英语经典文章选读 3.docx

英语经典文章选读3

第一篇：英语经典文章选读3英语经典文章选读（3）Astronaut'sBrotherRecallsAManWhoDreamedBigByNPRStaffRonaldMcNairwasoneoftheastronautskilled25yearsagoonJan.28,whenthespaceshuttleChallengerexploded.Ashisbrotherrecalls,McNair'slifewasallaboutexploringboundaries—andexceedingthem.McNairwasonlythesecondAfrican-Americantovisitspace.He'dbeenthereoncebefore,aboardaChallengermissionin1984.Onthattrip,heplayedhissaxophonewhileinorbit.CarlMcNairsaysthathisbrother,astronautRonaldMcNair,sawpossibilitieswhereothersonlysawcloseddoors.Ashisolderbrother,Carl,recalls,McNairstarteddreamingaboutspaceinSouthCarolina,wherehegrewup.Andhewantedtostudyscience.Butfirst,heneededtogethishandsonsomeadvancedbooks.Andthatwasaproblem.“Whenhewas9yearsold,Ron,withoutmyparentsormyselfknowinghiswhereabouts,decidedtotakeamilewalkfromourhomedowntothelibrary,”CarltellshisfriendVernonSkipper.Thelibrarywaspublic,Carlsays—“butnotsopublicforblackfolks,whenyou'retalkingabout1959.”“So,ashewaswalkinginthere,allthesefolkswerestaringathim—becausetheywerewhitefolkonly—andtheywerelookingathimandsaying,youknow,'WhoisthisNegro?'”So,hepolitelypositionedhimselfinlinetocheckouthisbooks.“Well,thisoldlibrarian,shesays,'Thislibraryisnotforcoloreds.'Hesaid,'Well,Iwouldliketocheckoutthesebooks.'”Shesays,'Youngman,ifyoudon'tleavethislibraryrightnow,I'mgonnacallthepolice.'“Sohejustproppedhimselfuponthecounter,andsatthere,andsaid,'I'llwait.'”Thelibrariancalledthepolice—andMcNair'smother,Pearl.Whenthepolicegottothelibrary,Carlsays,“Twoburlyguyscomeinandsay,'Well,where'sthedisturbance?'”Andshepointedtothelittle9-year-oldboysittinguponthecounter.“Andhe[thepoliceman]says,'Ma'am,what'stheproblem?'Bythen,theboys'motherwasonherway,Carlsays.”Shecomesdownthereprayingthewholewaythere:'Lordy,Jesus,pleasedon'tletthemputmychildinjail.'Andmymotherasksthelibrarian,'What'stheproblem?'“”Hewantedtocheckoutthebooksand,youknow,yoursonshouldn'tbedownhere,“thelibrariansaid,accordingtoCarl.”Andthepoliceofficersaid,'Youknow,whydon'tyoujustgivethekidthebooks?'“Andmym