Deborah

李瓊霞

你聽過婦女從軍的故事嗎？年輕女孩黛博拉·桑普森家境可憐，熱愛冒險，并心懷遠大志向。在女性地位并不高的那個年代，她用自己的實際行動證明了女性可以像男性一樣馳騁疆場。

Deborah Sampson was born in Massachusetts， US in 1760. She was the fifth oldest of the seven children in her family. The family was so poor that the mother sent the kids off to live with friends and relatives1. At the age of 5， Deborah was taken in by an old woman and was then sent to work as a servant in another home.

At the age of 10， she helped with the housework and worked on a farm for about eight years， growing to be about 173 cm tall， almost 30 cm taller than the average woman of her day. Hard physical work helped her develop2 a strong body.

She dreamed of going on great adventures. When the American Revolutionary War （美國獨立戰爭） broke out in 1775， women were not allowed to serve3 in the army. But Deborah dressed herself to look like a man and joined the army in 1782. She called herself Robert Shurtliff.

One day， during an attack， Deborah was shot in the back and leg. Another soldier took her to the hospital. A doctor treated4 the wound on her back and asked if she had any other wounds. Deborah lied and said no. She was afraid that if the doctor examined her leg， he would discover her secret. Using a pocket knife， Deborah took the bullet （子彈） out of her own leg. She left the hospital and continued to fight.

After the war ended， Deborah got married and had children. But she still longed for adventure. So she put on her soldier's uniform and traveled around the country telling of her life as Robert Shurtliff， the young and brave soldier.

【詞海拾貝】

1. relative n. 親戚2. develop v. （使）成長;發展3. serve v. （在軍隊）服役 4. treat v. 治療（treat the wound 療傷）

【難句解析】

1. One day， during an attack， Deborah was shot in the back and leg.

釋義：一天，在一次襲擊中，Deborah 的背部和腿部中彈。

點撥：shot是shoot的過去分詞形式，意為“射中;擊中”。在英語中，常用介詞短語來表示接觸到身體的某一部位，常用結構：主語+謂語動詞+sb.+介詞+the+身體部位。關于介詞的選用問題：一般身體部位比較硬而突出的地方或者強調身體的表面，用介詞on;在軟而凹的部位用in;表示抓、握、牽某一部位時，用介詞by。例如：

He felt someone patting him on the shoulder while he watched the game.

2. Using a pocket knife， Deborah took the bullet （子彈） out of her own leg.

釋義：Deborah使用小折刀，從自己的腿中取出子彈。

點撥：using a pocket knife作伴隨狀語，其邏輯主語與句中主語一致，表示與謂語動詞所表示的動作同時發生。例如：

While walking along the sands towards his boat， Crusoe saw in the sand the mark of a man's foot.

3. After the war ended， Deborah got married and had children. But she still longed for adventure.

釋義：戰爭結束后，Deborah 結婚生子。但她仍然渴望冒險。

點撥：get married （to sb.） （與某人）結婚。marry v. 結婚，marry sb. 嫁給某人/娶某人。marry 是終止性動詞，不能與表示持續的時間狀語連用，be married可以表示持續的狀態。例如：

They have been married for five years.

I. Choose the right answer.

1. When did Deborah leave the farm？

A. In 1765. B. In 1770. ? C. In 1778. D. In 1782.

2. Deborah was able to join the army because ____.

a. many soldiers had already died b. she had a strong body

c. women were allowed in the army d. she dressed like a man

e. she used a man's name

A. a c d B. b d e ? C. a b e D. b c d

3. What happened to one of Deborah's legs？

A. She lost the leg. B. She broke the leg.

C. The doctor treated the leg well. D. She took a bullet out of it on her own.

4. What is the story mainly about？

A. Deborah's adventurous life. B. The influence Deborah had on men.

C. How hard Deborah's life was. ? D. How Deborah fought for women's rights.

II. Fill in the blanks.

1. Some girls ____ ____ （夢想著） being princesses when they are young.

2. On April 15， a big fire ____ ____ （爆發） in Notre Dame Cathedral， Paris.

3. Spider-Man has been trying to ____ ____ ____ （挖掘一個秘密）—his past.

4. Cherry and Deng fell in love and ____ ____ （結婚） in 1990.

5. I'm ____ ____ （渴望） his news.