登陆注册
76030900000004

第4章

THE MOST IMPORTANT day I remember in all my life is the one on which my teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan, came to me. I am filled with wonder when I consider the immeasurable contrasts between the two lives which it connects. It was the third of March, 1887, three months before I was seven years old.

On the afternoon of that eventful day, I stood on the porch, dumb, expectant. I guessed vaguely from my mother's signs and from the hurrying to and fro in the house that something unusual was about to happen, so I went to the door and waited on the steps. The afternoon sun penetrated the mass of honeysuckle that covered the porch, and fell on my upturned face. My fingers lingered almost unconsciously on the familiar leaves and blossoms which had just come forth to greet the sweet southern spring. I did not know what the future held of marvel or surprise for me. Anger and bitterness had preyed upon me continually for weeks and a deep languor had succeeded this passionate struggle.

Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in, and the great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line, and you waited with beating heart for something to happen? I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding-line, and had no way of knowing how near the harbor was. “Light! give me light!” was the wordless cry of my soul, and the light of love shone on me in that very hour.

I felt approaching footsteps. I stretched out my hand as I supposed to my mother. Some one took it, and I was caught up and held close in the arms of her who had come to reveal all things to me, and, more than all things else, to love me.

The morning after my teacher came she led me into her room and gave me a doll. The little blind children at the Perkins Institution had sent it and Laura Bridgman had dressed it; but I did not know this until afterward. When I had played with it a little while, Miss Sullivan slowly spelled into my hand the word “d-o-l-l. ” I was at once interested in this finger play and tried to imitate it. When I finally succeeded in making the letters correctly I was flushed with childish pleasure and pride. Running downstairs to my mother I held up my hand and made the letters for doll. I did not know that I was spelling a word or even that words existed; I was simply making my fingers go in monkey-like imitation. In the days that followed I learned to spell in this uncomprehending way a great many words, among them pin, hat, cup and a few verbs like sit, stand and walk. But my teacher had been with me several weeks before I understood that everything has a name.

One day, while I was playing with my new doll, Miss Sullivan put my big rag doll into my lap also, spelled, “d-o-l-l” and tried to make me understand that “d-o-l-l” applied to both. Earlier in the day we had had a tussle over the words “m-u-g” and “w-a-t-e-r. ” Miss Sullivan had tried to impress upon me that “m-u-g” is mug and that “w-a-t-e-r” is water, but I persisted in confounding the two. In despair she had dropped the subject for the time, only to renew it at the first opportunity. I became impatient at her repeated attempts and, seizing the new doll, I dashed it upon the floor. I was keenly delighted when I felt the fragments of the broken doll at my feet. Neither sorrow nor regret followed my passionate outburst. I had not loved the doll. In the still, dark world in which I lived there was no strong sentiment or tenderness. I felt my teacher sweep the fragments to one side of the hearth and I had a sense of satisfaction that the cause of my discomfort was removed. She brought me my hat, and I knew I was going out into the warm sunshine. This thought, if a wordless sensation may be called a thought, made me hop and skip with pleasure.

We walked down the path to the well-house, attracted by the fragrance of the honeysuckle with which it was covered. Someone was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten-a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me. I knew then that “w-a-t-e-r” meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand. That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free! There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that could in time be swept away.

I left the well-house eager to learn. Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new thought. As we returned to the house every object which I touched seemed to quiver with life. That was because I saw everything with the strange, new sight that had come to me. On entering the door I remembered the doll I had broken. I felt my way to the hearth and picked up the pieces. I tried vainly to put them together. Then my eyes filled with tears; for I realized what I had done, and for the first time I felt repentance and sorrow.

I learned a great many new words that day. I do not remember what they all were; but I do know that mother, father, sister, teacher were among them-words that were to make the world blossom for me, “like Aaron's rod, with flowers. ” It would have been difficult to find a happier child than I was as I lay in my crib at the close of that eventful day and lived over the joys it had brought me, and for the first time longed for a new day to come.

同类推荐
  • 英语口语900句袋着走

    英语口语900句袋着走

    全书分为五大主题,120个话题,涉及校园、生活、工作、娱乐、旅行等老外从早到晚都在说的各方面内容。每一部分所包含的版块如下:经典句子 收集了跟生活场景相关的最经典实用的英语单句,掌握这些句子,为说出流畅的口语做好准备,夯实基础。实用对话 把每一个话题以现场交流对话的方式直观表达出来,让你觉得学英语不再枯燥、无聊!地道的表达,鲜活的语言,再现老外真实的生活场景。文化加油站  该部分包含英美文化、心灵鸡汤、名人演讲、名人访谈录等。浓缩经典,汇聚百态,在学习英语的同时增长见识,开阔眼界,提升自我。
  • 硝烟中的黑虎

    硝烟中的黑虎

    读者朋友,可以从这些有趣的小故事中,看到动物世界的奇异景象。看到它们的生活习性,它们的生存竞争,它们的神奇本领。看到动物的千姿百态和动物与动物之间,动物与自然之间,动物与人类之间的种种复杂关系,而且还能从这些故事中找到勤劳、善良、友谊,智慧,勇猛等等美好的词汇。
  • 美丽英文:那些震撼世界的声音

    美丽英文:那些震撼世界的声音

    《美丽英文:那些震撼世界的声音》精选的演讲题材涉猎广泛,涵盖政治领袖、商界大亨、科技先锋、艺术大师和娱乐名人等,每篇均配以名人介绍;它们有的慷慨激昂,震彻心扉;有的幽默诙谐,意蕴深切;有的言辞恳切,语重心长。
  • 英语PARTY——绿色花园之国·新西兰

    英语PARTY——绿色花园之国·新西兰

    本套书籍带你领略英语世界风景,感悟英语学习氛围,有助于英语学习。
  • 课外英语-智力谜语(双语版)

    课外英语-智力谜语(双语版)

    本书主要收录了一百多条英汉对照谜语,分食物篇、生活用品篇、自然动物篇和其他篇四个板块,分类明确,便于读者思考,猜出谜底。
热门推荐
  • 忘川之栀虞

    忘川之栀虞

    盛开在生与死亡的交界处,那流尽鲜血与泪滴的花朵。咏遍了曾经的誓言,斩断了思念的来源,轻望着绯红的彼岸。人们都说爱情是多么美好,让人幸福快乐。可当自己体会到的时候,原来爱情是那么苦涩的……遇见你,我以为这辈子我们会相爱相守一生,可当过往的记忆,浮现在眼前时,原来这一切不过是一场算计……如果有来世,我不想再爱上你了……
  • 仙道异世录

    仙道异世录

    一个对修行之法一窍不通的平凡人,穿越到了仙侠的世界,学仙法,练玄功,悟神通。无穷无尽的新奇法宝!严格的真气功法分级!九宗十八派的渊源纠葛!人,神,仙,妖,魔的爱恨情仇!上古仙神的阴谋算计!崭新的世界,崭新的人生,看云逸御剑飞天,纵横天下。新书《仙道异世录》,需要你的支持!求推荐,收藏!
  • 斗罗之日月帝国

    斗罗之日月帝国

    吾有一拳涅槃火,燃尽天下不平事;区区日月敢争辉?烧作灰烬还复来!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 厨师开外挂

    厨师开外挂

    许尘厨师学院毕业后,第一天上班就迎来一场车祸。醒来后,他意外得到了一个‘神厨系统’。你有一个新的任务,完成一份‘完美级蛋炒饭’。你起锅烧油,数十次失败后终于炒出了一份‘完美级蛋炒饭’。【炒饭经验+100,等级经验+100,人民币奖励200元,新手商店积分+10!】【完美级蛋炒饭,建议售价500元。】你面前的食客是一位厌食症患者,需要一份【完美级红烧肉!】【叮!任务完成,食客厌食症已治好!】你面前的食客是一位常年便秘患者,需要一份【无暇级以上的拔丝香蕉!】你面前的食客是一位肠癌患者,需要一份...干掉你的,有可能不是同行,而是跨界。一位小厨师,靠着系统外挂被逼无奈的救下了许多患者。有人叫他厨神,也有人叫他戴着白帽的天使!
  • 青少年心灵治愈故事系列:做对梦想负责的人

    青少年心灵治愈故事系列:做对梦想负责的人

    本书属于情商自我激励故事,是告诉青少年如何乐观对待自己对待他人对待人生的一本书,本主题围绕着关于自我激励的25个小故事,让广大青少年认识自己的局限和障碍,能够用一颗乐观的心去面对人生面对世界。
  • 快穿之悲欢离合

    快穿之悲欢离合

    苏沐妖生最大的愿望就是混吃等死,在她过第一千岁的生日的时候被系统绑定了,在系统空间内告知自己已经死了之后,毫无波澜,甚至内心还隐隐有点想笑,但系统告诉苏沐,穿越一个个位面收集满能量后可以复活自己后,丝毫没有妥协,坚持自我义无反顾的决定不违反自然法则的准备死去,但系统说“不同意要虐杀灵魂的呦,这可是很痛苦的呦”,好吧,您说吧,我该干啥←_←从此,苏沐的节操一去不复返啊,好吧,其实从来都没有……
  • 西楚仙王

    西楚仙王

    天有九重,人分十等。天圆地方。神州之大,非真仙不知其远;天之九重,非真仙不知其高。神州之上,宗派、皇族、世家、联盟等势力错综复杂、犬牙交错,纷争、战乱从无间断,权势是这里永恒的主题。大周王子姬瑜夺位失败,与老师鬼谷子密谋五年,方让项王分封他于放逐之地。历经种种挫折,机关算尽中苦苦经营着,终于让半妖一族崛起,更名为巫族。而姬瑜的麾下也聚集了人族、妖族、巫族的强者,开创三族并存的盛世,麾下真仙占据神州半数,史称西楚仙王。
  • 爱你婚情入骨

    爱你婚情入骨

    一年前她被设计怀上薛庭炜的孩子,不得不嫁进薛家。一年后,顾云卿看着医院的诊断书,不能生育。嘴角扬起一丝冷笑:“薛庭炜我再没有任何利用价值,从今以后我们一刀两断。”闻言薛庭炜心却揪着疼:“我还没有签离婚协议,我们还是夫妻。”顾云卿理都没理,带着失而复得的小宝消失在薛庭炜的世界。于是薛总满世界发布寻人启事,找媳妇找儿子。然后死皮赖脸的,赖在顾云卿的隔壁,不放过任何一个可以搬进顾云卿房间的机会。
  • 我最想要的亲子情商游戏书

    我最想要的亲子情商游戏书

    提高孩子情商的意义,并不止于让孩子成为一个成功人士,更重要的是孩子可以从小做一个“快乐宝贝”,长大后成为一个性格积极、身心健康的社会人。高情商与后天的培养息息相关。孩子在儿童时期的可塑性最强,这一时期有意识地科学、合理地培养孩子的情商,将使他们受益一生。本书是科学、合理地培养孩子高情商的智慧锦囊。它依托于最新、最实用的教育理念,结合孩子的心理特点和认知规律,通过游戏的趣味形式调动孩子的兴趣,还可以充分培养孩子的意志力、沟通能力、个人情绪调节能力等情商能力,也可以使亲子关系在游戏中得到进一步提升。