As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons on my grandfather's farm in western Pennsylvania. Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and barn provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me.
I can still remember one afternoon when I was eight years old. Since my first visit to the farm, I had wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls.My parents would never agree with me.The walls were old.Some stones were missing and others were loose and crumbling.Still, my yearning to climb those walls grew so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I gathered all my courage and entered the living room, where the adults had gathered after the Sunday dinner.
“I, uh……I want to climb the stone walls，”I said hesitantly. Everyone looked up.“Can I climb the stone walls?”Suddenly, a chorus went up from the women in the room.“Heavens, no！”they cried.“You'll hurt yourself！”I wasn't too disappointed because the response was just as I had expected.But before I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather's loud voice.“Now hold on just one minute，”I heard him say.“Let the boy climb the stone walls.He has to learn to do things for himself.”
“Be careful，”he said to me with a wink，“And come and see me when you get back.”For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls and had the time of my life.Later I met my grandfather to tell him about my adventures.I’ll never forget what he said.“Fred，”he said，“You made this day a special day just by being yourself.Always remember, there’s only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly as you are.”
-surround [səˈraund]v.包围；环绕
典型例句
Trees surround the pond.树木围绕着池塘。
联想记忆
surrounding adj.周围附近的
surroundings n.周围的物体、条件等（可为有影响力的）；环境
-loose [luːs]adj.松散的，不牢固的
典型例句
I have got a loose tooth.我有一颗牙齿松动了。
最常用法
loose life 散漫的生活
loose tongue 随口乱讲
联想记忆
loosen v.松开，解开
-crumbling [ˈkrʌmbliŋ]adj.倒塌的，破碎的
典型例句
Day after day and night after night we have wandered among the crumbling wonders of Rome.
日日夜夜，我们在罗马名胜古迹的废墟中徘徊。
联想记忆
crumble v.崩溃；弄碎；破灭
-hesitantly [ˈhezɪtəntlɪ]adv.犹豫地；踌躇地
典型例句
He selected an English-Chinese dictionary very hesitantly.
他犹豫不决地挑了一本英汉词典。
联想记忆
doubtfully adv.怀疑地；含糊地
hesitant adj.犹豫的；踌躇的；迟疑的
hesitation n.犹豫；踌躇
-disappointed [ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd]adj.失望的
典型例句
A disappointed look came into his face.
他脸上浮现出一种失望的神情。
最常用法
be disappointed in 对……失望
联想记忆
dissatisfy v.使感觉不满；不满足
disappointment n.失望
-response [rɪˈspɔns]n.反应；回答；答复
典型例句
We get very little response to our complaint.
我们的投诉几乎未得到什么回应。
最常用法
in response to 对……作出反应
联想记忆
responsible adj.有责任的；负责的；责任重大的
-wink [wɪŋk]n.&v.眨眼；使眼色
典型例句
He gave me a cheery wink as I passed by.
我走过的时候他亲切地朝我眨眨眼睛。
最常用法
wink at sb.向某人使眼色
-adventure [ədˈventʃə（r）]n.冒险；奇遇
典型例句
Adventure is the salt of life to some people.
冒险对某些人来说是生活中的刺激。
最常用法
in search of adventures 去探险
联想记忆
venture n.冒险活动
experience n.经验；经历
年少时，再也没有什么比星期天下午呆在爷爷在宾夕法尼亚西部的农场更让我喜欢的了。农舍和谷仓四周环绕着延绵数里的石墙，给了我这样一个城里的孩子无尽的欢乐时光。
我仍然记得在我八岁那年的一天下午，因为是第一次来到农场，我最想得到允许去爬那堵石墙。我的父母绝不会答应我的。石墙很古老了，有些地方缺了石头，其他石头也松松垮垮的，都快塌了。尽管如此，我想爬那堵墙的渴望却变得很强烈。终于，一个春天的下午，我鼓足勇气走进了客厅，那是大人们星期天吃完晚饭后聚会的地方。
“我，呃……我想爬那堵石墙，”我踌躇着说。所有人都抬起了头。“我可以爬那堵石墙吗？”突然，房间里的女人们齐声说：“天哪，不行！”她们喊道，“你会受伤的！”我并不怎么失望，因为我早就预料到会有这种反应了。但是我还没走出房间，就被爷爷宏亮的声音震住了。“请大家安静一分钟，”我听到他说，“让这孩子去爬石墙吧，他必须学会做他自己想做的事。”
“小心点，”他给我使了一个眼色，“回来后到我这里来。”接下来的两个半小时，我爬上了那些古老的墙，度过了我生命中最快乐的时光。之后，我去爷爷那里告诉他我的冒险经历。我永远不会忘记他所说的话。“弗雷德，”他说，“你让这一天变得很特别，只是因为你做了你自己。要谨记：在这整个世界上，只有一个像你这样的人，而我喜欢的恰恰就是这个你。”