新視野大學英語讀寫教程第一冊unit3-a A Good Heart to Lean On

Unit 3

Section A

Pre-reading Activities

First Listening
Having ideas about a story before you read it is an important reading skill. Please listen to a very short piece of recording.

Second Listening
Now listen to the recording for the second time and try to the best of your ability to answer the following questions.
1. Why do you think people stared at the father and the son?
2. What do you think a "good heart" is?
3. What is the difference between how the son felt about his father as a youth and how he feels many years later?
4. Now read the story below. How close did you come to knowing the answers before you read the whole story?

A Good Heart to Lean On

More than I realized, Dad has helped me keep my balance.

When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was severely crippled and very short, and when we walked together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare. I would inwardly struggle at the unwanted attention. If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never let on.
It was difficult to coordinate our steps — his halting, mine impatient — and because of that, we didn't say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, "You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you."
Our usual walk was to or from the subway on which he traveled to work. He went to work sick, and despite nasty weather. He almost never missed a day, and would make to the office even if others could not. A matter of pride.
When snow or ice was on the ground, it was impossible for him to walk, even with help. At such times my sisters or I would pull him through the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y., on a child's wagon with steel runners to the subway entrance. Once there, he would cling to the hand-rail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept free of ice. In Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building, and he would not have to go outside again until we met him in Brooklyn on his way home.
When I think of it now, I am amazed at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to subject himself to such shame and stress. And at how he did it—without bitterness or complaint.
He never talked about himself as an object of pity, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a "good heart", and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.
Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don't know precisely what a "good heart" is. But I know the times I don't have one myself.
Unable to engage in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. When a local baseball team found itself without a manager, he kept it going. He was a knowledgeable baseball fan and often took me to Ebbets Field to see the Brooklyn Dodgers play. He liked to go to dances and parties, where he could have a good time just sitting and watching.
On one occasion a fight broke out at a beach party, with everyone punching and shoving. He wasn't content to sit and watch, but he couldn't stand unaided on the soft sand. In frustration he began to shout, "I'll fight anyone who will sit down with me! I'll fight anyone who will sit down with me!"
Nobody did. But the next day people kidded him by saying it was the first time any fighter was urged to take a dive before the fight began.
I now know he participated in some things through me, his only son. When I played ball (poorly), he "played" too. When I joined the Navy, he "joined" too. And when I came home on leave, he saw to it that I visited his office. Introducing me, he was really saying, "This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different." Those words were never said aloud.
He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about trifles, when I am envious of another's good fortune, when I don't have a "good heart."
At such times I put my hand on his arm to regain my balance, and say, "You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you."

Words: 694

NEW WORDS

lean
vi. 1. rest on sth. in a listing position for support 倚；靠
2. be in a listing position; bend 傾斜；傾向；偏向

balance
n. 1. even sharing of weight; even; equal 平衡；均衡
2. condition that exists when two opposites are equal or in even lots or percents 均勢，平衡
v. 1. (cause to) be even and keep in balance （使）平衡，（使）均衡
2. consider in relation to something else; compare 權衡；比較

severe
a. 1. very bad, intense, difficult, etc 非常惡劣的；緊張的；困難的
2. strict or hard in thinking or treatment; using strict discipline 嚴格的；嚴肅的；嚴厲的

severely
ad. in a severe or strict way 嚴格地；嚴厲地；非常惡劣地

▲cripple
vt. 1. make a person unable to walk or move properly because of damage to the back or legs 使跛；使殘廢
2. damage or reduce strength (sth.) seriously 嚴重地損壞；削弱
n. [C] someone who is unable to use one or more of his body parts, esp. the legs 傷殘人（或動物）

inward
a. 1. located within; inside (esp. in the mind or spirit) 在內的；內部的（尤指在頭腦中、精神上）
2. turned toward the inside 向內的

inwardly
ad. in mind or spirit 內心或精神方面

coordinate
vt. cause (different parts, body parts, etc.) to work together very well 使協(xié)調

halt
v. stop; interrupt 暫停；中斷；中止
n. a stop or pause 暫停；中斷；中止

impatient
a. 1. unable to deal calmly with sth./sb. or to wait for sth.; easily annoyed by sth./sb.; not patient 不能冷靜地對待或等待的；易煩躁的；不耐心的
2. very eager to do sth. or for sth. to happen; anxious 急切的；渴望的

pace
n. 1. speed, esp. of walking or running （尤指走或跑的）速度
2. speed of progress or development, esp. of an activity 進步或發(fā)展的速度（尤指某項活動的速度）
vi. walk with slow, regular, even steps 踱步，慢步走

adjust
v. 1. (to) become or make suited (to new conditions); change 使適應（新環(huán)境）；適應
2. (to) change (sth.) by a small bit so that it will fit or be right for use; make regular 調整；校準；調準

subway
n. 1. [C] a railway under the ground in a city（城市中的）地下鐵道
2. [C] a tunnel for walking under the ground, esp. one under a road or railway （尤指馬路或鐵路下方的）地下通道；人行隧道

despite
prep.without being influenced by (the points mentioned) 盡管；不管

▲nasty
a. 1. unpleasant; horrible; disgusting 令人不快的；令人厭惡的
2. unkind; hostile 不友善的；惡意的

wagon
n. 1. a kind of toy handcart for children 兒童手推車
2. a four-wheeled box for carrying heavy loads, usu. pulled by horses or oxen 四輪運貨馬（牛）車
3. a railway goods or passenger car 鐵路貨車（或客車）車廂

▲cling
vi. 1. (to) hold on tightly to sb./sth. 抱??；抓緊
2. (to) be unwilling to let go of sth.; refuse to give sth. up 堅持, 堅守；拒不放棄；抱定

rail
n. 1. [C] 橫擋；欄桿；護欄
2. [C]（火車或電車的）鐵軌

hand-rail
n. [C] （樓梯等的）扶手

tunnel
n. [C] a passage under the ground, e.g. for a road or railway through a hill or under a river or the sea 地下隧道；（為公路或鐵路穿過山嶺、河流或海底的）隧道

▲basement
n. [C] the lowest room or rooms in a building, partly or wholly below ground level 地下室

amaze
vt. fill (sb.) with great surprise or wonder 使大為驚訝；使驚愕

stress
n. 1.demands or worry (resulting from mental or body problems, difficult situations, etc.)（由于精神、體力不適或困境等造成的）壓力；憂慮；緊張
2. special pushing or importance 強調；重視
vt. 1. give particular importance to; push 強調；重視
2. give force to (a word or word-part) when speaking 重讀，讀重音

complain
vi. (about, of) say that one is not satisfied or unhappy 抱怨；訴苦
complaint
n. 1. the act of saying that one is not satisfied or unhappy 抱怨；訴苦
2. a report of lack of satisfaction 控告；投訴；抱怨

envy
n. (of, at, towards) feeling of lack of worth caused by sb. else's good fortune or success, esp. when one wishes this for oneself 妒忌；羨慕
vt. feel envy of (sb.) or at (sth.) 羨慕；妒忌

envious
a. (of) full of envy; feeling, showing or expressing envy 妒忌的；羨慕的

owner
n. a person to whom sth. belongs 物主；所有人

precise
a. 1. stated clearly and accurately 精確的；準確的；明白的；無誤的
2. exact; particular 正好；就在

precisely
ad. exactly; just 準確地；精確地；正好；恰恰

engage
v. 1. (in) (cause sb.to) take part in or be occupied in sth.（使）從事；（使）忙于
2. employ sb.; hire sb. 雇用；聘用
3. use or attract (sb.'s thoughts, time, etc.) 使全神貫注；引起（注意）；占用（時間）

local
a. belonging to a particular place or district 地方的；當?shù)氐?；本地?br /> n. someone who lives in the area 當?shù)鼐用?br />
baseball
n. 棒球運動；棒球

occasion
n. 1. [C] a particular time (at which an event takes place)（事件發(fā)生的）特定時刻；時機
2. [C] a suitable or right time (for sth.); an opportunity （適當?shù)模r機；機會

punch
v. 1. strike (sb./sth.) hard with the fist 用拳猛擊
2. use a punch to cut (a hole) in (sth.) 用打孔機打孔

▲ shove
vi. push (sb./sth.) roughly 推；擠；撞

aid
n. [U] help 幫助；援助；救護
vt. give support to; help 幫助，援助

unaided
a. without help; by one's self 無助的；獨力的

kid
vi. 1. make fun of (sb.) 開玩笑
2. deceive (sb.), esp. through playing; fool 欺騙；哄騙
n. a child or young person 小孩或年輕人

urge
vt. 1. try hard or repeatedly to persuade (sb.) 力勸
2. encourage or excite sb. to do sth. 鼓勵；催促；鞭策
n. a strong wish or need 強烈愿望，迫切需求

dive
n. (American slang)a pretending to be struck down to the ground in boxing （美俚）（拳擊中）假裝被擊倒
vi. throw oneself head first into the water 跳水，潛水

navy
n. 1. （一國的）海軍
2. 一個國家的軍艦及其全體官兵

reluctant
a. unwilling and therefore slow to work with sb. or to agree, etc. 不愿意的；遲遲不合作的；不同意的

reluctance
n. [U] not willing to do sth. 不愿；勉強

worthy
a. 1. having respect or careful thought 值得尊敬的；值得考慮的
2. (of) owning sth. or to do sth. 值得……的；應……的；足以……的

unworthy
a. 1. not owning 不值得的；不配的
2. not suited to the nature of sb./sth.（與……的身份、資格、性質）不適合的；不相稱的

▲trifle
n. a thing, question or activity that has little value or importance 無價值的或不重要的東西、問題、行動、瑣事，小事
v. (with) treat without the necessary seriousness or respect 輕視，小看

PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS

grow up
develop from being a child to being a man or woman 成長，長大

start out
begin a journey 出發(fā)

make it
arrive in time 及時趕到

even if
although 即使，雖然

subject to
cause to experience or suffer 使……遭受

now that
because (something has happened) 既然

even though
in spite of the fact that, even if 雖說，即使

in some way
in a certain manner 以某種方式

have a good time
enjoy oneself (by doing sth.) 過得愉快

break out
begin suddenly and often violently 爆發(fā)，突然發(fā)生

on leave
spending time away from work or duty 休假

see to
take care; make sure 照料；務必做到，務須

PROPER NAMES
Brooklyn
布魯克林區(qū)（美國紐約市行政區(qū)名）

Manhattan
曼哈頓區(qū)（美國紐約市行政區(qū)名）（由曼哈頓島等構成）

Ebbets Field
埃貝茨球場

Dodgers
道奇隊