第六單元
人情味
課文A
約翰西病情嚴(yán)重,她似乎失去了活下去的意志。醫(yī)生對(duì)她不抱什:么希望。朋友們看來也愛莫能助。難道真的就無可奈何了嗎?
最后一片葉子
歐·亨利
在一幢三層磚樓的頂層,蘇和約翰西辟了個(gè)畫室?!凹s翰西”是喬安娜的昵稱。她們一位來自緬因州+一位來自加利福尼亞。兩人相遇在第八大街的一個(gè)咖啡館,發(fā)現(xiàn)各自在藝術(shù)品味、菊苣色拉,以及燈籠袖等方面趣味相投,于是就有了這個(gè)兩入畫室。
那是5月里的事。到了11月,一個(gè)醫(yī)生稱之為肺炎的陰森的隱形客闖入了這—它冰冷的手指東碰西觸。約翰西也為其所害。她病倒了,躺在床上幾乎一動(dòng)不動(dòng),小窗望著隔壁磚房那單調(diào)沉悶的側(cè)墻。
一天上午,忙碌的醫(yī)生揚(yáng)了揚(yáng)灰白的濃眉,示意蘇到過道上來。
“她只有一成希望,”他說?!澳沁€得看她自己是不是想活下去。你這位女朋友已經(jīng)下決心不想好了。她有什么心事嗎?”
“她——她想有一天能去畫那不勒斯灣,”蘇說。
“畫畫?——得了。她有沒有別的事值得她留戀的——比如說,一個(gè)男人?”
“男人?”蘇說。“難道一個(gè)男人就值得——可是,她沒有啊,大夫,沒有這碼子事?!?/span>
“好吧,”大夫說?!拔視?huì)盡一切努力,只要是科學(xué)能做到的??墒?,但凡病人開始計(jì)算她出殯的行列里有幾輛馬車的時(shí)候,我就要把醫(yī)藥的療效減去一半?!贝蠓蜃吆螅K去工作室哭了一場。隨后她攜著畫板大步走進(jìn)約翰西的房間,口里吹著輕快的口哨。
約翰西躺在被子下幾乎一動(dòng)不動(dòng),臉朝著窗。她望著窗外,數(shù)著數(shù)——倒數(shù)著數(shù)!
“12,”她數(shù)道,過了一會(huì)兒“11”,接著數(shù)“10'’和“9”;再數(shù)“8”和“7”,幾乎同時(shí)數(shù)下來。
蘇朝窗外望去。外面有什么好數(shù)的呢?外面只看到一個(gè)空蕩蕩的沉悶的院子,還有20英尺開外那磚房的側(cè)墻,上面什么也沒有。一棵古老的常青藤爬到半墻高。蕭瑟秋風(fēng)吹落了枝葉,藤上幾乎光禿禿的。
“6,”約翰西數(shù)著,聲音幾乎聽不出來。“現(xiàn)在葉子掉落得快多了。三天前差不多還有100片。數(shù)得我頭都疼??涩F(xiàn)在容易了。又掉了一片。這下子只剩5片了。”
“5片什么,親愛的?”
“葉子。常青藤上的葉子。等最后一片葉子掉了,我也就得走了。三天前我就知道會(huì)這樣。大夫沒跟你說嗎?”
“噢,我從沒聽說過這種胡說八道。常青藤葉子跟你病好不好有什么關(guān)系?別這么傻。對(duì)了,大夫上午跟我說,你的病十有八九就快好了。快喝些湯,讓蘇迪給她生病的孩子去買些波爾圖葡萄酒來?!?/span>
“你不用再去買酒了,”約翰西說道,兩眼一直盯著窗外?!坝值袅艘黄?。不,我不想喝湯。這一下只剩下4片了。我要在天黑前看到最后一片葉子掉落。那時(shí)我也就跟著走了。我都等膩了。也想膩了。我只想撇開一切,飄然而去,;就像那邊千片可憐的疲倦的葉子
“快睡吧,”蘇說?!拔业媒胸悹柭蠘莵斫o我當(dāng)老礦工模特兒。我去去就來。”
老貝爾曼是住在兩人樓下底層的一個(gè)畫家。他已年過六旬,銀白色蜷曲的長髯披掛胸前。貝爾曼看上去挺像藝術(shù)家,但在藝術(shù)上卻沒有什么成就。40年來他一直想創(chuàng)作一幅傳世之作,卻始終沒能動(dòng)手。他給那些請(qǐng)不起職業(yè)模特的青年畫家當(dāng)模特掙點(diǎn)小錢。他沒節(jié)制地喝酒,談?wù)撝羌磳柺赖牟恍嘀鳌Rf其他方面,他是個(gè)好斗的小老頭,要是誰表現(xiàn)出一點(diǎn)軟弱,他便大肆嘲笑,并把自己看成是樓上畫室里兩位年輕藝術(shù)家的看護(hù)人。
蘇在樓下光線暗淡的畫室里找到了貝爾曼,他滿身酒味刺鼻。屋子一角的畫架上支著一張從未落過筆的畫布,在那兒擱了25年,等著一幅杰作的起筆。蘇把約翰西的怪念頭跟他說了,并說約翰西本身就像一片葉子又瘦又弱,她害怕要是她那本已脆弱的生存意志再軟下去的話,真的會(huì)凋零飄落。
老貝爾曼雙眼通紅,顯然是淚漣漣的,他大聲叫嚷著說他蔑視這種傻念頭。
“什么!”他嚷道。“世界上竟然有這么愚蠢的人,因?yàn)闃淙~從藤上掉落就要去死?我聽都沒聽說過這等事:。你怎么讓這種傻念頭鉆到她那個(gè)怪腦袋里?天哪!這不是一個(gè)像約翰西小姐這樣的好姑娘躺倒生病的地方。有朝一日我要畫一幅巨作,那時(shí)候我們就離開這里。真的?!?/span>
兩人上了樓,約翰西已經(jīng)睡著了。蘇放下窗簾,示意貝爾曼去另一個(gè)房間。在那兒兩人惶惶不安地凝視著窗外的常青藤。接著兩人面面相覷,啞然無語。外面冷雨夾雪,淅淅瀝瀝。貝爾曼穿著破舊的藍(lán)色襯衣,坐在充當(dāng)?shù)V石的倒置的水壺上,擺出礦工的架勢。
第二天早上,只睡了一個(gè)小時(shí)的蘇醒來看到約翰西睜大著無神的雙眼,凝望著拉下的綠色窗簾。
“把窗簾拉起來;我要看,”她低聲命令道。
蘇帶著疲倦,遵命拉起窗簾。
可是,瞧!經(jīng)過一整夜的急風(fēng)驟雨,竟然還存留一片常青藤葉,背靠磚墻,格外顯目。這是常青藤上的最后一片葉子。近梗部位仍呈暗綠色,但邊緣已經(jīng)泛黃了,它無所畏懼地掛在離地20多英尺高的枝干上。
“這是最后一片葉子,”約翰西說?!拔乙詾橐估锼隙〞?huì)掉落的。我晚上聽到大風(fēng)呼嘯。今天它會(huì)掉落的,葉子掉的時(shí)候,也是我死的時(shí)候。”
白天慢慢過去了,即便在暮色黃昏之中,他們?nèi)阅芸吹侥瞧铝懔愕某G嗵偃~子,背靠磚墻,緊緊抱住梗莖。爾后,隨著夜幕的降臨,又是北風(fēng)大作。
等天色亮起,冷酷無情的約翰西命令將窗簾拉起。
常青藤葉依然挺在。
約翰西躺在那兒,望著它許久許久。接著她大聲呼喚正在煤氣灶上攪拌雞湯的蘇。
“我一直像個(gè)不乖的孩子,蘇迪,”約翰西說。“有一種力量讓那最后一片葉子不掉落,好讓我看到自己有多壞?!は胨朗且环N罪過。你給我喝點(diǎn)湯吧,再來點(diǎn)牛奶,稍放一點(diǎn)波爾圖葡萄酒——不,先給我拿面小鏡子宋,弄幾個(gè)枕頭墊在我身邊,我要坐起來看你做菜。
一個(gè)小時(shí)之后,·她說:
下午大夫來了,他走時(shí)蘇找了個(gè)借口跟進(jìn)了過道。
“現(xiàn)在是勢均力敵,”大夫說著,握了握蘇纖細(xì)顫抖的手。
“只要精心照料,你就贏了?,F(xiàn)在我得去樓下看另外一個(gè)病人了。貝爾曼,是他的名字——記得是個(gè)什么畫家。也是肺炎。他年老體弱,病來勢又猛。他是沒救了。不過今天他去了醫(yī)院,照料得會(huì)好一點(diǎn)?!?/span> .
第二天,大夫?qū)μK說:“她脫離危險(xiǎn)了。你贏了。注意飲食,好好照顧,就行了?!?/span>
當(dāng)日下午,蘇來到約翰西的床頭,用一只手臂摟住她。
“我跟你說件事,小白鼠,”她說?!柏悹柭壬裉煸卺t(yī)院里得肺炎去世了。他得病才兩天。發(fā)病那天上午人家在樓下他的房間里發(fā)現(xiàn)他疼得厲害。他的鞋子衣服都濕透了,冰冷冰冷的。他們想不出那么糟糕的天氣他夜里會(huì)去哪兒。后來他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個(gè)燈籠,還亮著,還有一個(gè)梯子被拖了出來,另外還有些散落的畫筆,一個(gè)調(diào)色板,和著黃綠兩種顏色,——看看窗外,寶貝兒,看看墻上那最后一片常青藤葉子。它在刮風(fēng)的時(shí)候一動(dòng)也不動(dòng),你沒有覺得奇怪嗎???;親愛的,那是貝爾曼的杰作——最后一片葉子掉落的那天夜里他畫上了這片葉子?!?/span>
第六單元
人情味
課文B
他不敢相信這個(gè)女人居然會(huì)信任自己。他也不認(rèn)為這個(gè)女人就不信任自己。不過,現(xiàn)在他不想失去別人對(duì)自己的信任。
謝謝您,太太
蘭斯頓·休斯
她是個(gè)大塊頭女人,拎著個(gè)大包,里邊除了榔頭釘子什么都有。大約夜晚11點(diǎn)光景,夜深天黑,她孤身一人正走著,一個(gè)男孩從她身后猛地竄出,想一把奪去她的包。男孩從后面一記猛拉,包帶斷裂了。(1)自身的體重加上皮包的重量使得男孩失去了平衡。他非但沒有像原先希望的那樣飛速逃離,反而兩腳朝天仰面摔到在人行道上。大塊頭女人一轉(zhuǎn)身,移交踢在他穿著藍(lán)布牛仔褲的屁股上。接著她俯身拽住他的衣襟把他拖起來猛搡了一頓。
之后那女人吩咐道:“撿起我的錢包,孩子,把它拿過來。”
她仍緊緊地拽著他。不過她略微彎下腰,好讓他俯身撿包。接著她質(zhì)問道:“你害不害臊?”
男孩被拽住衣襟,回答說尸是的,太太?!?/span>
女人問:“你這么做是想要干什么?”
男孩說:“沒想干什么?!?/span>
這時(shí),有兩三個(gè)過路人停下來,轉(zhuǎn)過身來瞧,還有人站在一邊看。
“要是我松開手,你會(huì)不會(huì)逃?”那女人問。
“會(huì)的,太太;”男孩說。
“那我就不松手,”那女人說。她沒有放開他。
“我錯(cuò)了,夫人?!蹦泻⒌吐曊f。
“唉!你的臉這么臟。我很想給你洗洗臉。你家里就沒人讓你好好洗臉嗎?”
“沒,太太?!蹦泻⒄f。
“既然這樣,今晚你的臉得好好洗洗,”大塊頭女人一邊說著,一邊拖著驚惶失措的男孩沿著街道大步走去。
他看上去十四五歲,穿著網(wǎng)球鞋和藍(lán)布牛仔褲,顯得又瘦又弱。
女人說:“你該做我的兒子。我會(huì)教你分清是非。我現(xiàn)在能做的起碼是把你的臉給洗洗。你餓不餓?”
“不餓,太太,”男孩說,“我只想要你放了我。”
“我拐彎的時(shí)候礙著你沒有?”女人問。
· “沒有,太太?!?/span> ’
“可你是自己惹上我的,”女人說。(2)“要是你以為咱倆的事兒馬上就完了,那你可就想錯(cuò)了。小伙子,等我跟你完了這事以后,你就會(huì)記住我露埃拉.貝茨.華盛頓.瓊斯太太的?!?/span>
汗珠從男孩的臉上冒了出來。他開始掙扎。瓊斯太太停下來,一把將他拽到身前,扣住他的頸脖,拉著他繼續(xù)往前走。她到了家門口,把男孩拽進(jìn)屋,走過過道,來到屋子后部一間有家具的大房間。她打開燈,讓門敞開著。男孩聽見大房子里其他房客在說笑。有的房門也開著。因此他知道除了他和這個(gè)婦人還有別人在。他們到了房間中央,那女人仍拽著他的脖子。
她開口道:“你叫什么名字?”
“羅杰,”男孩回答說。
“這樣吧,羅杰,你去那邊水池洗一洗臉,”那女人說著,終于松開了他——羅杰望望門——望望那女人——又望望門,最后朝水池走去。
“把水放一放,等到水熱起來,”她說?!斑@是條干凈毛巾,拿著。”
“你要送我去坐大牢?”男孩在水池前彎下身,問道。
“就你這樣臟的臉,我哪兒也不送你去),;那女人說:“我一心想著趕緊回家弄點(diǎn)吃的,你卻宋搶我的錢包!雖說已經(jīng)這么晚了,恐怕你也還沒吃晚飯,是吧?”
“我家里沒人,”男孩說。
“那咱們吃飯吧,”女人說?!拔蚁肽闶丘I了,餓了好一會(huì)兒了,所以想要搶我的錢包!”
“我想要雙藍(lán)色絨面革皮鞋,”男孩說。
“是這樣,你用不著為絨面革皮鞋就搶我的錢包,”露埃拉·貝茨·華盛頓·瓊斯太太說?!澳惚究梢詥栁乙摹!?/span>
“什么,太太?”
男孩望著她,水從臉上滴落下來。一陣長時(shí)間的沉默。很長很長的沉默。(3)男孩擦干臉,不知如何是好,就又擦了一把,隨后他轉(zhuǎn)過身,不知道接下來會(huì)怎么樣。門開著,他真想一下子沖到過道。他真想奔啊,奔出去!
女人坐在長沙發(fā)上。過了片刻,她說:“我也年輕過,也想得到自己得不到的東西?!?/span>
又是一陣長時(shí)間的沉默。男孩的嘴張了張。接著又皺起了眉頭,他沒意識(shí)到自己在皺眉頭。
女人說:”呃!你以為我是要說‘但是如何如何’,對(duì)嗎?你以為我是要說,‘但是我沒搶人家錢包’。嗯,我根本沒想說那些?!蓖nD。沉默?!拔乙沧鲞^一些事情,這些事我不想跟你說,孩子,也不想跟上帝說,如果上帝還不知道的話。凡人都有一些共同的地方。你坐下來,我來給咱倆弄點(diǎn)吃的。你可以用那把梳子梳梳頭,看上去也好像個(gè)樣兒?!?/span>
房間的另一角,在屏風(fēng)后面,有個(gè)煤氣灶和一個(gè)冰箱。瓊斯太太起身走到屏風(fēng)后面。女人沒留意男孩有沒有想逃,也沒去留意她留在沙發(fā)上的錢包。可男孩特地坐到離錢包遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)的房間的另一頭,坐在一個(gè)他覺得如果她想瞧,用眼角的目光就能看到的地方。(4)他不敢相信這個(gè)女人居然會(huì)信任自己。他也不認(rèn)為這個(gè)女人就不信任自己。不過,他現(xiàn)在不想失去別人對(duì)自己的信任。
她熱了些豆子和火腿肉,擺好了餐具。女人沒有問男孩住哪兒,家里有什么人,或別的會(huì)讓他尷尬的事。相反,他們一面吃著飯,她一面告訴他自己在一家酒店的美容院上班,美容院關(guān)門很晚,告訴他美容院工作的情況,告訴他有各種各樣的女人進(jìn)進(jìn)出出,有金發(fā)碧眼的,有紅頭發(fā)的,還有講西班牙語的。接著她把自己用10美分買的蛋糕切了一半給他。
“再吃點(diǎn),孩子,”她說。
兩人吃完后,她站起身來說:“好了,這10美元你拿著,去給自己買雙藍(lán)色絨面革皮鞋。下一次,可別再干傻事,搶我的錢包或別的什么人的錢包——因?yàn)橛酶F兇極惡的辦法搞來的鞋是要燙你腳的?,F(xiàn)在我得休息了。不過,從今往后,孩子,我希望你規(guī)矩一點(diǎn)?!?/span>
她領(lǐng)著他走過過道,來到前門,把門打開?!霸僖?/span>!要走正道啊,‘孩子!”男孩走下臺(tái)階,她一面說一面望著街道。
男孩想對(duì)露埃拉·貝茨·華盛頓·瓊斯太太說些別的什么,而不是“謝謝您,太太”,可當(dāng)他下了臺(tái)階轉(zhuǎn)過身來仰面望著門口這個(gè)大塊頭女人的時(shí)候,他的嘴唇動(dòng)了動(dòng),卻連這句話也沒說出口。隨后,女人把門關(guān)上。
Unit 6 The Human Touch
Text A
Content Questions(P.172)
1. They found their tastes in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves so much in tune that they set up a joint studio.
2. Johnsy would be able to recover from pneumonia if she wanted to live.
3. She wanted to paint theBayofNaplessome day.
4. She could see a bare yard, and an old ivy vine climbing half way up the brick wall.
5. Because she thought that she would die when the last leaf fell.
6. No. Because in the text the author mentions that Behrman was a failure in art. For forty years he had been always about to paint a masterpiece, without ever actually starting one.
7. He was upset that Johnsy should have such a silly idea.
8. Because they were afraid that Johnsy would die if the leaves on it were all gone.
9. She saw the last leaf on the vine.
10. It rekindled her will to live. And she realized that it was a sin to want to die.
11. He caught pneumonia because he painted the last leaf on a rainy and cold night in the yard and was wet through.
12. Yes, he finished his masterpiece eventually. It was his fine painting of the last leaf, the painting that saved Johnsy.
Text Organization (P.173)
1. (P.173)
1). She made up her mind to die when the last leaf fell.
2). She decided not to give up her life.
3). Behrman, a kind neighbor, who was aware of Johnsy's state of mind, risked death to paint the last leaf and save her.
4). Because it was so perfect the girls both mistook it for the real thing.
2. (P.173)
will to live returned.
Scenes | Paragraphs | Characters | Events |
1 | Paras 1-2 | Sue, Johnsy | Sue's roommate Johnsy caught pneumonia. |
2 | Paras 3-8 | the doctor, Sue | The doctor told Sue that Johnsy needed a strong will to live on. |
3 | Paras 9-17 | Johnsy, Sue | Johnsy decided that she would die when the 1 last ivy leaf fell. |
4 | Paras 18-2.1 | Behrman, Sue | Sue told Behrman about Johnsy's fancy. |
5 | Paras 22-33 | Sue, Johnsy | As Johnsy was encouraged by the last leaf that wouldn't give in to the weather, her |
6 | Paras 34-37 | the doctor, Sue ■ | The doctor told Sue that Johnsy would re-cover, but Behrman caught pneumonia him-self and his case was hopeless. |
7 | Paras 38-39 | Sue, Johnsy | Sue told Johnsy that Behrman had performed a kind deed without any thought of self. |
Language Sense Enhancement (P.174)
I. 1) curling 2) looking the part
3) masterpiece 4) to excess
5) For the rest 6) smelling strongly of
7) fancy 8) light and fragile
9) slight hold upon the world 10) streaming
Language Focus (P.176)
Vocabulary(P.176)
1. 1) masterpieces 2) fragile
3) fancy 4) nonsense
5) cling to 6)endure
7) acute 8) whistle
9) mock 10) subtracted
11) Sin 12) flutter/fluttering
1. (P.177)
1) gave in/gave up 2) figure out
3) sized up 4) wiped out 5) pulling up 6) wear away
7) sit up 8) hear of / about
1. (P. 178)
1) Illnesses usually stand out in childhood memories.
2) According to the bulletin, AlbrightCollegenow offers a joint bachelor's degree program in environmental studies together with Duke University.
3) The new government is less oppressive, but violence still stalks the country.
4) There is scarcely any surface water in the desert.
5) The demand for change in the election law is so persistent that both houses have promised to consider it.
4. (P. 178—179)
1) It was dreary lying in the tent with nothing to read, so we built a camp fire. Soon the smell
of steaks, bread and coffee mingled with that of fresh grass and earth. Other campers seemed to be doing the same. Here and there people were eating, drinking or dancing to their hearts' content, if not to excess. What a merry night!
2) Miss Florence, our music teacher, called to us to stop singing. I didn't realize why until Sally told me in a whisper: " You are not in tune with the group!"
3) The angry wife poured a bucket of water over her drunken husband, who was immedi-ately wet through and stumbled backward: " You can't do without drinks? I won't hear of any excuses. You certainly don't need it to turn loose your tongue!"
II. Words with Multiple Meanings (P. 179—180)
1. He went toParison business last month.
2. The train toBrusselsgoes at 2:25p.m.
3. As soon as they arrived at the meadow, the shepherd let the sheep go.
4. We went exploring together in the mountains. / We will go exploring together in the mountains.
5. Let's go and have a drink in the bar.
6. The store is going to close up soon.
1. South Koreans went crazy when their soccer players beat the Spanish team in the quarter-finals.
2. When Mother came out of the house, she found her children gone.
III. Usage (P. 180)
1. a little white wooden house
2. long, curly red hair
3. a large old round table
4. a cheap Indian restaurant
5. a huge cool chocolate ice-cream
6. rapid technological advance
7. a handsome young Chinese American
Comprehensive Exercises
I. Cloze (P. 181)
(A) | ||
1. in tune | 2. | Scarcely |
3. in a whisper | 4. | cling to |
5. merry | 6. | sat up |
7. nonsense | 8. | fancy |
9. sin | 10. | masterpiece |
(B) | ||
1. mission | 2. | involve |
3. jail | 4. | not |
5. collect | 6. | deliver |
7. beautiful | 8. | vocation |
9. need | 10. | small |
II. Translation (P. 182)
1. (P. 182)
1). The red house stands out against the old trees that reach high up to the sky.
2). The salary in/for my new job is great, but for the rest, I’m not satisfied.
3). The waters of the two streams mingle near our village.
4). We should not mock at other people’s religious beliefs.
5). The curtains of the room are not quite in tune with the style of the furniture.
2. (P. 182)
Here and there we see young artists who stand out from other people. They may be in worn out jeans all the year round, or walk barefoot / in bare feet even in winter, or drink to excess, or cling to the fancy of creating a masterpiece