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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:
Today we have an update to a story we first told back in 2004. That September, NPR's Claudio Sanchez set out to document one of the biggest days in a kid's life, the first day of kindergarten.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
MARYANNA MARSENISON: What do you think of your new classroom? This is where you're going to be every day.
SAM MARSENISON: No, no, no, no...
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
That hesitant child was 5-year-old Sam Marsenison. For his parents, too, it was an emotional1 day filled with hope and anxiety. But they went on with their lives.
MCEVERS: A couple of months ago, Sam's dad sent Claudio a note. Sam was graduating from high school. Here's Claudio with our story.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
MARK STRAUSS: At this time, if there are parents who are in the classrooms, we're going to ask that you please head on home.
CLAUDIO SANCHEZ, BYLINE2: Thirteen years ago, Paul and Maryanna Marsenison dropped off their son, Sam, at Virginia Shuman Young Elementary for his first day of kindergarten.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
M. MARSENISON: It's a whole new stage in our lives, not just his life. You know, we - we're going to have to help him through this.
SANCHEZ: Letting go was tough. Sam lunged towards Maryanna and wrapped his little arms around her waist, tears rolling down both their faces.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
M. MARSENISON: I just thought I'd - we'd get to stay a little bit longer. I just thought, you know - I just wanted to be there (laughter) just for a little bit longer.
SANCHEZ: Sam's first day as a kindergartener went off without a hitch3 except that during lunch, Sam could not open his juice.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
M. MARSENISON: Did you drink your juice?
S. MARSENISON: No. I couldn't open it.
No, I don't remember that.
SANCHEZ: That's Sam, now 18. He's grown into a tall, handsome young man with his mother's eyes and olive4 brown skin. A few weeks ago, he graduated from Fort5 Lauderdale High School and will soon be off to college. Sam is well aware his parents are anxious again, wondering whether he's ready.
S. MARSENISON: Same as maybe, you know, I guess kindergarten is, yeah. Your parents are letting you go to school by yourself, which is a big step for that age. And I think for being 18, it's also a big step. You know, my parents are sending me across the state to go live by myself.
SANCHEZ: Sam is headed for Tallahassee Community College about 460 miles north of Fort Lauderdale. His grades were not good enough to get into a Florida State, but Sam plans to transfer6 there assuming7 he takes his studies seriously and his grades improve. Paul, his dad, has his misgivings8.
PAUL MARSENISON: I don't have confidence that he's going to take it seriously in the beginning.
M. MARSENISON: I think he will because I think he's done a lot of growing up this past half year.
SANCHEZ: Throughout high school, Paul and Maryanna struggled to get their son to work hard, to think about his future. At one point, Sam talked about joining the military right after graduation.
M. MARSENISON: A year ago, he did not even want to go to college.
P. MARSENISON: I know he could have done a lot better.
SANCHEZ: Sam says he's heard it all before. But like he's told his mom and dad hundreds of times...
S. MARSENISON: I think I'm definitely9 ready. And I'm, like - I feel confident that I'm going to do well.
SANCHEZ: At Fort Lauderdale High, the few teachers who got to know Sam saw him as an average student not passionate10 about much except one thing - fishing, especially with his dad.
P. MARSENISON: Not every weekend, but we go quite a bit. And I think that has given him a tremendous11 amount of self-confidence.
SANCHEZ: Being out on the water builds character, says Paul. It seems it's the one thing that truly bonds12 Sam and his father - being out on the water together. And that's what Paul says he's going to miss most when Sam, his fishing buddy13, is gone.
Listening to Paul reminds me of how strongly he felt 13 years ago about raising a fearless, confident child, how important it was, for example, for Sam to learn to ride the school bus by himself. Here's the way Paul put it back then...
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
P. MARSENISON: Get him on a bus, you know, and shake him up a little bit and make him think on his feet a little bit.
M. MARSENISON: I can do that for him (laughter).
P. MARSENISON: Yeah, but he's got to get on the bus and make it back home, you know?
SANCHEZ: To this day, Maryanna is still a hand-holder, Paul demanding as always, prodding14, pushing Sam to be more independent. It's been a tug15 of war of sorts.
M. MARSENISON: I'm going to cry.
SANCHEZ: With graduation only a couple of hours away, the Marsenison's home is abuzz with aunts and grandparents from out of town. I pulled Sam off to the side to ask him how he's feeling. You know, he says, dad's right.
S. MARSENISON: I could've pushed myself harder, studied more, done better. But I don't feel as if I've let him down, though. I put forth16 effort.
SANCHEZ: Do you think you have to prove to your dad or to your family that you have a bright future ahead of you?
S. MARSENISON: I don't think I have to prove it to him. I think - it's what I want for myself, so I'll do whatever it takes.
SANCHEZ: Heck, says Sam, I might even work for my dad's construction business someday. I have a feeling Paul would really like that. But first, graduation awaits17, and Sam needs help with this tie.
S. MARSENISON: I have no idea how to tie a tie. Dad tied it for me, but I don't think he did it very well.
M. MARSENISON: Yeah, so I don't know who helped him.
SANCHEZ: Sam's mom, Maryanna, steps in to help. She still cannot believe her little boy has grown so big so fast. She's trying to keep her emotions in check, reminiscent of how she tried to hold back tears on Sam's first day of kindergarten.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
S. MARSENISON: Mommy's going to be crying.
SANCHEZ: Now, 13 years later...
M. MARSENISON: Yeah, there's going to be tears (laughter). The emotions are the same I think. But I'm more confident because he's a real person now. He's a person, I should say. You know, he's a baby. He was a baby.
S. MARSENISON: They don't want to let me go.
SANCHEZ: How does that feel?
S. MARSENISON: Feels good that (laughter) they'll miss me.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Welcome Fort Lauderdale families. Enjoy the program, and congratulations to your seniors.
(SOUNDBITE OF PERFORMANCE OF EDWARD ELGAR'S "POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCES")
SANCHEZ: Tonight Sam is among the 500 or so students receiving their diploma from Fort Lauderdale High.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Sam Marsenison.
(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)
P. MARSENISON: (Laughter) There he is, walking...
M. MARSENISON: He's accepting it now - yay.
P. MARSENISON: Yeah, very distinguished18.
SANCHEZ: As Sam walks across the stage, Paul and Maryanna smile. Their 5-year-old, after all, has turned out to be a healthy, happy young man with a good heart, a late bloomer, perhaps, but someone who they believe deep down can and will someday make them even more proud than they are tonight. Claudio Sanchez, NPR News.
收听单词发音 |
1
emotional
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| adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的 | |
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2
byline
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| n.署名；v.署名 | |
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3
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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4
olive
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| n.橄榄，橄榄树，橄榄色；adj.黄绿色的，黄褐色的，橄榄色的 | |
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5
fort
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| n.要塞，堡垒，碉堡 | |
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6
transfer
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| n. 迁移, 移动, 换车; v. 转移, 调转, 调任 | |
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7
assuming
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| 如果 | |
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8
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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9
definitely
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| adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地 | |
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10
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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11
tremendous
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| adj.巨大的，极大的；很好的，非常好的 | |
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12
bonds
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| 镣铐，监禁； [常作复数]结合（力）( bond的名词复数 )； 结合物； 联系； 连接 | |
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13
buddy
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| n.（美口）密友，伙伴 | |
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14
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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15
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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16
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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17
awaits
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| v.等候( await的第三人称单数 )；等待；期待；将发生在 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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