We can all be special in our own way

Is there anything that you really want? What is it? Why do you want it so much?

READING

I couldn’t help looking at the shoes through the window every time I passed the shop. Everyone around me had these shoes. Once, I got up the courage (勇气) to ask my grandma for them. However, she said, “You have to buy them with your own (自己的) money.”

I really wanted those shoes, so I started to look for a way to make some money. I thought walking dogs would be easy, so I quickly offered (主动提供) to take care of some dogs. Tiny was big and clumsy (笨拙的), Snowflake was shy, and Tulip was active all the time. They didn’t try to be like each other; they were all special in their own ways. This made me see that it’s OK not to be like everyone else. Walking dogs was hard and tiring, but it did help me make some money.

One sunny day, I walked to the shop. I looked at those shoes, but the feeling of wanting to be like everyone else wasn’t strong anymore. So, I decided to get something that I truly wanted deep down. I ended up buying a pet turtle and named her Cashy. She became a symbol (象征) of the lessons I learned along the way.

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WORD WORK

own /aʊn/ adj. 自己的

tiring /ˈtaɪərɪŋ/ adj. 令人疲惫的

anymore /ˌɛniˈmɔr/ adv. 不再

deep down 实际上，在心底

symbol /ˈsɪmbəl/ n. 象征，标志

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释义: 每次经过这家商店时，我都忍不住透过橱窗看那些鞋子。点拨: can’t/couldn’t help doing sth 是一个常用句式，表示“忍不住做某事。”every time 引导时间状语从句，表示“每次……的时候。”

Mia couldn’t help worrying every time she saw Leo playing in the street.

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