密歇根新闻广播 我们的礼物有偿

我们的礼物有偿

Christmas is here once again, right on time.

I can't say this is that big a deal for me. I've seen 53 of them – and really, at my age, if I really need it, I've already got it. Why I really need is less stuff, not more of it.

But my view of the holiday flips¹ completely when I think of my son, who's just two-and-a-quarter. He's old enough know what gifts are, and asks for “Presents!” almost as often as “Ice cream!”

Because he's the first grandchild on my wife's side, and the first in a generation on my side, this kid is spoiled rotten. So, what do you get a kid who already seems to have everything?

Last Christmas we got him a mini-hockey net with mini-plastic sticks. He grabs both sticks, whacks³ the ball toward the net, and when it rolls wide, he yells, "Gooooooooooaaaalll!" Then he waves the sticks around, until he whacks himself in the head, and starts crying.

We're working on the fundamentals, but I like the passion.

But these gifts also underscore a dirty little secret: our presents aren't entirely⁴ altruistic⁵. Many of them contain hidden messages, including every single one of my sports-themed gifts. I know you can't push your kid to do almost anything – a lesson I've already learned about a thousand times. Even if Teddy goes along with it, it will suck out all the joy sports should bring.

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be disappointed if Teddy didn't became an athlete and a fan.

But I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be disappointed if Teddy didn't became an athlete and a fan. Not for some greater glory, but to get from sports the invaluable⁶ lessons and pleasure I have. And also, I confess, to keep us connected.

My wife, a huge hockey fan, also hopes Teddy likes the sport. But she is even more passionate⁷ about other endeavors. She has already built a pyramid of shiny, wrapped boxes under the tree filled with finger paints, a wooden train set, and a Play-Doh set based on, my lord, Star Wars. She has based her life on their teachings.

I've seen exactly one Star Wars movie – the first one. I saw it as many times as I needed to, which was once. I hadn't seen the second one until I married Christie. She has seen them all as often as George Lucas himself, but has more opinions on them. She is eager to make Teddy a Star Wars geek, too, right down to giving him an R2-D2 night light. (He calls it D2-R2, which pleases me to no need.)

To counter all this, what can I get him?

Whenever we pass the outdoor rink at Northside School on our way to his daycare, he says, “That's an ice rink,” and follows up, very casually⁸, with, “I'm a hockey player.”

Well, sort of, but even his half-Canadian dad, who started skating at three, thinks 2-and-a-quarter is too small for skating. I'd hate to see the kid wipe out all day, cry all night, and never want to go back.

He also occasionally says, “I'm a baseball player,” as if that were a title, but he knows even less about that sport. And how many kids can catch… anything… before they're five?

I think I'm going to have to settle for getting him a mini-Red Wings hockey jersey⁹, and one of those King-Kong oversized plastic baseball bats, with which he will proficiently¹⁰ whack² everything in the house except for the oversized ball I'll be tossing him. But in this battle between sports and a Galaxy¹¹ Far, Far Away, I can't afford to waste a year.

My editor, whose three daughters are already in high school and college, tells me I'm too worked up about all this.

“You think you're making memories that last a lifetime,” he told me, “but it never really works out that way. I can't remember anything we gave them at age two – and neither can they.”

So here's my plan: no matter what he gets, or how he reacts, I'm going to yell, “Gooooal!” call it a success, and gear up for the next one.

Game on.

1 flips   

轻弹( flip的第三人称单数 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• Larry flips on the TV while he is on vacation in Budapest. 赖瑞在布达佩斯渡假时，打开电视收看节目。
• He flips through a book before making a decision. 他在决定买下一本书前总要先草草翻阅一下。

2 whack   

v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

3 whacks   

n.重击声( whack的名词复数 )；不正常；有毛病v.重击，使劲打( whack的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Lizzie Borden took an axe, Hit her father forty whacks. 丽兹玻顿拿起斧头，砍了爸爸四十下。 来自互联网
• Grizzly bear paw whacks camera out of position and jettisons it downstream. 大灰熊的爪子把摄像机移出了固定的位置并且把它扔到了下游。 来自互联网

4 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

5 altruistic   

adj.无私的，为他人着想的

参考例句：

• It is superficial to be altruistic without feeling compassion.无慈悲之心却说利他，是为表面。
• Altruistic spirit should be cultivated by us vigorously.利他的精神是我们应该努力培养的。

6 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

7 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

8 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

9 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

10 proficiently   

ad.熟练地

参考例句：

• Language Skills: Ability to write and speak English proficiently. 语言要求：有良好的英语读写能力。
• Although not a diplomat, he can proficiently use diplomatic terms. 他虽然不是外交官，却能熟练地使用外交辞令。

11 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。