初三英语时文阅读(2009.4.22)

初三英语时文阅读（2009.4.22）

（材料一）“美国第一家庭”迎来“白宫第一狗”！早在竞选总统的时候，奥巴马就承诺送给两个女儿一条宠物狗，无论成败。

Meet the First Pet: Bo, the Portuguese Water Dog!

Last Tuesday, the U.S. first family officially welcomed their first pet—Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog*. The selection was one of the White House’s most tightly kept secrets. They’ll love the dog!

President Barack Obama’s daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, never had pets before. The black and white puppy is a gift from Sen. Edward Kennedy (爱德华·肯尼迪参议员), who owns three Portuguese water dogs himself.

“We couldn’t be happier to see the joy that Bo is bringing to Malia and Sasha,” Kennedy said in a statement. “We love our Portuguese water dogs and know that the girls—and their parents—will love theirs, too.”

Why Bo?

Malia and Sasha have named the dog Bo, after a cousin’s cat and in honor of Michelle Obama’s grandfather, who was nicknamed Diddley. The name for the dog was an apparent (明显的) reference (参考) to the singer “Bo” Diddley.

White House aides (助手) told the AP (美联社) that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive (排他的,独家的) deal (交易) on the dog story with the Washington Post (《华盛顿邮报》).

That’s top secret!

Before the official announcement, many websites were abuzz with* rumors (谣言，流言) of the fir st family’s selection; one website even claimed it had pictures of the first pet. Hearing the rumors, Obama joked to reporters: “Oh, man, now, that’s top secret.”

“That was a campaign promise,” Obama said in a talk show last month. The president made a lot of promises during his election campaign, but none more important than (没有比…更重要的) this one to his young daughters; he vowed to buy them a dog, win or lose.

Now, he has fulfilled the promise.

*water dog: 会游水的狗, (俚语) 老练的水手

be abuzz with 热烈…(讨论)

（材料二）假期在即，手头却有数不清的作业？试试“留在家里的假期”吧！最美的风景就在身边！

Getting Away by Staying Home

What will you be doing for the Labor Day holiday? For many, the extra days off provide an ideal opportunity to go and see new places. This is a great way to spend your vacation. However, more and more people are starting to take a “staycation.” That is, instead of traveling, many people are opting (选择) to stay at home and enjoy local recreational activities.

Conveniently termed in 2003 as “staycation,” this modern word is shorthand (简略表达) for “stay-at-home vacation.” Opting for a staycation during your break is a great way to save money because there are no lodging costs (住宿费用) and minimal travel expenses. In addition, it is a great way to take the time to connect with your community and support local businesses. By taking the time to explore and admire the beauty and fun in your immediate (附近的) environment, you can discover cool places that you never knew before. As a result, your experience as a “staycationer” will cause you to have a greater appreciation (了解，欣赏) for your local area.