读故事

　　Xiaomin never thought abortion was a big deal.As he became acquainted with American politics,however,he realized he has to work hard to keep abreast of changing values to truly understand how absurdly controversial this issue has become. He found out from his American friends that opinions are in abundance of how to teach people to be accountable for their actions, how to make people abide by Family Planning laws, and even how to teach people just to abstain from sex.The significance of this issue became abruptly clear when Xiaomin’s best friend,Jeff,got his girlfriend pregnant.

　　Jeff was an acclaimed graduate student who was living an abnormal life from other Americans just by attending a Chinese university to get his Ph.D.(Ph.D.is an abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, the highest degree available in a university).Jeff was also an ace soccer player and acoustic guitar player. There was also always an abundance of women around him. This is how he met Sarah.

　　When Sarah became pregnant with Jeff, his friends suddenly treated him as if he was an accessory to murder. Jeff also felt as if he needed to be acquitted of some crime. But he decided in the end that he and his accomplice,Sarah, would keep the baby. According to Jeff and Sarah, the life of their child was more important than their career. Xiaomin was amazed. Keeping the child would abolish any chance of a successful career for Jeff. And in Xiaomin's eyes,one could activate the process for an abortion with a simple visit to the doctor even though there might be lines,three people abreast.

　　But Jeff and Sarah were firm in their decision and Xiaomin had to abide his friends' decision. Life abounded in surprises. Now Jeff and Sarah were leaving school and returning to the United States. They would do everything they could to accommodate themselves to their new situation.

　　记单词

　　abbreviation n.缩写词

　　abide vt.容忍

　　abide by遵守，履行

　　abnormal a.反常的，异常的

　　abolish vt.complete废除，废止

　　abortion n.流产，堕胎

　　abound vi.1.大量存在2.(in,with)充满，富于

　　abreast ad.并列，并排

　　keep abreast of与…齐头并进，了解…的情况

　　abrupt a.1.突然的，意外的2.(举止、言谈等)唐突的，鲁莽的

　　abstain vi.1.弃权2.(from)戒除

　　absurd a.荒谬的，荒唐的

　　abundance n.大量，丰富，充足

　　in abundance充足，丰富

　　accessory n.1.附件，零件，配件2.[常pl.](妇女手提包之类的)装饰品3.同谋，帮凶，包庇犯

　　acclaim vt.向…欢呼，为…喝彩

　　n.称赞，欢迎

　　accommodate vt.1.容纳

　　2.向…提供住处(或膳宿)3.使适应，顺应

　　accomplice n.共犯，从犯

　　accountable a.负有责任的

　　ace n.1.(纸牌等中的)幺点，“A”牌2.(网球等比赛中)发球得分3.(在某方面的)佼佼者a.流的，杰出的

　　acoustic a.1.听觉的，声音的2.(乐器)原声的

　　acquaint vt.(with)使认识，使了解，使熟悉

　　acquit vt.1.宣判…无罪2.(oneself)使(自己)做出某种表现

　　activate vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

　　小民从来没想过流产是个大事。但是，当他了解美国政治之后，他认识到得下很大的功夫才能一直了解不断变化着的价值观念，真正理解关于这个问题的争议是多么地荒唐可笑。他从美国朋友身上发现人们对许多问题的看法是很丰富的，如怎样教人们对自己的行为负责，如何使人们遵守计划生育的法律规定，甚至如何教人们节制性生活。小民最要好的朋友杰夫使女朋友怀孕了，这件事情使上述问题的重要性突然变得清楚了。

　　杰夫是位颇受赞扬的研究生，他的生活与其他美国人相比是有些反常，因为他在一所中国大学里读博士学位(Ph.D.是Doctor of Philosophy的缩写，是大学里能够获得的学位)。杰夫还是一名的足球运动员和原声吉他手。他身边总是有一大堆女人围着他。他就是这样与萨拉相识的。

　　杰夫使萨拉怀孕后，他的朋友突然把他看做是谋杀同谋。杰夫也觉得好像有必要判他有罪，但最终决定他和他的共犯萨拉将生下这个孩子。杰夫和萨拉认为，孩子的生命比他们的事业更重要。小民感到很吃惊，因为要这个孩子将complete毁掉杰夫在事业上取得成功的机会。在小民看来，你只要去一趟医生那里，整个流产过程就会启动，尽管可能要排队，三个人并列进行。

　　但是杰夫和萨拉的态度很坚决，小民只好接受朋友们的决定。生活充满了出人意料的事情。现在杰夫和萨拉正打算退学回美国。他们会尽全力使自己适应他们的新生活。