高三英语读后续写技巧指导附模拟训练两篇及优秀习作
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读后续写:遇险类20篇距离高考还有一段时间,不少有经验的老师都会提醒考生,愈是临近高考,能否咬紧牙关、学会自我调节,态度是否主动积极,安排是否科学合理,能不能保持良好的心态、以饱满的情绪迎接挑战,其效果往往大不一样。
以下是本人从事10多年教学经验总结出的新高考英语读后续写技巧与训练,希望可以帮助大家提高答题的正确率,希望对你有所帮助,有志者事竟成!养成良好的答题习惯,是决定高考英语成败的决定性因素之一。
做题前,要认真阅读题目要求、题干和选项,并对答案内容作出合理预测;答题时,切忌跟着感觉走,最好按照题目序号来做,不会的或存在疑问的,要做好标记,要善于发现,找到题目的题眼所在,规范答题,书写工整;答题完毕时,要认真检查,查漏补缺,纠正错误。
总之,在最后的复习阶段,学生们不要加大练习量。
在这个时候,学生要尽快找到适合自己的答题方式,最重要的是以平常心去面对考试。
英语最后的复习要树立信心,考试的时候遇到难题要想“别人也难”,遇到容易的则要想“细心审题”。
越到最后,考生越要回归基础,单词最好再梳理一遍,这样有利于提高阅读理解的效率。
另附靠前30天复习方法。
第1篇举报凶手 (2)第2篇河中救人 (4)第3篇森林脱险 (7)第4篇森林公园遇熊 (9)第5篇亚瑟遇银行抢劫犯 (13)第6篇家中遇蛇 (15)第7篇海滩遇险 (18)第8篇洞穴遇险 (20)第9篇海上失联 (22)第10篇洞穴遇险 (24)第11篇铁轨救婴儿 (26)第12篇受伤获救 (30)第13篇智斗绑匪 (34)第14篇智斗抢劫犯 (37)第15篇救溺水小孩 (40)第16篇勇敢面对 (43)第17篇高速路上受困 (45)第18篇海中遇险 (47)第19篇遇到“小偷” (49)第20篇商场遇险 (51)第1篇举报凶手A farmer grew some vegetables in his garden. One day his wife was ill and he had no money. He had to sell some cabbages and carrots in the market. The next morning he took two baskets of vegetables to town. But it was raining hard that afternoon and there were few people in the street. When his vegetables were sold out, it was dark. He bought some medicine and hurried to his village.On his way home he saw a person lying on the snow. He placed his baskets on the ground and was going to help the person to get up. At that time he found it was a dead man and there wasmuch blood on his body. He was so afraid that he ran away quickly, without taking the baskets with him.The next afternoon the farmer was sent to the police station. Having shown the baskets, an officer asked, "Are these yours" "Yes, sir." the farmer answered timidly(胆怯地). "Have you killed the man" "No, no, sir." the farmer said in a hurry. "When did you see the dead man" "About seven last evening." "Did you see who killed the man" "No, sir." The officer brought out a knife and asked, "Have you seen it yet" "No, sir." The officer became angry and told the policemen to beat him up and sent him into prison. the officer wanted to trap the farmer into the confession(供认), but the farmer didn't admit he was the murderer.注意:1. 所续写的短文词数应为150左右;2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语;3. 续写部分分为二段,每段的开头语已经为你写好;4. 续写完成后,请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
读后续写:空间转化思维在读后续写写作中,有的时候,主人公拓展情节的活动空间不足,比如主人公在车里。
接下来,在车里这个小空间内去设计情节,的确有很大的挑战。
解决方案很简单,就是:以心理空间弥补物理空间的不足。
即拓展主人公的心理描写,以弥补情节的不足。
怎么做到呢?我们提供两个方案。
方案1:景物描写法景物描写公式:(看一看,听一听)+ 心理情绪2016浙江高考,Jane在森林里迷路了,天也暗了下来。
按照常理,主人公Jane不能黑暗的森林里走来走去,不太审核设计太多的情节。
于是可以描写周围的环境,比如黑暗带来的恐怖,远处的狼叫声等。
我们来看看,官方给的句子。
【例5】2016年10月浙江高考:Immediately, an absolute darkness ruled the forest.Jane, exhausted and scared, lay down near a stone, missing her family at a distance.方案2:回忆法这个方案在野外和室内,或者更小的空间,如车内,都比较适合。
我们经常用到的模式有三种:方式1:回忆+懊恼方式2:回忆+勇气方式3:回忆+感激从语法的角度,句子结构可以用两种形式,一种是普通的直接描写,一种是用虚拟句。
请看下面的例子:【例1】2016年10月浙江高考第一段:Immediately, an absolute darkness ruled the forest. Jane, exhausted and scared, lay down near a stone, missing her family at a distance. All the fantastic memory crowded in and she couldn't help crying, "Hadn't I quarrelled with Tom, walked away and climbed to the high place, I wouldn't be trapped in this awful place, confronted with the danger of dying.” She regretted with endless anxiety, and then became asleep with shining tears in her eyes.【翻译】立刻,一片绝对的黑暗统治着森林。
江苏基地学校2021届高三大联考英语读后续写:感恩节的真谛题目:阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成-篇完整的短文。
Every previous year on Thanksgiving Day I'd woken up early, filled with excitement, unable to wait for the turkey, pumpkin pie with pecans, and my grandma's famous cheesecake. But I would never forget the lesson that my mother taught me when I was 14 years old. That Thanksgiving, I couldn't find the magic anymore. For some reason the holiday seemed fake (假的). I suddenly felt like Thanksgiving was a big lie. I saw no reason to celebrate.As my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandma started to arrive carrying plates of food, baskets of bread, and pitchers of egg nog, I grew more and more angry and frustrated. None of them were really thankful, I realized. The whole thing was a lie!When my mom called for everyone to take their seats for dinner, I left. I ran into the guest room where no one would look, crying. I was defiant (反抗的) because I wanted to be an honest person but 1 was realizing that Thanksgiving was fake. It didn't feel right to join in the tradition---say something beautiful one by one around the table.My mom, worried that 1 was absent from the table, came to see what was wrong, "No one is really thankful!" I sobbed, "They just pretend for one day because that's what you're supposed to do!"My mom sat down next to me and listened wisely. Then she nodded. “You’re right," she told me, "it's fake until you find the truth for yourself." She said Thanksgiving was a time to reflect because we don't always get a chance to see loved ones and eat a good meal. Then she left. I didn't listen to her. I was convinced that I could never find joy celebrating again.注意:1.续写词数应为150左右:2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
2020届高考英语书面表达“读后续写”高三模拟练习(三)写作指导与解读一、续写原题阅读下面短文,根据所给情节进行续写,使之构成一个完整的故事。
I stood under the mistletoe(榭寄生). The green, leafy clusters(团,簇)spotted with waxy-white berries hung from the branches of every apple tree. That's the same stuff they sell in the stores for Christmas decorations, I said to myself. Why can't I sell mistletoe too? It would be a perfect way to earn money tobuy a Christmas gift for my brother, Derek.I took a few steps back, ran, leaped, and reached as high as I could. But the lowest mistletoe cluster was too high. Frustrated, I had started for home, when something strange caught my eye. At the edge of the apple orchard(果园), one tree stood bare. All the mistletoe had fallen off the branches. Delighted, I carefully picked out the best clusters and put them in my lunch box. When it was full, I rushed across the cornfield to go home.I entered the side door, listening. Yes, a guitar was playing.I pounded on the door. The guitar stopped. A moment later the door was open. My brother stood there wearing his brown leather jacket. "Where are you going?" I asked. "None of your business," hemuttered, sailing past me. It wasn't easy sharing that small bedroom with my older brother.With Derek out of the room, I emptied the contents of my lunch box onto my bed. As I looked for something to put the mistletoe in, I saw Derek's guitar on his bed, wrapped in an old towel. That guitar was the only beautiful thing Derek owned, and I knew what to buy with the mistletoe money: a case for that guitar. Even if Derek was bad-tempered sometimes, he was still my brother, and I loved him.Obviously I needed more mistletoe. The next day, I cut through the apple orchard again. A surprise awaited me—two more trees were bare, and more mistletoe! I came across the orchard owner who said he paid a guy to cut all that mistletoe out of his apple trees. He was happy I collected the mistletoe. As I raced for home, I saw Derek, in his leather jacket, was crossing the cornfield. But he ignored me.That night I picked more mistletoe. With all mistletoe sold out,I hurried over to the music store. In the front display window laya row of wooden recorders. I had learned to play a plastic one at school, and I wanted one of those wooden ones. Each year that was at the top of my Christmas list. But each year there wasn'tenough money.Paragraph 1: I was calculating how much more money I'd need to buy a recorder when I saw the towers of guitar cases in the back of the store.Paragraph 2: I reached the orchard again, overhearing a familiar voice talking with the orchard owner.二、下水续写“7+7”模式Paragraph 1: I was calculating how much more money I'd need to buy a recorder when I saw the towers of guitar cases in the back of the store.↓1. I was torn between a recorder for myself and a guitar case for my older brother, Derek.↓2. However, eagerness to own a wooden recorder built inside me.↓3. I couldn't help but rush into the store.↓4. To my joy, the money is just enough for me to buy a recorder, and I paid for it without a second thought.↓5. The instant I raced out with the recorder, I realized what I had done.↓6. I stood there, deeply ashamed of my selfish choice.↓7. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for a long time, I thought to myself, "I have to return to the orchard to earn enough money."↓Paragraph 2: I reached the orchard again, overhearing a familiar voice talking with the orchard owner.↓1. Sure enough, it was my brother.↓2. "How can you let another guy cut the mistletoe from the branches?" he exclaimed angrily. "I need money to buy a gift for my younger brother!"↓3. But the orchard owner turned around and left, refusing to respond to any complaint.↓4. It was not until then that I figured out how much my brother loved me.↓5. Hiding behind an apple tree, I didn't dare to tell him what had happened.↓6. Over the next few days, I secretly went to the apple orchard and finally my hard work paid off.↓7. A few days before Christmas, when I gave money to my brother and told him everything, he hugged me tightly.Paragraph 1: I was calculating how much more money I'd need to buy a recorder when I saw the towers of guitar cases in the back of the store. I was torn between a recorder for myself and a guitar case for my older brother, Derek. However, eagerness to own a wooden recorder built inside me. I couldn't help but rush into the store. To my joy, the money is just enough for me to buy a recorder, and I paid for it without a second thought. The instant I raced out with the recorder, I realized what I had done. I stoodthere, deeply ashamed of my selfish choice. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for a long time, I thought to myself, "I have to return to the orchard to earn enough money."Paragraph 2: I reached the orchard again, overhearing a familiar voice talking with the orchard owner.Sure enough, it was my brother. "How can you let another guy cut the mistletoe from the branches?" he exclaimed angrily. "I need money to buy a gift for my younger brother!" But the orchard owner turned around and left, refusing to respond to any complaint. It was not until then that I figured out how much my brother loved me. Hiding behind an apple tree, I didn't dare to tell him what had happened. Over the next few days, I secretly went to the apple orchard and finally my hard work paid off. A few days before Christmas, when I gave money to my brother and told him everything, he hugged me tightly.。
2020高中英语新高考原创模拟作文练习一My Mom Only Had One Eye1 M y mom only had one eye. I hated her. She was such an embarrassment.2She ran a small shop at a flea market and collected old clothes and some other things to sell for the money we needed. Once during elementary school, it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed and wondered how could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The ne xt day at school, my schoolmates asked me, “Your mom only has one eye?!” and taunted me.3 I was so angry with my mom and wished that she would just disappear from this world. So I said to my mom, “Why don’t you have the other eye?!If you’re only gonna ma ke me a laughingstock!” My mom did not respond, I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, I felt so good to have had said what I wanted to say. Maybe it was because my mom hadn’t punished me, I didn’t think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.4 For the words I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty. I told myself that I would become successful in the near future, so I studied very hard. Later I got accepted by the Seoul University, I left my mother and came to Seoul to study. Then I got married there.5 I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. Now I am living happily as a successful man. I enjoy the life in Seoul because it’s a place that doesn’t remind me of my mom and my past. This kind of happiness was getting bigger and bigger, until one day someone knocked at my door. It was my mom! And still with her one eye! It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom’s eye.6 I screamed at her, “Who are you? I don’t know you! How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter!” To this, my mom quietly answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,” and she disappeared out of sight.Notes:1 embarrassment 难堪,窘迫。
读后续写练习写作指导讲义:当义工帮助无家可归者01问题导读1.第一段奠定了什么样的故事背景?2.原本我对父亲做的志愿者工作有何看法?3.我原本的周末计划是什么?4.去往公园的路上,我是什么感觉?5.经过这次经历后,我会有什么样的改变,感受会有何不同?02 续写题目Every afternoon I had to go to the store with my father and the people there would give us things that were past the expiration date(有效期) but hadn’t gone bad. Usually we received things like sliced vegetables, pieces of fruit, bread, and slices of cake or pie. We gave these to the homeless along with the sandwiches and tea.My father and several volunteers from the church gathered every day in the park to feed the hungry. I was glad I didn’t have to go to the feedings. It was enough trouble just getting everything ready. I really didn’t understand why my father bothered with it. I couldn’t wait for him to leave. I looked forward to a whole Saturday by myself. I planned to watch some television, talk with my friends on the phone, and maybe do some shopping during the afternoon.It didn’t take long for my plans to change and my happiness to disappear.Dad came in while I was finishing and stood behind me.“I’m going to need your help today. Some of the others that usually help me won’t be able to make it.”“Dad, I can’t today,” I complained. “I have plans, television, friends, shopping, and I was maybe going to go to the pool.”He just gave me the you-should-be-ashamed-of-yourself look.“Fine.” I had to give in. “It’s not like I have a life.”I was really upset my day was now ruined. I finished packing thesandwiches and followed Dad out to the van. I wanted to cry. This was going to be the worst day ever. My dad always drove the church van, which also contained clothes and small bags filled with personal items as well as some chairs and a long table.He pulled out of the driveway to head downtown. I looked out the window and watched as we drove past kids playing in their front yards. I felt like a prisoner forced to perform community service.(河北省省级联测2022-2023学年高三上学期第一次月考)注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
读后续写提分技巧1、微动作体现人物情绪After hearing his son's words, the father frowned.听了他儿子的话,这个父亲皱了皱眉。
(1)The little girl winked her eyes, with the hope that her mother could agree.小女孩眨了眨眼睛,希望她妈妈能同意。
(2)On the way home, he whistled while walking with a paper with full marks in his hand. 在回家的路上,他边走边吹口哨,手里攥着一张满分卷。
(3)When he saw her, he shruRged his shoulders , and she knew that their demand was turned down.当他看见她时,耸了耸肩,她就知道他们的要求被拒绝了。
(4)The naughtv bov scratched his head, so confused.顽皮的男孩抓着自己的脑袋,很困惑。
2、大动作推动情节发副词的修饰副词可以从程度、频率、方式、方向、时间、地点等方面修饰动作,让大动作描写更具体。
(1)He packed the box carefully (with care) so as not to break the delicate vase inside.他小心翼翼的包装那个盒子,生怕打碎了里面的瓶子。
(2)She stepped forward in spite of the fear in her heart.他不顾心中的恐惧向前走去。
1)各种短语的辅助各种短语的添加,如名词短语、介词短语、副词短语等,能够使人物动作刻画更形象。
(1)He practiced playing the violin, heart and soul. 他全身心练习小提琴。
高考英语读后续写模考练习班级考号姓名总分1.阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。
As the bell was about to ring, our teacher announced a special assignment for next Monday: to share our gratitude for someone instead of giving a daily report.Hearing this, anxiety crawled over my body as the last thing I would do was speaking in front of the entire class! I couldn't help complaining to my best friend Jenny.“You are the chief violinist in our school orchestra,aren't you?"she said.“So what's the point of being afraid of speaking to a few our own classmates since you can handle acting in front of a large audience?”Her point made sense, but being in a performance meant being part of a team.I shook my head.Besides,there were so many people I was grateful to, and choosing just one seemed difficult.Even if I could pick someone,I wouldn't know how to say thank you.And even if I figured out what to say, I was sure I'd stumble(结巴地说)on my words when speaking aloud! Standing there, with everyone's eyes on me,I would feel the spot light was wholly on me,and there would be no place for me to hide!“Ohno!”I covered my face with my hands and said, “I can't do it, just can't!”Real friends,the ones who know you well,don't just do exactly what you ask.Jenny, always supportive and helpful, wrote something on a piece of paper and gently removed my hands from my face.She had drawn a cute cat with the word “CALM” written below it.“Nice meeting you; I am the ‘everything will be fine’ cat,” Jenny laughed and sounded exactly like a cat.Pretending to listen to the cat,she asked,“Well, kitty, you think my friend should come to my house tomorrow, so we can prepare our speeches together?” I laughed ou t loud and relaxed a lot.I have to say Jenny was there for me, always!注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;2.请按如下格式作答。
英语读后续写优秀范文10篇1阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。
I was 8 years old. I had little need of luggage. But something about that old leather suitcase appealed to my imagination. In fact, I found it in my grandmother's attic. Grams didn't object, and so the suitcase came to live beneath my bed. I didn't use the old suitcase before that day.It was a cloudy fall morning in our North Carolina town, and a fine mist wet the fallen leaves. I was angry. My mother had slighted me somehow, though now I have no idea what stirred up my anger. I was upset, and I wanted to make her pay. I wanted to give her a taste of what life would be like without me.I would run away.“Goodbye, Mom.”I stood outside the kitchen door, suitcase grabbed firmly in hand. I wore my red overcoat and gray ski cap, looking the part. “Goodbye, Mom,” I repeated twice more to make sure she'd heard.At last, Mom appeared, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She looked at me quickly. I lifted the suitcase a little just to make sure she didn't miss it.“I'm leaving,” I said.I'd rehearsed for the expected reaction. The plan was to let her feel guilty and beg for a minute or two and then I would give in after I was sure of her regret.“Did you pack a lunch?”Mom's question knocked me off balance. Where were the tears? The begging? "I'm leaving," I said. "I'm running away. For... ever." I repeated, sure it would change her mind. Instead, she smiled.“Well, would you like me to fix you something? A sandwich? A bag of chips? I just made chocolate chip cookie s.”“I'm really going," I said. “I can see that.”“Maybe a cookie.” And then, “All right, I'm off” The misty rain lent drama to my journey.注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
读后续写技巧指导 一、总体分析 读后续写要求考生在阅读一段 350 词以内的语言材料的基础上,根据该材料内容、所给段落开头语和所标示关键词进行续写(150 词左右),将其发展成一篇与给定材料有逻辑衔接、情节和结构完整的短文。续写部分分为两段。原文给出10 个左右的标有下划线的关键词语,所续写短文应使用 5 个以上(教育部考试中心,2015)。
1. 原文特点 《考试说明》虽未对读后续写材料的体裁做出明确说明,但根据所附的样题和自2016 年 10 月首考至今的 4 份真题来看,所提供的阅读材料一般是记叙文。记叙文是以记人、叙事、写景、状物为主,以写人物的经历和事物的发展变化为主要内容的一种文体形式。它的主要的表达方式是叙述和描写,也常辅以适当的抒情、议论和说明。记叙文的特点是通过生动形象的事件来反映生活并表达作者的思想情感,它的中心思想蕴含在具体材料中,通过对人、事、物的生动描写来表现。它的话题贴近生活,有一定趣味性,给学生的想象空间较大,上下文连贯性较强,结构清晰,语言难度较易把握。
2. 如何审题、谋篇、行文 续写之前,首先应当审读原文,对故事内容进行把握和理解。通过阅读,能判断文本的写作顺序(如时间先后顺序、地点变换顺序或情节发展顺序等),能找出故事的基本要素(如时间、地点、人物、事件等),能厘清文本的脉络和情节的发展,并据此对提供的文本内容进行归纳概括。
在审读原文的基础上,考虑如何对续写进行谋篇。谋篇是对文本深入分析思考的过程。分析文本中主人公的性格特点,思考人与人之间,人与社会间,人与自然间和人与自我之间的矛盾冲突,分析故事的起因和发展,思考和推断可能继续发展的方向,分析划线关键词和续写两段的段首句,思考具体的情节展现故事的高潮并合理结尾。
审题、谋篇的最终目的是要落实到续写上来。读后续写的行文是对文本进行续写 和完善的过程。在内容上,要关注预设情节的逻辑性、合理性和思想性,要展现故事的主题、思想或哲理。在语言上,要回看、体会并模仿原文的语言风格,以人物的动作、语言、心理描写为主,辅之以外貌和神态描写以及环境描写。
3. 续写文章的特点 续写文章应尽量接近《考试说明》中评分原则的要求,其特点包含四个方面。首先,续写文章与所给短文融合度高,与所提供的各段落开头语衔接合理。其次, 内容丰富,应用了 5 个以上短文中所标出的关键词语。再次,所使用的语法结构和词汇丰富、准确,可能有些许错误,但完全不影响意思表达。最后,有效使用了词语间的连接成分,所续写短文结构紧凑。
二、高分策略 1. 策略 读后续写考查学生的综合语言运用能力(尤其是阅读和写作)和思维品质能力(尤其是想象能力和创新精神),因此,我们要全面提升自我才能拿到高分。
首先,我们应该从提升记叙文的阅读能力出发,训练快速寻找记叙文线索,定位记叙文基本要素和理顺文本脉络的能力。在此基础上,能独立对文本进行深入分析,洞悉故事的矛盾冲突,提炼中心思想。
其次,我们要提升想象能力和创新精神,尤其在练习中思考情节发展的多种可能性,可采用头脑风暴的方式,拓展思维,强化逻辑性和合理性。
最后,我们要积累写作素材,建立自己的语料库,以便在续写文章中丰富、准确、连贯地进行表达。
2. 语料举例 ①描写人物动作: The exhausted hiker dragged his legs along the country road.(用具体准确的动词来表现“精疲力竭”) The old man sprang from the chair, stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him.(用一连串生动的词语来表现“生气”)
The younger son inherited his father’s bad habit, spending money like water. (用比喻来表现“陋习”)
②描写人物语言: The captain rose in front of his crew and commanded, “Prepare yourselves for the fight!”(用简短有力的语言来表现“命令”)
The girl told the policeman where she had found the diamond ring, adding, “I hope you can find the owner as soon as possible.”(用完整较长的间接引语和直接引语来表现“关切”)
③描写人物心理: Sandra sat quietly on the rock for hours, thinking of what might have happened if she hadn’t left the group.(直接描写心理,表现“疑惑”)
“How dare you skip class and play computer games all day!” his father yelled. (用语言描写心理,表现“愤怒”)
After failing the exam, Alex let out a sigh, crumbled the test paper into a ball and tossed it into the dustbin.(用动作描写心理,表现“失望”)
④描写人物外貌和神态: The tall policeman, with broad shoulders and thick arms, stood by the door and observed everyone coming into the bank.(直接描写外貌,表现“威慑力”)
Approaching 40, her beauty was fading like a flower in autumn. (用比喻描写外貌,表现“美貌凋零”)
I was really amazed at the way she smiled: a mile wide. (用夸张描写神态,表现“灿烂笑容”) ⑤描写环境: The little black figure of the beggar was so out of place among the merry crowd of the Christmas shoppers and glittering well-decorated streets. (直接描写环境,表现人物的“格格不入”)
It was bitterly cold. All the fish moved south, and even the snow turned blue. (用夸张描写环境,表现天气的“严寒”。这里的 turned blue 是幽默的说法,雪都冻得发青了,更不用说人) 读后续写模拟训练 模拟试题一 阅读下面短文,根据所给情节进行续写,使之构成一个完整的故事。 When I spent the last summer with my Grandmother in Warwick, New York, she sent me down to the grocery store with a long shopping list. Staring at all the items on the list, I wondered how I could find anything on the packed shelves around me. But she insisted. I walked up to the counter. Behind it was a lady like no one I’d ever seen. Thick glasses rested on the tip of her nose. Gray hair was piled on her head. “Excuse me,” I said. She looked up. “You’re that Clements kid,” she said. “I’m Miss Bee. Come closer and let me get a look at you.” She pushed her glasses up her nose. “I want to be able to describe you to the policeman if something goes missing from the store.” “I’m not a thief!” I was shocked. I was too young to be a thief! “Maybe not, but I can tell you’ve got potential.” She went back to reading her newspaper. “I need to get these,” I said, holding up my list. “So? Go get them.” She ignored my need of a favor. “There’s no one here except you and me and I’m not your servant, so I suggest you start looking for the things on that list.” The store was a puzzle to a seven-year-old, and it seemed to hold all the goods in the world. I complained about this task Grandma had set me to do while trying to find all the items on my list. It took me an hour and a half to do it, and the mean lady behind the counter didn’t even bother to look at me once. I visited Miss Bee a couple of times a week that summer. Sometimes she sold me an old newspaper instead of the latest one. Sometimes she overcharged me and didn’t seem embarrassed when I pointed it out. Going to the store was more like going into battle, but I survived. By summer’s end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. The morning I was to return to Brooklyn, I stopped in to get a soda.