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5StoryEveryday life2 min

Letters in a Drawer

After a grandmother’s death, a box of letters shows a love nobody in the family had ever heard spoken.

A quiet family story. 直到(zhídào)……才(cái)…… says that something became clear only at a late point. Watch the contrast 不(bú)是(shì)……,而是(érshì)…… near the end.

外婆(wàipó)离开(líkāi)我们(wǒmen)以后(yǐhòu),妈妈(māma)让(ràng)我(wǒ)帮(bāng)她(tā)整理(zhěnglǐ)外婆(wàipó)的(de)房间(fángjiān)。在(zài)一(yí)个(ge)旧(jiù)抽屉(chōuti)的(de)最(zuì)里面(lǐmiàn),我(wǒ)发现(fāxiàn)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)旧(jiù)盒(hé),里面(lǐmiàn)整齐(zhěngqí)地(de)放(fàng)着(zhe)几十(jǐshí)封(fēng)信(xìn)。

信(xìn)都(dōu)是(shì)外公(wàigōng)写(xiě)的(de)。六十(liùshí)多(duō)年(nián)以前(yǐqián),外公(wàigōng)在(zài)外地(wàidì)的(de)工厂(gōngchǎng)当(dāng)工人(gōngrén),一(yì)年(nián)只(zhǐ)能(néng)回家(huíjiā)一(yí)次(cì)。那(nà)时候(shíhou)打电话(dǎdiànhuà)很(hěn)贵(guì),写信(xiěxìn)是(shì)他们(tāmen)唯一(wéiyī)的(de)联系(liánxì)方式(fāngshì)。

信(xìn)写(xiě)得(de)很(hěn)普通(pǔtōng)。外公(wàigōng)写(xiě)的(de)大(dà)多(duō)是(shì)生活(shēnghuó)里(lǐ)的(de)小(xiǎo)事(shì):工厂(gōngchǎng)的(de)饭菜(fàncài)太(tài)咸(xián),天气(tiānqì)冷(lěng)了(le)要(yào)多(duō)穿(chuān)衣服(yīfu),寄(jì)回去(huíqu)的(de)钱(qián)收到(shōudào)了(le)没有(méiyǒu)。可是(kěshì)每(měi)封(fēng)信(xìn)的(de)最后(zuìhòu),他(tā)都(dōu)会(huì)写(xiě)上(shàng)同样(tóngyàng)的(de)一(yí)句(jù):“你(nǐ)放心(fàngxīn),我(wǒ)在(zài)这儿(zhèr)都(dōu)好(hǎo)。”

妈妈(māma)看(kàn)了(le)这些(zhèxiē)信(xìn),沉默(chénmò)了(le)很(hěn)久(jiǔ)。她(tā)说(shuō),她(tā)小(xiǎo)的(de)时候(shíhou)一直(yìzhí)以为(yǐwéi)外公(wàigōng)外婆(wàipó)感情(gǎnqíng)一般(yìbān),因为(yīnwèi)从来(cónglái)没(méi)见(jiàn)过(guo)他们(tāmen)说(shuō)什么(shénme)亲密(qīnmì)的(de)句子(jùzi)。直到(zhídào)今天(jīntiān),她(tā)才(cái)明白(míngbai),有些(yǒuxiē)感情(gǎnqíng)不(bú)是(shì)说(shuō)出来(chulai)的(de),而是(érshì)一(yì)年(nián)一(yì)年(nián)写(xiě)出来(chulai)的(de)。

我们(wǒmen)决定(juédìng)不(bù)扔掉(rēngdiào)这些(zhèxiē)信(xìn),而是(érshì)把(bǎ)每(měi)封(fēng)信(xìn)都(dōu)拍下来(pāixiàlai),做(zuò)一(yì)本(běn)小(xiǎo)书(shū),送(sòng)给(gěi)家里(jiāli)的(de)每(měi)个(ge)人(rén)。我(wǒ)想(xiǎng),外公(wàigōng)当年(dāngnián)大概(dàgài)怎么(zěnme)也(yě)想不到(xiǎngbudào),他(tā)写(xiě)给(gěi)外婆(wàipó)的(de)那些(nàxiē)普通(pǔtōng)的(de)句子(jùzi),有(yǒu)一(yì)天(tiān)会(huì)被(bèi)他(tā)的(de)孙女(sūnnǚ)认真(rènzhēn)地(de)读(dú)一(yí)遍(biàn)又(yòu)一(yí)遍(biàn)。

Words
251
Sentences
13
Words per sentence
19.3
in the vocabulary
100 %
measured level
5
Reading time
2 min

Grammar in this text

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The word lists for this text

The words in this text appear in 41 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.

Comprehension questions

5 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.

1. Where did the narrator find the letters?

2. Why did the grandparents write letters?

3. What did Grandfather write at the end of every letter?

4. What had the mother always believed?

5. What does the family decide to do with the letters?