导读：一个失业的年轻毕业生用仅剩的钱买了些食物，却把它们全部送给了乞讨的老人的孩子。作为回报，老人送给他一枚又旧又脏的硬币。这枚不起眼的硬币隐藏了什么秘密呢？
An unemployed young graduate woke up one morning under a bridge and checked his pocket. All he had left was a few dollar bills. He was frustratedas he could find no joband no one was there to help him.
清晨，一个失业的年轻毕业生在桥下醒来，翻看着钱包。他全部的家当也就只有几美元了。找不到工作，又没有人可以帮助他，年轻人非常沮丧。
He bought foodwith his last remainingmoneyand as he sat down to eat, an old man and two children came along— the older of the two was a boy probably 12 years old and the other a little girl who looked as beautiful as an angel. The old man asked him to help them with food as they had not eaten for almost a week.
他用仅剩的那点钱买了些食物，坐下来刚要吃的时候，一个老人带着两个孩子走了过来——大的是个大约12岁的男孩，另一个是女孩，美得如天使一般。老人乞求他给他们点食物，他们已经差不多一个星期没有吃东西了。
The young graduate looked at the children —they were solean that he could see their bones coming through their skin and their eyes were receding. With the last bit of compassionhe had,he gave themall the food he bought. The old man and children prayed that God would bless the young graduate and then gave him a dirty old coin. The young graduate said, "You need this coin more than I do —just keep it." ①The old man insisted that the young graduate put it in his pocket—and finally he did.
年轻的毕业生看着孩子们——他们瘦骨嶙峋、眼睛深陷。一贫如洗却心怀悲悯，年轻人把自己买来的食物全部送给了他们。老人和孩子们向上帝祈祷，愿他保佑这个年轻人，然后给了他一枚又脏又旧的硬币。＂你们比我更需要这枚硬币——留着它吧。＂年轻人说。可是老人坚持要年轻人把硬币放进口袋——最终他只得收下了。
With no money, no job and no food, the young graduate went back under the bridge to lie down. As he was about to fall asleep he saw an old newspaper on the ground. He ②picked it upand saw an advertisement inviting people with old coins to come to a particular store. He decided to go there with the coin the man gave him.
既无工作又无食物，身无分文的年轻人回到桥下躺下来。刚要入睡，他发现地上有一张旧报纸。他拿起报纸，看到上面有一则广告，邀请持有古币的人去一家特别的店铺。他决定带着老人送他的那枚硬币去试一下。
③On arriving at the store, he gave the owner the dirty old coin.The owner screamed loudly, brought out a big book andshowed the young graduate a photograph. This same old coin was worth $67,000 dollars. It was part of a Spanish treasure ship that had never been found. The young graduate was overjoyed as the owner gave him a check for the full amount. He immediately cashed it at the bank and went in search of the old man and little children to thank them.
一到那家商店，他就把那枚又旧又脏的硬币给了店主。店主看后失声尖叫，他拿出一本书，给年轻人看了一张照片。这枚古币竟然价值6万7千美元！它来自一艘西班牙的宝船，失传已久。店主给了他一张全额支票，年轻人喜出望外。他马上到银行将支票兑现，然后去寻找老人和孩子们向他们致谢。
④By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone.He asked around about the three people and a lady handed him a note which he quickly opened. He was hopeful it would be an address of where they were headed.
当他回到他们原来吃东西的地方时，老人和孩子们已经不见了踪影。他四处打听这三个人，一个女士给了他一张便条，他急忙打开，希望着上面会是他们的地址。
But it was not an address and this is what the note said: "You gave us your all and we have rewarded you back with the coin," signed God the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.
但是便条上写的不是地址，而是＂你给了我们你的全部，我们用古币来回报你＂。签名是圣父、圣子和圣灵。
重点单词：
1. frustrated[frʌˈstreɪtɪd]adj.失意的, 沮丧的；失败的
2. lean[li:n]adj.瘦的, 无脂肪的
3. recede [rɪˈsi:d]vi.后退；减弱
4. compassion[kəmˈp?ʃən] n.怜悯, 同情
精彩短语 / 亮点句式：
1. The old man insisted that the young graduate put it in his pocket—and finally he did.
老人坚持要年轻人把硬币放进口袋——最终他只得收下了。
insist作＂坚持＂说时，要用陈述语气；作＂坚决主张；坚决要求＂讲时，用虚拟语气。如：
They insisted that he （should）be present at the ceremony.
他们坚决要求他出席这次典礼。
He insisted that he was innocent.=He insisted on his innocence.
他坚持说自己是无辜的。
2. pick up捡起；接人；接收；偶然结识；学会；振作精神。 如：
He picked his cap up from the floor and stuck it back on his head..
他从地板上拾起帽子，重新戴在头上。
I’d really like to pick up Grandpa at the railroad station.
我真想去火车站接爷爷。
I was able to pick you up on the short wave radio.
我能用短波收音机收听到你的信号。
She’s living with some man she picked up on holiday.
她与一个在假日认识的男人同住。
The children have picked up the local accent.
孩子都学会了当地口音了。
A bite of something might pick you up.
吃一点东西也许能使你振作起来。
3. On arriving at the store, he gave the proprietor the dirty old coin.
一到那家商店，他就把那枚又旧又脏的硬币给了店主。
介词 on/upon 作＂在……时；一……就……＂讲时，后跟 V-ing 形式，相当于 as soon as 引导的状语从句。如：
On seeing the snake, the girl was very frightened. =As soon as the girl saw the snake, she was very frightened.
一看到那条蛇，小女孩就十分害怕。
4. By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone.
当他回到他们原来吃东西的地方时，老人和孩子们已经不见了踪影。
by the time＂在……之前已经……＂，引导时间状语从句，主句通常用相应的完成时态。如：
By the time we arrived at the hospital, the old man had already passed away.
当我们赶到医院时，老人已经去世了。
By the time you receive this letter, I will have leftthis city for my home town.
当你收到这封信时，我将已经离开这个城市回家乡了。
名句背诵：
The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty and truth. （Einstein, American scientist)
有些理想曾为我们指引过道路，并不断给我新的勇气以欣然面对人生，那些理想就是——真、善、美。(美国科学家 爱因斯坦)
