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美丽英文(故事卷)-第4部分
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巳啡洗耸拢指旃掖蛄烁龅缁啊�
初次见到奥西奥拉是在一次新闻发布会上，当时我看到她就仿佛见到了亲人。奥西奥拉从未结婚也没有孩子，从此我家就成了她的家。我奶奶经常和她通电话聊天，一起做事，她也参加我们的家庭活动。
一次我们聊到了冰淇淋。我们发现奥西奥拉没吃过多少冰淇淋，于是大家全都挤进车里，去了“乳制品皇后”，为她点了她从未吃过的香蕉圣代！如今她能吃到不同口味的冰淇淋了。
奥西奥拉一辈子都很辛苦——从早到晚都在忙着洗衣服。我以前开车去学校时，正好经过她的家。的确，当时我并不知道那是她家，但我注意到她家的草坪保养得很好，而且处处干净整齐。不久前，我问她为何那时从未见过她，她答道：“我猜我一定在后院洗衣服。”
如今，奥西奥拉已经退休了。除了去领奖，白天的大多数时间，她都坐在家里读《圣经》。每次我去看她，她都会领一个新奖。她甚至还去过白宫。她如此开心、自豪，却从不傲慢。我们就告诉她去买一台摄像机，这样她就能把节目录下来，在电视上看到她自己——而她只是面带微笑地坐着。
奥西奥拉给予我的远远超过了一笔奖学金。从她那里，我学到了付出的可贵。现在，我知道世界上有很多做好事的好人。她一生辛劳，最终却将一切奉献给了他人，接着她也鼓励我在有能力时就要懂得回报。最后，我决定为她的奖学金添补资金。
我想给奥西奥拉一个她梦寐以求的家，因此我认她做我的另一位祖母，甚至她也叫我孙女儿。当我大学毕业的时候，她将作为来宾坐在我的母亲和奶奶之间，那是她理所应当坐的位子。
■ 心灵小语
在生活中，只要稍稍留意，就可以发现那些最美丽的心灵，他们付出了爱，却从不要求回报；他们把生活的希望带给别人，把奉献的快乐留给了自己。
More than a Scholarship
Anonymous
You may have heard of Osceola McCarty。 She’s an 88…year…old woman in Mississippi who had worked for over 75 years as a washer woman。 One day after she retired； she went to the bank and discovered； to her great surprise； that her meager monthly savings had grown to over 150； 000。 Then to everyone’s great surprise； she turned around and donated 150；000—almost all of those savings—to the University of Southern Mississippi （USM） for a scholarship fund for African…American students with financial needs。 She made national headlines。 电子书 分享网站
不只是一笔奖学金（2）
What you have not heard is how Osceola’s gift had affected my life。 I am 19 years old and the first recipient1 of an Osceola McCarty Scholarship。
I was a dedicated student； and I had my heart set on going to USM。 But I missed being eligible for a regular scholarship by one point on the entrance exams； and a scholarship was the only way I could attend。
One Sunday； I came across the story in the paper about Osceola McCarty and her generous gift。 I showed my mother the article； and we both agreed it was a great thing to have done。
The next day I went to the financial aid office； and they told me there was still no money available for me； but if anything came up they’d call。 A few days later； as I was running out the door to catch a ride with my mother to work； the phone rang。 I stopped to pick it up； and while I heard my mother honking2 the horn for me to hurry up； they told me I had been chosen to receive the first Osceola McCarty Scholarship。 I was ecstatic！ I ran out as fast as I could to tell my mother。 She had to call the office again herself to make sure it was true。
I first met Osceola at a press conference—meeting her was like finding family。 Osceola never married； nor had children； so my family has since bee her family。 My grandma and she talk on the phone regularly and do errands together； and she joins us for family functions。
Once we got round to talking about ice cream。 We found out Osceola hadn’t had much experience with ice cream； so we all packed into the car and went to the Dairy Queen； where we ordered Osceola her first banana split！ She has ice cream a lot now。
Osceola worked hard her whole life—from early in the morning to sunset—washing clothes by hand。 I used to drive right by her house every day on my way to school。 Of course； at the time I didn’t know it was her house； but I did notice how well kept the lawn was and how everything was clean and neat。 Recently I asked her why I never saw her once in all that time； and she answered； “I guess I was out in back； washing clothes。”
Now that Osceola’s retired； she sits most of the day and reads the Bible。 That is； when she’s not getting rewards！ Every time I go visit； she has a new award。 She’s even gone to the White House。 She is so happy and proud； though not at all conceited。 We had to talk her into getting a VCR so she could tape the programs and see herself on TV—she just sits and smiles。
Osceola gave me much more than a scholarship。 She taught me about the gift of giving。 Now I know there are good people in the world who do good things。 She worked her whole life and gave to others； and in turn she has inspired3 me to give back when I can。 Eventually I plan to add to her scholarship fund。
I want to give Osceola the family she’s always wanted； so I’ve adopted her as another grandma。 She even calls me her granddaughter。 And when I graduate from USM； she’ll be sitting in the audience between my mother and my grandmother—right where she belongs。
。 想看书来
你有钱包吗？（1）
拉克斯曼。增兰克
这是一个发生在我上学时候的故事，它对我的生活产生了巨大的影响。在这个故事中，没有老师的大喊大叫，没有家庭作业，没有考试，甚至没有功课成绩评定。然而，那却是最有成效的教学方法，只有富有爱心的人才能够做到。
当发现钱包丢了以后，我说的第一句话就是：“我的钱包！放哪里了？”我回想了好几秒钟，然后才想起是落在图书馆了，而且是图书馆的公共洗手间！当时去洗手间的时候，我还看见它在架子上，我记得很清楚。
图书馆现在已经闭馆了，我不得不第二天早晨再去找。第二天一到图书馆，我就看到洗手间里干净明亮，洗手台擦得一尘不染，地板反射出亮光。我仍然记得，那是我第一次痛恨看到洗手间如此干净。我走了出去，看着镜子中的自己，对着面前这个爱忘事的笨蛋摇了摇头。
现在，我只能寄望于洗手间的清洁工能够发现钱包了。于是，我向一位坐在前台看书的上了年纪的夫人走去，我表现得很有礼貌。我问她昨天是否有人在洗手间捡到了一个钱包。她并没有立即回答我，直到读到一个认为可以中断的地方。接着，她眯着眼睛，从鼻梁上架着的厚厚的黑框眼镜后面凝视着我。她轻轻地叹了一口气，缓缓地从舒服的座椅上挣扎下来，走进一个门口不见了。片刻之后，她又回到了前台。
“没有。”
除此之外，她没说其他的。我迅速地向她道谢，然后就走开了。
如果我捡到了一个钱包，里面装着60美元、一张电话卡和许多别人无法使用的私人物品，我会怎么办呢？我的钱包已经丢了，最终，我不得不接受这个事实。
银行卡和证件挂失一周之后，我收到一个神秘的包裹。我确信那就是我的钱包！而且一件物品也没少，这真是令人惊讶！唯一不同的是，我在钱包的一个夹层里发现一张从来没有见过的折叠起来的黄色小纸条。我慢慢地展开那张纸条，一枚铜质的基督徽章掉落到我的手里。那张纸条上写着这样的话：
把这枚徽章永远戴在身上，不管你的宗教信仰是什么。这样，上个星期守护你的天使将会一直伴随你。
这个寄包裹的人甚至没有留下地址，因此，我也不知道应该向谁致谢。我感觉到，这是世界上最珍贵的善良之举。
自从那天开始，我向自己发誓，无论何时，只要我能够做到，我都会去帮助别人，就像帮助我的那个人一样。我要把那个人当作自己的榜样，并且让别人体会到我打开包裹时的那种喜悦之情。
■ 心灵小语
生活是一面镜子，你对它笑，它也会对着你微笑；你对它哭，它也会对着你哭泣。想让别人怎么对待自己，就怎样来对待别人吧。
Do You Have Your Wallet？
Laksman Frank
This is a story about a learning experience that had a big effect on the way that I live my life。 The teacher in the story did not scream； assign homework； give me tests or even grade me on my work。 I was taught by one of the most effective methods of teaching； one that only people with lots of love can do。
“My wallet！ Where is it？” were my first words when I found my wallet was missing。 I searched my memory for a few good seconds； then realized that I had left my precious1 wallet at the library。 Not only did I leave it at the library； but I had left it in the library’s public restroom！ I distinctly remembered seeing it on the shelf as I went to the bathroom。
Because the library was now closed； I had to wait until the next morning to begin my search。 When I got there the next day； all I found was a sparkling2 clean restroom； its counters clean and its floors shiny white。 This was the first time I could remember ever hating to see a clean bathroom。 As I walked out； I looked at myself in the mirror and shook my head at the forgetful fool in front of me。
你有钱包吗？（2）
Now all I could hope for was that the person who cleaned the restroom had found my wallet。 So I politely approached an old lady reading her book at the front desk。 I asked her if a wallet had been found in the bathroom yesterday。 She didn’t answer me until she found a good place to pull herself away from her book。 Then she peered at3 me from behind the thick black glasses parked on her nose。 Letting out a quiet sigh； she slowly struggled out of her fortable sitting position。 She walked through a door and vanished4 for a moment。 Then she came back to the desk。
“No。”
That was that。 I quickly thanked her and walked off。
I wondered what I would do if I had found a wallet containing sixty dollars； a phone card and many other irreplaceable5 personal items。 Finally； I painfully accepted the fact that my wallet was gone。
A week later； after I had canceled my bank card and reported my license missing； I received a mysterious package in the mail。 Sure enough； it was my wallet！ And most amazingly； nothing was missing！ But something was different about it。 There was a little yellow sheet of paper folded up in one of the wallet pockets that had not been there before。 I slowly unfolded the paper。 Into my hand fell a little copper medallion6 of Christ。 The letter read something like this：
Always keep this medallion with you； no matter what your religion is； so that the angel that was watching over you last week will always be close。
This person didn’t even leave a return address。 So I couldn’t thank whoever it was。 I felt that this was an act of pure kindness that was extremely rare。
From that day on； I promised myself that whenever I am in a situation where I can help others the way that this person helped me；I will follow this example and make them as happy as I was when I opened that package！
。 想看书来
友好的报答（1）
佚名
1956年，儿子出生时，我与一位年轻女子共住一间病房，那天，她也生了一个儿子。也许是因为我的父母开花店的缘故吧，我们的病房很快就充满了玫瑰花的馨香。
当我第七次收到花束时，我开始不安起来，因为和我同住一屋的安从没收到过。她坐在床边，身子前倾着，欣赏刚刚送来的鲜花。她是个漂亮的少妇，但是，那双褐色的大眼睛里总闪烁着忧郁，让我觉得她经历了太多的人生苦难，年轻的生命有着太多的忧伤，似乎总是只能欣赏别人的花束。
“我在这里一直很愉快，”她似乎看出了我的心思，想让我放心，“我能和你住在一起，不是很幸运吗？”
不过，我仍觉得有些不安，要是能有一种神奇的按钮，一按就能解除她眼中的忧伤就好了。哦，我想，至少我能让她拥有一些鲜花。那天，父母再来看望我时，我便要他们送安一些花。
我和安刚吃完晚饭，鲜花就送来了。
“又给你送花来了。”她笑着说。
“不，这次不是，”我看着卡片说，“这是给你的！”
良久，安凝视着鲜花，用手指轻轻抚摸着浅蓝色的靴形瓷瓶，又温柔地触摸插在瓶中的每一朵娇艳欲滴的玫瑰花，似乎想把这一切深深地铭刻在记忆中。
“我该怎么感谢你呢？”她轻声说道。
我有些局促不安。这只是我的一点点善意而已。1956年出生的儿子成了我们夫妇的独生子。近21年来，他用爱和欢笑充实了我们的生活，让我们感到心满意足。但是，1977年4月复活节的那个早晨，在与癌症进行了漫长而痛苦地搏斗后，他静静地死在我们怀里。
殡仪馆内，我单独与儿子待在一间弥漫着玫瑰花香的屋里。邮递员送来了一小束鲜花，直到后来，我们乘车去公墓的路上，我才看到卡片：“献给约翰？格雷夫斯——与你同天出生在纪念医院的孩子和他的母亲谨上。”
这时，我才认出这个靴形瓷瓶是很多年前我送给一位忧郁的年轻女子的。如今它再一次插满了玫瑰。我和安很早以前就失去了联系。她根本不认识我们的儿子，也不知道他得病。她一定是在报纸上看到讣告了，妈妈坐在我身边，我把卡片递给她，她也想起来了。
“这是一种友好的报答。”妈妈说。
几天后，我和丈夫以及家人去公墓给约翰扫墓。那瓶玫瑰还在高高的花圈和枝丫上放着。
“真奇怪，谁会送这些东西作为葬礼，”有人说道，“它看上去像是祝贺新生的。”
“它是祝贺新生的，”丈夫静静地说，“约翰诞生在永恒的国度了。”我惊讶地看着他，我知道，他从不坦率谈及此事，说出这话很不容易。
他拿出鲜花，递给我那个靴形瓷瓶，我捧着它，就像当年安所做的那样，抚摸着它，思索着它所蕴涵的种种意义，我想，友谊并未随着岁月的流逝而消失；我想起记忆长河中的感激之情；�
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