大学一年级下学期-Unit1-passage-english-a

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<P1>Mybrother,Jimmy,didnotgetenoughoxygenduringadifficult<1>delivery</1>,leavinghimwithbraindamage,andtwoyearslaterIwasborn.

Sincethen,myliferevolvedaroundmybrother's.

Acpanyingmygrowingupwasalways"gooutandplayandtakeyourbrotherwithyou".

Icouldn'tgoanywherewithouthim,soIurgedtheneighborhoodkidstoetomyhouseforsomeout-of-controlkid-centeredfun.

MymothertaughtJimmypracticalthingslikehowtobrushhisteethorputonabelt.

<P2>Myfather,a<2>saint</2>,simplyheldthehousetogetherwithhispatienceandunderstanding.

<P3>IwasinchargeoutsidewhereIadministered<3>justice</3>bytrackingdowntheparentsofthekidswhopickedonmybrother,andtellingonthem.

MyfatherandJimmywere<4>inseparable</4>.

Theyatebreakfasttogetherandonweekdaysdroveofftothenavyshippingcentereverymorningwheretheybothworked¡ªJimmy<5>unloaded</5><7>color-coded</7>boxes.

Atnightafterdinner,theywouldtalkandplaygameslateintotheevening.

Theyeven<8>whistled</8>thesametunes.

Sowhenmyfatherdiedofaheartattackin1991,Jimmywasa<9>wreck</9>,<10>beneath</10>hiscareful<11>disguise</11>.

Hewassimplyin<12>disbelief</12>.

Usuallyvery<13>agreeable</13>,henowquitspeakingaltogetherandnoamountofwordscould<14>perate</14>the<15>vacant</15>expressionheworeonhisface.

Ihiredsomeonetolivewithhimanddrivehimtowork,butnomatterhowmuchItriedtomakethingsstaythesame,evenJimmy<16>grasped</16>thattheworldhe'dknownwasgone.

OnedayIasked,"YoumissDad,don'tyou?"

Hislips<17>quivered</17>andthenheasked,"Whatdoyouthink,Margaret?Hewasmybestfriend."

Ourtearsbegantoflow.

MymotherdiedoflungcancersixmonthslaterandIalonewaslefttolookafterJimmy.

<P4>Hedidn'tadjusttogoingtoworkwithoutmyfatherrightaway,sohecameandlivedwithmeinNewYorkCityforawhile.

HewentwhereverIwentandseemedtoadjustprettywell.

Still,Jimmy<18>longed</18>toliveinmyparents'houseandworkathisoldjobandI<19>pledged</19>tohelphimreturn.

Eventually,Iwasabletoworkitout.

Hehaslivedtherefor11yearsnowwithmanydifferent<20>caretakers</20>and<21>blossomed</21>onhisown.

Hehasbeeessentialtotheneighborhood.

Whenyouhaveanymailtobepickeduporyourdogneedswalking,heisyourman.

Mymotherwasright,ofcourse:Itwaspossibletohaveahomewithroomforbothhislimitationsandmyambitions.

Infact,caringforsomeonewholovesasdeeplyandappreciatesmyeffortsasmuchasJimmydoeshasenrichedmylifemorethananythingelseevercouldhave.

<P5>ThishithomeafewdaysaftertheSeptember11thdisasteronJimmy's57thbirthday.

IhadapartyforhiminmyhomeinNewYork,butnoneofourfamilycouldjoinusbecausetravelwasdifficult<P6>andtheywerestill<22>reckoning</22>withthe<23>sheer</23><24>terror</24>thedisasterhadbrought.

<P7>Icalledonmy<25>faithful</25>friendstohelpmakeita<26>merry</26>and<28>festive</28>occasion,ignoringthefactthatmostofthemwereemotionally<29>drained</29>and<31>exhausted</31>.

Insteadofthe<32>customary</32>"Nogifts,please",Ishouted,"Gifts!Please!"

Myfriends¡ªpeopleJimmyhadetoknowovertheyears¡ªbroughttheidealpresents:countrymusicCDs,a<33>sweatshirt</33>,one<34>leather</34>beltwith"J-I-M-M-Y"onit,a<35>knitted</35>woolhatanda<36>cowboy</36><37>costume</37>.

Theeveningleduptothegiftsandthenthechocolatecakefromhisfavoritebakery,andofcoursethe<38>ceremony</38>wasn'tpletewithoutthesinging.

AthousandtimesJimmyasked,"Isittimeforthecakeyet?"

AfterdinnerandthegiftsJimmycouldnolongerbe<39>restrained</39>.

Heanxiouslywaitedforthecandlestobelitandthenblewthemoutwithonelongbreathasweallsang"HappyBirthday".

Jimmywasn'tsatisfiedwithoureffort,though.

Hejumpeduponthechairandstood<40>erect</40>pointingboth<42>indexfingers</42>intotheairtoconductusandyelled,"One...more...time!"

Wesangwithalloftheenergyleftinoursoulsandwhenwewerefinishedheputbothhis<43>thumbs</43>upandshouted,"Thatwas<44>super</44>!"

Wehadwantedtolethimknowthatnomatterhowdifficultthingsgotintheworld,therewouldalwaysbepeoplewhocaredabouthim.

<P8>Weendedupremindingourselvesinstead.

ForJimmy,thelovewithwhichwesangwasawele<45>bonus</45>,butmostlyhehadjustwantedtoseeeveryoneelsehappyagain.

Justasmyfather'sdeathhadchangedJimmy'sworldovernight,September11thchangedourlives;theworldwe'dknownwasgone.

But,aswesangforJimmyandheldeachothertightafterward<46>praying</46>forpeacearoundtheworld,<P9>wewereremindedthattheconstantloveandsupportofou