(Text 1) When Lightning Struck
1. I was in the tiny bathroom in the back of the plane when I felt the slamming jolt, and then the horrible swerve that threw me against the door. Oh, Lord, I thought, this is it! Somehow I managed to unbolt the door and scramble out. The flight attendants, already strapped in, waved wildly for me to sit down. As I lunged toward my seat, passengers looked up at me with the stricken expressions of creatures who know they are about to die.
2. “I think we got hit by lightning,” the girl in the seat next to mine said. She was from a small town in east Texas, and this was only her second time on an airplane. She had won a trip to England by competing in a high school geography bee and was supposed to make a connecting flight when we landed in Newark.
3. In the next seat, at the window, sat a young businessman who had been confidently working. Now he looked worried. And that really worries me — when confident-looking businessmen look worried. The laptop was put away. “Something’s not right,” he said.
4. The pilot’svoice came over the speaker. I heard vaguely through my fear, “Engine number two ... emergency landing ... New Orleans.” When he was done, the voice of a flight attendant came on, reminding us of the emergency procedures she had reviewed before takeoff. Of course I never paid attention to this drill, always figuring that if we ever got to the point where we needed to use life jackets, I would have already died ofterror.
5. Now we began a roller-coaster ride through the thunderclouds. I was ready to faint, but when I saw the face of the girl next to me, I pulled myself together. I reached for her handand reassured her that we were going to make it. ”What a story you’re going to tell when you get home!” I said. “After this, London’s going to seem like small potatoes.”
6. I wondered where I was getting my strength. Then I saw that my other hand was tightly heldby a ringed hand. Someone was comforting me — a glamorous young woman across the aisle, the female equivalent of the confident businessman. She must have seen how scared I was and reached over.
7. “I tell you,”she confided, “the problems I brought up on this plane with me sure don’t seem real big right now.” I loved her Southern drawl, her indiscriminate use of perfume, and her soulful squeezes. I was sure that even if I survived the plane crash, I’d have a couple of broken fingers from all the TLC.“Are you okay?” she kept asking me.
8. Among the many feelings going through my head during those excruciating 20 minutes was pride —pride in how well everybody on board was behaving. No one panicked. No one screamed. As we jolted and screeched our way downward, I could hear small pockets of soothing conversation everywhere.
9. I thought of something I had heard a friend say about the wonderful gift his dying father had given the family: he had died peacefully, as if not to alarm any of them about an experience they would all have to go through someday.
10. And then — yes!— we landed safely.Outside on the ground, attendants and officials were waiting to transfer us to alternative flights. But we passengers clung together. We chatte dabout the lives we now felt blessed to be living, as difficult or rocky as they might be. The young businessman lamented that he had not a chance to buy his two little girls a present. An older woman offered him her box of expensive Lindt chocolates, still untouched, tied with a lovely bow. “I shouldn’t be eating them anyhow,”she said. My glamorous aisle mate took out her cell phone and passed it around to anyone who wanted to make a call to hear the reassuring voice of a loved one.
11. There was someone I wanted to call. Back in Vermont, my husband, Bill, was anticipating my arrival late that night. He had been complaining that he wasn’t getting to see very much of me because of my book tour. I had planned to surprise him by getting in a few hours early. Now I just wanted him to know I was okay and on my way.
12. When my name was finally called to board my new flight, I felt almost tearful to be parting from the people whose lives had so intensely, if briefly, touched mine.
13. Even now, backon terra firma, walking down a Vermont road, I sometimes hear an airplane and look up at that small, glinting piece of metal. I remember the passengers on that fateful, lucky flight and wishI could thank them for the many acts of kindness I witnessed and received. I am indebted to my fellow passengers and wish I could pay them back.
14. But then, remembering my aisle mate’s hand clutching mine while I clutched the hand of the high school student, I feel struck by lightning all over again: the point is not to payback kindness but to pass it on.
Detailed Analysis of Paragraphs 1-4
Questions
1. What do you know about the girl who was seated beside the writer? (Paragraph 2)
She was from a small town in east Texas, and this was her second flight.She went to England as a reward of competition and was supposed to make a connecting in Newark.
2. Why did the young businessman look worried? (Paragraph 3)
Because he knew that there was something wrong with the plane, which was showing signs of a terrible disaster.
3. What did the pilot decide to do? (Paragraph 4)
The pilot decided to make an emergency landing in New Orleans.
Words and Expressions
1. lightning: n. a powerful flash oflight in the sky caused by electricity passing from one cloud to another or to the earth, usu. followed by thunder
e.g. He runs as fast as lightning.
Collocation:
be struck by lightning: be hit by lightning
e.g. The tower has been struck by lightning.
Derivation: lightning: adj.
2. jolt: n. a sudden rough shaking movement
e.g. Residents felt the first jolt of the earthquake at about 8 a.m.
Derivation: jolt: v.
Comparison: jolt, jerk
jerk: a sudden quick movement
3. swerve: n. the act of turning aside
e.g. The car made a sudden swerve to avoid the dog.
Comparison: swirl: the act of turning around quickly in a circular movement
Derivation: swerve: v.
4. unbolt: v. unlock; release the bolts of (a door, for example)
e.g. The shopkeeper unbolted the doorand let the customers in.
Comparison: unbolt, untie
untie: undo the knots in something or undo something that has been tied
Antonym: bolt
5. scramble: v. climb up or over something with difficulty, using your hands to help you
e.g. The boys scrambled over the wall.
Collocations: scramble up/down/back, etc.
e.g. We scrambled up a rocky slope.
Synonym: climb
Derivation: scramble: n.
6. lunge: v. make sudden forceful forward movements of the body, often to make an attack
e.g. He lunged at me with a knife.
Comparison: lunge, lung
lung: one of the two organs in your body that you breathe with
e.g. Smoking can cause lung cancer.
Derivation: lunge: n.
Translation: They both lunged forwards to catch a ball. 他们俩都冲上去抢球。
7. stricken: adj. very badly affected by trouble, illness, unhappiness, etc.
e.g. Supplies of medicine were rushedto the stricken city.
Collocations:
be stricken by/with
e.g. The area was stricken with/by a fatal disease.
poverty stricken: very poor
panic stricken: filled with sudden terror
grief stricken: filled with grief and sorrow
Comparison: stuck, stricken
stuck: unable to do any more of something that you are working on because it is too difficult
e.g. Can you help me with my homework Dad? I’m stuck.
8. procedure: n.
1) the correct or normal way of doing something
e.g. What is the correct procedure for renewing your cartax?
2) the method and order of directing business at an official meeting, in a lawcase, etc.
e.g. So much time was spent arguing about the procedure.
Comparison: process, procedure
process: a serious of actions that someonetakes in order to achieve a particular result
e.g. Teaching him to read was a slow process.
Derivation: procedural: adj.
9. figure: v. consider; believe
e.g. I figured that you wouldn’t come.
I figured that he was drunk and shouldn’t be allowed to drive.
Collocation:
figure out: think about a problem or situation until you find the answer or understand what has happened
e.g. Can you figure out how to do it?
Synonyms: consider, think
Paraphrasing and Translation
1. Oh, Lord, I thought, this is it! (Paragraph1)
Paraphrase: Oh, god, I think it’s the most critical moment.
Explanation: "Oh,god" is an expression of surprise, fear, worry, etc., often used in such phrases:
Oh Lord! Good Lord! 主啊！天哪！
Oh Lord, I’ve forgotten the tickets!
Good Lord, how amazing!
2. Somehow I managed to unbolt the door and scramble out. (Paragraph1)
Paraphrase: I tried my best toopen the door and climb out awkwardly
Translation: 我想方设法打开门，爬了出去。
3. As I lunged toward my seat, passengers looked up at me with the stricken expressions of creatures who know they are about to die. (Paragraph1)
Paraphrase: When I rushed toward my seat, the panic passengers looked at me as if they realized that the death is imminent.
Translation: 当我冲向我的座位时，乘客们抬头看我，满脸惊恐。这种表情只有那些知道自己马上就要死的人才有。
4. She had won a trip to England by competing in a high school geography bee and was supposed to make a connecting flight when we landed in Newark. (Paragraph2)
Explanation: Newark, the largest city of New Jersey, U.S.A., only 16 miles southwest of New York.
Translation: 她在一次高中地理竞赛中获胜，赢取去英国旅游的机会，本应该在新沃克着陆后换乘其他航班。
5. When he was done, the voice of a flight attendant came on, reminding us of the emergency procedures she had reviewed before takeoff.(Paragraph4)
Paraphrase: As soon as he finished talking, a flight attendant reminded us of the emergency procedures which she had announced before takeoff.
Translation: 当他一说完，又传来了乘务员的声音，提示我们飞机起飞前她给我们自习讲解过的紧急应变步骤。
6. …always figuring that if we ever gotto the point where we needed to use life jackets. (Paragraph4)
Paraphrase: ... always thinking that if one particular moment should happen when we needed to put on life jackets.
Detailed Analysis of Paragraphs 5-9
Questions
1. How did the writer reassure the high school girl? (Paragraph 5)
The writer reassured her that they were going to make it. It was only a story for her to tell when she got there. And the trip to London was easy.
2) How did the glamorous young woman comfort the writer? (Paragraph 7)
The glamorous young woman crossed the aisle, holding the writer's hand and assured her the accident wasn't serious.
3) Why did the writer feel proud of her fellow passengers? (Paragraph 8)
During those excruciating 20 minutes everybody on board was behaving admirably well. No one panicked and screamed. As they jolted and screeched their way downward, soothing conversation could be heard everywhere.
Words and Expressions
10. pull oneself together: control oneself; become calm after being excited or disturbed
e.g. Stop behaving like a baby! Pull yourself together — your family depends on you.
Comparisons:
pull together: (a group of people) all work hard to achieve something
put sth. together: improve something by organizing it more effectively
11. reassure: v. say or do something in order to make somebody feel less frightened, worried or nervous
e.g. I was reassured by their offerof support.
Collocation:
reassure sb. (that)
e.g. They reassured usthat the matter would be dealt with immediately.
Comparison: reassure, assure
assure: tell (sb.) that something isreally true or will happen
e.g. The receptionist assured me that I would not have to wait long.
Derivations: reassuring: adj. reassurance: n.
12. glamorous: adj. full of or characterized by charm
e.g. Her smile is so glamorous that no one can resist her charm.
Synonyms: attractive, appealing
Derivations: glamour: n. glamorize: v.
13. confide: v. tell someone you trust about personal things that you do not want other people to know
Collocations: confide to sb. that ...
e.g. He came and confided to me that he had spend five years in prison.
confide in sb.
e.g. Jane felt she could only confide in her mother.
Derivations:
confidence: n. the feeling that you can trust someone or something to be good or work well
confidant: n. someone you tell your secrets to
confiding: adj. behaving in a way that shows you want to tell someone about something that is private or secret
14. soulful: adj. expressing deepfeelings; profoundly emotional
e.g. The old woman had a soulful look when she lost her favorite dog.
At the concert, a young singer sang a soulful song, which moved us to tears.
Antonym: soulless: adj.
Derivation: soulfulness: n
Comparison: soul, soulfulness
soul: n. the inner character of a person,where their deepest thoughts and feelings come from
soulfulness: n. being profoundly emotional
15. panic:v. affect or be affected with a sudden, overpowering terror
e.g. The crowd panicked at the sound of the guns.
Collocation:
panic sb. into doing sth.
e.g. The protests became more violent and many landowners were panicked into leaving the country
Derivations: panic: n. panicky: adj.
16. screech: v. make an unpleasant high sharp sound, esp. because of terror orpain
e.g. When a man was peering in at her,she screeched in fright and drew the curtains.
Synonym: scream
Derivation: screech: n.
Translation: 男孩的尖叫声招来了他母亲。
The boy's screeches brought hismother.
The brakes screeched. 刹车发出刺耳的声音。
17. soothing: adj. making less angry, anxious, painful, etc.
e.g. Mother’s words produced a soothing effect on her agitated son.
Derivation: soothe: v.
Paraphrasing and Translation
1.I reached for her hand and reassured her that we were going to make it.(Paragraph5)
Paraphrase: I took her hand and convinced her that wewould fly through the thunderclouds successfully.
Translation: 我伸出手去握住了她的手，安慰她我们会渡过难关的。
2. She must have seen how scared I was and reached over. (Paragraph 6)
Translation: 她一定看到了我有多害怕，就把她的手伸了过来。
3. I was sure that even if I survived the plane crash, I’d have a couple of broken fingers from all the TLC.(Paragraph7)
Explanation:
1) I’d have one or two fingers broken because of the lady’s tender loving squeezes. The author was getting her strength and humorously implied that nothing serious would ever happen.
2) TLC（Infml） a shortened form for “tender loving care”
Translation: 我敢说就算我在飞机失事中逃过一劫，我也会因为她温柔、爱护和关心的触摸而弄伤一两根手指头。
Activity: Making a Story
Directions: work in groups of four. Orally combinet he following words and expressions to make a story.
lunge; figure; pull oneself together; reassure; confide; glamorous; soothing
Detailed Analysis of Paragraphs 11-12
Questions
1. How did the passengers react to their safe landing? (Paragraph 10)
After they landed safely, the passengers felt greatly relieved, thinking that they were fortunate. They clung together and chatted about the blessing lives.
2. What acts of kindness were done after the safe landing? (Paragraph10)
After the safe landing, an older woman offered a young businessman a box of expensive chocolates as the present for his daughter. The writer’s glamorous aisle mate lent her cell phone to the people who are in need.
3. What had the writer’s husband been complaining about?
The writer’s husband had been complaining that he wasn’t getting to see very much of his wife because of her book tour.
Words and Expressions
18. transfer: v.
1) (cause to) move or change from one vehicle to another in the course of ajourney
e.g. At London we transferred from the train to a bus.
I transferred from a bus to an underground train.
2) move from one place, job, position, etc. to another
e.g. The head office has been transferred from London to Cardiff.
Comparison: transfer, transform
transform: completely change the appearance, form or character of something or someone, esp. in a way that improves it
Derivations: transfer: n. transferable: adj.
19. alternative: adj. that can be used instead of something else
e.g. We returned by the alternative road.
Comparison: alternative, alternate
alternate: adj.
1) alternative, esp. AmE, used instead of the one that was intended to be used
2) happening or doing something on one of every two days
e.g. He works alternate days.
Derivations: alternative: n. alternate:v.
20. cling: v. hold tightly; stick firmly
e.g. They clung to one another as they said good-bye.
His wet shirt clung to his body.
Collocation:
cling to (a belief, idea, feeling, etc.): continue to think that is it true even when this seems extremely unlikely
e.g. We clung to the hopethat we might see her again one day.
Derivation: clingy: adj.
21. lament: v. express sorrow or regret (for)
e.g. The whole country lamented the death of their great leader.
Derivations: lamentation: n. lamentable: adj.
22. anticipate: v.
1) look forward to, esp. with pleasure; expect
e.g. The students are anticipating the arrival of the summer vacation.
2) expect that something will happen and be ready for it
e.g. Organizers are anticipating a large crowd at the party.
Synonym: expect
Derivations: anticipatory: adj. anticipation: n.
23. get in: (of a train, etc. or a passenger) arrive at the destination
e.g. What time does your flight getin?
The plane got in three hours late.
Comparisons:
get sth. in:
1) gather together something such as crops
e.g. The whole village was involved with getting the harvest in.
2) send something to a particular place or give it to a particular person
e.g. Please get your assignments in by Thursday.
get sb. in: ask someone to come toyour home or workplace to do a job, esp. to repair something
e.g. We’ll have to get the engineer in.
Paraphrasing
And then —yes!—we landed safely.(Paragraph10)
Explanation: The word “yes” indicate that something occurs to you suddenly when you were talking. Here it isused to emphasize that we landed safely.
What was I talking about?—Oh yes, I was telling you what happened at the shop that night.
Detailed Analysis of Paragraphs 13-14
Questions
1. Why does the writer sometimes look up at an airplane? (Paragraph 13)
Because an airplane flying in the sky reminds the writer of her unusual and unforgettable experience she had on that fateful, lucky flight.
2. For what is the writer indebted to her fellow passengers? (Paragraph 13)
The writer is indebted to her fellow passengers for the many acts of kindness that she witnessed and received.
3. What is the most important thing the writer thinks she ought to do? (Paragraph 14)
The writer thinks it's important to pass along the kind acts to others rather than repaying to the people offering us the help.
Words and Expressions
24. glinting: adj. gleaming or flashing briefly
e.g. Her glinting gold ring attractsall our attention.
Synonyms: glittering, gleaming
Derivation: glint: v./n.
25. fateful: adj. having an important, esp. bad influence on the future
e.g. The world will always remember the fateful day when the atomic bomb was first dropped.
Comparisons: fateful, fated
fated: certain to happen because mysterious force is controlling events
Derivation: fate: n.
26. witness: v. be present and see with one’s own eyes
e.g. We witnessed a strange change in her.
Collocation:
witness to sth. :formally state that something is true or happened
e.g. Her principal was called to witness to her good character.
witness to doing sth.
e.g. The driver witnessed to having seen the man enter the building.
Derivation:
witness: n. someone who is present when something happens, and watches it happening
27. indebted: adj. very grateful to somebody for help given
Collocation: be indebted to sb.
e.g. I’m greatly indebted to you for your criticisms and help.
Comparison: be indebt:
1) owe money
2) be very grateful to someone for what they have done for you
28. clutch: v. hold something or somebody tightly in the hand(s)
e.g. The mother clutched her baby inher arms.
Mary was clutching herdoll to her chest.
Collocation:
clutch at: try hard to hold something,esp. when you are in a dangerous situation
e.g. Suzieclutched desperately at the muddy river bank.
Comparisons: clutch, seize
seize: take hold of something suddenly and violently
e.g. He seized my hand and dragged me away from the window.
Derivation: clutch: n.
Translation
The point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on. (Paragraph 14)
Translation: 关键不是报答这种善举，而是传递与发扬善举。
Activity: Role Play
Directions: Work in pairs. One plays therole of the writer and tells your husband your experience on the plane. The other plays the role of the husband, listens to your wife’s narration and asks her questions if necessary. You can use the following words and expressions inyour role-play.
lightning jolt swerve scramble lunge stricken figure
pull oneself together reassure confide panic soothing transfer
alternative anticipate be indebted to clutch
