Big Red

1The first time we set eyes on Big Red, Father, Mother and I were on our way to Hubble's Hardware store on Main Street in Huntsville, Ontario. As we passed the Eaton's Department store's window,we stopped as usual to look.

2The decorated window display held the best toys ever.And they were all lying beneath the skirt of Big Red.Mother's eyes were focused on the red shining dress,dotted with beautiful black stars.“My goodness,”she managed to say in wonder.“Look at that dress!”Then, totally out of character, Mother felt down on the snowy sidewalk.Beneath the heavy grey wool coat she had worn every winter for as long as I could remember,Mother lost her balance.Father quickly caught her.

3Her cheeks redder than usual,Mother laughed.“What a silly dress there in the window of Eaton's!”she shook her head.“Who on earth would want such a bright dress?”As we continued down the street,Mother turned back for one more look.“My goodness!You'd think they'd display something a person could use!”New Year was nearing and the red dress was soon forgotten. Mother, of all people, was not one to wish for or spend money on items that were not practical.“There are things we need more than this,”she'd always say,or,“There are things we need more than that.”Father, on the other hand, liked to buy whenever the budget allowed. Of course, he'd get a scolding for this, but it was all done with the best intention.

4Like the time he brought home the electric stove. In our old farmhouse on Oxtongue Lake,Mother was still cooking on a wood stove.In the summer,the kitchen would be so hot that flies wouldn't come inside.One day,Dad surprised her with a fancy new electric stove.She protested(反抗),of course,saying that the wood stove cooked well and that the electric stove was too dear. In spite of her objections, Dad and I knew that she cherished that new stove. There were many other modern things that our old farm needed but Mom insisted that those things would have to wait until we could afford them. Mom was forever doing chores—doing the laundry by hand, tending pigs, or working in our huge garden—so she always wore mended housedresses.

5That New Year I bought Dad a small present from the Five to a Dollar store. Choosing something for Mother was much harder. When Dad and I asked what she wanted, she thought carefully,and then said modestly for some tea towels or a new pan.On our last trip to town before New Year,we drove up Main Street and past Eaton's.

Reading Check

阅读上面的短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

注意：

1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。

Paragraph 1:

“That big red dress is gone,”she pointed excitedly and said in disbelief.“It's actually gone.”______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

Mother opened the box to find a big white pan—overflowing with a beautiful red dress._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

写作导引

一、语篇研读

（一）基本要素

Where_When__Who_What__Why outside of 1.________________________________________________________________before 2.___________________________________________________________________Father,Mother and I__________________________________________________________My mother liked the 3. ________very much,but she didn't want to 4. ________it.________Because Mother was not one to wish for or spend money on items that were not 5. ________.

（二）主题探索

What is the text about?And what does the author want to tell us?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

二、语言学习

（一）词块

Put the following expressions into Chinese.

__________________________________________________________Expressions 1.set eyes on_______________________________________________________________________2.as usual___________________________________________________________________________3.focus on_________________________________________________________________________4.in wonder________________________________________________________________________5.as long as 6.lose one's balance___________________________________________________________________7.spend money on___________________________________________________________________8.on the other hand__________________________________________________________________9.in spite of________________________________________________________________________10.in disbelief______________________________________________________________________Chinese meanings_____________

（二）句式

1.状语从句

As we passed the Eaton's Department store's window, we stopped as usual to look.(Para.1)

当我们经过伊顿百货公司的橱窗时，我们像往常一样停下来看。

As we continued down the street,Mother turned back for one more look.(Para.3)

当我们继续沿着街走时，母亲又回头看了一眼。

2.感叹句

What a silly dress there in the window of Eaton's!(Para.3)

伊顿（百货公司）橱窗里的那件衣服多不实用啊！

3.定语从句

Mother, of all people, was not one to wish for or spend money on items that were not practical.(Para.3)

在所有人中，母亲是那个并不想要或花钱买那些不实用的东西的人。

There were many other modern things that our old farm needed.(Para.4)

我们的老农场还需要许多其他现代的东西。

4.宾语从句

She protested, of course, saying that the wood stove cooked well and that the electric stove was too dear.(Para.4)

她当然抗议着说，木炉用得很好并且电炉太贵了。

（三）即学即用

1.当我在车站等车的时候，我听到一个很大的声响。（使用状语从句）

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2.它是一条多么漂亮的裙子呀！（使用感叹句）

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3.奇迹就是看似不可能，却发生了。（使用定语从句）

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4.我们都预料他们会赢，因为他们的队员更强壮。（使用宾语从句）

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三、续写布局

根据续写第一段段首句的内容“‘那条红色裙子不见了。’妈妈不敢相信地说”可知，续写第一段可描写妈妈看到裙子不见了以后的感受和行为，还有其他人的反应。根据续写第二段段首句的内容“妈妈打开盒子去找一个白色平底锅，盒子里却溜出来了一条漂亮的红色裙子”可知，续写第一段可描写妈妈收到新年礼物，一开始以为是一个白色平底锅。我们可根据以下问题链来展开具体内容：

1.How did Mother feel after knowing the dress was gone?

2.What did Father and I do?

3.How did we send the New Year present to Mother and what did she say?

根据续写第二段段首句的内容可知，续写第二段可描写妈妈收到梦想中的礼物后的反应以及我们对这件事情的感受。我们可根据以下问题链来展开具体内容：

1.What did Mother say and how did she feel?

2.How did Father reply and what did he do?

3.What lesson did I learn from this experience?