尽管我十分想逃避责任，我知道自己必须处理好它。纵然对成果持有怀疑，我仍希望事情能够顺利发展。我该 如何处理而不至于崩溃呢？我制作了一个清单。先列出所有要做的事，给每一条加上截止日期，然后根据事情 的迫切程度去整理清单。
我看着布雷特说：“你不用同时完成所有的事，你可以一次做一件事。我们来把你要做的列成一个清单吧。”
于是，我们一件件列出了每条，然后在每一条旁边加上截止日期。接着我们将每个事项分成几部分。在给任务 进行主次排列时，我看到儿子明显放松了些。
当我们完成清单，我问他：“现在你觉得自己可以完成了吗？”
他笑了笑，我看得出他恢复了自信。“当然！谢谢你，妈妈！”
从那天起，布雷特都会把所有要做的事列成清单。看到散落四处的清单时，我就忍不住笑，但我知道这个方法 对他很有用，正如它对我很受用一样。布雷特完成了所有的任务并保持着好成绩。
有一句谚语是这么问的：“你怎样才能吃下一头大象呢？”答案是：“一次吃一口。”
outstretch
【释义】vt. 拉长；伸展得超出……的范围
【短语】out stretch one，s helping hand 伸出援助之手
jovial
【释义】adj. 天性快活的
【短语】be in a jovial mood 心情非常好
stack
【释义】n. 堆；堆叠 vt. 使堆叠；把……堆积起来 vi. 堆积，堆叠
algebra
【释义】n. 代数学
【短语】advanced algebra 高等数学
midterm
【释义】adj. 期中的；中间的 n. 期中考试
【短语】midterm exam 期中考试
implode
【释义】vt. 使内爆 vi. 向内破裂；内爆
【短语】the engine implode 发动机内爆
prioritize
【释义】vt. 把……区分优先次序 vi. 把事情按优先顺序排好
【短语】prioritize your tasks 按轻重缓急安排任务；
prioritize education 教育优先
assignment
【释义】n. 分配；任务；作业；功课
【短语】assignment right 转让权，顶让权；
school assignment学生作业，课题
Dance Through Life/ 在生活中翩翩起舞
I held Georgia close. We swayed to the music and slowly turned. Next to us，a couple twirled and spun in elegant circles. Their feet and bodies moved in harmony with the music，as they floated over the dance floor.
“Wouldn，t it be wonderful to dance like that？”Georgia asked me.
“It sure would.”I replied into her ear.
A few weeks later，my daughter，Vanessa，announced plans to attend her boyfriend，s prom. Georgia decided to give them dance lessons as a Christmas gift. She found a dance studio and called them. “Are you sure you and your husband don，t want to take lessons with them？”the gentleman asked. “There，s a discount for a second couple.”
“Well... ”my wife hesitated.“Why not？”
We stood with ten other couples in the centre of the floor at Jimmy，s Dance Studio. I listened to the conversations.“I，ve always wanted to do this.”One woman said.
“I hope I don，t step on someone，s feet.”A man of about fifty said to his graying wife.
A dapper gentleman of about sixty stepped into the room and faced us. He was five foot two inch -if that.“I，m Jimmy. You，re here to learn to dance and you will. I promise you，by the time you finish your first six weeks，and you，ll make your friends jealous.”He said.
His toupee，obviously fitted many years ago，was slightly off centre and barely covered his spreading baldness. We started with the basic box step，a simple waltz for those who know how to dance. We practiced the steps facing each other but standing several feet apart. The men stepped forward with their left foot； the women stepped back with their right. Our steps were mirror images of each other.
“Watch how it，s done.”He took one of his assistants in his arms. An Anne Murray song began to play.“Save The Last Dance for Me，”she sang. Jimmy and his partner drifted elegantly around the room.
“We，re going to start the music again. Take your partner in your arms. Now let，s give it a try.”Jimmy smiled at us.“It，s easy. You，ll see.”
Anne Murray sang again. The song would haunt us for months. I held Georgia in my arms. My right hand held her waist，the left held her hand. The music began. I moved my left foot forward and stepped on Georgia，s toe. We stood，waited for the beat，and tried again. Half way through the box，we faltered .
“Hold her firm！”One of the assistants came to our side. She grabbed my arm.
“Here！ Put your arm around her waist！ Hold her hand with the other！ Don，t move it. Keep it firm！ You have to guide her！”
Anne Murray wailed again. We got through the full box without stumbling or stepping on each other. Compared to the instructors，we looked like two kids dancing for the first time. We were awkward，but we learned.
Several weeks later，something happened. While Anne Murray begged for the last dance，Georgia and I began to flow across the floor. Our awkwardness was gone. We were partners. We were one.
“Yes！ Yes！”The Jimmy yelled and smiled.
“Look at them，class. They got it.”He clapped his hands，which caused his toupee to slide to the left.“I told you it was easy.”He smiled.
It took a lot of practice and time，but we did it. We became a team. We anticipated each other，s moves and interpreted the slightest signal from the other. What seemed hard before becoming natural.
Once we learned how to dance，we looked at our relationship. We stumbled at cooking together. We stepped on each other，s toes when disciplining our children. I wanted to go right，she went left： when to mow the lawn，how much to spend on a car，where our vacations should be spent，and all things couples struggle with.
We applied what we learned in class. Once we got the steps down，we danced through life.
我紧紧拥抱着乔治娅，我们随着音乐摇摆，慢慢旋转。在我们旁边，一对夫妇一圈又一圈快速优美地旋转着。他们的舞步与身体和着音乐的节拍，飘逸在舞池中。
“像那样跳舞难道不是很美妙吗？”乔治娅问我。
“当然啦，”我在她耳边回答。
几周后，我的女儿瓦妮莎宣布她要参加男朋友的舞会的计划。乔治娅决定送他们去上舞蹈课，作为送给他们的 圣诞礼物。她找到一个舞蹈工作室，并打电话过去。“你确定你和你的丈夫不想跟他们一起上课吗？”那位男 士问道，“第二对报名可享受折扣。”
“噢……”我的妻子犹豫不决，“好吧。”
就这样，我们和另外十对舞伴一起站在了吉米舞蹈工作室的舞池中央。我听到人们的谈话。一位女士说道：“我一直就想学这个。”
“但愿我不会踩到别人的脚，”一位50岁左右的男士对他头发花白的妻子说。
一位60岁左右、身姿矫健的男子走进房间，面向我们。他身高5英尺2英寸——如果没猜错的话。他说道：“我 叫吉米。你们都是来这里学跳舞的，你们会学会的。我向你们保证，等你们学完前六周的课程，你们将会令朋 友们羡慕不已。”
他戴的假发明显是多年以前配的，现在看着有点歪，勉强盖住他日渐扩大的秃顶。我们从最基本的方形步学起，对会跳舞的人来说，这种华尔兹舞步简直是小菜一碟。我们面向彼此练习这种舞步，相互间距离几英尺远。男士左脚上前一步，女士右脚后退一步，我们的步子互为镜像。
“请注意看我们怎么做的，”他挽起一位助教。一首安妮？莫莉的歌开始响起，她唱的是《把最后一支舞留给我》。吉米和舞伴在房间里翩翩起舞。
“我们再重新放一遍音乐。请挽起你们的舞伴。现在让我们试着跳一遍。”吉米朝我们微笑。“你们会发现不 是那么难的。”
安妮？莫莉的歌再一次唱起。这首歌将在我们脑海里萦绕数月。我把乔治娅拥在臂弯间，右手搂着她的腰，左手 握着她的手。音乐响起。我左脚向前迈了一步，踩到了乔治娅的脚趾。我们站住，等待合适的节拍，接着努力 学着跳。我们踉踉跄跄地跳了一半方形舞步。
“抱紧她！”一位助手来到我们身边。她抓起我的手臂。
“这里！把你的手臂绕在她腰间！另一只手握着她的手！不要乱动。保持好姿势！你得带着她跳！”
安妮？莫莉深情款款的歌声再次响起。我们连贯地跳完了整个方形步，没再跌跌撞撞或踩着对方。和那些指导老 师比起来，我们就像两个初次跳舞的小孩子。虽然动作笨拙，但我们学会了。
几周后，奇迹出现了。安妮？莫莉依然在乞求跳最后一支舞，而乔治娅和我已经开始能够流畅地在舞池中起舞。我们不再笨拙。我们是舞伴，是一个整体。
“对！很棒！”吉米微笑着叫道。
“看看他们，同学们，他们学会了。”他鼓掌，不小心让假发滑到了左侧。“我跟你们说过，这很容易。”他 笑道。
这次学跳舞花费了很多时间，经过无数的练习，但最终我们做到了。我们成了一个团队。我们会预想对方的舞 步，并能理解对方的信号，无论这个信号多么细微。以前觉得很难的事情现在变得自然而然了。
我们学会跳舞后，开始审视我们之间的关系。我们一起做饭时会口角；管教孩子时会触怒对方。很多时候我想 向右，她却向左：比如什么时候给草坪割草，花多少钱买车，去哪儿度假，以及夫妻疲于应付的其他一切事情。
我们把跳舞课上所学应用到生活中：一旦我们学会了步子，就能在生活中翩翩起舞。
elegant
【释义】adj. 高雅的，优雅的；讲究的；简练的；简洁的
【短语】elegant demeanour 风采
discount
【释义】n. 折扣；贴现率 vt. 打折扣；将……贴现；贬损；低估；忽视
【短语】quantity discount 数量折扣，大批量折扣
conversation
【释义】n. 交谈，会话；社交；交往，交际；会谈；（人与计算机的）人机对话
【短语】the conversation 对话，窃听大阴谋
jealous
【释义】adj. 妒忌的；猜疑的；唯恐失去的；戒备的
【短语】jealous of 嫉妒，妒忌，嫉妒于
drift
【释义】n. 漂流，漂移；趋势 vi. 漂流，漂移；漂泊 vt. 使……漂流
【短语】drift into不知不觉陷入；drift away 渐渐疏远，慢慢散去
haunt
