At Jessica’s Reunion Party 1
Jessica's 20-year class reunion was held at a fancy hotel.
When she arrived, she wasn't sure she was in the right place.
At first she didn't recognize anyone.
She felt a bit awkward and out of place.
But it wasn't long before a strange man came up to her.
He was already losing his hair, and he was wearing thick glasses.
"Don't you remember me?" he asked.
译文：杰西卡的20年同学聚会是在一家豪华酒店举行的。当她到达时，她不确定自己是否找对了地方。起初她谁也不认识，她觉得有点尴尬和不自在。但没过多久一个陌生的男人朝她走来。他已经开始脱发，戴着一副厚厚的眼镜。“你不记得我了吗?”，那人问道。
Exercise:
1. When she arrived at the hotel, she wasn't sure she was in the right place.
2. He was already losing his hair, and he was wearing thick glasses.
When he said who he was, she barely remembered him, especially since he had changed so much.
Then he told her that he had always had a crush on her.
He said she looked beautiful and he immediately took a selfie of them, with his arm tight around her waist.
This made her feel a bit strange.
She smiled at him and pretended to be happy to see him.
But in fact, she wasn't sure how to react, though he seemed nice.
译文：当他说出自己是谁时，她几乎不记得他了，尤其是他变化这么大。然后他告诉她，他一直迷恋着她。他说她看起来很漂亮，然后一只手手环在她的腰间，立马拍了一张他们的自拍照。这让她觉得有点奇怪。她朝他微笑着，假装很高兴见到他。但事实上，她不知道该如何反应，尽管他看起来不错。
Exercise:
1. Why didn't she remember him?
He had changed a lot.
2. She smiled at him and pretended to be happy to see him.
She finally excused herself and went to the ladies room.
She was beginning to regret having come to the reunion.
She had always been shy, and she still was.
译文：最后，她借故去了女洗手间。她开始后悔来参加聚会了。她一直很害羞，现在依然如此。
Exercise:
— What kind of person is she?
— She is shy.
When she returned to the party, Sharon invited her to sit at her table.
Dinner was going to be served soon, and some of the classmates were going to give speeches.
Sharon asked Jessica to say a few words too, because people were curious.
This was a surprise.
Jessica had never been very popular and she didn't think anyone had noticed her.
She had always felt like an outsider, with only a couple of close friends.
Still, she had been one of the best students, and people remembered her.
译文：当她回到聚会上时，沙伦邀请她坐在其餐桌旁。很快就要开饭了，一些同学要去演讲。莎伦也请杰西卡说几句话，因为大家都很好奇。这是一个惊喜。杰西卡从来都不太受欢迎，她认为没有人注意到她。她总是觉得自己是个局外人，只有几个亲密的朋友。尽管如此，她曾经是最优秀的学生之一，人们还记得她。
Exercise:
— In this situation, "to say a few words" means ?
— to give a short speech
2. Jessica had never been very popular and she didn't think anyone had noticed her.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1. When she arrived, she wasn't sure she was in the right place.
2. She felt a bit awkward and out of place.
3. She had always been shy, and she still was.
4. Dinner was going to be served soon, and some of the classmates were going to give speeches.
5. He was already losing his hair, and he was wearing thick glasses.
At Jessica’s Reunion Party 2
As the evening wore on, Jessica began to really enjoy herself.
She talked with her old friends and was amazed by how some others had changed.
For example, Tom used to be good-looking and athletic.
He was one of the most popular students and a star basketball player.
His one problem was math.
He had had a hard time in math, especially in geometry.
This was because he wasn't a logical thinker.
Except for basketball, he didn't want to do anything unless it was easy.
译文：随着晚上的到来，杰西卡开始真正地享受这段时光。她和她的老朋友交谈，并对其他人的变化感到惊讶。例如，汤姆过去长得很帅，很健壮。他是最受欢迎的学生之一，也是一个篮球明星。他有一个问题就是数学，在数学方面，尤其是几何，他曾经一度遇到了困难。这是因为他不是一个逻辑思考者。除了篮球，他什么都不想做，除非很容易。
Exercise:
1. Expect for basketball, he didn't want to do anything unless it was easy.
2. If something wasn't easy, he didn't want to do it, except for basketball.
Tom was no longer good-looking.
His nose, which had always been large, had grown even larger.
he had also gained a lot of weight.
His wife had left him, so for the first time ever, he was alone.
He looked lonely and depressed, not at all like he used to be.
译文：汤姆不再帅气了。他的鼻子一直很大，现在变得更大了。他的体重也增加了很多。他的妻子离开了他，所以他第一次感到孤独。他看起来孤独沮丧，一点也不像以前了。
Exercise:
— How had his nose changed?
— It had grown even larger.
Steve was a nobody in middle school.
People hardly noticed him.
He was small, quiet, and a bit ugly, with crooked teeth.
What he was good at was English.
His English was even better than their teacher's.
After graduating, he went to a low-ranked university and eventually dropped out (退学).
译文：史蒂夫在中学是个无名小卒。人们几乎没有注意到他。他个子小，很安静，有点丑，牙齿歪歪扭扭的。他擅长的是英语，他的英语甚至比他们老师的还要好。毕业后，他进入了一所排名靠后的大学，最终辍学了。
Exercise:
1. He was small, quiet, and a bit ugly, with crooked teeth.
For a while he worked as a tour guide.
Then, 10 years ago, he and some friends started a little company which is now a great success.
In fact, he had become a rich, generous man.
He had a nice, warm smile and his success hadn't gone to his head.
It was a pleasure to be around him.
译文：他做了一段时间的导游。然后，10年前，他和一些朋友创办了一家小公司，现在已经取得了巨大的成功。事实上，他已经成为一个富有、慷慨的人。他有着迷人而温暖的微笑，没有被成功冲昏头脑，和他在一起无比快乐。
Exercise:
— What happened to the company he and some friends started?
— It became a success.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1. He had had a hard time in math, especially in geometry.
2. His wife had left him, so for the first time ever, he was alone.
3. It was a pleasure to be around him.
4. As the evening wore on, Jessica began to really enjoy herself.
5. He was small, quiet, and a bit ugly, with crooked teeth.
Betty used to be the most beautiful girl in school.
She wasn't very smart, but she was a great singer.
She made a video of her singing, and it went viral.
She became famous overnight, but it only lasted for about two years.
After that, her fans lost interest in her.
She tried to become an actress, but she failed.
She had been too stiff and nervous in front of the camera.
译文：贝蒂曾经是学校里最漂亮的女孩。她不是很聪明，但她是一个很棒的歌手。她录制了一段她唱歌的视频，并在网上疯传。她一夜成名，但只持续了两年左右。从那以后，她的粉丝对她失去了兴趣。她想当演员，但失败了。她在镜头前太僵硬、太紧张了。
Exercise:
1.— How long did her fame last?
— It lasted for about two years.
2.— Why did she fail as an actress?
— She was nervous in front of the camera.
Betty had a nice husband who seemed to adore her.
The one tragedy in her life happened about five years ago, when she lost her daughter to a rare form of cancer.
Because of that, her hair had begun to turn grey.
Jessica couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
Betty had had such high hopes and tremendous energy as a girl, but things didn't work out.
译文：贝蒂有一位似乎很爱她的好丈夫。她生命中唯一的悲剧发生在大约五年前，当时她的女儿死于一种罕见的癌症。正因为如此，她的头发已经开始变白了。杰西卡没能帮忙，并为她感到难过。作为一个女孩，贝蒂曾有过很高的期望和惊人的精力，但事情没有成功。
Exercise:
1.— What was the one tragedy in her life?
— her daughter died.
2.— What happened about 5 years ago?
—Her daughter died from cancer.
And then there was John.
John used to be the school bully.
He had been big, strong and mean.
He hadn't been nice to anybody.
It seemed that he was always angry and ready to hit someone.
After graduating, he joined the army and went overseas to fight in a war.
He saw many people die and he grew to hate fighting of any kind.
Then one day he was nearly killed when the helicopter he was in was shot down.
He survived the crash, but he lost a leg and was hospitalized for nearly a year.
译文：然后是约翰，约翰过去是学校的恶霸。他身材高大，强壮，吝啬。他对任何人都不好。他似乎总是很生气，随时准备打别人。毕业后，他参军去了海外参加了一场战争。他看到许多人死去，开始憎恨任何形式的战争。后来有一天，他乘坐的直升机被击落，险些丧命。他在车祸中幸存下来，但失去了一条腿，住院将近一年。
Exercise:
1.— What did he do after graduating?
— He joined the military.
2.— What happened to the helicopter he was in?
— It was shot down.
3. He saw many people die and he grew to hate fighting of any kind.
Now he had completely changed.
He had gentle, kind eyes, and a beautiful smile.
He was working for an organization that provides support for elderly people.
From Jessica's point of view, John had turned out to be a wonderful surprise.
译文：现在他完全变了。他有着一双温柔、善良的眼睛和迷人的微笑。他在一家为老年人提供支持的组织工作。在杰西卡看来，约翰已然变成了一个巨大的惊喜。
Exercise:
1. From Jessica's point of view, John had turned out to be a wonderful surprise.
In the end, Jessica was glad she went to her reunion.
It was interesting to see how people had changed through the years.
Still, she was happy to get home and appreciate everything that she had.
译文：最后，杰西卡很高兴她去参加了聚会。看到这些年来人们发生了怎样的变化是很有趣的。尽管如此，她还是很高兴回到家，感激她所拥有的一切。
Fill in the blanks:
In the end, Jessica was glad she went to her reunion. It was interesting to see how people had changed through the years. Still, she was happy to get home and appreciate everything that she had.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1. Betty used to be the most beautiful girl in school.
2. She tried to become an actress, but she failed.
3. Jessica couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
4. When she returned to the party, Sharon invited her to sit at her table.
5. Sharon asked Jessica to say a few words too, because people were curious.