英语美文：一杯牛奶

 　A Glass of Milk

　　One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime¹ left. He was hungry so he decided² to beg for a meal at the next house.

　　However, he lost his nerve³ 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?”

　　“You don't owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically⁴, but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point.

　　Years later the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled⁵. They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her rare disease⁶. Dr. Howard Kelly, now famous was called in for the consultation⁷. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.

　　Dressed in his doctor's gown⁸ he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined⁹ to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to her case.

　　After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval¹⁰. 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...

　　“Paid in full with a glass of milk.”

　　(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly

　　Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank You, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

　　一天，一个贫穷的小男孩为了攒够学费正挨家挨户地推销商品。饥寒交迫的他摸遍全身，却只有一角钱。于是他决定向下一户人家讨口饭吃。

　　然而，当一位美丽的年轻女子打开房门的时候，这个小男孩却有点不知所措了。他没有要饭，只乞求给他一口水喝。这位女子看到他饥饿的样子，就倒了一大杯牛奶给他。男孩慢慢地喝完牛奶，问道：“我应该付多少钱？”

　　年轻女子微笑着回答：“一分钱也不用付。我妈妈教导我，施以爱心，不图回报。”男孩说：“那么，就请接受我由衷的感谢吧！”说完，霍华德?凯利就离开了这户人家。此时的他不仅自己浑身是劲儿，而且更加相信上帝和整个人类。本来，他都打算放弃了。

　　数年之后，那位女子得了一种罕见的重病，当地医生对此束手无策。最后，她被转到大城市医治，由专家会诊治疗。大名鼎鼎的霍华德?凯利医生也参加了医疗方案的制定。当他听到病人来自的那个城镇的名字时，一个奇怪的念头霎时间闪过他的脑际。他马上起身直奔她的病房。

　　身穿手术服的凯利医生来到病房，一眼就认出了恩人。回到会诊室后，他决心一定要竭尽所能来治好她的病。从那天起，他就特别关照这个对自己有恩的病人。

　　经过艰苦的努力，手术成功了。凯利医生要求把医药费通知单送到他那里，他看了一下，便在通知单的旁边签了字。当医药费通知单送到她的病房时，她不敢看。因为她确信，治病的费用将会花费她整个余生来偿还。最后，她还是鼓起勇气，翻开了医药费通知单，旁边的那行小字引起了她的注意，她不禁轻声读了出来：

　　“医药费已付：一杯牛奶。”

　　（签名）霍华德?凯利医生

　　喜悦的泪水溢出了她的眼睛，她默默地祈祷着：“谢谢你，上帝，你的爱已通过人类的心灵和双手传播了。”

1 dime   

n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角

参考例句：

• A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
• The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 nerve   

n.神经；勇气，胆量，沉着，果断

参考例句：

• Did he have the nerve to say that?他竟有脸说这话吗？
• He never got up enough nerve to meet me.他从没有足够的胆量来见我。

4 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

5 baffled   

adj.带有障板的，阻挡的v.使困难，使为难( baffle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The question baffled me completely and I couldn't answer it. 这个问题把我彻底难倒了，我答不出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her question has baffled me. 她的问题把我难倒了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

7 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

8 gown   

n.长袍，特殊场合穿的长服

参考例句：

• She pinned the gown at the neck with a safety pin.她在领子那儿用一枚别针把睡衣别住。
• He threw on his gown.他穿上他的礼服。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。