Messengers of light

江西都昌县二中 侯昌玮

难词探意

1.moth/mɔːθ/n.飞蛾

2.blink/blıŋk/v.&n.闪烁

3.firefly/΄faıəflaı/n.萤火虫

4.messenger/΄mesındʒə(r)/n.送信人；信使

It was a dark night.Thick,dark,gray clouds had made sure that there was no starlight or moonlight to greet me as I walked out on my porch.Still,I kept the porch light off because I didn't want to be surrounded by bugs and moths on this sticky summer evening.I stood there for a while letting my eyes adjust to the lack of light.My dog stood beside me waiting patiently for me to start her walk.It was then,though,that I saw them.First one blink of light at the far end of the meadow followed another and then another.I smiled.I recognized them at once as my firefly friends,who always showed up this time of the year.

I got so much joy watching them first as a child and then as an adult.They never became dull or boring and they always filled me with delight.When I was little I used to sit in the grass and watch them slowly fly around blinking on and off.I never captured and put one in a jar as some kids did because I was afraid I might kill it and I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light.Their time on this earth was so brief as it was.I tried to enjoy them each night they were here.It always saddened me when they disappeared in the fall and it always made my heart sing when they reappeared the next summer.

I think I enjoy these little fireflies so much because I can see that we are like them in a lot of ways.Our time here on earth is brief.Often our light and love are more like on and off blinks rather than a steady shine.Let's share our love and light while we are here then.

Reading

Check

1.Why did the author turn off his porch light?

A.To avoid some insects.

B.To adapt to surroundings.

C.To search for his dog.

D.To greet special friends.

2.What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A.Moths. B.Dogs.

C.Fireflies. D.Lights.

3.What can we know about fireflies?

A.They always frightened the author.

B.Most kids caught and killed them.

C.The author watched them every night.

D.They usually brightened the author.

4.What does the author mainly convey through the story?

A.Value our short life in the world.

B.Protect fireflies as well as possible.

C.Devote ourselves as much as possible.

D.Share as many inspiring stories as possible.

Language

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Difficult sentence

I never captured and put one in a jar as some kids did because I was afraid I might kill it and I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light.

【翻译】___________________________________________________________

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句。句中as引导的是方式状语从句；because引导的是原因状语从句；I was afraid后面是省略了that的宾语从句。