【现代大学英语精读】（第一册）第一课 半天(3/5)

英语自学网

选自美国作家Naguib Mahfous的短篇小说《半天》的一到七段。文章描述了一个小学生去学校学习的半天，然而回来却已经翻天覆地的变化了，甚至自己还有外孙了，耐人寻味。We played all sorts of games. In the music room we sang our first songs. We also had our first introduction to language. We saw a globe of the earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries. We started learning numbers, and we were told the story of the creator of the universe. We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning.
      Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. We had to be observant and patient.It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold. Even more frequently, she would resort to physical punishment.
      In addition, the time for changing one's mind was over and gone and there was no question of ever returning to the paradise of home. Nothing lay ahead of us, but exertion, struggle and perseverance. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.