Bloom where you are planted

精彩導讀

20世紀80年代初，作者在一所聯合學院教幼兒發展課程時認識了立志扎根鄉村教育的Dorothy，通過和她的接觸，作者了解到雖然她在偏遠山區，從事著平凡的工作，但正是她的付出和關愛，鑄就了孩子們的成功之路，極大地詮釋了她的人生價值。

文章詞數 3 6 2 建議用時 7′ 難度系數 ★★★

In my living room，there is a plaque（匾）that advises me to“Bloom（開花）where you are planted.”It reminds me ofDorothy.I got to know Dorothyin the early 1980s，when I was teaching Early Childhood Development through a program with Union College in Barbourville， Kentucky. The job responsibilities required occasional visits to the classroom of each teacher in the program.Dorothystands outin my memory as one who “bloomed” in her remote area.

Dorothy taught in a school In Harlan County，Kentucky，Appalachian Mountain area.To get to her school from the town of Harlan，I followed a road winding around the mountain.In the eight-mile journey， I crossed the same railroad track five times，giving the possibility of getting caught by the same train five times.Rather thanfeeling excited by this drive through the mountains，I found it depressing.The poverty level was shocking and the small shabby houses gave me the greatest feeling of hopelessness.

From the moment of my arrival at the little school， all gloom （憂郁） disappeared.Upon arrivingat Dorothy's classroom.I was greeted with smiling faces and treated like a queen.The children had prepared to show me their latest projects.Dorothy told me with a big smile that they were serving poke greens salad and cornbread for “dinner” （lunch）.In caseyou don't know，poke greens are a weed-type plant that grows wild，especially on poor ground.

Dorothy neverran out ofreports of exciting activities of her students.Her enthusiasm never cooled down.When it was time to sit for the testing and interviewing required to receive herChild Development Associate Certification，Dorothy was ready.She came to the assessment and passed in all areas.Afterwards，sheinvited me tothe one-andonly steak house in the area to celebrate her victory，as ifshe had received her Ph.D.degree.After the meal，she placed a little box containing an old pen in my hand.She said it was a family heirloom（傳家寶），but to me it is a treasured symbol,appreciation and pride that cannot be matched.

閱讀掃障

Ⅰ.熱詞積累

1.advise sb to do sth建議某人做某事

2.remind sb of...使某人想起……

3.in the early 1980s在20世紀80年代初期

4.stand out突出；顯眼；杰出

5.rather than而不是；而不愿

6.on/upon doing sth一……就……

7.run out of用完；耗盡

8.invite sb to...邀請某人去……

9.as if好像

10.in case假使；萬一

Ⅱ.難句分析

1.In my living room，there is a plaque that advises me to “Bloom where you are planted.”

翻譯：_________________________________________

【點石成金】句中that引導定語從句，where引導地點狀語從句。

此句不用定語從句，把that定語從句改寫成doing作定語：__________________________________________.

2.To get to her school from the town of Harlan，I followed a road winding around the mountain.為了從哈蘭鎮到她的學校，我沿著一條蜿蜒的環山路走。

【點石成金】句中todo作目的狀語，翻譯成 “為了”，wind是動詞，表示“蜿蜒”，在句中用作非謂語動詞，作定語，修飾road，與被修飾的名詞是主動關系。

此句把目的狀語放在主句之后不用逗號，表達成___________________________________.

譯文助讀

在我的起居室里，有一塊牌匾，它告訴我“要在落地之處綻放”。這讓我想起了Dorothy。20世紀80年代初，我認識了Dorothy，當時我正在肯塔基州巴伯維爾的聯合學院教幼兒發展課程。工作職責要求每一位教師偶爾到教室參觀。在我的記憶中，我清晰地記得Dorothy是一個在偏遠地區扎根的人。

Dorothy在阿巴拉契亞山區肯塔基州哈蘭縣的一所學校任教。為了從哈蘭鎮到她的學校，我沿著一條蜿蜒的環山路走。在八英里的旅程中，我五次穿過同一條鐵軌，有可能被同一列火車趕上五次。我發現它令人沮喪，而不是被穿越山區的興奮驅使著。貧困程度令人震驚，這些破舊的小房子給了我最強烈的絕望感。

從我到達那所小學校的那一刻起，所有的憂郁就不見了。一到Dorothy的教室。我受到了笑臉的歡迎，受到了女王般的對待。孩子們已經準備好展現他們最新的節目。Dorothy微笑著告訴我，他們正在為“晚餐”（午餐）供應蔬菜沙拉和玉米面包。你知道嗎，刺菜是一種雜草類型的植物，生長在野外，特別是在貧瘠的土地上。

Dorothy從來沒有報道過她學生的精彩活動。她的熱情從來沒有冷卻過。到了參加測試和面試的時候，她需要獲得兒童發展助理證書，Dorothy已經做好了準備。她參加了評估，在所有方面都通過了考試。之后，她邀請我去這個地區唯一的牛排店慶祝她的勝利，就好像她獲得了博士學位一樣。飯后，她在我手里放了一個小盒子，里面裝著一支舊鋼筆。她說這是一個傳家寶，但對我來說，這是一個珍貴的象征，欣賞和驕傲，是無法與之相匹配的。