It was on a winter morning, near Oxford, Maryland, that I set the breakfast table beside the huge window,
which 1 the Tred Avon River. The snow decorated the shore in white. For a moment I stood quietly against
the bookcase, appreciating what the night's snow had 2 .
3 I leaned forward and peered (盯着看) close to the frosted window. "It really is!" I cried out loud.
"There is a goose out there!" I 4 to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars (望远镜). Into their
sights came the 5 of a large Canada goose, very still, its wings folded tight to its sides, it s 6 frozen to
the ice.
Then from the dark sides, I saw a line of swans.They crossed 7 the west of the broad river, moving
8 to the east.
As I 9 , the leader swung to the right, and then the white 10 of birds become a white circle. It floated
from the top of the sky downward. At last, as easy as feathers coming to earth, the circle 11 the ice.The
swans
12 the frozen goose! Amazingly, those bills (啄) began to work on 13 . The long necks were lifted and
curved down, 14 . It went on for a long time.At last, the goose was free and 15 its big webbed (有蹼的)
feet slowly. The goose 16 its wings as far as they would go. The swans took off and 17 their eastward
journey, in perfect formation, to their secret destination. 18 them, rising with incredible speed and joy, the
goose moved into the sky.
I watched them 19 they disappeared over the tips of the farthest trees. Only then did I realize that tears
were running down my cheeks.
This is a true story.I do not try to interpret it here.I just often 20 it in the bad moments, and tell myself,
"If so for birds, why not for man?" |
