一次内心的转变

1It was the tail end of the Depression,and things were tough.Mum had a hard time raising us kids on her own in our small community.My dad had drowned in Pitt Lake five years earlier.We relied on our community assistance to keep us clothed,and although our clothes were second-hand,we thought they were beautiful.

2Looking back,I realize what Mum went through for sending us kids to school.Every morning she would put a new piece of cardboard in our shoes,because our shoes were worn out.Constant moving was typical for my family in these times.Rent was twenty-five dollars a month,but Mum couldn't pay it,and we knew we would be evicted right on the first of January.These were hard and sad years,but we never complained.

3New Year was approaching,and we were entitled to a twenty-five dollar fund for social services.Mum said that instead of buying food,she would use the money to pay back rent,assuring us all of a roof over our heads for a little while longer.She told us then there would be nothing for New Year.

4Unknown to Mum,I had been shoveling snow and doing odd jobs to earn enough money to buy a new pair of boots.I knew exactly which boots I wanted.They were ten-inch Top Genuine Pierre Paris and they had a price of twenty-three dollars.

5Well,the big day came on the last day of that year.I was very excited,as I hurried up to catch the bus.It was only a half-a-mile walk,but on the way I noticed a house with lights and decorations.It was then that I realized at our house,we had no lights,no decorations,nor any money for goodies.I knew then that we would have no delicious food for New Year,and I felt sad.

6As I continued walking,I began to feel bewildered.I was eleven years old,and I wasfeeling a strange sense of guilt.Here I was going to buy a new pair of boots while Mum was home in tears.She would be trying to explain to us why there were no presents.

Reading Check

阅读上面的短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。注意：

1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。Paragraph 1:

The bus drove off without me._______________________________

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______________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

When Mum opened the door,she surprisingly found that some of the groceries fell inside onto the floor.______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Step 1语篇研读

语篇概要

要想续写内容与所给材料内容连贯且衔接紧密，就必须充分了解所给材料大意。本文是一篇记叙文，文章分析如下：

Characters Settings Plots Theme Mum and I When Where Beginning Development Climax Family love The tail end of the Depression In our small community Mum had a hard time raising us kids on her own and she couldn't pay the rent.We were entitled to a twenty-five dollar fund for social services,but Mum said that instead of buying food,she would use the money to pay back rent.Unknown to Mum,I had earned enough money to buy a new pair of boots.

Step 2情节构思

我们可以基于原文和续写段落首句提供的信息，构思要续写的故事情节。这一构思分为四步。

第一步，根据已给出的文本进行合理推断，判断文章的立意。

我们可以用“STAR原则”来进行分析，从而进行更加精准的预测。

Situation Target Action Result为了付房租，妈妈已经没有钱买新年物品了。根据“Here I was going to buy a new pair of boots while Mum was home in tears.”和续写第一段的段首句“The bus drove off without me.”可以推断，作者经历过思想斗争后没有去买靴子，他的目标改变为给家人买新年物品。要实现买新年物品的目标，采取的行动自然是去杂货店买东西。（这部分要注意进行细节拓展）根据续写第二段的段首句中的she surprisingly found that some of the groceries fell inside onto the floor，我们可以推断结果是作者把新年物品带回家，家人们都很惊讶和开心。

第二步，围绕续写第一段所给出的段首句“The bus drove off without me.”进行提问构思：

1.Why didn't I get on the bus?

2.If I didn't go to buy boots,what was I going to do?

3.What would happen if I did so?

第三步，根据续写第二段所给出的段首句倒推续写第一段一定要涉及的细节。

根据续写第二段所给出的段首句“When Mum opened the door,she surprisingly found that some of the groceries fell inside onto the floor.”可以推断，续写第一段中“我”不仅买了新年物品，还把物品拿回了家。这样可以确保两段之间衔接合理，情节连贯、顺畅。

第四步，围绕续写第二段所给出的段首句进行提问构思：

1.What would Mum and I say after that?

2.What would Mum and I do?

3.How would I feel?

Step 3语言打磨

一、语言特色

情感表达

1.We thought they were beautiful.

2.These were hard and sad years,but we never complained.

3.I was very excited.

4.I knew then that we would have no delicious food for New Year,and I felt sad.

5.I began to feel bewildered.

6.I was feeling a strange sense of guilt.

行为描写

1.She would put a new piece of cardboard in our shoes.

2.I had been shoveling snow and doing odd jobs.

3.I hurried up to catch the bus.

4.I noticed a house with lights and decorations.

5.I continued walking.

二、重难点句型

1.Mum said that instead of buying food,she would use the money to pay back rent,assuring us all of a roof over our heads for a little while longer.妈妈说她不会用这些钱买食物，而是会用它偿还租金以确保我们所有人可以更久地拥有一个容身之处。

【点石成金】本句中，instead of意为“而不是……”；assure意为“确保”，在句中作结果状语，与逻辑主语she之间构成主动关系；a roof over our heads使用了借代的修辞手法，用头顶的屋顶来指代“我们的一个容身之处”。

2.It was then that I realized at our house,we had no lights,no decorations,nor any money for goodies.正是在那时我意识到我们家里没有灯、没有装饰品，也没有钱买好吃的东西。

【点石成金】本句中，nor意为“也不”，和前面的no lights、no decorations组合在一起，增强了语气，勾勒出作者家的艰难处境。