Lesson Sixteen The Letter “A”(II)一、词汇intelligence n. 智力，理解力apparent adj. 明显的toe n. （人的）脚趾（finger 手指）kitchen n. 厨房imprison v. 禁锢，限制imprisonment n. 禁锢，限制long v. 渴望reward v. 报答，回报open adj. 无遮掩的triumph n. 胜利，成功uncertainty n. 不确定，不明确inside adv. 在里面glow n. 不刺眼的光，柔和的光giant adj. 巨人般的，特大的sum n. 算术题；运算，计算slate n. （旧时学童用的书写工具）石板prop v. 支撑slender adj. 细长的，纤细的vivid adj. （指光线或颜色）鲜艳的，鲜明的fascinate v. 使（某人）着迷或极感兴趣puzzle n. 令人费解的事（或人）useless adj. 无用的impolitely adv. 不礼貌的，粗鲁的impulse n. 冲动，一时的念头scribble n. 潦草的字迹，乱写或乱画的东西dazed adj. 茫然的surprised adj. 感到惊讶的，感到惊奇的aware adj. 意识到，觉察到stir v. （微微地）动；活动；摇晃midway adv. 在中途，在中间tension n. （精神上的）紧张，不安grip （gripped, gripped） v. 紧抓，紧握kneel （knelt, knelt） v. 跪下choke v. （使）难以呼吸deliberately adv. 不慌不忙地，从容不迫地；故意地freeze （froze, frozen） v. 使（人）呆住不动的immobile adj. 静止的，不能移动的stillness n. 平静，沉默profound adj. 深的，极度的ticking n. （指钟等发出）滴答声hiss n. 嘶嘶声crackle n. 爆裂声，噼啪声open adj. 敞开的stab n. 戳，捅stiffen v. 使变挺stump n. 残余部分，残段fingernail n. 手指甲pierce v. 刺入，刺破lower lip n. 下嘴唇（upper lip 上嘴唇）shaky adj. 不稳固的，摇晃的awkward adj. 难看的，不雅观的uneven adj. 不平衡的，参差不齐的lasting adj. 持久的，永久的written word n. 文字scrawl v. 潦草地写，乱写，乱画，乱涂key n. 门路；秘诀；（解决问题的）线索二、课文分析The Letter “A”1 I was now five, and still I showed no real sign of intelligence, I showed no apparent interest in things except for my toes – more especially those on my left foot. I used to lie on my back all the time in the kitchen or ,on bright warm days ,out in the garden ,surrounded by a family that loved me and hoped for me and that made me part of it. I was lonely, imprisoned in a world of my own ,unable to communicate with others, cut off, separated from them as though a glass wall stood between my existence and theirs, I longed to run about and play with the rest, but I was unable to break loose from my imprisonment.我现在已经满五岁了，但是仍然没有表现出有任何智力，除了我的脚趾头，尤其是我左脚的脚趾头。
我对任何事情都没有展示出任何兴趣，我过去常常在厨房里仰躺着，周围围绕着我的家人，他们很爱我，并且为我祈祷，让我成为家庭的一分子。
我当时非常的寂寞，囚禁在我自己的世界当中。
也不能跟别人去沟通，与世隔绝。
和他们之间有一道屏障，我非常希望能够跟着他们到处跑，但是我却无法从囚禁当中解脱出来。
2 Then suddenly, it happened! In a moment everything was changed, my future life took a definite shape ,my mother's faith in me rewarded ,and her secret fear changed into open triumph.然后，奇迹发生了！那一瞬间改变了以后的一切：我未来的生活有了眉目；我母亲对我的信念得到了回报；她内心深处的忧虑变成公开表露的胜利的喜悦。
（1） take shape 成形The organization began to take shape.那个组织开始形成。
The plan is beginning to take shape in my mind.这个计划在我脑子里逐渐有了眉目。
After months of work, the new book is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的努力，这本新书渐渐像个样子了。
（2） have faith in 对….. 有信心I had faith in Lao Zhang. I knew he would take care of me.我对老张有信心，我知道他会照顾我。
I haven't much faith in this medicine.我对这种药没有多大信心。
（3） be rewarded 得到回报The winners were rewarded with gifts of fruit and flowers.优胜者得了水果和鲜花。
People should be rewarded for special effort.做出特殊努力的人应得到回报。
3 It happened so quickly, so simply after all the years of waiting and uncertainty, that I can see and feel the whole scene as if it had happened last week. It was the afternoon of a cold , grey December day.It was snowing.The streets outside were all covered with snow.经过多年的等待，多年的迷茫，这件事发生得突如其来，也颇为简单，我对当时的情况记忆犹新，好像一切都是上星期刚发生的一样。
当时是一个非常冷的 12 月份的下午，当时正在下雪，屋外的街道全都覆盖着冰雪。
4 Inside, all the family were gathered round the big kitchen fire that lit up the little room with a warm glow and made giant shadows dance on the walls and ceiling. 在室内，全家人聚集在厨房的大火炉旁，炉火用其暖人的火光照亮了这间小屋，跳动的炉火还使得那些巨大的影子在墙上和天花板上不断晃动。
5 In a corner Mona , my sister ,and Paddy, my brother, were sitting together. They were writing down little sums onto an old slate , using a piece of yellow chalk, I was close to them, propped up by a few pillows against the wall, watching.我的姐姐 Mona 和我的哥哥 Paddy 住在厨房的角落里，他们正在把简单的算数题写在旧石板上。
手里用的是一支黄颜色的粉笔，我离他们很近，用几个靠在墙上的枕头支撑着，看着他们俩人。
6 It was the chalk that attracted me so much. It was a long ,slender stick of vivid yellow.I had never seen anything like it before ,and I was fascinated by it as much as if it had been a stick of gold.这个粉笔让我着迷，这个粉笔是一个细细的鲜艳的黄色的长棍。
之前我从来都没有见过那样的东西，而且那支粉笔就像是一条金杖使我着迷。
7 Suddenly, I wanted desperately to do what my sister was doing.Then – without thinking or knowing exactly what I was doing ,I reached out and took the stick of chalk out of my sister's hand-with my left foot.突然，我就特别想做我姐姐正在做的事情。
然后，既没有想，也不知道我到底要干什么，我脚伸了出去，把那支粉笔从我姐姐的手中夺了过来，用的是我的左脚。
8 I do not know why I used my left foot to do this.It is a puzzle to many people as well as to myself ,for ,although I had shown a curious interest in my toes at an early age ,I had never attempted before this to use either of my feet in any way ,They could have been as useless to me as were my hands ,That day ,however ,my left foot reached out and very impolitely took the chalk out of my sister's hand. 我不知道为什么用左脚，这件事不但许多人百思不得其解，就是对我自己来说也是个迷，因为我虽然很早就对我的脚趾十分的好奇，可是在这之前，我从来也没有试图去用我的双脚做任何事。