现代大学英语精读课文.pdf

Book4-Unit5
TextA
TheTelephone

AnwarF.Accawi
1.WhenIwasgrowingupinMagdaluna,asmallLebanesevillageintheterraced,rocky
mountainseastofSidon,timedidn'tmeanmuchtoanybody,exceptmaybetothosewho
weredying.Inthosedays,therewasnorealneedforacalendarorawatchtokeeptrackof
thehours,days,months,andyears.Weknewwhattodoandwhentodoit,justastheIraqi
geeseknewwhentoflynorth,drivenbythehotwindthatblewinfromthedesert.Theonly
timepiecewehadneedofthenwasthesun.Itroseandset,andtheseasonsrolledbyand
wesowedseedandharvestedandateandplayedandmarriedourcousinsandhadbabies
whogotwhoopingcoughandchickenpox—andthosechildrenwhosurvivedgrewupand
marriedtheircousinsandhadbabieswhogotwhoopingcoughandchickenpox.Welivedand
lovedandtoiledanddiedwithouteverneedingtoknowwhatyearitwas,oreventhetime
ofday.
2.Itwasn'tthatwehadnosystemforkeepingtrackoftimeandoftheimportanteventsinour
lives.Butourswasanaturalor,rather,adivine—calendar,becauseitwasframedbyactsof
God:earthquakesanddroughtsandfloodsandlocustsandpestilences.Simpleasour
calendarwas,itworkedjustfineforus.
3.Take,forexample,thebirthdateofTetaImKhalil,theoldestwomaninMagdalunaandall

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7.Well,thatwasenoughforme.Youcouldn'tbemoreaccuratethanthat,now,couldyou?
8.Andthat'sthewayitwasinourlittlevillageforasfarbackasanybodycouldremember.One
ofthemostunusualofthedateswaswhenawhirlwindstruckduringwhichfishandoranges
fellfromthesky.Incredibleasitmaysound,thestoryofthefishandorangeswastrue,
becausemenwhowouldnotlieeventosavetheirownsoulstoldandretoldthatstoryuntil
itwasincorporatedintoMagdaluna'scalendar.
9.Theyearofthefish-bearingwhirlpoolwasnotthelastremarkableyear.Manyothers
followedinwhichstrangeandwonderfulthingshappened.Therewas,forinstance,theyear
ofthedrought,whentheheavenswereshutformonthsandthespringfromwhichthe
entirevillagegotitsdrinkingwaterslowedtoatrickle.Thespringwasaboutamilefromthe
village,inaravinethatopenedatoneendintoasmall,flatclearingcoveredwithfinegray
dustandhard,marble-sizedgoatdroppings.Intheyearofthedrought,thatlittleclear