The Great American Garage Sale

LESSoN ELEVEN   TEXT  A                              The Great American Garage Sale       Not long ago, Charles Erickson and his family decided1 to do some spring housecleaning. __ (Sort) through their possessions, they came up with some 1,500 old, __ (want) items -- all sorts of things (they wanted to get rid of). The Ericksons decided to do what a lot of other Americans are doing these days--have a garage sale. They posted homemade signs throughout the neighborhood, ran an advertisement in the local newspaper, then set out the unwanted objects on the front yard of their home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and waited to see if any one would come. The Ericksons neednt have worried. Eager buyers bought all but 50 of the items in one weekend, leaving the family $442 richer.       Garage sale, yard sale, basement sale -- whatever theyre called and wherever theyre held, Americans are having them in ever-increasing numbers.       The variety of things put up for sale is really wonderful -- dishes, books, used clothing, tools, tires, empty bottles, bicycles, furniture. A man in Atlanta, Georgia, even sold a full-size replica2 of a 1931 Ford3.      You wouldnt believe the stuff4 (people will buy), says Mrs. Jerry McNeely of Houston, Texas, who has held two garage sales with friends. on the other hand, you wouldnt believe some of the things (people will put out to sell).   Why would Americans want to shop by searching among someone elses cast-offs?       Rising living costs are considered by almost everyone as a reason both for holding sales and for attending them. The seller5 makes a little extra money and the buyer saves quite a lot, since garage-sale items usually are priced at a very small part of their original cost.       But beyond that, theyre fun. Garage sales have become suburban6 social events, drawing people of all ages. Neighbors enjoy meeting new people, and some families even serve drinks and cakes. one psychologist suggests that people are fed up with the computerization of their lives -- they may be searching for their roots. Many of the younger buyers say they are turned off by the poor quality of modern goods and are looking for remnants7 of a stronger and firmer era8, when things were built to last.   Some people have made garage-sale shopping into a hobby; they spend their weekends going from sale to sale, hoping to run across a real treasure. Says one long-time weekend bargain hunter, In the back of your mind you have the hope of finding9 some fabulous10 painting stored away somewhere or something else of great value for a bargain price.       Diana McLellan, a reporter for the Washington Star-News, wrote: The garage sale is like the quality of mercy -- it blesseth him (that gives) and him (that takes). It separates clothes, toys, pots, cups, forks and knives from their reluctant11 owners and places them in loving new homes.       How long will all this enthusiasm12 continue? Says one recent seller, Some day the people who are buying are bound13 to be faced with the same problem we had -- getting rid of this stuff.       The Blacks   You need have come here.      You needn’t have given him money.   Clothes ---- clothing   Attracting   I enjoy listening to music.   My brother enjoys making friends.    The psychologist suggests that we be patient with the kids.   I have made raising dogs into a hobby.   Misunderstanding separates my friend from me.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

3 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

4 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

5 seller   

n.售货者，畅销品

参考例句：

• I hope for this book to become a best seller.我希望这本书会成为一本畅销书。
• She drove a hard bargain with the seller.她狠杀卖主的价。

6 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

7 remnants   

剩余部分( remnant的名词复数 )； 残余； 零料； 零头布

参考例句：

• The woods are remnants of a huge forest which once covered the whole area. 这片树林只是剩下的一部分，原来这一带是一大片森林。
• Even today remnants of this practice remain. 甚至在今天这种做法还未绝迹。

8 era   

n.时代，年代，纪元，阶段

参考例句：

• We are living in the information era.我们生活在信息时代。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

9 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

10 fabulous   

adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的

参考例句：

• We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
• This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。

11 reluctant   

adj.不愿意的；迟迟不合作的；不同意的

参考例句：

• The workers are reluctant to be ordered around by the employers.工人们不愿被雇主们差来遣去地随便使唤。
• I am reluctant about asking him to do this.我极不愿意让他去干此事。

12 enthusiasm   

n.热情，激情；巨大兴趣；热衷的事物

参考例句：

• We set about our task at once with great enthusiasm.我们立刻兴致勃勃地干起来。
• A team which is full of enthusiasm is more likely to win.情绪高涨的球队更可能获胜。

13 bound   

adj.一定的，必然的；受约束的，有义务的

参考例句：

• I feel honor bound to repay the money I borrowed.我觉得有责任归还我借的钱。
• If he signs that paper,he will be bound hand and foot.如果他签署那份文件，他就会受到束缚。