姓名:学号:专业:Dearall,Hereattachedisthe1streadingassignmentforyoutofinishnextweek.YouneedtosendyouranswersbacktomebeforenextSaturdayNov.22.Note:a)Justgiveyouranswers,donocopytheessay.b)Donotcopyeachother'sanswers.Iftwoormoreofyougivemethesameanswers,allofthesameanswerswillnotbescored.Enjoyit.BestZhang（注：以上应该是英语老师的作业要求）ChristmasThatfall,beforeitwasdiscoveredthatthesolesofbothmyshoeswerewornclearthrough,IstillwenttoSundayschool.AndonetimetheSunday-schoolsuperintendentmadeaspeechtoalltheclasses.Hesaidthatthesewerehardtimes,andthatmanypoorchildrenweren'tgettingenoughtoeat.ItwasthefirsttimethatIhadheardaboutit.HeaskedeverybodytobringsomefoodforthepoorchildrennextSunday.Ifeltverysorryforthepoorchildren.Also,littleenvelopesweredistributedtoalltheclasses.Eachlittleboyandgirlwastobringmoneyforthepoor,nextSunday.TheprettySunday-schoolteacherexplainedthatweweretowriteournames,orhaveourparentswritethem,upintheleft-handcornerofthelittleenvelopes....ItoldmymotherallaboutitwhenIcamehome.Andmymothergaveme,thenextSunday,asmallbagofpotatoestocarrytoSundayschool.Isupposedthepoorchildren'smotherswouldmakepotatosoupoutofthem....Potatosoupwasgood.Myfather,whowasquiteajoker,wouldalwayssay,asifheweresurprised,"Ah!Iseewehavesomenourishingpotatosouptoday!"Itwassogoodthatwehaditeveryday.Myfatherwasathomealldaylongandeveryday,now;andIlikedthat.Ihadmyparentsalltomyself,too;theotherswereaway.MyoldestbrotherwasinQuincy,andmemorydoesnotrevealwheretheotherswere:perhapswithrelativesinthecountry.TakingmysmallbagofpotatoestoSundayschool,Ilookedaroundforthepoorchildren;Iwasdisappointednottoseethem.Ihadheardaboutpoorchildreninstories.ButIwastoldjusttoputmycontributionwiththeothersonthebigtableinthesideroom.Ihadbroughtwithmethelittleyellowenvelope,withsomemoneyinitforthepoorchildren.Mymotherhadputthemoneyinitandsealeditup.Shewouldn'ttellmehowmuchmoneyshehadputinit,butitfeltlikeseveraldimes.Onlyshewouldn'tletmewritemynameontheenvelope.Ihadlearnedtowritemyname,andIwasproudofbeingabletodoit.Butmymothersaidfirmly,no,Imustnotwritemynameontheenvelope;shedidn'ttellmewhy.OnthewaytoSundayschoolIhadpressedtheenvelopeagainstthecoinsuntilIcouldtellwhattheywere;theyweren'tdimesbutpennies.WhenIhandedinmyenvelope,mySundayschoolteachernoticedthatmynamewasn'tonit,andshegavemeapencil;Icouldwritemyownname,shesaid.SoIdid.ButIwasconfusedbecausemymotherhadsaidnotto;andwhenIcamehome,IconfessedwhatIhaddone.Shelookeddistressed."Itoldyounotto!"shesaid.Butshedidn'texplainwhy....Ididn'tgobacktoschoolthatfall.MymothersaiditwasbecauseIwassick.Ididhaveacoldtheweekthatschoolopened;Ihadbeenplayingintheguttersandhadgotmyfeetwet,becausetherewereholesinmyshoes.Myfathercutinsolesoutofcardboard,andIworethoseinmyshoes.AslongasIhadtostayinthehouseanyway,theywereallright.Istayedcoopedupinthehouse,withoutanycompanionship.Wedidn'ttakeaSundaypaperanymore,andthoughIdidnotreadsmallprint,IcouldseetheSantaClausesandhollywreathsintheadvertisements.Therewasacalendarinthekitchen.ThereddayswereSundaysandholidays;andthatredwasChristmas.IknewjustwhenChristmaswasgoingtobe.Buttherewassomethingqueer!Myfatherandmotherdidn'tsayawordaboutChristmas.AndoncewhenIspokeofit,therewasastrange,embarrassedsilence;soIdidn'tsayanythingmoreaboutit.ButIwondered,andwastroubled.Whydidn'ttheysayanythingaboutit?WaswhatIhadsaidIwantedtooexpensive?Iwasn'tarrogantandt...
