During a visit to my mother’s home，I joined her in the living room to talk，read and watch television。Facing a bookcase that has been in the same spot since I was a child，I let my eyes wander over the familiar volumes，many of which now have faded covers and frayed bindings。
“These books look so sad”I remarked。“Maybe we should go through them and toss some。”
My mother stood up and went over to the shelves。She took down several books，turned a few pages and replaced them。Then she returned to her chair and quietly said，“They are just fine。The stories are still in them。”
故事还在里面
我回娘家期间，我和母亲一起在起居室里交谈、读书、看电视。对面是一个从我孩童时代就原地未动的书架。我的眼睛看着那些熟悉的卷册，其中许多都已封面褪色、书脊磨破了。
“这些书看起来真惨，”我说，“或许我们应该翻检一下，扔掉一些。”
母亲站起来，走到书架处。她拿下几本书，翻了几页又重新放了回去。然后她坐回到椅子上，平静地说：“很好，故事还都在里面。”
bookcase[bukkeis]n。书橱，书架
例：The bookcase contains fifty volumes but holds a hundred。这书橱装有50册书，但它能装下100册。
fray[frei]vt。＆vi。（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破
例：This material frays easily。这种材料很容易磨损。
toss[ts]vt。＆vi。扔，投，抛；（使）摇荡，使颠簸
例：The matter made him toss in the bed。那件事使他在床上翻来覆去。
replace[ripleis]vt。取代，代替；更换，替换；把……放回原位
例：He picked them up and replaced them in the bag。他把它们捡了起来，放回包里。
binding[baindi]n。书籍的封面；（衣服等的）镶边；边饰；滚条
例：The binding of this book is torn。这本书的封面被撕破了。
与地点有关的含有spot的短语：
an unfrequented spot
a popular tourist spot
a sunny spot
a solitary spot
a secluded spot
a parking spot
a popular night spot
a nice spot for picnic
a historic spot
a gambling spot
a fishing spot
wander，stray，ramble，stroll，walk为同义词，它们的一般含义是“流浪”。
wander的含义是“无目的的，或无固定路线的到处漂荡”，可以用于人或动物。如：Don’t let your mind wander during the lecture。（在上课时不要让自己的思想开小差。）
stray强调偏离了正确的路线，或背离了应当走的路线，常包含“走迷”或“走失”的意思，stray用作名词时常作定语用。如：Don’t stray too far from the correct path。（不要离开正道太远了。）
stroll与walk都可表示“散步”，stroll所表示的“散步”含有“出门闲逛同时看看风景或有意识地把散步作为一种户外活动”的意思。walk是常用词，没有特殊的含义。walk与stroll都可以作动词或名词，在用作名词时，可说have or take a walk（stroll）。walk有“步行”的意思。如：It’s ten minutes’walk from here。（从这里步行十分钟就到了。）但是在回答How did you get there？时，只说I went there on foot。如：He usually takes a short walk in the evenings。（通常他天天晚上都要散步。）
ramble表示“无目的地或逍遥自在地漫步”，用于比喻时，常表示“讲话离题”。如：They spent the morning rambling in the woods。（整个上午他们都在树林中游荡。）
