兄弟

李德修

I passed a man on the way home from work this evening. He was walking down the grass verge （小草地） at the side of the carriageway. Actually， he was staggering （搖摇晃晃地走） sometimes on the verge， sometimes off. I slowed down wondering whether to stop and give him a lift， at least down to a safer part of the road， a half mile further on. Then the car behind me overtook me and I lost the nerve to stop there as the road was so busy.

I couldnt be sure but he appeared to be quite drunk. I pulled into a lay-by a little way down the road and watched him in my rear-view mirror（后视镜）. Yep， he was obviously “well-oiled”. A truck swerved to avoid him at one point—he didnt appear to care.

Having stopped now I thought I might as well sit and wait for him to reach the car. Hed probably turn down my offer of a lift， or smell really bad or... any number of things went through my head while I waited.

Five minutes went by and I sat on. He reached the car. My windows were down， and I asked him if he wanted a lift. He indicated that he was going to the next town， just out of my way， but not far enough to put me to trouble. So in he got.

“Sorry， Im really quite drunk. Ive been at a funeral， my family are all really out of it， so I decided to walk home. Im Ryan，” and he offered me his hand.

I drove and we talked. He told me he d buried his uncle， and that he was a traveller. He called me brother and offered me his cool shades as payment. I declined and said the joy was in the giving.

Three times along the way he told me that “Whatever we put out there comes back to us. Something good will come to you for picking me up.”

“The joy is in the giving，” I said again.

We told each other where we came from， the places weve lived， and how we both ended up here. He apologized again for being so drunk.

“Anywhere around here is fine for me，” he said. So I dropped him at the next crossing. We shook hands and spoke each others names

again.

1.What does the underlined word “swerved” in paragraph 2 most probably mean？

A.Slow down. B.Speed up.

C.Come over. D.Change directions.

2.What can we know about the drunk man according to the text？

A.He received a lift for a half mile.

B.He had been at a funeral with his whole family.

C.He refused the offer by the author at the beginning.

D.His destination was not the same way as the author？蒺s.

Difficult sentences

1.I slowed down wondering whether to stop and give him a lift， at least down to a safer part of the road， a half mile further on.

翻译：

【点石成金】本句的主干成分是主谓结构。I是主语，slowed down是谓语，wondering是现在分词作伴随状语，whether to stop and give...是to do不定式的复合结构作wonder的宾语。

2.Then the car behind me overtook me and I lost the nerve to stop there as the road was so busy.

翻译：

【点石成金】本句由and连接并列句。第二个并列句中as引导原因状语从句。

3.We told each other where we came from， the places weve lived， and how we both ended up here.

翻译：

【点石成金】本句中where和how均引导宾语从句，与the places共同作told的宾语。weve lived是前面省略了which/that的定语从句。

Ⅰ.Important phrases in the text

1.give sb a lift 让某人搭便车

2.lose the/ones nerve 失去勇气

3.might as well do sth 做……倒也无妨

4.pick up （开车）接人；捡起；接受（信号）；无意中学会；廉价买到；改善；好转

Ⅱ.Complete the following sentences in correct forms with the phrases given above.

1.Its surprising that your brother Russian so quickly—he hasnt lived there very long.

2.I was going to have a go at parachuting （跳傘） but at the last minute.

3.If no one else wants it， we give it to him.

4.If youre driving to the airport， can you

me ？