Deborah

李琼霞

你听过妇女从军的故事吗？年轻女孩黛博拉·桑普森家境可怜，热爱冒险，并心怀远大志向。在女性地位并不高的那个年代，她用自己的实际行动证明了女性可以像男性一样驰骋疆场。

Deborah Sampson was born in Massachusetts， US in 1760. She was the fifth oldest of the seven children in her family. The family was so poor that the mother sent the kids off to live with friends and relatives1. At the age of 5， Deborah was taken in by an old woman and was then sent to work as a servant in another home.

At the age of 10， she helped with the housework and worked on a farm for about eight years， growing to be about 173 cm tall， almost 30 cm taller than the average woman of her day. Hard physical work helped her develop2 a strong body.

She dreamed of going on great adventures. When the American Revolutionary War （美国独立战争） broke out in 1775， women were not allowed to serve3 in the army. But Deborah dressed herself to look like a man and joined the army in 1782. She called herself Robert Shurtliff.

One day， during an attack， Deborah was shot in the back and leg. Another soldier took her to the hospital. A doctor treated4 the wound on her back and asked if she had any other wounds. Deborah lied and said no. She was afraid that if the doctor examined her leg， he would discover her secret. Using a pocket knife， Deborah took the bullet （子弹） out of her own leg. She left the hospital and continued to fight.

After the war ended， Deborah got married and had children. But she still longed for adventure. So she put on her soldier's uniform and traveled around the country telling of her life as Robert Shurtliff， the young and brave soldier.

【词海拾贝】

1. relative n. 亲戚2. develop v. （使）成长;发展3. serve v. （在军队）服役 4. treat v. 治疗（treat the wound 疗伤）

【难句解析】

1. One day， during an attack， Deborah was shot in the back and leg.

释义：一天，在一次袭击中，Deborah 的背部和腿部中弹。

点拨：shot是shoot的过去分词形式，意为“射中;击中”。在英语中，常用介词短语来表示接触到身体的某一部位，常用结构：主语+谓语动词+sb.+介词+the+身体部位。关于介词的选用问题：一般身体部位比较硬而突出的地方或者强调身体的表面，用介词on;在软而凹的部位用in;表示抓、握、牵某一部位时，用介词by。例如：

He felt someone patting him on the shoulder while he watched the game.

2. Using a pocket knife， Deborah took the bullet （子彈） out of her own leg.

释义：Deborah使用小折刀，从自己的腿中取出子弹。

点拨：using a pocket knife作伴随状语，其逻辑主语与句中主语一致，表示与谓语动词所表示的动作同时发生。例如：

While walking along the sands towards his boat， Crusoe saw in the sand the mark of a man's foot.

3. After the war ended， Deborah got married and had children. But she still longed for adventure.

释义：战争结束后，Deborah 结婚生子。但她仍然渴望冒险。

点拨：get married （to sb.） （与某人）结婚。marry v. 结婚，marry sb. 嫁给某人/娶某人。marry 是终止性动词，不能与表示持续的时间状语连用，be married可以表示持续的状态。例如：

They have been married for five years.

I. Choose the right answer.

1. When did Deborah leave the farm？

A. In 1765. B. In 1770.   C. In 1778. D. In 1782.

2. Deborah was able to join the army because ____.

a. many soldiers had already died b. she had a strong body

c. women were allowed in the army d. she dressed like a man

e. she used a man's name

A. a c d B. b d e   C. a b e D. b c d

3. What happened to one of Deborah's legs？

A. She lost the leg. B. She broke the leg.

C. The doctor treated the leg well. D. She took a bullet out of it on her own.

4. What is the story mainly about？

A. Deborah's adventurous life. B. The influence Deborah had on men.

C. How hard Deborah's life was.   D. How Deborah fought for women's rights.

II. Fill in the blanks.

1. Some girls ____ ____ （夢想着） being princesses when they are young.

2. On April 15， a big fire ____ ____ （爆发） in Notre Dame Cathedral， Paris.

3. Spider-Man has been trying to ____ ____ ____ （挖掘一个秘密）—his past.

4. Cherry and Deng fell in love and ____ ____ （结婚） in 1990.

5. I'm ____ ____ （渴望） his news.