新世纪大学英语综合教程第一册第3单元Text B

听英语单词 2022-06-09

The Call at Midnight

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1 We all know what's it like to get that phone call in the middle of the night.This night's call was no different. Jerking up (猛地爬起来) to the ringing summons, I focused on the red illuminated numbers of my clock.Midnight. Panicky thoughts filled my sleep-dazed (睡得迷迷糊糊的) mind as I grabbed the receiver.

2 “Hello?”

3 My heart pounded, I gripped the phone tighter and eyed my husband, who was now turning to face my side of the bed.

4 “Mama?” I could hardly hear the whisper over the static. But my thoughts immediately went to my daughter. When the desperate sound of a young crying voice became clearer on the line, I grabbed for my husband and squeezed his wrist.

5 “Mama, I know it's late. But don't … don't say anything, until I finish. And before you ask, yes, I've been drinking. I nearly ran off the road a few miles back and …”

6 I drew in a sharp shallow breath, released my husband and pressed my hand against my forehead. Sleep still fogged my mind, and I attempted to fight back the panic.Something wasn't right.

7 “And I got so scared. All I could think about was how it would hurt you if a policeman came to your door and said I'd been killed. I want … to come home. I know running away was wrong. I know you've been worried sick.I should have called you days ago, but I was afraid … afraid …”

8 Sobs (啜泣声) of deep-felt emotion flowed from the receiver and poured into my heart. Immediately I pictured my daughter's face in my mind and my fogged senses seemed to clear. “I think —”

9 “No! Please let me finish! Please!” She pleaded (恳求), not so much in anger, but in desperation.

10 I paused and tried to think what to say. Before I could go on, she continued. “I'm pregnant, Mama. I know I shouldn't be drinking now … especially now, but I'm scared, Mama. So scared!”

11 The voice broke again, and I bit into my lip, feeling my own eyes fill with moisture. I looked at my husband who sat silently mouthing, “Who is it?”

12 I shook my head and when I didn't answer, he jumped up and left the room, returning seconds later with the portable phone held to his ear.

13 She must have heard the click in the line because she continued, “Are you still there? Please don't hang up on me! I need you. I feel so alone.”

14 I clutched (抓住；握紧) the phone and stared at my husband, seeking guidance. “I'm here, I wouldn't hang up,” I said.

15 “I should have told you, Mama. I know I should have told you. But when we talk, you just keep telling me what I should do. You read all those pamphlets (小册子) on how to talk about sex and all, but all you do is talk. You don't listen to me. You never let me tell you how I feel. It is as if my feelings aren't important. Because you're my mother you think you have all the answers.But sometimes I don't need answers. I just want someone to listen.”

16 I swallowed the lump in my throat and stared at the how-to-talk-to-your-kids pamphlets scattered on my nightstand (床头桌). “I'm listening,” I whispered.

17 “You know, back there on the road, after I got the car under control, I started thinking about the baby and taking care of it. Then I saw this phone booth (公用电话亭), and it was as if I could hear you preaching about how people shouldn't drink and drive. So I called a taxi. I want to come home.”

18 “That's good, Honey,” I said, relief filling my chest. My husband came closer, sat down beside me and laced (交织，交错) his fingers through mine. I knew from his touch that he thought I was doing and saying the right thing.

19 “But you know, I think I can drive now.”

20 “No!” I snapped. My muscles stiffened, and I tightened the clasp (紧握；抓) on my husband's hand. “Please, wait for the taxi. Don't hang up on me until the taxi gets there.”

21 “I just want to come home, Mama.”

22 “I know. But do this for your mama. Wait for the taxi, please.”

23 I listened to the silence in fear. When I didn't hear her answer, I bit into my lip and closed my eyes. Somehow I had to stop her from driving.

24 “There's the taxi, now.”

25 Only when I heard someone in the background asking about a Yellow Cab did I feel my tension easing.

26 “I'm coming home, Mama.” There was a click, and the phone went silent.

27 Moving from the bed, tears forming in my eyes, I walked out into the hall and went to stand in my sixteen-year-old daughter's room. The dark silence hung thick. My husband came from behind, wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head.

28 I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “We have to learn to listen,” I said to him.

29 He pulled me around to face him. “We'll learn. You'll see.” Then he took me into his arms, and I buried my head in his shoulder.

30 I let him hold me for several moments. Then I pulled back and stared back at the bed. He studied me for a second, then asked, “Do you think she'll ever know she dialed the wrong number?”

31 I looked at our sleeping daughter, then back at him. “Maybe it wasn't such a wrong number.”

32 “Mom, Dad, what are you doing?” The muffed (听不清的) young voice came from under the covers.I walked over to my daughter, who now sat up staring into the darkness. “We're practicing,” I answered.

33 “Practicing what?” she mumbled (咕哝) and laid back on the mattress (床垫), her eyes already closed in slumber (微睡；熟睡).

34 “Listening,” I whispered and brushed a hand over her cheek.

Word Study

Key Words:

grab vt.	grip vt.	desperate a.	squeeze vt.
release vt.	panic n.	portable a.	seek vt.
swallow vt.	scatter vt.	relief n.	wipevt.

grab vt. -bb- take hold of (a person or thing) with a sudden roughmovement 攫取；抓住

e.g. 1. Hegrabbed the thief by the collar and took him to the police station.

2. He grabbed his child’s arm to stop her from running into the road.

synonyms: grasp, clasp, grip, clench, clutch, seize, snatch

antonyms: loosen, free, release

grip vt.-pp- take a very tight hold (of) 握紧，紧握

e.g. 1. Igripped the door handle to stop him from coming in.

2. She gripped on to the railing with both hands.

synonyms: grab, grasp, clasp, clench, clutch, seize

antonyms: loosen, free, release

desperate a. readyfor any wild act and not caring about danger, esp. because of loss of hope （尤指因绝望而）不顾一切的，拼死的

e.g. 1. With his wife ill at home, Tom feltdesperate when he got fired.

2. In a desperate attempt to escape,he killed the guard.

noun form: desperation

squeeze vt. press firmly together, esp. fromopposite sides 压；挤；榨；捏

e.g. 1. Don’tkeep squeezing my arm. It’s hurting.

2. Do you always squeeze thetoothpaste tube in the middle?

phrasal verbs:

squeeze sb./sth.in to manage to do something although you are very busy 使（某人/某物）挤入
e.g. 1. How do you manage tosqueeze so much into one day?
2. I cansqueeze you in at four o’clock.

squeeze up to move close to the person next to you to make spacefor someone else（使某人）（跟他人或某物）挤在一起; 贴近

e.g. There’ll be enough room if we all squeeze up a little.
咱们大家挤一挤就够地方了。

release vt. stop holding or drop sth. 放手，松开

e.g. 1. When I finally released his hand, I couldsee it was all red.

2. The sudden noise made him release his grasp, and I managed to escape.

panic n. [usu. sing.] (a stateof) sudden uncontrollable quickly-spreading terror or anxiety [一般用单数]恐慌，惊恐，惊慌

e.g. 1. Panic filled up my mind when I had to walkthrough the graveyard at night all by myself.

2. The whole nation is in a state ofpanic following the attacks.

portablea. that can be (easily) carried or moved;quite small and light 便携的，手提式的，可移动的

e.g. 1. An iPad is a very popular portableelectronic device nowadays.

2. The equipment is lightweight,portable and easy to store.

seek vt. (sought, sought) fml ask for; goto request 〖正式〗请求；征求，求教

e.g. 1. Do come and seek my help if you need any.

2. Theroad is closed for the time being and drivers are advised to seek alternativeroutes.

这条路暂时关闭，建议司机们绕道行驶。

swallow vt. move(food or drink) down the throat from the mouth and towards the stomach 吞下，咽下

e.g. 1. He swallowed the pills with a glass ofwater.

2. Always chew food well beforeswallowing it.

3. I watched her walk down theroad until she was swallowed by the darkness.

我看着她走远，直到被夜幕吞没。

scatter vt. separateor cause (a group) to separate widely （使）散开；（使）分散；驱散

e.g. 1. There were drink bottles scattered all overthe floor.

2. I scattered grass seed all over the lawn./ I scattered the whole lawn with grass seed.

relief n. (a)feeling of comfort at the ending of anxiety, pain, or dullness （焦虑、痛苦或迟钝等的）减轻；解除

e.g. 1. It was a great relief to know that she hadfinally recovered from pneumonia.

2. Much to my relief the car was notdamaged.

Usage:

in relief

with relief

it isa relief to see/have/know, etc sth.

toone’s relief

whata relief/that’s a relief

wipevt. rub (a surface or object), e.g. with acloth or against another surface, in order to remove dirt, liquid, etc. 擦，拭，抹；擦净

e.g. 1. I can’t wipe the stain off the kitchencounter.

2. Please wipe your feet on the mat.

Expressions:

fight back	run away
hang up (on)	a lump in one’s throat
under control	take care of

fight back try very hard not to show, or act onan emotion or a desire 抑制住

e.g. 1. She was trying hard to fight back hernervousness.

2. Shelooked away, fighting back her tears.

Idiomswith “fight”[shi1]

fightlike a tiger 极力攻击某人或保护自己

fight a losing battle (against sth.) 进行毫无成功希望的斗争

fight to the finish 一决雌雄

run away [(from)]go away (as if) to escape [常与from连用]逃跑，私奔

e.g. 1. She decided to run away as she didn’t wantto marry the man her parents decided for her.

2. Looking at all the accusing faces, she felt a sudden urge to run away.

看着周围人们责难的表情，她涌起一阵想逃离的渴望。

hangup (on) finisha telephone conversation by putting the receiver back 挂断电话

e.g. 1. She was so angryshe hanged up on Jim, her boyfriend because he forgot their date again.

2. “We’ll expect you at seven thirty, thenGoodbye,” She hung up, and went back to the kitchen.

Verb phrases with “hang”:[shi2]

hang about/round 闲荡

hang on 紧紧抓住；稍等；不挂断电话
hang on to something 紧紧抓住某物；保留某物
hang out 常去某处
hang together （人）团结一致

a lump in one’s throat a tight or uncomfortable feelingin the throat, as a reaction to an emotion 哽咽

e.g. 1. When I heard these touching words, I felt alump in my throat.

2. The sight of the soft green hillsof her homeland brought a lump to her throat.

under control manageable; restrained and controlled;not out of control 可掌握的，可控制的

e.g. 1. When the firefighters came, the fire hadalready been put under control.

2. “Do you need any help?” “No. It’sunder control, thanks.”

Collocationswith “control”:
have control(over/of something)
take/gain control (of/over something)
fight/struggle for control (of/over something)
lose control (of/over something)
keep something under control
get/go out of control
beyond/outside somebody’s control
full/total control

take care of look after 照顾，照料

e.g. 1. Although my grandmother is 86 years old,she can still take care of herself.

2. Her secretary always took care of thedetails.

她的秘书总是处理具体事务。

3. We’ll take care of the fees.

我们来结账。