Unit 1-Section B新视野大学英语第三册.ppt

Unit 1 The Edge The night before I left for Israel, I heard the same things I had heard all my life. “But why Israel?? my father asked. “There’s a war over there, you know.” “Yes, Dad, I know. There are wars everywhere,” I answered. When these “discussions” took place, my sister, Kristy, would always try to break the tension. “Kathy,” she’d suggest, “why don’t you go to England for summer school. It’s not dangerous and it’s still overseas.” I rejected the idea of England because it was not exciting enough. I wanted to experience something different. My sister and I are three and a half years apart in age, but a world apart in the way we live our lives. Her life is neat and quiet. I take too many risks and love adventure. I’ve spent most of my adult life apologizing to my family for being different, for embarrassing them by something I wear, something I do or something I say. Essentially, they think I’m a nut. Since my sister is so different from me—or since I’m so different from her—we aren’t very close. I think I puzzle her—she just can’t seem to figure me out. Because my sister seemed the least upset by my summer plans, I asked her for a ride to the airport. “No problem,” she said, “but don’t tell Dad!” I smiled and agreed. On the way to the airport the next day, my sister was quiet, as usual. But for the first time since I’d decided to go, she started asking questions about my trip: where I was planning to travel, where I was going to stay. She seemed truly interested. My family is not big on emotional goodbyes, so with a “Go to it, tiger” and a quick “I love you, too?” my sister was gone. I was sad because this just confirmed for me that she did’nt understand. I checked in and fastened myself into the plane seat. I glanced inside the bag that my sister had carried in for me. There, along with my passport, visa, and other important documents, was a small white envelope with “Kath” wr