英语沙龙：霍莉今天上班吗？

 

Is Holly¹ Working Today?

For Holly and me，it started with a stray kitten．Abandoned in the harsh winter weather，she huddled² in a ball on the front steps of our building，an elementary school for emotionally disturbed children where I provided therapy three days a week．

That morning，I kept the kitten in my office while the principal figured out where to take it．

It started as the children soberly traipsed into my office that day for their therapy．When they spotted³ the kitten，their faces suddenly brightened．Their reticenceand tenseness seemed to melt away as they petted the stray，and our sessions were relaxed and open．The kitten's effect was astounding⁴ and，by the end of the day，I was hatching a plan．My dog，Holly，was a gentle，gregarious，well－behaved seven－year－old of mix ed parentage．Couldn't she have the same relaxing effect on the children I counseled？Enthused，I began paperwork requesting permission to bring Holly to school with me，providing documentation of the benefits of companion animals．

The project was approved，but my supervisor⁵ clearly let me know that Holly and I were on trial．The responsibility for any problems with the “dog experiment ”would land squarely on my shoulders．Optimistic nonetheless，I smiled at the signs pasted on my office door as I unlocked it on Holly's first morning with me at school．“Holly is happy to be here，”the children had carefully stenciled⁶．Already the children were responding positively⁷ to the idea of a dog counselor⁸．Holly sniffed⁹ out my office，and we settled in for a day of work．

A small boy entered，and he and Holly stared at each other warily¹⁰．“Does that dog bite？”

“No，”I assured him．“Why don't you give her a treat？”I handed him a bag of multicolored doggie treats．“Pick any color you like，”I said．The boy chose a red treat and tentatively held it out to Holly．She neatly¹¹ and gently took the treat，swallowed it quickly and licked the boy's hand．The boy smiled．Holly's critical debut¹² had been a success．

After the bell rang，a succession of little visitors came to our door，vying to see Holly．As they took turns handing treats to Holly，she wagged her tail and licked their hands，showing her approval．It was no wonder the children were drawn¹³ to her：For many of them，it was t heir first encounter with unconditional¹⁴ acceptance．

During the days that followed，Holly learned not to bark at the children's knocks on my office door．I set up a corner for her in my office on a piece of carpet remnant．The children eagerly came to me for their counseling visits，sitting on the floor by Holly and petting，brushing，playing with and confiding¹⁵ in her．As they relaxed with Holly，they let down their defenses．Our counseling sessions became smooth and productive．

Little by little，Holly's influence reached beyond her little corner of my office．Absences at school began to drop，and the children's disruptive behaviors softened¹⁶．Even the teachers ducked in for some pet therapy throughout the day，giving Holly a short pat and restoring their spirits in her presence．

I didn't realize how loved Holly was，though，until I missed two days of work with strep throat．When I called in sick the first day，expecting a touch of sympathy，I was immediately asked if that meant Holly would have to stay home，too．The second day，I was seriously asked if I could at least send Holly to work in a cab．Apparently，the teachers were tired of answering the question：“Is Holly working today？”

One morning before school，nine－year－old LeMar，a third－grader who visited Holly regularly，was shot and killed in a domestic dispute．His classmates learned of the tragedy while they were still on the school bus，and by the time they arrived at school，they were terrified and in tears．

I hurried to LeMar's home classroom，Holly trailing behind me．LeMar's teacher stood there with tears streaming down her face．“My degree didn't prepare me to handle something like this，”she sobbed¹⁷．I mustered¹⁸ all my sources and expertise¹⁹ to come up with the right words to soothe²⁰ them．

“Crying is okay for adults and children，”I began，“especially when something like this happens．”Still seeing the pain on their faces，I continued to tell them that it was okay to be scared，that fear is a natural response．For a while，we talked about how we would miss LeMar．It was at this point that I realized what Holly was doing．

She was working her way around the room，going from child to child－－and the teacher－－putting her front paws on their laps and stretching up to lick the tears from their faces．Unconsciously，the children hugged her back，running their fingers through her fur with such intensity²¹ that she would have gone bald if they'd done it all day．She called no significant attention to herself，but quietly expressed love and consolation²²．She diligently²³ kept up her silent comfort throughout that long，difficult day．

As I slid into the front seat of my car t hat afternoon，I leaned back，exhausted from the emotional trauma²⁴．I just wanted to be home．Glancing briefly²⁵ into the backseat，I was surprised to see that Holly had already fallen asleep．She was just as drained as I was，if not more so，and，not for the first time，I felt a pang²⁶ of guilt²⁷．Was a fair to ask my dog to take on the emotional responsibilities of troubled children？Shouldn't she be allowed to stay home and enjoy the carefree life of a house pet？

Those doubts may be why，even now，I occasionally stop in my rush to leave for school in the morning and，instead of ordering Holly into the car，look at her，asking，“Do you want to go to school today？”When she leaps up eagerly，all wags and excitement，I figure she's answered that burning question for all of us．Yes，Holly is working today．

霍莉今天上班吗？

对我和霍莉来说，一切是从一只无主的猫开始的。它在严寒中被抛弃，在校舍楼前台阶上，蜷缩在一个球里。这是一所为心理不正常的儿童开设的小学，我在那儿每周提供三天的心理治疗。

那天早上，我把那只猫留在了我的办公室里，而校长则在考虑如何安置它。

那天，事情是从孩子们安静地、悠悠忽忽走进我的办公室接受治疗开始的。他们见到小猫时，个个眼前一亮。他们摸拍这只无主的猫时，素日的缄默和紧张似乎融化了，疗程进行得既轻松，又坦率。小猫的效果令我吃惊，那天工作结束时，我就开始酝酿一项计划。我的混血狗霍莉７岁，它性情温和、合群、有礼貌。它对我治疗的孩子也能产生松弛神经的同样效果吗？我满腔热情地着手写报告，引用文献资料，列举了以动物为伴的好处，请求批准我带霍莉来学校。

我的计划虽然获准，但是校长交代得很清楚，我和霍莉是先试试。我要对有关“狗试验”出现的任何问题承担全部责任。

即使这样，我还是很乐观。带霍莉来学校的第一天早上，我开锁打开办公室门时，看到贴在门上的告示，我笑了。孩子们认认真真地写着：“霍莉高兴来这儿”。他们对狗充当辅导员的想法已经做出积极的反应。霍莉把办公室嗅闻一遍后，我们一天的工作就开始了。

一个小男孩走进来，他和霍莉警惕地对视着。“那狗咬人吗？”他问道。

“不，”我让他放心。“你为什么不给它吃点什么？”我递给他一袋各种颜色的狗饼干。“挑你喜欢的颜色，”我说道。那男孩挑了块红色的，试探地朝霍莉伸出手。它利索轻巧地叼住饼干，很快地吞下后，舔了舔男孩的手。男孩笑了。霍莉的初次登场获得成功。

铃响后，一伙小参观者陆续来到门前，争着要看霍莉。他们轮流喂它饼干，它晃动着尾巴，还舔他们的手，表示赞赏。它吸引孩子并不奇怪，因为许多孩子是第一次被无条件地接受。

在随后的日子里，霍莉学会不再听到孩子敲我办公室门时就吠叫。我为它在屋角里放了块地毯碎头。孩子们积极地来我这儿进行心理治疗，他们坐在霍莉身旁的地上，抚摸它，梳理它的毛，逗它玩，向它吐露心里话。孩子们轻松地和霍莉相处，防备意识也随之松懈。心理障碍疗程进展顺利，卓有成效。

霍莉的影响逐渐地从屋角扩展到办公室外。上课缺勤率开始下降，孩子们的捣乱行为有所缓和。甚至教师们也不时光顾，想接受些宠物治疗，轻拍它一下，在它面前又重新打起精神。

直到我因为脓毒性咽喉炎两天没去学校，我才知道霍莉多么受人们爱戴。第一天我打电话请病假，期望听到一些同情的话语，可对方立刻问我，这是否意味霍莉也得待在家里。第二天，学校来电话问我，能否至少让霍莉搭出租车去上班。很明显，老师们已经厌烦回答同样的问题：“霍莉今天上班吗？”

一天早上上课前，定时来看霍莉的三年级学生、9岁的勒马尔在家庭争吵中被枪击后死去。他的同学们在校车上听到这噩耗，到了学校后，个个惊恐不已，流着眼泪。

霍莉尾随我匆忙赶到勒马尔的教室。勒马尔的老师站在那儿，泪流满面。“我的学位没有教我怎样处理这样的事情，”她抽噎着说道。我使出浑身解数，想说出恰当的话来安慰他们。

“对成年人和孩子来说，哭是应该的，”我开口说道，“尤其是发生了这种事情的时候。”看到他们脸上仍显露着悲痛，我接着告诉他们恐惧也是正常的，那是一种自然反应。我们谈论了一会儿我们对勒马尔的思念。就在这个时候，我才注意到霍莉在干什么。

它绕着教室走，从一个孩子到另一个孩子，也到老师那儿，它把前爪放在他们膝上，挺身舔去他们脸上的眼泪。孩子们下意识地抱住它的背，使劲胡噜它的毛，手指用劲那么大，要是胡噜一天的话，霍莉准会成秃毛狗了。它并不要求给予它自己多大的关注，只是默默地奉献挚爱和安抚。在那漫长而痛苦难熬的一天里，霍莉不知疲倦地给人以无声的慰藉。

那天下午，我钻进汽车前座后，仰身坐下，感情的创伤使我疲惫不堪。我只想回家。往后座一瞥，我惊奇地看到霍莉已经睡着了。它如果不比我更累，至少和我一样筋疲力尽。我再次感到良心的不安。

让我的爱犬承担陷入痛苦的孩子们感情上的责任公平吗？它是不是该留在家里，享受家庭宠物无忧无虑的生活呢？

这些疑问，可能说明了我有时早上匆忙准备去学校时为什么要停步，不是叫霍莉上车，而是看着它问道：“今天你想去学校吗？”当它急切地蹦起，摇晃着尾巴，激动不已时，我想它已经回答了我们大家急于要问的问题。是的，霍莉今天上班。

 

1 holly   

n.[植]冬青属灌木

参考例句：

• I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
• People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

2 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

3 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

4 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

6 stenciled   

v.用模板印（文字或图案）( stencil的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• To transfer(a stenciled design) with pounce. 以印花粉印用印花粉末转印（镂空模板花样） 来自互联网
• L: Cardboard cartons, with stenciled shipping marks. 李：刷有抬头的硬纸板箱。 来自互联网

7 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

8 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

9 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 warily   

adv.留心地

参考例句：

• He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。
• They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

11 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

12 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

13 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

14 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

15 confiding   

adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）

参考例句：

• The girl is of a confiding nature. 这女孩具有轻信别人的性格。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Celia, though confiding her opinion only to Andrew, disagreed. 西莉亚却不这么看，尽管她只向安德鲁吐露过。 来自辞典例句

16 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

17 sobbed   

哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说

参考例句：

• She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
• She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。

18 mustered   

v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发

参考例句：

• We mustered what support we could for the plan. 我们极尽所能为这项计划寻求支持。
• The troops mustered on the square. 部队已在广场上集合。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

20 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

21 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

22 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

23 diligently   

ad.industriously;carefully

参考例句：

• He applied himself diligently to learning French. 他孜孜不倦地学法语。
• He had studied diligently at college. 他在大学里勤奋学习。

24 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

25 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

26 pang   

n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷

参考例句：

• She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。
• She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。

27 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。