英語(yǔ)課外閱讀教材不離不棄生死相依第一頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日Theendofmysophomoreyearwasapproaching.MomcalledmeatthedormonemuggyeveningduringthelastweekofMay.Mysummerbreakwouldbespentwithgrandmaandgrandpa,helpingoutaroundtheirfarm.Thearrangementmadegoodsensetoallthefamily.Iwasn'tfullyconvincedofthatmyselfbutfigureditwasjustonesummer.Nextyearwouldbemylittlebrother'sturn。Ipackedmycaraftermylastexamandsaidmygood-byesuntilthefall.Myfriendswouldkeepuntilthen.Mostofthemweregoinghomeforthesummerany-way。Thefarmwasaboutathree-hourdrivefromschool.My第二頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日grandparentswerebothintheir70s,andIknewtheyreallyneededthehelparoundthefarm.Gettinginthehaywouldbesomethinggrandpacouldn'tdobyhimself.Healsoneededhelpwithrepairstothebarnsandahostofotherchores。Iarrivedlatethatafternoon.Grandmahadfixedmorefoodthanthethreeofuscouldpossiblyeat.Shedotedovermeentirelytoomuch.Ifiguredalltheattentionwouldtaperoffonceshegotusedtohavingmearound,butitdidn't.Grandpawantedtobringmeuptodateonliterallyeverything.BythetimeIsettledinforbedthatnight,I'ddecidedthingswouldbeokay.Afterall,itwasjustforonesummer。Thenextmorning,Grandpafixedbreakfastforthetwoofus.第三頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日HetoldmeGrandmahadtiredherselfoutyesterdayandwasgoingtorestinbedalittlelonger.ImadeamentalnotetomyselftonotaskhertodothingsformewhileIwasthere.Iwastheretohelp,notbeaburden。Grandpasurprisedmethatmorning.Oncewewereout<ahref="/index182.asp">/index182.asp</a>ofthehouse,heseemedmoreinhisownelement.Thefarmwashisdomain.Despitehisage,therewasconfidenceinthewayhemovedabouttheplace.Hedidn'tseemlikethesamepersonwhohadfallenasleeplastnightonthecouchbeforethesixo'clocknewswasfinished.Aswewalkedthepasturesgettingaclose-uplookatthelivestock,Grandpaseemedtoknoweachcow.Andtherewerenearly200ofthem!第四頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日Wedidn'tdomuchrealworkthatfirstday,butIgainedasenseofappreciationforwhatGrandpahaddoneallthoseyearsbeforeIwasevenborn.Hewasn'taneducatedman,buthehadraisedandprovidedforfourchildrenonthisfarm.Iwasimpressedbythat。Weekspassed.ByJunewehadalreadybaledonecuttingofhayandgottenitsafelyintothebarn.IgraduallysettledintoaroutineofdailyworkwithGrandpa.Hehadamentalscheduleofthingsthatneededdoing,andweworkedonpartofiteachday.IntheeveningsIusuallyreadortalkedwithGrandma.ShenevergrewtiredofhearingaboutcollegeoranythingIwasinvolvedin.Shetoldmestoriesaboutherchildhood,familyandtheearlyyearsaftersheandGrandpahadmarried。第五頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日ThelastSaturdayinJune,Grandpasuggestedwegofishing,sincewewerecaughtuponeverything.Thepondwasinalowpasturenearthewoods.Yearsbefore,Grandpahadstockeditwithfish.Wedrovethepickuptothepondthatday,lookingoverthelivestockaswewent.Wehadn'texpectedwhat<ahref="/index76.asp">/index76.asp</a>wesawwhenwegottothepondthatmorning:Oneoftheswanswasdead.GrandpahadgiventhepairofswanstoGrandmaontheir50thanniversary."Whydon'tweseeaboutbuyinganotherone,"Isuggested,hopingthesituationcouldsomehowberighted.Grandpathoughtforafewmomentsbeforeanswering。Hefinallysaid,"no...it'snotthateasy,Bruce.Yousee,swansmateforlife."Heraisedhisfingertopoint,holdingthefishing第六頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日poleinhisotherhand."There'snothingwecandofortheonethat'sleft.Hehastoworkitoutforhimself."Wecaughtenoughfishthatmorningforlunch.Onthewaybacktothehouse,GrandpaaskedmenottotellGrandmaabouttheswan.Shedidn'tgetdowntothepondmuchanymore,andtherewasnosenseinherknowingaboutitrightaway。Afewdayslater,wedrovebythepondwhiledoingourmorningcheckonthecows.Wefoundtheotherswanlyingnearthesamespotwehadfoundthefirstone.It,too,wasdead。第七頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日ThemonthofJulystartedwithmeandGrandpaputtingupanewstretchoffence.ThenJuly12came.ThatwasthedayGrandmapassedaway.I'doversleptthatmorning.Grandpahadnotknockedonmydoor,either.Itwasnearlyeighto'clockbythetimeIcouldhurriedlydressmyselfandgetdowntothekitchen.IsawDr.Morgansittingatthekitchentable.Hewasaneighborofmygrandparents'age,longsinceretired.He'dcometothehouseseveraltimesbeforeonsocialcalls.Iimmediatelyknewsomethingwaswrong.Thismorning,histatteredoldblackbagwasbyhisfeet,andmygrandfatherwasobviouslyshaken.Grandmahaddiedsuddenlythatmorningofastroke.Bytheafternoon,myparentswerethere.TheoldhousewassooncrowdedwithrelativesandGrandpa'sfriends。第八頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日Thefuneralwasheldthenextday.Grandpahadinsistedonhavingitassoonaspossible.Ontheseconddayafterthefuneral,Grandpaannouncedatthebreakfasttable,"Thisisaworkingfarm.Wehavealotofthingstodo.Therestofyoushouldgetbacktoyourownlives."Mostofthefamilyhadalreadyleft,butthiswasGrandpa'swayoftellingtherestitwastimeforthemtogohome.Myparentswerethelasttoleaveafterlunch。Grandpawasnotamanwhocouldoutwardlyexpresshisgriefaroundothers,andweallworriedabouthim.Therehadbeentalkofhisgivingupthefarm.Myparentsthoughthewastoooldtoliveouttherealone.Hewouldn'thearofit,though.I第九頁(yè)，共十一頁(yè)，2022年，8月28日wasproudofthewaytheoldmanhadstoodhisground.Therestofthesummerflowedby.Westayedbusyworking.IthoughttherewassomethingdifferentaboutGrandpabutcouldn'tquiteputmyfingeronit.Istartedtowonderifhewouldbebetterofflivingwithsomeoneafterall,butIknewhecouldnotleavethefarm。Septemberwasnearing,andpartofmedidnotwanttoleave.Ithoughtofskippingthefallsemesterandstayingaroundafewmoremonths.WhenI