第七十讲

   Passage II The Loving Heart Will Go On

   Warm-up questions
   1. Have you heard of body organ transplantation?
   2. Do you think people should donate any of their organs when they die? Give your reasons.
   Reading of the passage

   (Para. 1) Carmen's mother Maria had just survived a serious heart attack. But her life was in constant danger without a heart transplant.

   (Para. 2) Both the mother and daughter knew that the chances were very small: finding a donor heart that matched Maria's blood type and body size could take years. However, Carmen was determined to save her mother's life. The young woman kept contacting hospitals all over the country. She also stuck a card to her car. It read, "If I'm in an accident, please make sure my heart is donated to my mother who is on the third floor of Central Hospital".
   Reading of the passage
   (Para. 3) Days stretched into weeks. Weeks stretched into months. By Christmas, Maria had trouble walking from one end of the room to the other. Carmen was in despair. She fell into a corner of the hospital and began to cry.

   "Are you okay?" a man asked.
   "No," she said, looking up. "My mother is dying."

   (Para. 4) Carmen sobbed as she told the stranger her story. This middle-aged man with a gentle manner was named Frank. His wife, Cheryl, a tender and devoted mother of four lovely children, had been in hospital with a brain disease. Doctors expected her to return home within a week.

   Difficult sentences analysis
   ①But her life was in constant danger without a heart transplant. (para. 1)
   Analysis: The prepositional phrase in…danger refers to a state. The antonym is “out of danger.” similar pairs are…
   但由于没进行心脏移植，她的生命还随时处在危险之中。
   eg: Their company is often in big trouble without a smart manager.
   Difficult sentences
   ②His wife, Cheryl, a tender and devoted mother of four lovely children, had been in hospital with a brain disease. (para. 4)
   Analysis: Both Cheryl and a tender and devoted mother of four lovely children are appositions of his wife. Appositions are often separated by commas.
   他的妻子绮瑞尔，一位四个可爱孩子的温柔尽心的母亲，因大脑病变已住院治疗。
   eg: My sister, Cindy, a lively and trusted friend of all our neighbors, is the organizer of the community party.
   Useful phrases and expressions
   ①constant a. going on all the time, frequently occurring
   eg: The computer center is kept at a constant temperature.
   Her constant headache is a result of her habit of overwork.
   ②. stretch: extend; become longer or wider when pulled
   如果你累了,可以躺在床上舒展一下，打 个盹儿。
   If you are tired you may stretch out on the bed and take a nap.
   The forest used to stretch for hundreds of miles
   ③ despair n. the state of having lost all hope 绝望；失望
   eg: In despair, she tore the check into small pieces.
   Your silly words drove her to despair.
   ④. devoted: very loving or loyal
   众所周知,她对孩子尽心尽力。
   It is well-known that she is devoted to her children.
   I used to believe that he was a devoted friend.