Thank you, strangers

2020-09-23湖南江华县第一中学何高伦

疯狂英语·新读写 2020年9期

关键词：道别涡流体裁

湖南江华县第一中学何高伦

偶然的一次飞行经历，让作者认识到：紧要关头，向陌生人求助也是可行的！

题材体裁文章词数建议用时生活记叙文约450 9分钟

难词探意

1. turbulence /'tзːbjələns/ n. 骚动；涡流

2. lurch /lзːtʃ/ v. 突然前倾

3. blurt /blзːt/ v. 脱口而出

We were five minutes into the worstturbulenceI'd ever experienced—approaching Boston's Logan International Airport in a severe winter storm—when I turned to the woman next to me and said, “Hey, would you mind chatting with me for a few minutes? I'm really nervous.” We hadn't spoken much during the flight,other than the usual greetings. But my seatmate seemed friendly.

“Sure. My name is Sue,” the woman replied, smiling warmly. “What brings you to Boston?” I started to explain that I was on a business trip. Then the planelurchedviolently,and Iblurtedout, “I might need to hold your hand too.” Sue took my hand in both of hers tightly and patted it. Sometimes a stranger can significantly improve our day. A pleasant encounter with someone we don't know, even a non-verbal exchange, can soothe us when no one else is around. It may get us out of our own heads and help broaden our perspective.“People feel more connected when they talk to strangers and their moods improve after they have a conversation with a stranger,” said Gillian Sandstrom, a psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Essex who studies interactions between strangers. Overall, people report that they are happier on days when they have more interactions with people they don't know well. What's more, they have better emotional and physical health and live longer than those who do not.

When Sue Pernick took my hand on that scary flight to Boston, I almost wept with relief.She was so calm and reassuring. “We'll be on the ground safely soon,” she told me. I asked her what she did for a living. “I'm a retired physical teacher, and I coached women's volleyball,” she replied. Immediately, I could see what an awesome coach she must have been. Sue and I talked—about our families, our vacations, our love of the ocean—until the plane finally landed. When we said goodbye, I gave Sue a big hug and my card.

A few days later, I received an e-mail. “I have to admit that I was just as scared as you were but did not say it,” Sue wrote. “I just held your hand as hard as I could.Thank you for helping me through this very scary situation.”She added that when she'd told her friends about our conversation, they teased her because they know she loves to talk. I told my friends about Sue too. I explained how kind she was to me, and what I learned: It's OK to ask for help from a stranger if you need it.

Reading Check

1. Why did the author talk to Sue?

A. To satisfy curiosity. B. To show politeness.

C. To ask for help. D. To express excitement.

2. What does the underlined word “soothe” mean in the second paragraph?

A. Surprise. B. Confuse. C. Frighten. D. Calm.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A. Sue wrote the e-mail to express her gratitude.

B. Sue is often laughed at by her friends.

C. Sue felt calm during the scary flight.

D. Sue prefers to write e-mails.

Language Study