Module 2 课时跟踪练(一) Introduction & Reading - Pre-reading

　　Ⅰ.阅读理解

　　A

　　I was very excited on the first day of high school! I had P．E. for the first period. We hurriedly gathered in the locker room (衣帽间) when the headmaster began to speak, "Good morning, boys and girls! Welcome to the first day of the great new school year. We will begin with the pledge (誓言) of loyalty."

　　I pulled my shirt over my head and my right hand immediately rested over my heart. A few tears came to my eyes as every time I pledged. I thought of my grandpa. He had died almost a year before, but I still missed him every day. Grandpa served in World War Ⅱ and the flag had a very special meaning for him.

　　The next morning in the locker room, I noticed something strange. Some girls talked through the pledge. In the morning after that, even fewer did the pledge, including the teachers. By the second week of school, I was the only girl in the whole locker room that did the pledge.

　　The next morning, I hid in the bathroom to change clothes and pledge. There I couldn't see the flag and felt guilty to be hiding like that. I kept hiding for the next week and felt worse.

　　I spent a weekend gathering up my nerve. On Monday, I changed into my gym clothes right away and was standing by my locker when the headmaster began morning announcements. The pledge started and I put my hand over my heart.

　　A girl nearby locked her locker and asked, "Why are you doing that？" She looked confused.

　　"My grandpa fought in World War Ⅱ and he died last year，" I said. "I'm doing it for him."

　　She felt embarrassed and looked away. "Oh，" she said.

　　Over the next few weeks, more girls questioned me about the pledge. I gave them all that same answer.

　　I never inspired other girls to do the pledge along with me. They made a choice; I made mine. I was doing it for Grandpa, but more than that, I was doing it for Grandpa raised me to be proud of my country and pride didn't stop.

语篇解读：这篇文章围绕在学校进行忠诚宣誓这一事情展开的。作者对这件事情非常虔诚，因为这表达了她对已过世的祖父的思念，而周围其他学生也对宣誓有了更正确的理解。