of tears as Charlie told us that he and Emma had immigrated to the United States from Germany during World War II and had to leave their beloved Doberman， Max， behind. Max， according to Charlie， was the spitting image of Beau.
The next door， room 114， was home to Katherine， a woman in her seventies who had stopped talking for a few months earlier and had been living in a catatonic state in her wheelchair for the past month. No amount of love， hugs， talking or sitting had been able to stir her. When Beau and I walked into her room， a small light was on next to her bed and the shades were pulled. She was sitting in her wheelchair， her back toward us， slouched over， facing the viewless window.
Beau was pulling ahead of me with his leash. Before I could get around kneeling down in front of her， he was at her left side， with his head in her lap. I pulled a chair up in front of her， sat down and said hello. No response. In the fifteen minutes that Beau and I sat with Katherine， she never said a word and never moved. Surprising as that may be， more surprising was that Beau never moved either. He stood the entire fifteen minutes， his long chin resting on her lap.
If you knew Beau， you’d know that even ten seconds was an eternity to wait for a petting. Not here. He was as frozen as Katherine， head glued to her lap. I became uncomfortable with the lack of life in this woman.When the clock chimed 2：30 p.m.， I rushed to say good-bye， stood up and pulled the reluctant Beau out.
I asked one of the nurses why Katherine was catatonic. “We don’t know why. Sometimes it just happens when elderly people have family who show no interest in them. We just try to make her as comfortable as possible.”
All the wonderful people and animals who blessed my life flashed in front of my eyes， and then they were gone. I felt what I imagined Katherine must be feeling lonely， lost and forgotten. I was determined to find a way through to her.
Every Monday thereafter， Beau and I made our rounds to the hospitality room， stopping to make special visits in room 112 to visit Charlie and Emma， and in room 114 to sit with Katherine. Always the same response—Charlie waving us in and Emma patting the bed， waiting for Beau’s licks， both so alive. And then on to Katherine， sitting desolately， no sign of life except for her shallow breathing.
Each visit I attempted to engage Katherine in conversation. No response. I grew more and more frustrated with Katherine， not content with just “being” with her. Yet here was Beau， meditative dog， teaching me how to “be” and love quietly， assuming “the position” for the fifteen minutes we sat at each visit.
On our fourth visit， I was ready to bypass Katherine’s room， but Beau had other plans. He pulled me into Katherine’s room and took his familiar pose on her left side， head on lap. I acquiesced， but since I had a business meeting later in the afternoon with which I was preoccupied， I decided to cut short our usual fifteen minutes with Katherine to five. Instead of talking， I remained quiet， focusing inwardly on my upcoming meeting. Surely she’d never notice or care. As I stood up to walk out and began to pull Beau away， he wouldn’t budge.
And then the most miraculous thing happened. Katherine’s hand went up to the top of Beau’s head and rested there. No other movement， just her hand. Instead of Beau’s customary response of nose nuzzling and increased body wagging， he continued to stand like a statue， never moving from his spot.
I sat back down in silent shock， and for the next ten precious minutes， reveled in the stream of life flowing between Katherine’s hand and Beau’s head. As the clock chimed half-past two， marking the end of our fifteen minutes， Katherine’s hand gently slid back into her lap， and Beau turned to walk out of the door.
It’s been ten years since that visit and eight years since Beau died in my arms from a stroke. Love has many ways of showing its face. Each time I am ready to walk away from a person on whom I’ve given up， I am reminded of the power of Beau loves persistence with Katherine and with me. If Beau can give an extra ten minutes， surely I can too.
每周一下午2点，我和博都要去密尔沃基东北部的银泉康复中心，为住在那里的老人们进行一小时的宠物治疗。我们穿过走廊走向接待室，与每位相遇的人打招呼。在接待室里休养的人都会过来爱抚博—— 一只活泼可爱的德国短毛猎犬。他今年10岁，体重99磅，很招人喜欢。你们很难想象，8年前，这只狗来到我家门阶上，被打得伤痕累累，一见到人就吓得仰躺在地，四脚朝天，抬起腿来就撒尿，直到人们抚摸它，柔声细语地安慰它，它才会有安全感。
在我们第一次拜访康复中心，路经淡黄色的1号走廊时，从112号房间里传出一位老人激动的声音，带着浓重的德国口音：“玛，玛，来了一条德国狗！这里，有只德国狗！”
随即，一位皱纹满面、约6英尺高的白发瘦高老人出现在门口，他张开有力的双臂，伸出大手，邀我们进去。“我是查理，这是我的妻子埃玛。请进，请进。”
博听到查理友好、热情的声音，立刻激动得身子习惯性地晃个不停，摆出贴近你的大腿的姿势，等着你爱抚它，查理立即满足了它的愿望。我们进了屋，看见有着紫罗兰色头发的埃玛坐在床上，她80多岁了，虽然瘦弱但精力充沛。她笑着用手拍打床，只拍了一下，拴着皮带、向来顺从的博就跳上床，躺在它的身边，舔它的脸。查理告诉我们，“二战”期间他俩从德国移民到英国，不得不忍痛割爱，把德国短毛猎犬马克斯留在那里。说到这里，埃玛满眼泪水。查理说，博长得和马克斯简直一模一样。
隔壁114房住的是70多岁的老太太凯瑟琳，几个月前她就不与别人说话了，近一个月以来她都坐在轮椅上，始终处于紧张性精神分裂状态。任何关心、拥抱、谈心或陪伴都无法打动她。我和博走进她的房间时，床边的小灯亮着，遮阳窗帘拉着，她背对着我们，低头垂肩地坐在轮椅上，面朝看不到任何风景的窗子。
博用套着它的皮带拽着我向前走去。我还没来得及蹲到凯瑟琳面前，博已经站在她的左侧，并把头靠在她的膝盖上。我拉过一把椅子坐在她跟前并向她问好，但她没有反应。我和博在那里坐了15分钟，而凯瑟琳一言未发，也一动未动。这使我很吃惊，而令我更吃惊的是，博把长长的下巴搭在凯瑟琳的膝盖上，竟一动不动地站了整整15分钟。
要是你了解博，就会知道它为得到一次爱抚，能等上10秒钟就已经很难得了。但这次是个例外，它把头贴在凯瑟琳的膝盖上，和她一样僵在那里。与这个毫无生气的女人在一起让我感到极不舒服。一到2点半，我就匆忙地说“再见”，然后站起身来，拉着不愿离开的博往外走。
我问一位护士，为什么凯瑟琳会得这种紧张性精神分裂症，她告诉我：“我们也不知为什么。有时候老人被家人嫌弃时，他们就会得这种病，我们只能尽力让他们感到舒心。”
所有使我能幸福生活的善良的人和动物都浮现在眼前，而后又消失了。我能想象得到凯瑟琳此刻的心情：孤单、烦乱、绝望，甚至被人遗忘。我决心找寻一种方法去读懂她的心。
从那以后，每周一我和博去接待室时，都会特意去112房探视查理和埃玛，还要去114房陪伴凯瑟琳。每次都如此——查理挥手邀我们进屋，埃玛拍床等博去舔她，两人对此总是不亦乐乎。然后我们去凯瑟琳的房间——她总是无精打采地坐在那里，除了还有呼吸外，几乎没有一点儿其他的生命迹象。
每次我都试着和凯瑟琳说话，可她一直没反应。我越来越失去兴致了，我不甘心只是跟她待在一起。博却一如既往，每次探访凯瑟琳，博都会“坐禅”15分钟，教我如何“陪伴”凯瑟琳。
第四次去康复中心时，我打算绕过凯瑟琳的房间，可是博却有自己的主意，它把我拽了进去，跟前几次一样，它把头搭在她的膝盖上，待在她的左侧。我默许了，可是心里盘算着那天下午晚些时候的商务会谈，因此我决定把陪凯瑟琳的时间从以往的15分钟缩短为5分钟。我没吭声，只是默默地坐在那里，一门心思地想着即将开始的会谈。凯瑟琳肯定没有注意，也不会在意。可是我起身要拽走博的时候，它却纹丝不动。
接下来，奇迹发生了——凯瑟琳把手放到了博的头上，没有别的举动，只是她的手。博既没有像往常那样用鼻子蹭，也没有越发用力地摇晃身子，它仍然纹丝不动，像雕塑一样站在那里。
我又坐了下来，心中有说不出的震惊。随后在那宝贵的10分钟里，我感受着凯瑟琳的手和博的头之间那种生命之源的沟通。时钟在2点半时响了，我们的15分钟到了，此时凯瑟琳的手缓慢地移回膝上，博也转身走出房间。
那次探访已经过去了10年，博在8年前因中风死在我的怀里。爱有多种表达方式，每一次因我对某人感到失望而准备离开时，都会想起博对凯瑟琳和对我那坚贞不渝的爱。既然博能耐心再多待10分钟，那么我坚信我也能。
心灵小语
爱有多种表达方式，每一次因我对某人感到失望而准备离开时，都会想起博对凯瑟琳和对我那坚贞不渝的爱。既然博能耐心再多待10分钟，那么我坚信我也能。
记忆填空
1. Her eyes were full of as Charlie told us that he and Emma had immigrated to the United States from Germany during World War II and had to their beloved Doberman， Max， behind.
2. No movement， just her hand. Instead of Beau’s customary response of nose nuzzling and body wagging， he to stand like a statue， never moving from his spot.
3. Love has many ways of showing its . Each time I am ready to walk away from a on whom I’ve given up， I am reminded of the power of Beau loves persistence Katherine and with me.
佳句翻译
1. 所有使我能幸福生活的善良的人和动物都浮现在眼前，而后又消失了。
译
2. 我决心找寻一种方法去读懂她的心。
译
3. 每一次因我对某人感到失望而准备离开时，都会想起博对凯瑟琳和对我那坚贞不渝的爱。
译
短语应用
1. She was sitting in her wheelchair， her back toward us， slouched over， facing the viewless window.
slouch over：懒散
造__________________
2. Each visit I attempted to engage Katherine in conversation.
attempt to：企图，尝试
造__________________
飞跃“小埃及”
Flight over Little Egypt
佚名 / Anonymous
March 18， 1925. Though only five years of age， I will remember the day the great tornado swept over “Little Egypt”， as the southern tip of Illinois is called. The little coal-mining town in which we lived lay directly in its path. The howling wind sounded as if a dozen locomotives were roaring past. We huddled in the kitchen as the roaring filled our ears and seemed to shake our very bones.
Suddenly it was over. The quietness felt unnatural and an eerie， uneasy feeling gripped us. Opening the door， my mother stood transfixed as she gazed upon the awful scene. Debris lay everywhere. The street was impassable. People， some obviously in shock， milled around like cattle， unsure of what to do. The strange silence was suddenly broken by a subdued， pitiful whining at Mother’ s feet.
Trembling violently， a wet and frightened little poodle lay wedged between the door and the screen.
“My stars，” my mother said， bending over. “Wherever did you come from？”
The bedraggled little dog timidly wagged his tail and began licking Mother’ s hand.
Jacky， as we named him， accepted our large family without reservation. We in turn lavished our love upon the displaced but lucky little poodle.
Almost immediately we realized Jacky was an exceptional dog—a very smart one. Surrounded by masses of curly hair， his dark inquisitive eyes sparkled with life.
The little dog had been a part of our family for about two years when a hobo knocked at the back door and asked if we could give him something to eat. The request wasn’t at all unusual. In those days， many hobos stopped at our corner. Mother brought a plate of food to the porch where he waited. As he sat down to eat， we boys gathered around him. He began telling us all the places he’d been and the many things he’d seen. We were spellbound by his tales.
All of a sudden he stopped. We looked in the direction he was staring， and there stood Jacky. For several moments they looked at one another. Then a huge smile came across the old hobo’s face.
“You little rascal， ” he said， calling him by some strange-sounding name. “What are you doing here？”
The little dog became hysterical with joy. He was all over the hobo， barking and jumping as if he would never stop. There was no doubt he knew the hobo and knew him well. After caressing and talking to Jacky， the old hobo uttered a brief command. Immediately， Jacky controlled his enthusiasm and lay down obediently at the old man’s feet.
“Boys， where did you get this dog？” asked the hobo.
“We found him lodged between the door and the screen during the big tornado of 1925.” said my brother.
“Yes， sir. It adds up，” said the hobo，“I was with a circus in Missouri in March of 1925. That was sure some blow. The big tent was ripped to shreds. Everything was demolished.”
“This poodle was the number-one top show dog. He’s so valuable he was insured for hundreds of dollars. Lucky dog， he is. Blowed all that distance and not getting hurt.”
Suddenly the hobo asked， “Do you have a barrel hoop， boys？”
“Sure， I’ll get you one，” said my brother. Running quickly to an old barrel， he lifted off one of the steel bands. He dashed back and handed it to the hobo.
From beneath his old battered hat the hobo’s blue eyes sparkled. A smile broke through his heavy gray beard.
“Watch this， ” he said. “Less you boys been to a circus you ain’t never seen anything like this.”
He walked out into the yard and held the loop a couple of feet above the ground.
“Get ready，” he said to Jacky， again using that strange sounding name. Jacky trembled with excitement. On command he sprang forward and leaped through the loop—forward， then backward. As commands continued， he hurled through the hoop， turning end over end. He danced on his hind legs， then on his front legs. My brothers and I stared in awe as the knowledgeable old hobo put Jacky through his circus tricks.
“He’s a little rusty on some of？ but he sure ain’t forgetting any of it，” said the hobo. “Sure is great being together again. Brings back memories， don’t it little friend？” he said fondly as he patted Jack’s head.
Then with a forlorn look about him， he straightened up. “I guess I best be going，” he mumbled and headed slowly towards the gate.Without hesitation， Jacky followed at his heels.
“Jacky， come back！ ” all three of us called. But it did no good.Tears trickled down our cheeks. We knew we had lost him.
Then the hobo paused. Looking down at Jacky， he said， “Our circus days is over， friend. Over and done. And the tramping life’s no life for you. You best stay here.” Jacky stood， watching the hobo walk away， still poised to follow.
Reaching the gate the man stood motionless for several seconds， then slowly turned around. “Boys， a circus dog never forgets the big top，” he said， “You’d better lock him in the house till morning. I’d hate to see you lose him.”
So we did. Jacky lived with us for many years， and although he was the smartest dog we ever had， we could never persuade him to perform circus tricks again. We figured he’d taken the hobo’s words to heart and put his circus days behind him once and for all.
1925年3月18日。虽然我那时只有5岁，但仍清晰地记得那天席卷伊利诺伊州南端的被称做“小埃及”的巨大龙卷风。龙卷风正路经我们居住的小煤城。狂风肆虐，听起来好像十几辆火车呼啸而过。我们蜷缩在厨房，震耳欲聋的声响，似乎要把我们的骨架摇散。
风突然停了，出奇的寂静令人毛骨悚然。不安和恐惧侵袭着我们。妈妈把门打开，望着外边可怕的景象，顿时呆住了。到处都是瓦砾，街道根本不能通行。人们都还惊魂未定，像牛一样漫无目的地闲逛，不知该做些什么。突然，一声令人同情的哀叫从妈妈的脚旁发出，将这奇怪的沉寂打破。
在门和纱门之间躺着一只小卷毛狗，它浑身湿淋淋的，满脸恐慌，还不停地剧烈颤抖着。
“哎呀，”妈妈惊讶地蹲下身说，“你从哪里来的？”
那只湿淋淋的小狗胆怯地摇着尾巴，开始舔妈妈的手。
我们给它取名叫杰基。它毫无保留地接受了我们这个大家庭，而我们也慷慨地将无私的爱倾注给这只失去了家，却十分幸运的小卷毛狗。
我们很快就发现了杰基的非同寻常——它是一只极其伶俐的狗。它那周围布满浓密卷毛的、深色而好奇的眼睛闪烁着生机和活力。
在小狗成为我们的一个家庭成员约两年后的一天，一个流浪汉敲响我们家的后门，问我们要点吃的。这样的要求已经司空见惯。因为那段时间，有许多流浪汉逗留在我们那个地区。这个流浪汉在门廊等着，妈妈把一盘食物端给他。在他坐下吃东西时，我们这些男孩子围在他身旁。他便开始给我们讲他的见闻。我们都听得入了神。
突然，他停了下来，我们沿着他的目光望去，看到了杰基正站在那里。他们俩对视了一阵子后，那个老流浪汉便朗朗地笑起来。
“你这个小淘气，”他说，并用一个听起来很奇怪的名字叫他。“你在这里干什么呢？”
小狗欣喜若狂地围着流浪汉又叫又跳，似乎永远也不想停下来。很显然，它认识这个流浪汉，并且很熟悉。与杰基一番亲热与交谈后，老流浪汉发出一个简短的命令。杰基立即控制住自己的热情，温顺地趴在老人的脚下。
“孩子们，这条狗是你们从哪里弄来的？”流浪汉问。
“1925年那次大龙卷风后，我们在门和纱门之间发现了它。”哥哥回答说。
“没错。这就对了，”流浪汉说，“1925年3月，我随一个马戏团在密苏里州表演。那场大风的威力很大，把马戏团的大篷都撕成了碎片，所有的东西都毁于一旦。”
“这只小狗是一流的表演狗。它很有价值，光保险金就要好几百美元。它真幸运，被风卷走那么远却没伤着。”
那流浪汉突然问道：“孩子们，你们有没有桶箍？”
“当然有，我给你找一个。”我哥哥说道。他快步跑到一个旧桶旁，摘下一个钢圈，急匆匆地跑回来，递给了流浪汉。
流浪汉那顶破旧帽子下的蓝眼睛闪着光芒，微笑绽放在布满浓密灰色大胡子的脸上。
“注意看，”他说，“除非你们去过马戏团，否则你们不会看到的。”
他走进院子，把匝圈拿在手中，距离地面两英尺远。
“准备。”他对杰基说，还是叫着那个奇怪的名字。杰基激动地颤抖着。一听到命令，它就向前蹦跳着跃起，穿过匝圈，先是前跳，再回跳。随着接下来的命令，它又窜跳过圈，两头来回跑。它先是用后腿跳着舞步，而后用前腿。见多识广的老流浪汉让杰基表演着马戏团里的绝技，我和兄弟们都看呆了。
“它有些动作不太熟练了，不过我肯定它什么也没忘，”流浪汉说，“又一起合作了，实在太棒了。想起了往事，是吧，小朋友？”他爱怜地拍着杰基的头说。
然后他直起身来，心事重重的样子。“我想我最好还是走吧。”他嘟囔着，慢慢朝大门走去。杰基毫不犹豫地尾随在他身后。
“杰基，回来！”我们兄弟三个异口同声地叫道，但没有用。泪水滑过我们的面颊。我们知道我们失去了杰基。
流浪汉停下脚步，低头看了看杰基说：“马戏团的日子已经一去不复返了，朋友。你不该过我这种流浪的生活。你最好还是留在这里。”看着流浪汉离去，杰基站住了，犹豫不决，不知道是否该继续跟随。
到了门口，流浪汉静静地站了几秒钟后，慢慢转过身来。“孩子们，马戏班的狗永远忘不了马戏团的大顶篷，”他说道，“你们最好把它关在屋里直到明天早上。我可不想看到你们失去它。”
我们按照他说的做了。杰基和我们共同生活了很多年，虽说它是我们曾养过的最伶俐机警的狗，但我们没能说服它再表演马戏团绝技；我们想，或许那流浪汉的话它已经牢记于心，想永远忘记那段马戏团的日子吧。
心灵小语
那场被称做“小埃及”的龙卷风把杰基送到了我家，它毫无保留地接受了我们这个大家庭，而我们也将无私的爱倾注给这只失去了家的小卷毛狗。它不再为我们表演马戏团绝技了，可那有什么关系呢？过去的一切已经被龙卷风走了，不是吗？
记忆填空
1. The request wasn’t at all . In those days， many hobos stopped at our . Mother brought a plate of food to the porch where he waited. As he sat to eat， we boys gathered around him.
2. Then the hobo . Looking down at Jacky， he said， “ Our circus days is over， friend. Over and . And the tramping life’s no life for you. You stay here. ”
3. Jacky with us for many years， and although he was the smartest dog we ever ， we could never him to perform circus tricks again.
佳句翻译
1. 狂风肆虐，听起来好像十几辆火车呼啸而过。
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2. 那只湿淋淋的小狗胆怯地摇着尾巴，开始舔妈妈的手。
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3. 小狗欣喜若狂地围着流浪汉又叫又跳，似乎永远也不想停下来。
译
短语应用
1. My mother stood transfixed as she gazed upon the awful scene.
gaze upon：看到；望见
造__________________
2. The little dog had been a part of our family for about two years..
a part of：一部分
造__________________
杰克的爱心
Jack and Cat
佚名 / Anonymous
From the beginning， Jake made his feelings clear about the subject of cats： They were best served on a plate.
Jake was our resident dog， a large dominant male， part Border collie and part Labrador retriever， with a little German shepherd thrown in. Jake was about two years old when he was adopted by us from the local animal shelter. He came into our lives shortly after I lost my beloved dog Martha to an unexpected illness. One day we went to the shelter， searching for a shaggy-haired female(like Martha) to bring into our home. Instead， we found Jake， a short-haired male， proud and silent in the middle of all that barking. We told the shelter worker that we wanted Jake to come home with us because we could sense he had a lot of magic inside of him “That’s great， ” she said， “Just don’t bring him back when he shows you that magic！”
Jake immediately became a cherished member of our family. He loved watching the birds we attracted to our yard with numerous feeders and birdbaths. He played with the puppy next door and other dogs in the park， but made it extremely clear that cats would never be allowed on his property， chasing any feline that came too close.
One day， I found a litter of wild kittens in our woodpile. Although I had been a “dog person” all my life and had never had the privilege of sharing my life with a cat， my heart went out to these little fur balls. They were only about four weeks old， and had beautiful gray-striped bodies and large， frightened eyes. Their mother was nowhere in sight. I put them into a box and brought them inside. Jake heard the meowing and immediately began to salivate， drool， and pant. Our veterinarian told us， “Some dogs just don’t accept cats under any condition.”
A year after the kitty experience， one day I looked outside onto the deck and saw Jake with his ears up and his head cocked sideways， staring at the ground. There at his feet was a tiny kitten， sitting very still. Using soothing words to try and keep Jake calm， I moved in closer， hoping to prevent the ugly attack I felt sure was coming. The kitten had badly infected eyes， and it probably couldn’t see where it was or what was looming over it. But Jake just looked at the little creature， then looked up at me， and then back at the kitten. I heard some meowing， and discovered another kitten under the deck. So I scooped them both up into a box that would be their temporary home. I put the box in the garage and started making calls to all the animal people I knew， telling each the same story—my dog would never allow these cats into our home， and I need to relocate them right away.
The next morning， we found three more kittens lying in a pile outside the door， huddled together for warmth. So I took them in and added them to the box.
My heart was very heavy. Now we had five little kittens， all with infected eyes， which would be sent out into a world already crowded with unwanted little creatures. I spent the day making phone calls， only to be told over and over that no one had room for more critters. I knew I’d run out of options， so with tears in my eyes， I picked up the phone to make the call to the vet that would take the kittens out of my life forever. At the same moment， my eyes fell on Jake， calmly observing everything going on around him. There was no drooling， no panting， he didn’t seem upset or anxious. I felt something was different.
So I became still and I sat. And I heard a voice in my heart telling me what to do. I called our veterinarian and made an appointment to bring the kittens in and get their eyes checked. On the way home from the doctor， I went to a pet store and bought my first litter box. I came home and brought the box of kittens back into the house. Jake was waiting. The time had come， so I carefully put the babies on the floor of the kitchen and held my breath， ready to come to the rescue if necessary.
Jake walked over and sniffed each of the kittens. Then he sat down in the middle of them and looked up at me. The kittens swarmed over him， happy to find a big， warm body of fur to curl up next to. That’s when Jake opened his heart to the five little kittens and adopted them as his own. I wondered if he remembered a time when he， too， had needed a home. I went down to thank him for his love and compassion and tell him how grateful I was he’d come into my life. But it would have to wait until later—Jake and his kittens were fast asleep.
一开始，杰克就很清楚地表现出它对猫的看法：它们最适合作为一道菜放在盘中。
杰克是我们的一条居家狗，它是一只身形高大、盛气凌人的公狗，它的身上有着博德牧羊犬、拉布拉多猎犬以及一点德国牧羊犬的血统。在它2岁的时候，我们从当地的一家动物避难所收养了它。我心爱的玛撒因一场意外的疾病离开了，后来杰克走进了我们的生活。一天，我们去避难所原本想再找一只像玛撒一样的皮毛乱蓬蓬的母狗，但是在湖边我们发现了一只短毛的公狗，它高傲地、静静地坐在那些狂吠不止的狗中间。我们告诉避难所的管理员，我们要带杰克回家，因为我们能感觉到它的身上有一种神奇的魔力。“这样太好了，”管理员说道，“当它把那种神奇的魔力展现在你面前的时候，请不要再将它送回来了！”
杰克很快就成了我们喜爱的家庭成员。它很喜欢看我们用无数的喂食器和鸟盆来吸引院子里的小鸟。它和邻居家的小狗及附近其他的狗在公园里一起做游戏，但是它非常明确地表示：猫是不允许到它的领地上来的。如果有任何猫走得太近了，它就会穷追不舍地将它们撵走。
有一天，我发现我们的柴堆房里有几只很小的野猫。尽管我是一个养狗人，也从来没有想过要和猫共同生活，但是我的内心深处还是对这3只小猫充满了怜悯。它们大概有4个星期大，灰色斑纹的皮毛十分漂亮，大大的眼睛充满了恐惧，它们的妈妈不见了。我将它们放进一只箱子，并拿到屋里。杰克听见猫叫的声音，就立刻开始分泌唾液，流着口水，并喘着粗气。兽医告诉我们：“有些狗在任何情况下都是不会接受猫的。”
那次小猫事件已经过去一年了，有一天我向外望去，目光落在一张桌子上，看见杰克的耳朵竖着，头歪向一边，盯着地面。在它的脚下有一只小猫咪，静静地坐着。我试图用温和的话语安抚杰克，使它平静下来，我又往前走得近些，希望能阻止那种我确信即将发生的悲惨攻击。那只小猫的眼睛受到了严重感染，可能已经看不见了，不知道自己在哪里或是还不知道自己即将面临危险。但是杰克只是盯着那只小猫，然后又看看我，再转过去看看小猫。我听见了猫的叫声，发现桌子底下还有一只小猫。于是我把这两只猫都放进盒子里，将这个盒子作为它们临时的家。我把盒子放在车库，然后开始给我所知道的那些动物收养所打电话，不厌其烦地向他们说着同样的故事——我的狗从来不允许那些猫进入我们家，我需要立刻将这两只小猫重新安置好。
第二天早晨，我们又发现3只小猫躺在门口的柴堆旁，蜷缩在一起取暖。于是我把它们也带了进来，并放在盒子里。
我的心情异常沉重。现在，我们已经有5只小猫了，它们的眼睛都感染得很厉害。它们都将被送到一个挤满了被遗弃的动物的家庭里。一整天，我都在不停地打电话，只是一遍又一遍地被告知已经没有足够的地方再收养更多的动物了。我知道现在我已经无从选择了。我的眼中噙着泪，拨通了兽医院的电话，希望他们把小猫永远带出我的生活。与此同时，我又看了看杰克，它静静地观察着身边的一切，没有流口水，也没有喘息声。它看起来没有一点不安与急躁，我感觉有些事情发生了改变。
于是，我平静地坐着，而且心中有一个声音告诉我该怎么做。我给兽医打了电话，预约检查小猫的眼睛。从兽医院回家的路上，我去了一家宠物店，买了第一箱猫食。回到家中，我将放小猫的盒子拿到屋里。杰克在旁边等着。时间到了，于是我小心翼翼地将那几只小猫放在厨房的地板上，屏住呼吸，时刻准备在必要时刻去拯救那几只小猫。
杰克走了过来，用鼻子挨个闻了闻那几只小猫，接着就坐在它们的中间，看着我。那几只小猫蜂拥而上，很高兴能够找到这么大的可以依偎的既温暖又毛茸茸的身体来取暖。那是杰克打开它的心扉接受这5只小猫咪的时刻，我不知道它是不是也想起了当时自己也需要一个家。我蹲下来感谢它的爱心和怜悯，告诉它，我是多么感激它走进了我的生活。但是这些感激的话语等到以后再告诉他吧——杰克和它的小猫咪们已经睡着了。
心灵小语
我不知道它是不是也想起了当时自己也需要一个家。我蹲下来感谢它的爱心和怜悯，告诉它，我是多么感激它走进了我的生活。
记忆填空
1. They were only about four weeks old， and had gray-striped bodies and large， frightened eyes. Their mother was in sight. I put them into a box and them inside.
2. So I still and I sat. And I heard a voice in my telling me what to do. I called our veterinarian and made an to bring the kittens in and get their eyes checked.
3. Jake walked over and sniffed each of the . Then he sat down in the of them and looked up at me. The kittens swarmed over him， happy to find a big， body of fur to curl up next to.
佳句翻译
1. 我将它们放进一只箱子，并拿到屋里。
译
2. 我试图用温和的话语安抚杰克，使它平静下来。
译
3. 没有流口水，也没有喘息声，它看起来没有一点不安与急躁。
译
短语应用
1. ... and I need to relocate them right away.
right away：立刻；马上
造__________________
2. I knew I’d run out of options， so with tears in my eyes ...
run out of：用完
造__________________
史努比回家
The Puppy Express
佚名 / Anonymous
The Topps stood on the shoulder of the road and watched as their truck’s engine shuddered and died. Nancy and Joe， their two children， Jodi， twelve， and Matthew， fifteen， and their elderly dog， Snoopy， were 1500 miles from home， stranded on a highway in Wyoming， with the old truck clearly beyond even Joe’s gift for repairs. The little dog， peering around the circle of faces with cataract dimmed eyes， seemed to reflect their anxiety.
The Topps were on the road because five months before， a nephew had told Joe there was work to be had in the Napa Valley and he and Nancy decided to gamble. Breaking up their home in Fort Wayne， Indiana， they packed up the kids and Snoopy and set out for California. But once there， the warehousing job Joe hoped for didn’t materialize， Nancy and the kids were very homesick， and their funds melted away. Now it was January and， the gamble lost， they were on their way back to Fort Wayne.
The truck had taken them as far as Rock Springs， Wyoming， but now there was nothing to do but sell it to a junk dealer for twenty-five dollars and hitch a ride to the bus station. Two pieces of bad news greeted them at the station. Four tickets to Fort Wayne came to much more money than they had， and dogs were not allowed on the bus.
“But we’ve got to take Snoopy with us.” Nancy pleaded with the ticket-seller， tears welling in her eyes.
Joe drew her away from the window. It was no use getting upset about Snoopy， he told her， until they figured how to get themselves on the bus. With no choice but to ask for help， they called Travelers’ Aid， and with kind efficiency， the local representative arranged for a motel room for them for the night. There， with their boxes and bags piled around them， they put in a call to relatives back home， who promised to get together money for the fare and wirer it the next day.
“But what about Snoopy？” Matthew said as soon as his parents got off the phone.
“We can’t go without Snoopy，”Jodi stated flatly. At seventeen， Snoopy had a bit of a heart condition and some kidney problems， and the family worried about her.
Joe picked up the little dog. “Snoopy，” he said， tugging her floppy ears in the way she liked. “I think you’re going to have to hitchhike.”
“Don’t tease， Joe，” said Nancy shortly.
“I’m not teasing， honey，” he assured her， tucking Snoopy into the crook of his arm. “I’m going to try to find an eastbound trucker to take the old girl back for US.”
At the local truck stop， Joe sat Snoopy on a stool beside him while he fell into conversation with drivers who stopped to pet her. “Gee， I’d like to help you out，” one after another said. “She’s awful cute and I wouldn’t mind the company， but I’m not going through Fort Wayne this trip.” The only driver who could have taken her picked Snoopy up and looked at her closely. “Naw，” the man growled， “with an old dog like her， there’d be too many pit stops. I got to make time.” Still hopeful， Joe tacked up a sign and gave the motel’s phone number.
“Somebody will call before bus time tomorrow，” he predicted to the kids when he and Snoopy got back to the motel.
“But suppose nobody does？” Jodi said.
Joe answered， “Sweetie， we’ve got to be on that bus. The Travelers’ Aid can only pay for us to stay here one night.”
The next day Joe went off to collect the wired funds while Nancy and the kids sorted through their possessions, trying to decide what could be crammed into the six pieces of baggage they were allowed on the bus and what had to be left behind. Ordinarily Snoopy would have napped, but now her eyes followed every move of Nancy and the children, and if one of them paused to think, even for a minute, Snoopy nosed at the idle hand, asking to be touched, to be held.
“She knows,” Jodi said, cradling her. “She knows something awful is going to happen.”
The Travelers’ Aid representative arrived to take the belongings they couldn’t pack for donation to the local thrift shop. A nice man, he was caught between being sympathetic and being practical when he looked at Snoopy. “Seventeen is really old for a dog,” he said gently. “Maybe you just have to figure she’s had a long life and a good one.” When nobody spoke, he took a deep breath. “If you want, you can leave her with me and I’ll have her put to sleep after you’ve gone.”
The children looked at Nancy but said nothing; they understood there wasn’t any choice and they didn’t want to make it harder on their mother by protesting. Nancy bowed her head. She thought of all the walks, all the romps, all the picnics, all the times she’d gone in to kiss the children goodnight and Snoopy had lifted her head to be kissed too.
“Thank you, ” she told the man. “It’s kind of you to offer. But no,no,” she repeated firmly, “Snoopy’s part of the family, and families don’t give up on each other.” She reached for the telephone book, looked up “Kennels” in the Yellow Pages, and began dialing. Scrupulously, she started each call with the explanation that the family was down on their luck. “But,”she begged, “if you’ll just keep our little dog until we can find a way to get her to Fort Wayne, I give you my word we’ll pay. Please trust me. Please.”
A veterinary clinic, which also boarded pets, finally agreed, and the Travelers’ Aid representative drove them to the place. Nancy was the last to say good-bye. She knelt and took Snoopy’s frosted muzzle in her hands. “You know we’d never leave you if we could help it,” she whispered, “so don’t give up; don’t you dare give up. We’ll get you back somehow. I promise.”
Once back in Fort Wayne, the Topps found a mobile home to rent, one of Joe’s brothers gave them his old car, sisters-in-law provided pots and pans and bed linens, the children returned to their old schools, and Nancy and Joe found jobs. Bit by bit the family got itself together, but the circle had a painful gap in it. Snoopy was missing. Everyday Nancy telephoned a different moving company, a different trucking company, begging for a ride for Snoopy. Every day Jodi and Matthew came through the door asking if she’d had any luck, and she had to say no.
By March, they’d been back in Fort Wayne six weeks and Nancy was in despair. She dreaded bearing from Wyoming that Snoopy had died out there, never knowing how hard they’d tried to get her back. One day, having tried everything else, she telephoned the Fort Wayne Department of Animal Control and told them the story.
“I don’t know what I can do to help,”the director, a man named Rod, said when she’d finished. “But I’ll tell you this: I’m sure going to try.”
A week later, he too had exhausted the obvious approaches. Snoopy was too frail to be shipped in the unheated baggage compartment of a plane. A professional animal transporting company wanted $665 to bring her east. Shipping companies refused to be responsible for her. Rod hung up from his latest call and shook his head. “I wish the old-time Pony Express was still in existence,” he remarked to his assistant, Skip. “They’d have brought the dog back.”
“They’d have passed her along from one driver to another. It would’ve been a Puppy Express,” Skip joked.
Rod thought for a minute. “By golly, that maybe the answer.” He got out a map and a list of animal shelters in Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, and began telephoning. Could he enlist enough volunteers to put together a Puppy Express to transport Snoopy by stages across five states? Would enough people believe it mattered so for a little seventeen-year-old dog to be reunited with her family that they’d drive a hundred or so miles west to pick her up and another hundred or so miles east to deliver her to the next driver?
A week later, Rod called the Topps. “The Puppy Express starts tomorrow. Snoopy’s coming home!” he told Nancy jubilantly.
The animal control officer in Rock Springs had volunteered to be Snoopy’s first driver. When he pulled up outside the clinic, the vet bundled Snoopy in a sweater and carried her to the car. “She’s got a cold,” the vet said, “so keep her warm. Medicine and instructions and the special food for her kidney condition are in the shopping bag.”
She put the little dog on the seat and held out her hand. Snoopy placed her paw in it. “You’re welcome, old girl,” the vet said, shaking it. “It’s been a pleasure taking care of you. The best of luck. Get home safely!”
They drove the 108 miles to Rawlings， Wyoming. There they rendezvoused with a woman named Cathy， who’d come 118 miles from Casper to meet them. Cathy laughed when she saw Snoopy. “What a funny-looking little serious creature you are to be traveling in such style，” she teased. “Imagine， private chauffeurs across five states.” But that evening， when she phoned Rod in Indiana to report that Snoopy had arrived safely in Casper， she called her "a dear old girl" ， and admitted that， “If she were mine， I’d go to a lot of trouble to get her back， too.”
Snoopy went to bed at Cathy’s house a nondescript little brown-and-white dog， very long in the tooth， and woke the next morning a celebrity. Word of the seventeen-year-old puppy with a bad cold who was being shuttled across mid-America to rejoin her family had reached the news media. After breakfast， dazed by the camera but， as always， polite， Snoopy sat on a desk at the Casper Humane Society and obligingly cocked her head and showed off the new leash that was a gift from Cathy. And that night， in Fort Wayne， the Topps were caught between laughter and tears as they saw their old girl peer out at them from the television set.
With the interview behind her， Snoopy set out for North Platte， 350 miles away， in the company of a humane society official in Casper who had volunteered for the longest single hop on Snoopy’s journey. The two of them stopped overnight and arrived in North Platte at noon the next day. More reporters and cameramen awaited them， but as soon as she’d been interviewed. Snoopy was back on the road for a 138-mile trip to Grand Island.
Twice more that day she was passed along， arriving in Lincoln， Nebraska， after dark and so tired that she curled up in the first doggie bed she saw despite the growls of its rightful owner.
With a gift of a new wicker sleeping basket and a note “Happy to be part of the chain reuniting Snoopy with her family，” Nebraska passed the little dog on to Iowa. After a change of car and driver in Des Moines， Snoopy sped on and by nightfall was in Cedar Rapids.
At nightfall of her fifth day on the road， Snoopy was in Chicago， her next-to-last stop. Whether it was that she was getting close to home or just because her cold had run its course， she was clearly better. Indeed， the vet who examined her told the reporters that， “For an old lady who’s been traveling all week and has come more than 1 300 miles， she’s in grand shape. She’s going to make it home tomorrow just fine.” The Topps， watching the nightly update of Snoopy’s journey on the Fort Wayne TV station， broke into cheers.
The next day was Saturday， March 17th. In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day， the little dog sported a new green coat with a green derby pinned to the collar. The Chicago press did one last interview with her， and then Snoopy had nothing to do but nap until Rod’s assistant， Skip， arrived from Fort Wayne to drive her the 160 miles home.
Hours before Snoopy and Skip were expected in Fort Wayne， the Topps were waiting excitedly at the humane shelter. Jodi and Matthew worked on a room-sized banner that， when it was unfurled， read： WELCOME HOME， SNOOPY！ FROM ROCK SPRINGS， WYOMING， TO FORT WAYNE， INDIANA， VIA THE PUPPY EXPRESS， with her route outlined across the bottom and their signatures in the corner. Reporters from the Fort Wayne TV stations and newspaper， the Topps， friends and family and the shelter’s staff all crowded into the shelter’s waiting room.
Somewhere amid the fuss and confusion， Rod found time to draw Nancy aside and give her word that Snoopy would be arriving home with her boarding bill marked “Paid in Full ”. An anonymous friend of the Humane Society in Casper had taken care of it.
Then the CB radio crackled， and Skip’s voice filled the crowded room. “Coming in！ The Puppy Express is coming in！”
Nancy and Joe and the children rushed out in the subfreezing air， the reporters on their heels. Around the comer came the pickup truck， lights flashing， siren sounding. “Snoopy’s coming home！” screamed the children， “Snoopy’s coming home！”
And there the little dog was， sitting up on the front seat in her St. Patrick’s day outfit， peering nearsightedly out of the window at all the commotion. After two months of separation from her family， after a week on the road， after traveling across five states for 1 500 miles in the company of strangers， Snoopy’s odyssey was over.
Nancy got to the truck first. In the instant before she snatched the door open， Snoopy recognized her. Barking wildly， she scrambled across tile seat and into Nancy’s arms. Then Joe was there， and the children. Laughing， crying， they hugged Snoopy and each other. The family that didn’t give up on even its smallest member was back together again.
托普斯一家站在路边，眼睁睁地看着他们的卡车发动机颤抖着熄了火。南希和乔夫妇带着他们的两个孩子，12岁的约迪和15岁的马修，还有老狗史努比，在离家1，500英里远的怀俄明州的一条公路上，就这样陷入了困境。就连擅长修车的乔对他们这辆破卡车都无能为力。那只患有白内障的小狗用晦暗的眼神焦虑地望着家人们的脸。
托普斯一家正在旅途中。5个月前，乔的一个外甥告诉他说纳帕山谷有工作可干，于是他们便决定冒险去看看。他们带着孩子和史努比从印第安纳州的韦恩堡的家出发，赶往加利福尼亚州。可到了那里，乔并没如愿地找到仓管工作。南希和孩子都非常想家，而且他们的积蓄也快用完了。到了1月份，原来的美好愿望都落空了，于是他们决定返回韦恩堡。
卡车只能将他们带到怀俄明州的罗克斯普林斯这么远了，他们现在唯一的办法就是把卡车以25美元的价格卖给旧货商，然后搭便车去长途客运站乘客车回家。然而到了车站，迎接他们的有两个坏消息：一是他们手中的钱根本不够买四张去韦恩堡的车票；二是车上根本不允许带狗。
“但我们必须让史努比和我们一起走啊！”南希哭着哀求售票员。
乔把南希从售票窗口拉走说：“为史努比操心没用，我们先得想办法使我们四口人坐上车才是。”一家人实在想不出什么好办法了，就打电话给旅行者援助组织寻求帮助。该组织立即伸出了援助之手，当地援助组织的代表给他们安排了房间过夜。房间里堆满了小包大包的东西，他们打电话给老家的亲戚，亲戚们答应给他们凑路费，然后第二天汇过来。
“史努比怎么办？”等他们一挂电话，马修就迫不及待地问道。
“我们不能没有史努比，”约迪有气无力地说道。史努比17岁了，心脏不太好，肾脏也有毛病，因此托普斯全家都为它感到忧虑。
乔把小狗抱起来。“史努比，”他用能博得它欢心的方式拽了拽它的耳朵，说：“我想你不得不搭便车回家了。”
“乔，别逗它了。”南希不耐烦地说。
“我不是在逗它，亲爱的。”乔肯定地说，把史努比搂进臂弯里，安慰南希，“我要试着找个向东去的卡车司机，拜托他把咱家老闺女捎回去。”
在当地的卡车站，乔把史努比放到了他身边的凳子上，就与那些逗小狗的司机们攀谈起来。“哦，我愿意帮你，”他们七嘴八舌地这么说着，“它太可爱了，我真想让它给我做伴，但遗憾的是，这趟我不跑韦恩堡。”唯一一位原本可以帮忙的司机抱起史努比，仔细地看了后，说：“啊，不行，”他大声说，“这么老的一条狗，一路要停好几次车让它撒尿，可我还要赶时间啊。”乔并没有放弃，他仍满怀希望，贴出了一张告示，并将汽车旅馆的电话写在了上边。
“明天我们的车走之前一定会有人打电话来的。”乔带着史努比回到汽车旅馆后，对孩子们预言着。
“如果没人打来电话怎么办呢？”约迪问。
乔回答说：“亲爱的，那我们也非走不可，救助组织只帮我们付一天的旅馆住宿费。”
第二天乔去取汇款，南希和孩子们整理东西，看看哪些该塞进允许带上车的六件行李里，哪些不得不留下。史努比通常爱打盹，而这会儿，它却关注着南希和孩子们的一举一动；如果哪个人停下来思考，哪怕只是一会儿工夫，史努比都会用鼻子去拱那只空闲的手，让他抚摸它，抱抱它。
“它心里明白，”约迪把它抱在怀里说，“它明白将有可怕的事情发生。”
旅行者援助组织的代表来把他们没法带走的东西取走，捐献给当地的旧货店。那位代表是位善良的人，当他看到史努比的时候，不禁产生了恻隐之心，但又不得不考虑到现实问题，他开始左右为难起来，“17岁，对于一只狗来说，确实老了点儿，”他轻声说道，“或许你们可以这么考虑，它活的年头也够多了，而且一直过得还不错。”没人吭声，他吸了一口气，继续说道，“要是你们愿意的话，可以把它留给我，等你们走后，我再给它实行安乐死。”
孩子们望着南希，什么也没说。他们知道自己别无选择，也不想提出异议让妈妈为难。南希低着头，每次散步、嬉闹和野餐的欢乐情景又一次浮现在眼前，每晚进入孩子们的房间与他们吻别道晚安时，史努比也仰头要她吻。
“谢谢您，”南希对那位代表说，“谢谢您肯帮忙，但是不可以，绝对不可以，”她坚定地重复着，“史努比是我们家的一分子，我们是不会舍弃家人的。”南希伸手抓起电话本，翻看黄页，在“动物临时寄养场”一栏查找起来，然后开始拨号。她开始认真地向每个临时寄养场解释他们家遇到的麻烦事。“但是，”她恳求道，“如果你们愿意暂时收留我们的小狗，最终我一定会想办法把它弄回韦恩堡的，我说话算数，一定会付给你们钱。请相信我，求求你们了！”
一个能寄养宠物的动物诊所终于同意了。旅行者援助组织的代表开车把他们送了过去。南希是最后一个与史努比告别的，她跪在它身旁，抚摸着它那冰冷的鼻子和嘴巴。“你知道的，如果我们有其他的办法，一定不会把你留在这儿的。”南希低声说道，“所以你绝不要放弃，一定要坚持等我们。我们一定会想办法让你回家，我发誓。”
刚回到韦恩堡，托普斯一家就把一间活动房屋租了下来，乔的一个哥哥送给他们一辆旧车，嫂嫂们给了他们锅碗瓢盆和床单床罩之类的家当。孩子们又回到原来的学校读书，南希和乔都找到了工作。一家人的生活逐渐安定了，但是家里缺少了史努比，一家人总觉得有种莫名的伤痛。南希每天都打电话给不同的搬运公司，请求他们把史努比捎回来。约迪和马修每天放学回家就问妈妈运气怎样，她只好回答说还没消息。
到了3月份，他们回韦恩堡已有6周了，南希陷入了痛苦的绝望中。她担心史努比已死的噩耗会从怀俄明传来，而它还不曾知道主人们曾为它的归来付出了多少艰辛。想尽了种种办法仍于事无补，一天，她把电话打到了韦恩堡的动物管理部门，讲述了他们的故事。
“我不知道我能帮上你什么忙，”南希讲述完后，一个叫罗德的主任说，“不过我告诉你：我一定会试试。”
一周后，罗德试了所有他能想到的办法，但都无济于事。史努比身体孱弱，不能放在没暖气的行李舱里空运。一家专业动物运输公司要价665美元。普通的运输公司又不愿意承担这样的运输任务。罗德把最后一个电话挂断了，摇着头说：“我真希望现在还有当年的快马邮递。”他对他的助手斯基普说道：“他们可以把狗带回来。”
“那他们要一个司机一个司机地接力，那可成了小狗快运了。”斯基普打趣道。
罗德想了一会儿。“呀，对啊，或许这样可以。”他找出一张地图和一张写有怀俄明、内布拉斯加、艾奥华、伊利诺伊和印第安纳州所有动物庇护站的名单，然后便开始拨电话。能有足够的志愿者加入这个横跨5个州的小狗快运行列吗？会有很多人坚信，为了让一只17岁的小狗与家人团聚，值得他们西行100多英里去接它，再东行100多英里把它交给下一个司机吗？
一周后，罗德给托普斯家打电话，“小狗快运明日启程，史努比快回家了！”他激动地告诉南希这一好消息。
罗克斯普林斯动物管理部门的负责人志愿担任史努比的第一位司机。他把车停在动物诊所外，兽医把史努比用绒衣包好，送她上车。“它感冒了，”兽医说，“别让它着凉。购物袋里装着它该吃的药和用药说明，还有根据它的肾脏情况专门制作的食物。”
它把小狗放到车座上后，伸出了手，史努比就把爪子放到了它的手掌上。“老闺女，不必客气，”兽医握着史努比的爪子说，“很高兴照顾你。祝你好运，能平安到家！”
他们驱车108英里到了怀俄明州的罗林斯，在那里与从118英里外卡斯珀城来的卡西会面，卡西一见到史努比就笑起来。“你这虎头虎脑的小家伙竟有幸进行这么体面的旅行，”她风趣地说，“你想啊，5个私人司机，横跨5个州。”但那天晚上，她在给印第安纳州的罗德打电话报告安全抵达卡斯珀的时候，她已经改口称史努比为“亲爱的老闺女”了，并且承认，“如果这是我的狗，我也会想尽办法把它弄回身边的。”
在卡西家睡觉的时候，史努比还是只不为人所知的褐白相间的年迈小狗，第二天一早醒来却英名远扬了。以接力的形式横跨美国中部护运一只患重感冒的17岁小狗与家人团聚的消息不胫而走，各新闻媒体都竞相报道。吃过早饭后，史努比被摄像机照得眼花缭乱，但它仍和以往一样，文静地坐在卡斯珀动物保护协会的写字桌上，优雅地翘着头，向人炫耀卡西送它的礼物——那条新皮带。那晚，韦恩堡的托普斯一家人看到电视中的史努比冲着他们笑，激动得无以言表。
记者采访结束后，在卡斯珀动物保护协会一名工作人员的陪同下，史努比又出发前往350英里外的北普拉特。这位工作人员志愿护送史努比旅程中这段最长的路程。中途他们俩停车过夜，第二天中午抵达北普拉特，更多的记者和摄影师等候在那里，他们一下车便接受采访。史努比又连忙赶往138英里外的格兰德岛。
那天又换了两次车，天黑后到达内布拉斯加的林肯市。史努比已经精疲力竭，蜷缩在几天来看见的第一张狗铺上睡着了，根本无视铺主人的吼叫。
带着那件礼物——一个新的柳条编制的睡篮，还附有一张写着“很高兴成为帮助史努比与家人团聚的接力传送队的一员”的便条，小狗从内布拉斯加州来到了艾奥瓦州。在得梅因换了车和司机后，史努比便继续前进，傍晚时分到了锡达拉皮兹。
第五天黄昏，史努比抵达了芝加哥，这是它旅途的倒数第二站。不知是因离家越来越近了，还是感冒好了，史努比明显精神了许多。确实，为它体检的兽医对记者说：“这么大年纪的狗，颠簸了一周，行程1，300多英里，就目前这种良好的身体状况来看，明天平安到家是没问题的。”托普斯全家在韦恩堡电视台看到了晚间最新报道，得知史努比旅途的最新消息，兴奋不已。
第二天，3月17日，星期六。为纪念圣帕特里克节，小狗特意穿了件绿色外套，项圈上别着一顶绿色圆顶礼帽，特别引人注目。在芝加哥接受了新闻界的最后一次采访之后，史努比无事可做，就小憩了一会儿，只等罗德的助手斯基普从韦恩堡来接它走完最后的160英里路程。
托普斯一家早在史努比和斯基普抵达韦恩堡的前几个小时，便兴奋地在动物庇养站翘首以待了。约迪和马修准备了一张房间那么大的横幅，上面写着：“史努比，欢迎你乘小狗快运从怀俄明州罗克斯普林斯回到印第安纳州韦恩堡的家！”横幅下面标示着全程路线，横幅角上还签有他俩的名字。动物庇养站接待室里，挤满了来自当地电视台和报社的记者，托普斯一家及他们的亲朋好友，还有庇养站的工作人员。
在这片忙乱中，罗德找个机会把南希拽到一边，告诉她说史努比的食宿账单上已经注了“金额付讫”的字样。卡斯珀动物保护协会的一位不愿透露姓名的朋友承担了这笔费用。
这时，民用波段无线电嘎嘎作响，挤满人的接待室传来了斯基普的声音：“到了！小狗快运到了！”
南希、乔和孩子们不顾一切地冲向零度以下的室外，记者们紧随其后。货车转过街角，车灯闪烁，喇叭鸣响。孩子们高喊着：“史努比回家了！史努比回家了！”
小狗穿着圣帕特里克节日盛装坐在前排座位上，眯着近视眼望着窗外喧闹的人群。与家人分离两个月，路上走了一个星期，在陌生人陪伴下行程1，500英里，途经5个州，史努比的漫长行程终于结束了。
南希第一个走到卡车跟前，在她打开车门的一刹那，史努比认出了她。它高兴地大声叫着，爬过座位，扑入南希的怀抱。随后乔和孩子们也出现了。他们悲喜交加地拥抱着史努比，互相庆贺着，这个没有舍弃家庭中最小成员的一家又一次相聚在一起。
心灵小语
这场行程1，500英里，途经5个州的旅程，只为了送一只名叫史努比的狗回家。我们完全有理由相信：有了爱，一切皆有可能。
记忆填空
1. The next day Joe went off to the wired funds while Nancy and the kids sorted through their possessions， trying to what could be crammed into the six pieces of they were allowed on the bus and what had to be left behind.
2. amid the fuss and confusion， Rod found time to draw Nancy aside and her word that Snoopy would be arriving home with her boarding bill “Paid in Full ”.
3. Nancy got to the truck . In the before she snatched the door open， Snoopy her. Barking wildly， she scrambled across tile seat and into Nancy’s arms.
佳句翻译
1. 南希和孩子都非常想家，而且他们的积蓄也快用完了。
译
2. 你绝不要放弃，一定要坚持等我们。
译
3. 他们悲喜交加地拥抱着史努比，互相庆贺着，这个没有舍弃家庭中最小成员的一家又一次相聚在一起。
译
短语应用
1. ...and obligingly cocked her head and showed off the new leash that was a gift from Cathy.
show off：炫耀；卖弄
造__________________
2. In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day， the little dog sported a new green coat with a green derby pinned to the collar.
in honor of：为纪念（为向……表示敬意；为庆祝
造__________________
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