After school the children left in little groups， chattering about the great day yet to come when long-hoped-for two-wheelers and bright sleds would appear beside their trees at home. She lingered， watching them bundle up and go out the door. I sat down in a child-sized chair to catch my breath， hardly aware of what was happening， when she came to me with outstretched hands， bearing a small white box， unwrapped and slightly soiled， as though it had been held many times by unwashed， childish hands. She said nothing. “For me？” I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word， but nodded her head. I took the box and gingerly opened it. There inside， glistening green， a fried marble hung from a golden chain. Then I looked into that elderly eight-year-old face and saw the question in her dark brown eyes. In a flash I knew—she had made it for her mother， a mother she would never see again， a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story， a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows. A mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.
I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands， reached forward， and secured the simple clasp at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the shiny piece of glass and the tarnished golden chain， then back at the giver. I meant it when I whispered， “Oh， Mafia， it is so beautiful. She would have loved it.” Neither of us could stop the tears. She stumbled into my arms and we wept together. And for that brief moment I became her mother， for she had given me the greatest gift of all： herself.
1961年的那个圣诞节，我在俄亥俄州的一个小镇教学。我们三年级班里的27个学生，都热切地期待着互赠礼品的那个重大日子。
一棵挂着闪亮金丝和华丽彩纸的圣诞树装饰着教室一角，而另一角放着孩子们用胖乎乎、脏兮兮的小手把纸板涂上广告色做成的马槽。有人还把带来的娃娃放在纸板槽的稻草上，以代表小耶稣。只要轻轻拉一根小绳，你就会听到这个金发碧眼的娃娃说：“我叫苏茜。”但这些没什么关系。一个小男孩抗议说：“耶稣是男孩！”尽管如此，苏茜还是留下来了。
孩子们每天都会带来一些新的惊喜——爆米花做成的链子，手工做的小装饰品以及模仿壁纸样本做成的德式风铃，这些风铃都已被我们挂在了天花板上。然而对于这一切，只有她始终无动于衷，只是远远地看着，仿佛隔了一道屏障。我有些纳闷，这个一向快乐的孩子怎么突然沉默起来了，是不是出什么事了。本以为节日的气氛可以感染她，但看来也没起什么作用。我们为父母们、兄弟姐妹们、祖父母们以及每个人都做了贺卡和礼物。学生们还在家里做了流行的“油炸”玻璃珠，并互相比较出最好看的。“老师，你可以把玻璃珠放在热油锅里烧热，看里面会发生什么变化。炸的时间千万不要过长，不然会破裂的。”因此，作为礼物，我给每个学生做了一个小袋，以便于他们装油炸玻璃珠。我还知道他们也都为我准备了礼物，有精心裁剪、着色或已粘成串的书签，有贺卡和特制的图画，还有装饰着手工流苏的透明桌巾。
终于到了互赠礼物的那一天。交换礼物的整个过程中，我们不停地为彼此亲手做的礼物欢呼叫好，但只有她默默地坐在那儿看着。我给她做了一个很别致的小袋，红绿相间并镶着白色的边。我很想看到她露出笑容。只见她缓慢而仔细地打开包装，我等候着，而她却转身离开了。她用一堵无形的墙将自己和大家隔离开了，而我还是无法穿越这个屏障。
孩子们放学后都成群结队地离开了。他们边走边讨论着即将到来的圣诞节以及在家里的圣诞树旁可能会发现期待已久的自行车和耀眼的新雪橇。而她在后面磨蹭着，望着他们拥挤着走出门外。我在孩子们的小椅子上坐了下来，想休息一会儿，根本没有意识到将会发生什么事。就在这时，她走到我身边，伸出捧着一个白色小盒子的手。这个没有包装的盒子已经有些脏了，看来是被孩子的小脏手摸过很多遍了。她一言不发，我微笑着问道：“送给我的吗？”她只是默默地点点头。我拿过盒子，小心翼翼地将它打开。里面金色的链子上挂着一块耀眼的绿色炸玻璃珠。我端详着这个年仅8岁的孩子，她的脸上有着与其年龄不相称的成熟。我从她深褐色的眼睛里看出了她的心事。那一瞬间，我才恍然大悟——这条项链是她为妈妈，为再也无法见到的妈妈做的。她的妈妈永远不能再抱她，再为她梳头或分享有趣的故事，再也不能听她诉说童稚的欢乐与忧愁。因为她的妈妈在三周前去世了。
我把项链拿了起来。她双手接过，倾身向前，在我脖子后面扣好简易的项链钩。接着她往后退了几步，仿佛在看我戴上后的效果。我低头看了看闪耀的玻璃珠和光泽暗淡的金色链子，然后望着她。我真诚且温柔地说：“噢，玛丽亚，它真的很好看。你妈妈肯定会喜欢的。”我们都忍不住泪水。她跌进我的怀里，我们都哭了。在那一瞬间，我仿佛就是她的妈妈，因为她给了我最好的礼物：爱与信任。
记忆填空
1. It didn’t that you could pull a string and hear the blue-eyed， golden-haired dolly ，“My name is Susie.”“But Jesus was a baby！”one of the boys proclaimed. Nonetheless， Susie .
2. Through it she remained aloof， watching from afar， seemingly miles away. I wondered what would to this quiet child， once so happy， now so suddenly with-drawn. I the festivities would appeal to her. But nothing . We made cards and gifts for mothers and dads， for sisters and brothers， for grandparents， and for each .
佳句翻译
1. 我有些纳闷，这个一向快乐的孩子怎么突然沉默起来了，是不是出什么事了。
2. 她用一堵无形的墙将自己和大家隔离开了，而我还是无法穿越这个屏障。
3. 她的妈妈永远不能再抱她，再为她梳头或分享有趣的故事，再也不能听她诉说童稚的欢乐与忧愁。
短语应用
1. I hoped the festivities would appeal to her.
appeal to：呼吁；上诉；要求；对……有吸引力
2. After school the children left in little groups， chattering about the great day yet to come...
yet to come：暂时未到；即将到来的
