1 One day, a poor boy, Howard Kelly, who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.
2 However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
3 “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “ Mother has taught me never to accept pay for offering kindness.”
4 “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart,”he said. As he left that house, he not only started to feel stronger physically, but also had a stronger faith in the human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point.
5 Years later, the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to a big city nearby, where specialists can be called in to study her rare disease. Howard Kelly, now a famous doctor, was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a light of deep concern filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.
6 Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he threw himself into her case and took the best care of her.
7 After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was afraid to open it because she was positive that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words ...
8 “Paid in full with a glass of milk.” (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
Notes of the Text
1. One day, ... one dime left.: The poor boy had no money to go to school, so he tried to sell goods door to door to make money, but one day he found that he had only one dime left.
pay one’s way through school by doing sth.: make
money by doing sth. to go to school 通过做……挣钱上学
2. However, ... opened the door.: However, he became very nervous when a lovely young woman opened the door.
lose one’s nerve: be nervous 慌张，不知所措
3. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.: He changed his mind and didn’t ask for a meal, but he asked for a drink of water.
instead of: taking the place of 代替
4. Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
from the bottom of my heart: genuinely 从心底里，从内心深处
5. Mother has taught me never to accept pay for offering kindness.:
Mother has taught me not to accept pay for helping others.
6. As he left that house, … human race.: When he left that house, on one hand, he felt stronger physically, on the other hand, he believed in the human race from the bottom of his heart.
not only … but also …: 不但……而且……
7. He was about to give up and quit before this point.:
Before this moment, he was ready to give up and quit this strong belief about human race.
be about to: plan to 将要，打算
before this point: 在此之前
8. They finally … rare disease: At last, they had to send her to a big city nearby. In that city, many specialists were asked to find a good solution to this rare case.
nearby: close at hand 附近
9. a light of deep concern filled his eyes: his eyes were filled with a deep concern
concern: a feeling of worry about a situation 担忧，关心
10. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her.:
He went in to see her, wearing his doctor’s clothes.
11. From that day on, he threw himself into her case and took the best care of her.: Since that day, he spent most of his time on the study of her case and looked after her carefully.
from … on: since 从……开始
12. She was afraid … pay it off.: She was afraid to open the bill because she believed firmly that she would spend the rest of her life to pay off the bill.
be positive: be very sure 坚信
