素材选自《二十一世纪学生英文报·学习拓展版·初三》2020-2021学年第19-20期
(2021原创·万唯中考研究员王旭阳选材)Oneday,afarmernamedSamwalked12milesintotowntobuysomesupplies(日常用品).Heandhiswifelivedinthecountrysideanddidn’tknowmuchaboutthecityworld,soeverythinginthecityworldwasstrangetohim.
Ashewasbuyinghisthings,theownerofthestoresaid,“HeySam.Ihavesomethingspecialherethatyoumusthaven’tseenitbefore.It’scalleda‘match(火柴)’.Youcanuseittomakefireandit’sveryconvenient.Ithinkyourfarmneedsitverymuch.”
“Isthatright”Samsaid.“Thatsoundsveryuseful.Canyoushowmehowitworks”“OfcourseIcan.”thestoreownersaid.Hethentookoutamatchandstruck(划)itagainstthesideofhispants.Samwassurprisedtoseeitlightup.ThestoreownerthoughthappilythatSamwouldbuyhismatch.However,Samsaid,“Well,thatdoeslookprettygreat,butIdon’tthinkI’dbeinterestedinsomethinglikethat.Idon’thaveyourpants,soIcan’tlightthematchlikeyou.Iwon’tbuyit!”
Thestoreownerasked,“WhynotSurelyyoucouldfindawaytousethisonyourfarm.”Samanswered,“Look,Ican’twalk12milesintothetowneverytimeIwanttoborrowyourpantstostartafire.”
Onesummer,agrasshopper(蟋蟀)issinginghereandthere.Hehasagreattime.Anantgoesby.Hehasworkinghardtocarrywheat(小麦)tohishome.
“Whynotcomeandchatwithme”saysthegrasshopper,“Don’tworksohard.”
“Iamworkingtosaveupfoodforthewinter.”saystheant,“Ithinkyoushoulddothesame.”
“Don’tworryaboutthewinter,”saysthegrasshopper,“Wehaveenoughfoodnow.”Theantdoesn’tstopandgoesonwithhardwork.Thegrasshoppergoesonsingingallday.
Mostpeoplemaketheirliving(谋生)withtheirhands,butBobmakeshislivingwithhisfeet.
Bob’sstorybeganinasmallcityinEngland.Hisparentswerepoor.Sevenpeoplelivedinasmallhouse.Bobhadnoplacetoplaybutonthestreet.
Bob’sfatheroftenplayedfootball.LittleBobwantedtoplayfootball,too.Sohisfathermadeasoft(柔软的)ballforhimtokick.Itwasasockfullofoldcloth.Hekickediteveryday.
AtlastBoblearnedtokickarealfootball.Andafterafewyearshecouldplayfootballverywell.
Onceuponatimetherewasacloud.Shegrewupoveraverybeautifulcountry.Oneday,shesawanothermuchbiggercloudandsheenvied(羡慕)thebigcloudverymuch.Theclouddecidedthatinordertogetbiggerandgrowmore,herwaterwouldneverleaveher,andshewouldneverstartrainingagain.Thecloudgrewupwhilehercountrywasgettingdry.First,riversdriedup,thenpeople,animals,plants,andfinally,thewholecountrybecameadesert.Theclouddidnotcaremuchaboutit.Shedidnotrealizethatshecouldnotgetnewwatertokeepgrowingoveradesert,either.Soslowly,thecloudbecamesmaller,andshecouldn’tdoanythingtostopit.
Thecloudthenrealizedhermistake.Shewantedtochange,butitwastoolate.Thecloudbecamesosmallandweighedsolittlethatawindtookherfarawaytoanotherbeautifulcountry.Overthatcountry,sheonceagainbegantogrow.Becauseshehadlearnedthislesson,thecloudbecamesogenerous(慷慨)whenraining.Ithelpedhernewcountrybecomeevengreener,andshegaveallthepeopletherethemostbeautifulrainbow(彩虹)intheworld.