英文故事The Pordigal附理解练习.docx
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英文故事The Pordigal附理解练习.docx
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英文故事ThePordigal附理解练习
TheProdigal
byMaxLucado
Whyweretheyalwaysateachother’sthroats?
Billfeltasifhehardlyknewhissonanylonger.Joshwasdemandingthemoneyhismotherhadlefthimwhenshedied.Thatmoneywasforcollegeexpenses,andJoshcouldonlyhaveitafterheturnedeighteen.Nowhewaseighteen,andhewantedit,butnotforcollege.
“It’smine,isn’tit?
”hehadshouted.
“Ofcourse,it’syours.”hisfatherhadreplied.“Butit’scollegemoney,notplaymoney.”
“I’mnotgoingtoplay,Dad.I’mjustgoingaway.”
“Where?
Forwhat?
”
“Idon’tknow.Ijustwanttogetout.”
Andsotheargumentshadgoneonforweeks.ItwasonlythismorningthatBillyhadmadehisdecision.Longbeforethesuncameup,hewentintoJosh’sroomandsatbesidethebed.Hedidn’tknowwhattimeJoshhadcomeinthenightbefore,butthesmellofbeersuggestedithadn’tbeenearly.Joshhadn’tevenundressed.Hewassleepinginhisjeans.
Thefatherstaredathisson’sfaceforalongtime.Yearsagowhenhewouldcomeinfrombusinesstrips,hewouldpullachairupbesidethebedofhissleepingboy.He’dpushbackthemopofhairformJosh’sforeheadandtouchthesoftcheeks.Everythingseemedsosimplethen.Thebiggestchallengewasairingupabicycletireorcatchingaflyball.Nowtheboywaswearingstrangeclothesandhadaweirdhaircut,itwasasifhissonlivedinadifferentworld,aworldthefathercouldnotunderstand--butfeared.
“Welostsomething,Josh,”hesaidtohissleepingson.“Maybeweneverhadit.Maybeweburieditwithyourmom.”Bill’shandwasagainontheforeheadofhisson.
BythetimeJoshawoke,Billknewwhathehadtodo.“I’llgiveyouthemoney,”hehadtoldJoshatbreakfast.“Getyourthings.I’lltakeyoutotheairport.”Nowastheywaitedfortheplane,Joshinterruptedhisthoughts.“Dad,they’reboarding.”
Thetwowalkedtowardthegateandstopped.“IguessI’vegoteverything,”joshsaidquietlyasheturnedtohisfather.WhatJoshsawnexthe’dneverseenbefore–andneverexpected.Tears.Thoughthefatherblinkedandturnedawayasiftolookoutthewindow,Joshsawthem.
Joshploppedonthefloorbesidethebucket.Helookedattheclockonthewall.ThreeA.M.Hewassotired.He’dcleanedthekitchen,washedthebathrooms,doneseveralloadsoflaundry,andnowhewasmoppingthebunkrooms.Hereachedtotakeacigaretteoutofhisshirtpocketonlytofindthepocketempty.Whenyoudon’thavemoney,youdon’thavecigarettes.
Withhisbackagainstthewallandhisarmsrestingonhisknees,helookedintothesemidarknessofthebunkroom.Thoughhecouldn’tseetheirfaces,hecouldheartheirfaces,hecouldheartheirsnoring–aroomfullofdriftersanddrunks.Somewererunningaway.Somewerecomingback.Butallweredreamingofabetterplace.Allwerelongingforhome.
OfalltheplacesJoshthoughthewouldendupliving,aSalvationArmybunkhousewasn’toneofthem.Whenhehadarrivedinthecitythreemonthsago,hewascockyandrich.Theonlythingheflashedmorethanhismoneywashisgrin.Heboughtacar.Herentedanapartment.Gotnewclothes.Hehadmorefriendsthanhecouldcount.
Thencamethecallformthebank.Hewasoutofmoney.Thatnightarestaurantrefusedhiscreditcard.Hecouldn’tmakethepaymentsonthecar.Thelealertookitback.Hesoldhisstereo.Hepawnedhisjewelry.Someonestolehisbackpackandhiswallet.Everydaythecircleoffriendsgotsmaller.Finallyhecouldn’tpaytherent.Theykickedhimout.
Joshspentthenextweekonthestreets–thesamestreetswherehehadturnedheadswithhisstyle.Henowturnedheadsbecauseofhisstink.That’swhenheheardaboutthisshelterwhereyoucouldsleepinexchangefortenhoursofwork.
“HardtobelieveI’vebeeninthisplaceforamonth,”Joshsaidtohimselfashesatonthefloor.“Amonthofdishesandtrashcansandcleaningupthevomitofpeopletoodrunktomakeittothebathroom.”
Forjustamomentheallowedhisthoughtstodrifthomeward.Memoriesofawarmbed.Goodmeals.Conversationsontheporch.Hethoughtofthefarm.Hethoughtofhisfather’sworkmencominginattheendoftheweektocollecttheirpay.
“ThoseguyshaveitbetterthanIdo,”hesighed.“EventheguywhocutDad’sgrasshasgoodmealandahome.”
Funny.Justafewmonthsagohomewasaprisonwithtoomanyrules—acageholdingabirdwhowantedtobefree.ButnowJoshwaslongingforhome.
Hestoodandtookafewstepsintothebunkroomhewasabouttoclean.Suddenlyhesawhisfaceinthemirror.Itlookeddifferent.Hepushedbackhishairandstaredatthereflection.Hesawsomethinghe’dneverseenbefore.Hesawhisdad.He’dbeentoldhelookedlikehisfather—buthecouldn’tseeit.Tonighthedid.Samechin.Samenose.
“Dad.”Inhismindhesawhisfatheragain.Intheairporthisfather’swordshadn’tcome,buthistearshad.Andthetearshadsaidmorethananywordsevercouldhave.
Joshstoodstraightupandspokealoud—soloudthattheguyinthenearestbunkrolledover.Joshdidn’tcare.
“I’mgoinghome.”
Heputdownthemopandbucketandwalkedoutintothenight.
***
Hanksipsthecoffeeinthestyrofoamcupandsetsitbackonthedash.Thisishisfavoritetimeoftheday—earlymorningjustasthegrayskygiveswaytogold.Likemosttruckdrivers,hedrivesatnight.But,unlikeotherdrivers,Hanklikestostayontheroadafewhoursintothemorning.
“Everysunriseisamiracle,”he’dtellthemashewouldleavethetruckstop.“Whowantstomissamiracle?
”
InhisthirtyyearsontheroadHankhadseenmanysunrises,mostofthemalone.Thismorning,however,heisabouttohavecompany.Asheturnshistruckontothehighway,heseesahitchhiker—ayoungmaninjeansandatatteredshirt.
Hankdoesn’toftenpickupriders.Butsomethingabouttheboycatcheshiseye.Hepullshisrigovertothesideoftheroad.Inhissidemirrorhecanseetheboyrunningtowardhim.Hankleansoverandopensthepassengerdoor.
“Thanksforstopping.”Thehitchhikerisnearlyoutofbreath.“Goingfar?
”
“Atleastanothertwohourssouth.”
“That’sallIneed.”Theyoungmanclimbsintothetruck.
“Whereyouheaded?
”Hankinquires.
“Home.”
“Beengonelong?
”
Whentheboyturnstoanswer,Hankhearssorrowinhisvoice.“Toolong,sir.Toolong.”
“Myname’sHank.”
“Joshismine,”respondstheboy.
HanklooksatJosh’sdirtyclothesandwearyeyes.“Lookslikeyoucoulduseagoodnight’srestandameal.”
“Yeah.I’vekindofhithardtimes.”Beforeheknowsit,Joshfindshimselftellinghisstory.
Whenhefinishes,helooksupintoHank’seyes,whicharewarmwithcompassion.
“Soyoufinallygotsohungryyoudecidedtogohome?
”
Joshpausesamomentbeforeheanswers.“No,itwasn’tthat.Imean,Icouldhavehandledthejob.Imighthaveevengottenonmyfeet.”
“Thenwhatmadeyoudecidetogohome,Josh?
”
“ThethoughtofwhatIdidtomydad.Ibrokehisheart.IneedtotellhimI’msorry.”
“Areyougoingtostayhome?
”
“Idon’tknow,Hank.I’mgoingtoseeifImightgetworknearby.ButIdon’tthinkDadwillwantmeunderthesameroof…Whoa,”hesayssuddenly,“thisiswhereIgetoff.”
Hankdoesn’tslowdown.“Noneed,son.I’lltakeyourighttoyourdoor.”Hankguidesthesemidowntheexitandontothesmallroad.FollowingJosh’sinstructions,heweavesinandoutofthefarmsandflatlands.
HanknoticesthatJoshisn’tsayingmuch.Theboyisstaringatthefloorofthetruck.Hishandsareclenchedbetweenhisknees.Theseasoneddriverplaceshishandontheboy’sshoulder.“Josh,itsgoingtobe…”
“Whatifhedoesn’tevenletmeinthegate?
”Joshinterrupts.“Whatifhedoesn’tletmetellwhathappened?
”
“Josh,I’madad.Iknowhowdadsfeel.You’vegottotellyourfatherthetruth.Givehimachancetoforgiveyou.”
Joshlooksoveratthedriverandthenwatcheshisfather’sfieldscomeintoview.“We’realmostthere.”
Whentheyreachthehouse,Hankpullstherigovertothesideofthenarrowroadandstops.
“I’llwaithere.”Hesmiles.“Justtellhimthetruth,Josh.”
Joshnods,takesabreath,andopensthedoor.“Thanksfortherideandthanksfortheadvice.”
Hankwatchesasthetallboywalksslowlydownthepathtowardthehouse.HankcantellthatJoshistalkingashewalks.Heisrehearsingwhatheisgoingtosay.
Heisonlyhalfwaytothehousewhenatthetopofthetrailafigureappears.ThoughHankhasneverseenhim,heknows,inaninstant,itisJosh’sfather.Onlyadadwoulddowhatthismanisdoing.Running.Runningfast.Armsspreadwideandasmilenoonecanmiss.ForafewmomentsHankdoesn’tspeak.Hejustmemorizesthesceneofthemorningsunrisingbehindthedejectedboyandtherunningfather.
FinallyHankcanstanditnolonger.“Josh,”heyells,“look!
”
WhenJoshseeshisfatheronlyfeetawayandgettingcloser,hefallstohisknees.Hetriestospeak,butonceagainthewordswon’tcome.Hiswell-rehearsedspeechisforgottenashethrowshisarmsaroundhisfather’swaist.
Hankwipesawaytearsofhisownashestartshistruck.Hehasseenwhathecametosee.Hehasseenthemiracleofthemorning
Exercises
Pre-ReadingExercises
A.Vocabulary:
hardlyknow,demanding,face,cheeks,forehead,weirdhaircut,interrupt,bunkrooms,snoring,SalvationArmybunkhouse,cocky,topawn,toturnheads,tostink,reflection,truckdrivers,hitchhiker,tattered,rehearsing,well-rehearsed,miracle.
B.Slang/Expressions:
alwaysateachother’sthroats
smellofbeermopofhairairingupabicycletire
catchingaflyballwelostsomething…maybeweneverhadit
driftersanddrunksflashedhismoney
torefusehiscreditcardtherig,thesemi
Goingfar?
tohithardtimestobreakhisheart
clenchyour
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