難詞探意

1.dysfunctional/d?s'f??k??nl/adj. 功能障礙的

2. veterinary /'vetnri/ adj. 獸醫(yī)的

3. overwhelming /'??v?'welm??/ adj. 壓倒性的

4. hustling and bustling 熙熙攘攘

5.spontaneously/sp?n'te?ni?sli/adv.自發(fā)地

6. infectious /?n'fek??s/ adj. 傳染性的

I was crossing a very busy street when I heard something familiar.

I come from a broken family that many would considerdysfunctionalat the very least:marriages, divorces, etc. After we grew up, my three siblings and I could go years without speaking. And that is where this story begins.

My sister Jeanne and I were born only 14 months apart, but by the time we were teenagers we had lost touch. By age 19, I had moved away from our home in Wisconsin to live on my father's horse farm in Virginia, where I worked ultimately as aveterinaryassistant. Jeanne got married at 18, moved to Chicago, and became—well, I didn't know what. We lived separate lives in separate states, and our connection somehow ended.

Five years passed by, I was 24 and on a trip with my husband to New York City, a place I had never been to. It wasoverwhelming. I was used to riding my horse to the corner store where everyone knew everyone and everything going on in the quiet little cowpoke town of Driver, Virginia.We had gone to New York to visit my husband's cousin and see the sights. We went to Little Italy, the Statue of Liberty, Chinatown and several Manhattan clubs. I had never seen so many taxicabs in one spot in all my life.

During a day of sightseeing, we were crossing a very busy street loaded with people. Everyone was in a hurry,hustling and bustling. I laughed at something my husband had said, and I suddenly heard my name yelled from somewhere behind me: “Cheryl!” I froze in my steps in the middle of the road. Tears welled upspontaneouslyin my eyes. I knew without a doubt that it was my sister Jeanne. I yelled back before even turning to look. “Jeanne?”

It was her. “Oh my God! ” I screamed, and I began pushing people out of my way to get to her. The crowd started to part—even by New York standards, we must have seemed crazy.And there we were, standing in the middle of a Manhattan street, facing each other and smiling.I couldn't believe it.

I later asked how she'd known it was me—she never saw me! She said it was my laugh. I wouldn't say my laugh is all that unusual, but I guess to a family member it'sinfectious. It hits your heart and resonates in your mind.

I asked her what she was doing in New York, and she said she had come for an opera showing and was there for only a week. Neither of us has ever returned to New York, and both our visits were spontaneous trips planned just a week earlier.

Since that time, my sister and I have never been separated. We both moved back to Wisconsin. We talk daily. Many years have passed,and we are now in our 50s. I truly believe there is something that played a huge part in bringing us together. But our meeting by chance wasn't just a sign. I see it as more of a lesson, a reminder not to lose touch with loved ones. It is too easy to remain lost. After our sister-to-sister miracle, I don't plan to let that happen again.

Reading

Check

1. What do we know about the author's family when she was young?

A. It's full of laughter. B. It's an unhappy one.

C. It only had two persons. D. Its members hate one another.

2. Why did the author and her husband visit New York City?

A. To go on holiday. B. To look for her sister.

C. To go sightseeing. D. To attend a cousin's wedding.

3. How did the author's sister recognize the author?

A. By watching the author for minutes. B. By hearing the author's calling her name.

C. By watching an opera showing. D. By hearing the author's laughter.

4. What message does the author want to convey in the text?

A. Stay in touch with our loved ones. B. Every dog has its day.

C. It's easy to get lost when one is too young. D. Always remember your loved ones' laugh.

Language

Study

Sentence for writing

I was used to riding my horse to the corner store where everyone knew everyone and everything going on in the quiet little cowpoke town of Driver, Virginia.

【信息提取】句中where作關(guān)系副詞，相當于in which,引導(dǎo)限制性定語從句。

【句式仿寫】我買這本書的書店離這兒不遠。