圣诞节续写语篇（一）
My family moved from China to a small town in central Georgia, where my dad got a visa for his family and a job. I had just learned English, and from what little I could gather from my friends, Santa Claus would come down one’s chimney and put toys in one’s stocking on Christmas Eve! What a great country, I thought. After I looked up “stocking” in my Chinese-English dictionary, I knew what I had to do and always expected that day.
Finally, the big day came. On that wonderful night, after everyone went to bed, I sneaked out of bed, took my longest, cleanest knee sock and attached it to a nail already on the mantel （壁炉）. Obviously, the previous owners of this house were no strangers to this Santa character. Gazing at the sock and imagining the delicately-packed gift in it, I couldn’t help giggling（咯咯笑）. For the first time, I found it hard to fall asleep.
And for the first time, I woke up before everyone else in the early morning. Then I headed straight to the fireplace and was even ready for what to say after seeing the gift. However, what happened next was the least thing I wanted to mention. On the nail was the empty and lonely sock. I was hit with the reality of the empty sock and the biggest lie ever told. I tried my best to hold back my tears but failed. Bursting into tears, I quickly took down the sock and stuffed it in the back of a drawer.
Every December since then, the topic of Christmas memories would unavoidably come up, and I would amuse my friends with my poor-little-me story. I had to make it as funny as possible, or else I would cry once again. I didn’t know whether any of my audience ever noticed the sparkling tears hidden in my eyes.
How could I know that Santa was just late? Nine years ago, on Christmas Eve, I heard a knock on the door when I was watching TV. Unwillingly, I dragged my feet and opened the door.
Para1: Outside the door stood an old man with a white beard and a red cap, holding a well-packed box.
Para2: Through tear-blurred eyes, I recognized the handwriting on the card.
参考译文及分析
Outside the door stood an old man with a white beard and a red cap, holding a well-packed box. Wearing a radiant smile, the man reached out his hands, passed the box to me and grinned “Christmas gift for you. Shocked at the unexpected guest and gift, I was at a loss what to say. The moment he blended into the darkness, untied the ribbon with heart thumping wildly Inside the box lay a teddy bear I had longed for with an attached card Once again, I couldn't contain my tears.(两段衔接点:哭与流泪)
Through tear-blurred eyes, I recognized the handwriting on the card. It was a friend of mine and she was one of the audience of my sad story. The card read: Sorry, I'm late. Merry Christmas. I wiped away tears, held the box tightly and felt a surge of warmth. Christmas memories of this year wouldn't be a bitter joke. Instead, it was a miracle which witnessed a healed heart. So now I believe Santa is real This Santa doesn't come down our chimneys, but lives inside good and thoughtful people who really listen to friends, and then plan deliberate acts of kindness.
