I used to watch her from my kitchen window，she seemed so small as she muscIed her way through the crowd of boys on the playground.The school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids as they played during recess.A sea of children，and yet to me，she stood out from them all.I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball.[A]I watched in wonder as she ran circles around the other kids.She managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net.The boys always tried to stop her but no one could.I began to notice her at other times，basketball in hand，playing alone.
She would practice dribbIing and shooting over and over again，sometimes until dark.One day I asked her why she practiced so much.She looked directly in my eyes and without a moment of hesitation she said，"I want to go to college.The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship.I like basketball.I decided that if I were good enough，I would get a scholarship.I am going to play college basketball.I want to be the best.My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough，the facts don't count."Then she smiled and ran towards the court to recap the routine I had seen over and over again.Well，I had to give it to her-she was determined.I watched her through those junior high years and into high school.[B]Every week，she led her varsity team to victory.The next year，as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game，she was seen by a college recruiter.She was indeed offered a scholarship，a full ride，to a Division I，NCAA women's basketball team.[C]She was going to get the college education that she had dreamed of and worked toward for all those years.It's true：If the dream is big enough，the facts don't count.
难点重点，一目了然！
长难句解析 Sentence Structures
A I watched in wonder as she ran circIes around the other kids.
看着她在其他孩子旁边兜来转去，技术娴熟，我感到十分惊奇。
run circles around在本句话中翻译为其本意“兜来转去”，其还有引申意为“比（某人）做得更好，远远超过（某人）。”例如：In spelling Mary could run circles around Ann any day.在拼写方面，玛丽任何时候都可以远远赛过安。
B Every week，she Ied her varsity team to victory.
lead sb to victory 带领某人走向胜利。例如：Hence one can see that，without an understanding of the characteristics of China's revolutionary war，it is impossible to direct it and lead it to victory.由此可知，不了解中国革命战争的特点，就不能指导中国革命战争，就不能引导中国革命战争走上胜利的途径。
C She was going to get the college education that she had dreamed of and worked toward for all those years.
她将接受她曾梦想并为之奋斗多年的大学教育。
本句话为定语从句，先行词为education，所以引导词为that，也可用which。
Shining Light in Dark Corners 光芒照亮黑暗角落
Track 016.MP3
朗读指数：★★★☆☆
背诵指数：★★★★☆
难度指数：★★★☆☆
总词汇量：0380词汇
每个好故事都有灵魂！
今日关键语导读 Today's Key Points
黑暗似乎具有能够遮蔽一切光明的魔力，但是人类对于光明的向往从来没有停止过。就像镜子，虽然容易破碎，但是破碎的镜片依然能反射出完好的阳光。其实只要你愿意，你也可以是镜子，反射光芒；即便微弱，也能驱走生活中的黑暗。
文中障碍词抢先攻克！
障碍词先听为快 Words and Expressions
精彩文字，耳听心受！
好英文娓娓动听 Words and Expressions
"Dr.Papaderos，what is the meaning of life？"
The usual laughter followed，and people stirred to go.
Papaderos held up his hand and stilled the room and looked at me for a long time，asking with his eyes if I was serious and seeing from my eyes that I was.
"I will answer your question."
[A]Taking his wallet out of his hip pocket，he fished into a leather biIIfoId and brought out a very small round mirror，about the size of a quarter.
[B]And what he said went like this：
"When I was a small child，during the war，we were very poor and we lived in a remote village.One day，on the road，I found the broken pieces of a mirror.A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place."
"I tried to find all the pieces and put them together，but it was not possible，so I kept only the largest piece.This one，and，by scratching it on a stone，I made it round.I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine--in deep holes and crevices and dark cIosets.It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find."
"I kept the little mirror，and，as I went about my growing up，I would take it out in idle moments and continue the challenge of the game.As I became a man，I grew to understand that this was not just a child's game but a metaphor for what I might do with my life.I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light.But light-truth，understanding，knowledge-is there，and it will shine in many dark places only if I reflect it."
[C]"I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know.Nevertheless，with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world-into the black places in the hearts of men-and change some things in some people.Perhaps others may see and do likewise.This is what I am about.This is the meaning of my life."
难点重点，一目了然！
长难句解析 Sentence Structures
A Taking his waIIet out of his hip pocket，he fished into a Ieather biIIfoId and brought out a very smaII round mirror，about the size of a quarter.
他从裤子后袋里掏出钱包，在这个皮夹子里摸来摸去，然后拿出一片二角五分硬币大小的小圆镜。
本句话为复合句，Taking为主句的状语，切不可认为该句话为动名词作主语。
B And what he said went Iike this：
他接下来是这样说的。
本句话虽然简短，但是在作文中可以起到启下的作用。
C I am a fragment of a mirror whose whoIe design and shape I do not know.
我是一面镜子的一块碎片，不知道整面镜子的样式和形状。
该句话为定语从句，先行词为mirror，引导词为whose。
Big Rocks 人生的大石头
Track 017.MP3
朗读指数：★★★☆☆
背诵指数：★★★☆☆
难度指数：★★☆☆☆
总词汇量：0372词汇
每个好故事都有灵魂！
今日关键语导读 Today's Key Points
就像这个实验，瓶子中先放入大石头，才能接着放进去石砾、细沙、水以及一些细小的东西。人生又岂不是如此，先把梦想、亲人、学习等这些“大石头”放进我们人生的瓶子中，然后我们才能深深地体会一些细微的感动、幸福和快乐。
文中障碍词抢先攻克！
障碍词先听为快 Words and Expressions
精彩文字，耳听心受！
好英文娓娓动听 Words and Expressions
[A]One day，an expert in time management was speaking to a group of students and，to drive home a point，used an iIIustration those students will never forget.