The joyful gardener

河北邯鄲一中 蘇 娜

花園是園丁心中的一個小世界。園丁在自己的小世界里親手埋下生命的種子，親自參與生命的成長，看花開花落、草木枯榮，感受到的是怎樣的快樂和人生感悟呢？

題材文章詞數園藝3 5 5 難度 ★★★體裁建議用時記敘文7′

難詞掃障

1.trimv.修剪；整理

2.evergreen shrub常綠灌木

3.budv.長出蓓蕾

4.witherv.枯萎；凋殘

5.nourishmentn.滋養

6.pollinatev.給……授粉

7.spaden.鐵鍬

8.prunev.修剪（樹枝）

Those who have experienced the joy of gardening know that there's no joy which precisely parallels it.One of the most important parts of a happy life—always looking forward to the future—is generously awarded to the gardener.Nor does it become weak as he grows older.

I once journeyed to the funeral of a 1._______，and，arriving a few hours before theservices， wentinto her garden.For a long time，she'd known that she would not 2._______from her illness，but the last morning she'd been able to be outdoors and there she hadtrimmedand reshaped a recently plantedevergreen shrub.It was spreading its branches now against the wall，neat and glossy and growing symmetrically（對稱地） as she had intended.My friend knew she would never see this lovely tracery covering the wall，but sheacknowledgedthepersistenceof life and，as I stood before the work of her hands，I acknowledged it too.

This belief in the future，which gives quietness to the 3______._and liveliness to the body explains， I think， the astonishing energy with which the aged oftenapply themselves togarden tasks.For while they are thusoccupied，theyaren't conscious ofbeing old or 4______._but only of being part of surging，growing life.Flowersbud， open，wither， and fall.Theydraw in nourishmentfrom earth， air，water and sun.They attract birds and bees，arepollinated，make seed，scatter it，in a cycle as irresistible and synchronized（同步的）as the movements of the stars and planets.They are 5._______of the rhythm of life just as we are part of it and they accompany us through every mood.

This is theblessingwhich belongs to those who work in their own 6______._.Thus，it is true that every gardener is forever a beginner and always confident about the future that lightens the way like a flame.And thus it is also true，that the gardener，from his first awkward attempt with thespadeto his lastexpert pruningof an evergreen， is conscious—with deepest gratitude—that he is blessed.

Reading Check

Fill in each blank with only one word according to the context.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Important vocabulary in the text

1.acknowledgev.承認

2.persistencen.持續存在；維持

3.apply oneself to致力于

4.occupiedadj.無空閑的；忙碌的

5.be conscious of意識到

6.draw in吸收

7.blessingn.幸事；好事

8.expertadj.熟練的

Ⅱ.Appreciate symbolism

Symbolism（象征）

Symbolism（象征）是根據事物之間的某種聯系，借助某人某物的具體形象，以表現某種抽象的概念、思想和情感。它可以使文章立意高遠、含蓄深刻。恰當地運用象征手法，可以將某些比較抽象的精神品質化為具體的可以感知的形象，從而給讀者留下深刻的印象和咀嚼回味的余地。

本篇文章也運用了象征的手法，用園丁對待花園中植物的態度象征一種積極樂觀的人生態度：永遠向前看，相信生命的延續。植物和人都是大自然的一部分，第三段作者寫道“Flowers bud， open，wither， and fall.”，花的生命的過程就像人的一生一樣，都是自然規律。園丁在照顧花園的過程中，體驗了生命的過程，領悟了人生的真諦，坦然接受生命的各個階段，收獲了真正的滿足和快樂。