A letter to Santa

精彩导读

幼年时戴维曾给圣诞老人写了一封信，信里列出了他想要的礼物。但是圣诞节那天他并没有收到那些礼物。几十年后，一名建筑工人在一所老房子的烟囱里发现了这封信。他设法联系到了已经七十多岁的老戴维，并帮他实现了当年的愿望。

文章词数 3 8 4 建议用时 7′ 难度系数 ★★★

Christmas was hanging around.Six-year-old David Smith was eager to get Santa’s presents,so he wrote a letter and made a list of the items on it.Then he bent down to post the letter up the chimney,waiting for the air current to take _1_up.

David gotupveryearlyon the Christmas morning.He searched his room carefully,but to his_____2_（disappoint）,he didn’t find the presents he hoped for.Although upset,David was convinced that Santa would not forget him.

72 years passed.Lewis Shaw,a young ______3（build）,was removing the fireplace of an old house with his colleagues when he suddenly uncovered a small piece of paper,which was still in perfect condition even if it had turned yellow.He picked it up and unfolded it.This was a letter _4_（write）to Santa.The touching handwritten note read:

Dear Father Christmas,

Please can you send me Rupert Annual and a drum,box of chalk,slippers(拖鞋),silk tie,pencil box,any little toys you have to spare.

L ove,

David

It was then signed off with lots of kisses.

This was _5_very letter written by little David Smith and the house was the one he had lived in during his childhood!

WhatsimpleChristmaspresentsDavidwas asking for and ___6_modest he was!But children today,in Shaw’s eyes,were ungrateful and would email Santa,demanding expensive things and taking it for granted.

Shaw decided to find out the author of the letter.He shared a photo of the note on Facebook.He also spoke to the neighbors on both sides of the house.Within two days he connected with David,the now 78-year-old man living in a town nearby.They met at the old house, ___7_Shaw returned him the letter.What a great surprise it was that he could read the letter again so many years after he wrote it!

A great surprise was on the way.After a pleasant chat,Shaw _8_（hand）David a box.Inside it found David all the presents he had listed in the letter.In fact,it had taken Shaw much time ______9（collect）these presents.He didn't even know Rupert Annual was a magazine for children before he’s able to get one.David was quite __1_0_（excite）—he finally had his Christmas wishes fulfilled （完成）!

Reading check

阅读文章，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Language study

Ⅰ.熟词生义

文中词条 基本含义 引申含义 生义例句i t e m 项目；条款一件物品；一则新闻A r e t h e r e a n y i n t e r e s t i n g n e w s i t e m s i n t h e p a p e r t h i s m o r n i n g?今天早晨报上有什么有趣的新闻吗？g e t u p 起床；起立筹备；打扮W e'r e g e t t i n g u p a p a r t y f o r h e r b i r t h d a y.我们要给她开生日庆祝会。s p a r e 备用的；多余的H e s p a r e d n o e x p e n s e t o m a k e t h e p a r t y a s u c c e s s.为使宴会成功他不惜费用。抽出；饶恕；节约d e m a n d-i n g I c a n a g r e e w i t h y o u t h a t s u c h d u t y i s b o t h d a n g e r o u s a n d d e m a n d i n g.我同意你的看法，这种任务既危险，要求又严格。d e m a n d的现在分词t a k e u p 拿起 开始；从事要求多的；吃力的W h e n d i d y o u t a k e u p J a p a n e s e a s a s e c o n d f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e?你什么时间开始选修日语作为第二语言？m o d e s t 谦虚的 适度的；端庄的I b o u g h t t h e h o u s e a t a m o d e s t p r i c e.我以适中的价格买下了这所房子。

Ⅱ.高频热词

1.unfold v.展开；开放；显露

Eg.A walk through town will unfold many interesting buildings.一条穿越城镇的行道将显露很多有趣的建筑物。

2.hang around闲荡；徘徊；逗留

Eg.（2016浙江卷）Translated into high school terms,this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said,then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention.用高中的术语来说，这就意味着，如果你身边的每个人都在嘲笑约翰的衣着或者简所说的话，那么可以肯定的是，穿类似的衣服或者说类似的话会让你得到同样的负面关注。

3.hope for希望；期待

Eg.We learn from the past,experience the present and hope for success in the future.我们从过往中学习，体验当下，并展望未来的成功。

4.sign off停播；结束；签定

Eg.After ten year,I at last decided to sign off and go into business by myself.十年后,我终于决定退出该公司,自己去做生意。

5.on the way在途中；即将到来

Eg.（2016年新课标全国Ⅱ卷）Sitting back in the car on the way to the airport,I figured it all out.坐在回机场的车上，我想通了。

Ⅲ.美句赏析

1.Lewis Shaw,a young builder,was removing the fireplace of an old house with his colleagues when he suddenly uncovered a small piece of paper,which was still in perfect condition even if it had turned yellow.一个名叫Lewis Shaw年轻的建筑工人正在与同事清除一所旧房子的壁炉时，突然发现了一张小纸条。纸条虽然已经泛黄，但仍然完好无损。

点拨：这是一个并列复合句。when是并列连词，意思是“这时”。“过去进行时 +when＋一般过去时”意为“正……就在这时/忽然……”。后一个分句中含有which引导的定语从句，修饰a small piece of paper。定语从句部分还包含even if引导的让步状语从句。

微练：句式仿写

我正在家里消磨时间，忽然发现了你们培训中心的电脑课程。

2.This was the very letter written by little David Smith and the house was the one he had lived in during his childhood!这正是小David Smith写的那封信，并且那正是他童年时居住的房子！

点拨：这是and连接的并列句。过去分词短语written by little David Smith用作定语，修饰the very letter,very的意思是 “恰好的”；he had lived in during his childhood是省略了关系代词that/which的定语从句，修饰the one，the one指上面的名词the house。

微练：句式仿写

（2016浙江卷）当选择课程的最后时间到来时，我决定申请一个能反映我的爱好的那个。

3.What a great surprise it was that he could read the letter again so many years after he wrote it!他写信这么多年后又能读到这封信，这对他来说真是一个莫大的惊喜！

点拨：这是一个what感叹句。what修饰a great surprise,用作表语，其主语是it。句中还包含that引导的同位语从句，该从句修饰surprise。that引导同位语从句时 ， 常 放 在 抽 象 名 词 truth，news，information，hope，message，以及word（消息）等后面。

微练：句式仿写

（2016江苏卷）通常情况下，对于那些坚持希望的人来说，一切皆有可能。

Instant drills

Ⅰ.完成句子

1.我让他铭记他当时被授予了多么大的荣誉。

I impressed on him _____________he was being offered.

2.（2016江苏卷）即使在现在的状态下，互联网已经延长了我的记忆和判断。

Even ______________,the Internet has extended my memory and judgment.

3.既然那个问题我们已讨论完了,现在就来研究日程上的下一个项目吧。

Since we've finished with that point， now let’s_____________on the agenda.

4.（2016北京卷）大学已经同意了他们应该提供和家庭一样的环境的想法。

Universities have given in to the idea that_____________as that of the home.

5.领导者开始对他的拥护者们解释他的计划。

The leader began _____________to his followers.

6.在上街买东西之前,我常把必须买的东西列出一个单子。

Before I go shopping,I often _____________I must buy.

Ⅱ.微型写作

提示：1.黑体部分要使用“Ⅱ”和“Ⅲ”中的短语和句式；

2.文章篇幅80词左右；

3.注意增加适当的细节或连接词，以使得行文连贯。

汤姆在街上游荡着。他刚刚丢了工作。他原来上班的那家公司工作是一家著名企业，为此，他曾想当然地认为他会在那儿工作一辈子。他不明白为什么公司突然就处境糟糕，而且以关门收场。他现在只是希望能有一份工作来养活家人。他四下张望着，突然看到了一张海报，上面画着各种各样的食物。他突然有了一个想法：为什么不自己开餐馆呢？想到这里，他心里一阵激动，好像已经看到了一个美好的未来正在走来。