转变心意

江苏南菁高级中学 陈 婧

Step 1 感知·阅读导航

话题导入

圣诞节来临之际，“我”很想给自己买一双新靴子，但最终还是转变了心意。是什么促使了这个转变？故事是如何发展的？让我们一起阅读这篇充满温情的小短文并找到答案吧！

全文约836词，建议用时15分钟。

阅读目标

1.依据文章体裁，从小说的三大要素视角对文本进行解构和阅读；

2.掌握小说阅读的基本策略，理解情节的发展，并深度阅读，挖掘人物的情感、态度变化，继而总结人物的性格特点，培养深度阅读文本的能力；

3.从写作技能入手，通过欣赏文本语言和体会小说的写作技巧，培养“体会言外之意”的能力；

4.通过阅读这篇小短文，增强对于自我和对于亲情的情感体验。

阅读扫障

1.evict/ɪ'vɪkt/v.驱逐；逐出

2.shovel/'ʃʌvl/v.铲起；铲

3.bewildered/bɪ'wɪldərd/adj.困惑的

4.hinged/hɪndʒd/adj.有铰链的

5.eternity/ɪ'tзːnəti/n.永恒

6.brim/brɪm/v.盛满；（使）满

7.dumbfounded/dʌm'faʊndɪd/adj.目瞪口呆的

It was the tail end of the Depression,and things were tough.Mum had a hard time raising us kids on her own in our small community of New Westminster,BC.My dad had drowned in Pitt Lake,five years earlier—I still remember it like it was yesterday.Because Dad had no pension,or benefits,there was not much money.So we went on relief,now called social assistance.We relied on the Salvation Army to keep us clothed,and although our clothes were secondhand,we thought they were beautiful.

Looking back,I realize what Mum went through sending us kids to school.Every morning she would tuck（塞）a pair of new cardboards in our shoes,because our soles （鞋底）were worn out.When we got home,Mum would have “French Toast” ready for us.This was bread deep-fried in lard (猪油炸过的面包).Constant moving was typical for my family in these times.Rent was twenty-five dollars a month,but Mum couldn't pay it,and we knew we would be evicted right after Christmas on the first of January.These were hard and sad years,but we never complained.

Christmas was approaching,and we were entitled to a twenty-five-dollar Christmas fund for social services.The inspector came to our house,and searched it from top to bottom to be sure we didn't have any food hidden away.When he didn't find any,he issued the cheque for Mum.It was four days before Christmas,and Mum said that instead of buying food,she would use the money to pay back rent,assuring us all of a roof over our heads for a little while longer.She told us then there would be nothing for Christmas.

Unknown to Mum,I had been selling Christmas trees,shoveling snow,and doing odd jobs to earn enough money to buy a new pair of boots that weren't patched and weren't with cardboards in the soles.I knew exactly which boots I wanted.They were ten-inch Top Genuine Pierre Paris and they had a price of twenty-three dollars.

Well,the big day came on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.I was very excited,as I hurried up the road to catch the bus.It was only half-amile walk,but on the way I noticed a house with Christmas lights and decorations.It was then that I realized that at our house,we had no lights,no decorations,nor any money for Christmas goodies.

I knew then that we would have no turkey or ham for Christmas,and I felt sad.But I knew for certain that we would have French Toast.

As I continued walking I began to feel bewildered.I was eleven years old,and I was feeling a strange sense of guilt.Here I was going to buy a pair of new boots while Mum was home in tears.She would be trying to explain to us why there were no presents.As I arrived at the bus stop,the driver opened his big manual hinged door.I stood there for what seemed an eternity until eventually the driver asked,“Son,are you getting on this bus or not?”I finally blurted out（脱口而出）,“No， thanks， Sir,I've changed my mind.”

The bus drove off without me,and I stood alone in a daze,but feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.My mind was made up and I realized what I had to do.

Across the street from the bus stop was a big grocery store called the Piggly Wiggly.Into the store I went,brimming with happiness and excitement.I realized that the twenty-five dollars I had worked so hard for went a long way for groceries.I bought a turkey,ham,oranges and all the Christmas treats.I spent every coin of my hard-earned money.The owner of the grocery store said,“Son,you can't pack all those groceries and carry them home yourself.”So I asked two boys with carriers on their bicycles to run them the half-mile down to our house.As I walked behind the delivery boys,I whispered to them to quietly unload the groceries on the porch and pile them against the door.Once they had done this,with great excitement and tears in my eyes,I knocked on the door.I could hardly wait to see my mother's face!When Mum opened the door,some of the groceries fell inside onto the floor,and she just stood there dumbfounded.Holding back the tears,I hollered（叫喊）,“Merry Christmas，Mother!There really is a Santa Claus!”

I had a lot of explaining to do as we unpacked all the food and put it away.That day I got enough hugs and kisses from Mum to last two lifetimes.To see my Mother's prayers answered more than made up for the boots I never got.It was a merry Christmas for us after all!

Step 2 理解·文本解读

Ⅰ.Prediction

What will be written in the story according to the title “A change of heart”?

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Ⅱ.Three basic elements of a story

1.Characters:Who are the main characters of the story?

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2.Setting:Para.1

（1）After reading Para.1,can you describe their life with one adjective?

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（2）What contributed to such a life?

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3.Plots:beginning,development,climax,ending

（1）Beginning:Para.2～3

①What was the largest problem after Christmas?

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②How was the problem solved?

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（2）Development and climax:Para.4～8

①What did the author want for Christmas?

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②How did he get the money?

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book=7,ebook=9（3）Analysis of the change of the author's emotions

Paragraphs Clues Emotions Para.4 I knew exactly which boots I wanted. ①Para.5 Well,the big day came on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.I hurried up the road to catch the bus. ②Para.6 I knew then that we would have no turkey or ham for Christmas. ③As I continued walking I began to feel bewildered.I was eleven years old,and I was feeling a strange sense of guilt.“No， thanks， Sir,I've changed my mind.”Para.7④ ⑤Para.8 I stood alone in a daze,but feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.⑥

（4）Analysis of how the change happened

4.Ending:Para.9～10

（1）After changing mind,what did the author do?

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（2）How did the author feel according to each clue below?

“So I asked two boys...to run them the half-mile down to our house.” “I whispered to them to quietly unload the groceries on the porch and pile them against the door.”

That he asked two boys to run groceries to house shows his __________________.

That he whispered to the two boys to quietly unload and pile the groceries is to _________________.

（3）What was his mum's response?What kind of feelings might Mum have?

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【点石成金】从小说的三大基本要素解构文本，并从情节的开端、发展、高潮、结局去分析文本，是我们进行小说阅读常采用的策略，这有助于我们理清文章。同时，小说的精妙之处不仅在于情节的发展，更在于人物情感、态度的变化。

Step 3 运用·读写整合

1.The story happened when Christmas was approaching.For the author:

At first,Merry Christmas means buying something ________wanted.

In the end,Merry Christmas means buying something ________wanted.

2.“A change of heart”actually reflects a ________process of the author.

3.What personalities does the author's family have?

【点石成金】通过继续挖掘文章主旨，同学们可以加深对文本的理解，达到评判阅读的目的。同时，寻找线索和归纳人物性格更有助于培养阅读中的深度思考能力。

Step 4 提升·素养建构

视野拓展

Writing techniques

每种文章体裁都有各自的语言特征，同学们可以从写作技能入手，欣赏、体会小说的写作手法，从而为今后的写作打下基础。

Details Writing techniques Functions I stood there for what seemed an eternity until eventually the driver asked，“Son...or not?”1.__________2.The bus drove off without me,and I stood alone in a daze,but feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. 3.__________4.So I asked two boys with carriers on their bicycles to run them the half-mile down to our house.As I walked behind the delivery boys,I whispered to them to quietly unload the groceries on the porch and pile them against the door.6.5.__________That day I got enough hugs and kisses from Mum to last two lifetimes.7.__________8.