题型:阅读理解 题类:常考题 难易度:普通
吉林省长春外国语学校2018-2019学年高二上学期英语第一次月考试卷
Dear Maya Shaoming,
To me, June 6, 1990 is a special day. My longawaited dream came true the minute your father cried, "A girl!"You, little daughter, are the link to our female line, the legacy of another woman's pain and sacrifice 31 years ago.
Let me tell you about your Chinese grandmother. Somewhere in Hong Kong, in the late fifties, a young waitress found herself pregnant(怀孕) by a cook. She carried the baby to term, suffered to give it birth, and kept the little girl for the first three months of her life. I like to think that my mother—your grandmother—loved me and fought to raise me on her own, but the daily struggle was too hard. Worn down by the demands of the new baby and perhaps the constant threat of starvation, she made the painful decision to give away her girl so that both of us might have a chance for a better life.
Having a baby in her unmarried state would have brought shame on the family in China, so she probably kept my existence a secret. Once I was out of her life, it was as if I had never been born. And so you and your brother and I are the missing leaves on a family tree.
Do they ever wonder if we exist?
Before I was two, I was adopted by an Anglo couple. I grew like a wild weed and grasped all the opportunities they had to offer—books, music, education, church life and community activities. In a family of blueeyed blonds, though, I stood out like a sore thumb. Moody and impatient, burdened by fears that none of us realized resulted from my early years of need, I was not an easy child to love. My mother and I conflicted countless times over the years, but gradually came to see one another as real human beings with faults and talents. Lacking a mirror image in the mother who raised me, I had to seek my identity as a woman on my own. The Asian American community has helped me regain my double identity.
But part of me will always be missing: my beginnings, my personal history, all the delicate details that give a person her origin. Nevertheless, someone gave me a lucky name "Siu Wai". "Siu" means "little", and "Wai" means "clever". Therefore, my baby name was "Clever little one". Who chose those words? Who cared enough to note my arrival in the world?
I lost my Chinese name for 18 years. It was Americanized for convenience to "Sue". But like an illfitting coat, it made me uncomfortable. I hated the name. But even more, I hated being Chinese. It took many years to become proud of my Asian origin and work up the courage to take back my birth name. That, plus a little knowledge of classroom Cantonese, is all the Chinese culture I have to offer you. Not white, certainly, but not really Asian, I try to pave the way between the two worlds and bridge the gap for you. Your name, "Shaoming", is very much like mine—"Shao" means "little". And "ming" is "bright", as in a shining sun or moon. Whose lives will you brighten little Maya? Your past is more complete than mine and each day I cradle you in your babyhood, generously giving you the loving care I lacked for my first two years. Sweet Maya, it doesn't matter what you "become" later on. You have already fulfilled my wildest dreams.
I love you,
Mummy
There's so much to see and do in the coolest little capital. Here's our list of the top 5 must dos when you visit Wellington.
| Enjoy 360° views from the top of Mount Victoria Get a full view of the city and a great photo at the Mount Victoria Lookout. Watch the ships sailing in and plane taking off from Wellington Airport. |
| Ride the historic Wellington Cable Car The Cable Car is a Wellington mark. It runs from Lambton Quay up to Kelburn. At its top, there's a lookout, the Cable Car Museum, and Space Place at Carter Observatory. |
| Check out our world famous movie-making magic Get into the imagination and the skills of artists behind some of the world's most wonderful movies at the Weta Cave mini-museum, where you can find yourself in the world of the movie— The Lord of the Rings. |
| Have a close touch at Wellington Zoo Do you want to hand-feed a giraffe, play with a group of meerkats (猫鼬) or touch a cheetah's (猜豹) fur? All are possible at Wellington Zoo, the best little zoo in the world. |
| Discover our stories at Te Papa The national museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, is fascinating and fun for any age. The exhibits (展览) tell stories about each side of New Zealand in new and exciting ways. By the way, you can enter the Te papa museum for free. |
试题篮