Three Days to See①
[1]I have often thought it would be a blessing② if each human being were stricken③ blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life.Darkness would make him more appreciative④ of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
[1]have thought之后的宾语从句是复合句，使用了虚拟语气。表示与现在事实相反的假设，if从句谓语用过去式(be只能用were)，主句谓语使用“would/could/should/might＋动词原形”。
Now and then I have tested my seeing friends⑤ to discover what they see.[2]Recently, I asked a friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods⑥ what she had observed.“Nothing in particular，” she replied.
[2]who引导定语从句修饰间接宾语a friend；what引导的宾语从句作直接宾语。
How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy⑦ of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere⑧ touch.If I can get so much pleasure from touch, how much more beauty must be revealed⑨ by sight? And I have imagined what I should most like to see if I were given the use of my eyes, say for just three days.
On the first day, I should want to see the people whose kindness and gentleness⑩ and companionship? have made my life worth living.I do not know what it is to see into the heart? of a friend through that “window of the soul?”， the eye.I can only “see” through my fingertips the outline? of a face.[3]I should like to see the books which have been read to me, and which have revealed to me the deepest channels? of human life and the human spirit?.In the afternoon I should take a long walk in the woods and intoxicate? my eyes on the beauties of the world of nature.That night, I should not be able to sleep.
[3]本句是复合句，两个which引导的并列的定语从句修饰先行词the books。
On my second day, I should like to see the pageant? of man's progress, and I should go to the museums.I should try to probe? into the soul of man through his art.The things I knew through touch I should now see.The evening of my second day I should spend at a theater or at the movies.
The following morning, I should again greet the dawn, anxious to discover new delights, new revelations of beauty.Today I shall spend in the workaday? world, amid the haunts of men going about the business of life.
At midnight permanent night would close in on me again.[4]Only when darkness had again descended upon me should I realize how much I had left unseen.
[4]“Only＋状语从句”置于句首时，后面主句为部分倒装，即把助动词或情态动词提前。
I who am blind can give one hint to those who see：[5]Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind.And the same method can be applied to the other senses.Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra， as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow.Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail.Smell the perfume of flowers， taste with relish each morsel， as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again.But of all the senses, I am sure that sight must be the most delightful.
[5]本句使用了虚拟语气。当as if从句内容表示对将来的一种假设时，从句谓语用“would/could/might＋动词原形”。
(Excerpts from “Three Days to See” by Helen Keller)
[读文清障]
①Three Days to See 《假如给我三天光明》是美国著名女作家海伦·凯勒(Helen Keller,1880～1968)的代表作品之一。
②blessing n．幸事，幸运
bless vt.保佑，降福
③strike vt.侵袭；击打，碰撞
be stricken blind and deaf突然失明、耳聋
④appreciative adj.感激的
appreciate v．欣赏；感激
appreciation n．欣赏；感激
⑤seeing friend有视觉的朋友
⑥in the woods在树林里
⑦worthy adj.值得尊敬的；值得赞赏的
worthy of值得……的
be worthy of being done＝be worth doing
值得做
⑧mere adj.仅仅，只不过
merely adv.仅仅，只不过
through mere touch仅凭借触觉
⑨reveal v．揭示；显示；露出；展示
revelation n．展现，显示
⑩gentleness n．和蔼，温和
gentle adj.文静的；温柔的
gentleman n．彬彬有礼的人；先生
?companionship n．友谊；友好交往
?see into the heart看到内心
?window of the soul心灵之窗
?outline n．外形，轮廓
the outline of a face一张脸的轮廓
?the deepest channel最深的航道
?the human spirit人类心灵
?intoxicate v．使兴奋，使陶醉
?pageant n．盛大的(露天)演出
the pageant of(历史事件的)缤纷场景
the pageant of man's progress人类发展的奇观
?probe v．调查；探究
probe into调查；探究
?workaday adj.平凡的；平淡的
amid prep.在……之中
haunt n．(某人)常去的地方
amid the haunts of men
到人们经常去的地方去
go about the business of life为生活琐事而奔波
permanent adj.长久的；永久的
close in on包围，向……逼近
descend v．降临；来临
descend upon sb.降临到某人身上
be applied to应用于
apply for申请
mighty strains of an orchestra
管弦乐队那雄浑而铿锵的旋律
tactile sense触觉
the perfume of flowers花的芳香
with relish津津有味地；充满享受地
taste each morsel品尝每一口佳肴
delightful adj.令人愉快的，讨人喜欢的
