·Unda Sledge·
“Can I see my baby?”the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face，she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.
The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred.
When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother’s arms，she sighed，knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy，“A boy，a big boy... called me a freak.”
He grew up，handsome but for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students，he might have been class president，but for that. He developed a gift，a talent for literature and music.
The boy’s father had a session with the family physician，“Could nothing be done?”
“I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears，if they could be gotten.”the doctor declared. They searched for a person who would make such a great sacrifice for the young man.
Two years went by. One day，his father said to the son，“You’re going to the hospital，son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But the identity of the donor is a secret.”
The operation was a brilliant success，and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius. School and college became a series of triumphs. He married and enter the diplomatic service.
He would ask his father:“Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.”
“I do not believe you could，”said the father，“but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”
The years kept their profound secret，but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket. Slowly，tenderly，the father stretched forth his hand and raised the thick，reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never got her hair cut，”his father whispered gently，“and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful，did they?”
大爱无声
芸达·斯莱奇
“我能看看我的孩子吗？”刚刚做了母亲的女人高兴地问。当襁褓被放到她怀里，她拿开挡着孩子小脸的布时，她倒吸了一口凉气。医生快速地转过身去，向外望去。
孩子天生没有耳朵。事实证明他的听力完全没有问题。只是容貌上有缺陷。
一天，他从学校飞奔回家，投入妈妈的怀抱。她叹息着，知道他的一生将有一连串的伤心。他说出了那件让人心碎的事情：“一个男孩，大个子男孩，叫我怪物。”
他长大了，尽管有那个悲惨命运，他还是长得很英俊。他人缘很好，如果不是因为那个残疾，他本可以做班长的，他在文学和音乐方面很有天赋。
男孩的爸爸去问家庭医生：“难道真的一点办法也没有吗？”
“办法是有的。如果能找到一双合适的外耳，我可以帮他植入。”医生说。他们开始寻找看有谁愿意为年轻人做出这样的牺牲。
两年过去了。一天，父亲告诉儿子：“孩子，你终于可以做手术了。妈妈和我找到愿意为你捐耳朵的人了。但是，捐献者要求身份保密。”
手术非常成功，他脱胎换骨。他的才华宛如鲜花怒放般得到了释放。学业也取得了一连串的成功。后来，他结了婚，并做了外交官。
他问父亲：“是谁给了我耳朵？是谁如此地慷慨？我永远报答不尽。”
“我不认为你有那个能力去报答，”爸爸说，“我们当初协议中规定你不能知道是谁，至少现在还不能。”
父亲的守口如瓶使这个秘密保持了许多年，但是，这一天终于还是来了。他和爸爸站在妈妈的棺木前。慢慢地，轻柔地，爸爸伸出手撩起了妈妈那浓密的棕红色的头发，显露在孩子面前的竟是：妈妈没有耳朵！
“妈妈说她很庆幸自己从来不用去理发，”爸爸低声说道，“但没人会认为你母亲因此而减少了一丝一毫的美丽，不是吗？”
实战提升篇
核心单词
bundle [5bQndl] n. 捆，卷；包裹
prove [pru:v] v. 证明，证实
favorite [5feivErit] n. 特别喜爱的人(或物)；受宠的人
donate [dEu5neit] v. 捐献，捐赠
diplomatic [7diplE5mAtik] adj. 外交的；外交人员的
tenderly [5tendEli] adv. 温和地，柔和地，体贴地
实用句型
