What??s It like to Become a Dad?

陈晓春

It was the day after Christmas 33 years ago. I was newly married and still in college. Only 10 days earlier， my wife had given birth to our first child.

The day before， we had been on the road showing off our baby to all of the grandparents and great-grandparents. It had been a busy Christmas and hard on my wife， who was still recovering from giving birth. Then we were back in our house， trying to get some sleep before starting a new day.

Just then I heard JJ （our little boy） waking up. I went over and picked him up before he started to cry and then carefully walked out into the living room so my wife could keep sleeping. I picked up a bottle and sat in a chair with JJ in my arms. I fed him in the dark room while he looked up at me with his loving eyes. I spoke quietly to him， but also felt a little fear as I watched him. How was I going to take care of him？ I was still in school and had no idea what the future held in store for us. I rocked back and forth in my chair as it concerned me.

After a few minutes， I saw the sun slowly rising in the sky outside my window. The bright light shining down from the sky made the snow outside shine with a beauty that touched my soul. As I watched it， my fear left and I felt a feeling of peace， harmony， love， and joy. The Christmas spirit appeared in my heart and I smiled. I knew then that whatever the future held， it would be okay as long as I kept love in my heart.

【难句解析】

1. Only 10 days earlier， my wife had given birth to our first child.

释义：仅仅十天前，我的妻子生下了我们第一个孩子。

点拨：give birth （to sb.）意为“生下……”;sb. is born 意为“某人出生”。“时间段+earlier / before”用于过去完成时，“时间段+ ago”用于一般过去时。例如：

He had seen her two days before. = He had seen her two days earlier. 兩天前他看见了她。

He saw her two days ago. 两天前他看见了她。

2. Then we were back in our house， trying to get some sleep before starting a new day.

释义：然后，我们回到我们的家，设法在新的一天开始前睡一会儿。

点拨：trying to get some sleep是现在分词作状语，try与其逻辑主语we是主谓关系。现在分词作状语时，其表示的动作或状态与谓语动词是同时或几乎同时发生的。例如：

The sun began to rise in the sky， bathing the mountain in golden light. 太阳开始在天空升起，金黄色的阳光沐浴着大山。

3. Just then I heard JJ waking up.

释义：就在这个时候，我听到JJ醒过来。

点拨：在此句中，I作主语，hear作谓语，JJ作宾语，waking up作宾语补足语。感官动词see， watch， observe， look at， hear， listen to， notice等后面的宾语补足语常见的有三种形式：接动词原形表示主动，表示这一动作的全过程，而且动作已经结束;接现在分词表示主动，表示这一动作正在进行;接过去分词表示被动或动作已经完成。例如：

I heard her sing in the next room. 我曾听见她在隔壁房间唱歌。

I heard her singing in the next room. 我听到她正在隔壁房间里唱歌。

I heard the song sung in the next room. 我曾听到隔壁房间里（有人）唱过这首歌。

4. I picked up a bottle and sat in a chair with JJ in my arms.

释义：我拿起奶瓶，坐在椅子上，手臂抱着JJ。

点拨：with JJ in my arms是with复合结构中的一种，即with+名词/代词+介词短语，作伴随状语，表示位置。例如：

Mother looked at me with tears in her eyes. 妈妈眼含泪水看着我。

I. Choose the right answer.

1. When the child was born， ____.

A. it was Christmas Day                   B. the writer was 33 years old

C. the writer wasnt married                D. the writer was a college student

2. Which sentence shows about the writer？

A. He felt proud of having a son.          B. He was rocking his son to sleep.

C. He felt confused and worried.      D. He was too tired to fall asleep.

3. What made the writer feel better？

A. The sunlight.                                B. The snow.

C. Christmas.                                  D. His wifes smile.

4. What is the story mainly about？

A. The writers regrets about having a child early.

B. The writers memory of becoming a father.

C. What the future holds for all of us.

D. How to keep others in our hearts.

II. Fill in the blanks.

1. She ____ ____ ____ （生下了） a fine healthy baby.

2. I ____ ____ ____ （看見她正在打扫） the classroom when I came in.

3. The man was asleep ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ （头放在他的手臂上）.

4. What time do you usually ____ ____ （醒过来） in the morning？

5. Only a month earlier， Mr. Stenholm ____ ____ （宣布） for the plan.

6. He fired into the air， ____ ____ （希望） the noise would frighten them off.