【英语语言学习】感恩老师

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

 

And on this last Friday of 2012, it is time for Storycorps, recording¹ conversations about the most important moments in our lives. Today, we hear from John Cruitt and his third grade teacher, Cecile Doyle. John tracked down Mrs. Doyle decades after he was in her class. The former student and teacher talked about 1958, when John's mother, who was seriously ill, died shortly before Christmas.

 

JOHN CRUITT: We talked about decorating the Christmas tree when I came home from school that day. But I walked into the living room, and my aunt was there, and she said, well, honey, Mommy passed away this morning. And I remember at my mother's wake, someone in my family came to me and said, Johnny, your teacher's here.

 

CECILE DOYLE: When I found out she died, I could certainly relate to that, because when I was 11, my own father died. And you just don't know how you're going to go on without that person.

 

CRUITT: When I returned to school, you waited until all of the other children left the room at the end of the day, and you told me that you were there if I needed you. And you bent² over and kissed me on the head. It was really the only time someone said to me, I know what you're feeling, and I know what you're missing³. And I felt, in a very real way, that things really would be OK.

 

DOYLE: Well, John, I really loved you as a student, and I'm so glad that I could be there with you for that time.

 

CRUITT: Many years later, when I became a teacher, I started to think more and more about you. And I started to think to myself, here I am, with a memory of a teacher who changed my life, and I've never told her that. And that's why I finally wrote this letter. Dear Mrs. Doyle, if you are not the Cecile Doyle who taught English at Emerson School in Kearny, New Jersey⁴, then I'm embarrassed, and you can disregard⁵ the sentiments⁶ that follow.

 

My name is John Cruitt, and I was in your third-grade class during the 1958-1959 school year. Two days before Christmas, my mother passed away, and you told me that you were there if I needed you. I hope life has been as kind to you as you were to me. God bless you, always. With great fondness, John

 

DOYLE: And your letter could have not come at a better time because my husband had Parkinson's and he was going downhill. And I had just come home from the hospital, and I read this beautiful letter, and I just was overwhelmed⁷.

 

CRUITT: Well the funny thing is, when I finally wrote to you again after 54 years, I typed the letter. I was afraid my penmanship wasn't going to meet your standards. Well, after all this time, Mrs. Doyle, all I can say to you is, thank you.

 

DOYLE: John, what can I say? I'm just glad that we made a difference in each other's life.

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

4 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

5 disregard   

vt.不理会，漠视；n.忽视，漠视

参考例句：

• You can't just disregard the security problem!你可不能忽视安全问题！
• He did it in disregard of any advice.他不顾一切劝告做了这件事。

6 sentiments   

（基于情感的）观点( sentiment的名词复数 )； （对怜悯、怀旧等的）柔情； （失之过度或不恰当的）伤感； 态度或意见

参考例句：

• the spread of nationalist sentiments 民族主义情绪的传播
• He expressed his sentiments about the war with great eloquence. 他雄辩地表达了他对那场战争的看法。

7 overwhelmed   

[ overwhelm ]的过去式

参考例句：

• She was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. 她感到愧疚难当。
• If (one was) overwhelmed by passion, it could lead to serious blunders. 当感情完全淹没理智时，就可能铸成大错。