1. Section A When Allie Left Home

2. Preparation Getting the Message Direction: Answer the following questions according to the text. 1. Why is Allie's room filled with shopping bags, towels, jeans and sweaters? 2. How does Allie feel just before she leaves for college? 3.What does Allie's mother struggle to think of and why? 4.Has Allie's mother done anything to make Allie angry with her? 5.In high school, when other mothers were feeling distant from their daughters, what solution did Allie's mother hit upon? 6.As Allie prepares to depart, what is unusual about her? 7.What is the most horrible of all mother phrases? 8.When Allie buries her head in her mother's shoulder, what did her mother do and what is she afraid of?

3. Reading Through Main Idea Main Idea This is a personal-experience story that each This is a personal-experience story that each student, who will leave his family to the college, student, who will leave his family to the college, and his parents may experience. Especially the and his parents may experience. Especially the period before the child is going to leave, the period before the child is going to leave, the situation become more tense that it’s like there’s situation become more tense that it’s like there’s some invisible boundary between the child and parents. Mother feels very upset for not being able to communicate with her child very well and she tries to improve the tense relationship. to communicate with her child very well and she tries to improve the tense relationship.

4. New Words TowelsweaterPosterannoyanceSnackHostileStruggleframeInterfereSkateIntervalday-careAloudburyLaughterrescueUndergroundextendWalkmaninvisibleboundarybondidentitythreadrestraintemperbrushtip

5. Phrases and Expressions give sb. a look skate on thin ice hit on/upon go underground pull away break away go through

6. Detailed Study of Text A 1.I say, "I'm going to miss you," and she gives me one of her looks and leaves the room. (Para. 3) 2.Her face, once so open and trusting, is almost hostile now. (Para. 6) 3.It's fine —just distant. (Para. 7) 4. I would show up occasionally at school, sign her out of class, and take her somewhere —out to lunch, to the movies or sightseeing. (Para. 9) 5. I have to restrain myself from losing my temper and saying the most horrible of all mother phrases... (Para. 12) 6.Her voice breaks, and she comes over to me and buries her head in my shoulder. (Para. 15)..

7. Meaning: I say, "I'm going to miss you," and she looks at me with an expression to show that she is unhappy and then leaves the room. e.g. Don't give me such severe looks. What have I done? 不要用这样严厉的眼光看我，我做了什么啦？ 不要用这样严厉的眼光看我，我做了什么啦？ e.g. The man gave the girl a hard look. 这个男人恶狠狠地瞪了女孩一眼。 这个男人恶狠狠地瞪了女孩一眼。

8. Meaning: Her face, which was so honest and frank and trusting in the past, is almost showing a strong dislike now. e.g. Please be open with me. 请对我坦率些。 e.g. He is a frank and open young man. 他是个真诚坦率的年青人。

9. Meaning: It‘s all right —only that my daughter and I are feeling distant from each other in heart. distant: adj. showing lack of friendliness; not showing one’s feelings 疏远的；冷淡的 a distant manner 冷淡的态度 e.g. a distant manner 冷淡的态度。 She is cold and distant to others. 她很冷淡，对别人很疏远。 e.g. She is cold and distant to others. 她很冷淡，对别人很疏远。

10. Meaning: I would appear sometimes at school, sign a written request to take her out of class, and go with her to some place —to have lunch, watch movies, or visit some interesting places. show up: arrive in a place 到来；出席；露面 e.g. She showed up at the theater an hour earlier before the beginning of the play. 她在开戏前一小时就到了剧院。 e.g. Did everyone you invited show up? 你邀请的每个人都出席了吗？

11. Meaning: I have to prevent myself from becoming angry and from saying the most unpleasant of what mothers often say to their children... lose one‘s temper: become very angry 发脾气；生气 e.g. She seldom lost her temper. 她很少发脾气。 e.g. He tried not to lose his temper. 他尽量不让自己发脾气。

12. Meaning: She can no longer speak clearly, and she comes over to me and puts her head against my shoulder for comfort. break: vi. (of the voice) change suddenly in level, loudness, etc. （声音）突变 e.g. She was filled with emotion and her voice broke. 她很激动，声音都变了。 e.g. Hearing the news that her son would come, her voice broke. 听到儿子要回来的消息，她的嗓音都变了。