Joy to the World (1)

Sharing Christmas cheer

Lights, ornaments and Christmas trees filled the mall. Everyone and his brother was there because Christmas was only two days away!

Thirteen-year-old Joy had just finished her Christmas shopping. Finding presents for her parents, grandparents and siblings had been child's play. She knew them well enough that finding them presents was like taking candy from a baby.

Then Joy bumped into her classmate Nick, the least popular student in school. He wore weird clothing, and he had a high-pitched voice and a face only a mother could love.

"What are you doing for Christmas?" said Nick with a smile that showed all his yellow teeth. "I'm opening presents and having dinner with my family," said Joy, trying to be polite. "What about you?"

"My parents are away," he said. "So I'm stuck with my uncle, who doesn't like me very much."

Joy wasn't sure how to respond, so she said goodbye with an awkward smile. She felt sorry for Nick since he must feel lonely. But that wasn't really her problem. She was not her brother's keeper.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Different Malls (不同的Mall)
the National Mall 華府廣場
mall 大型的購物廣場
the food court 美食街
mall rat 喜歡在購物中心晃的年輕人

Grammar Gym
She knew them well enough that finding them presents was like taking candy from a baby.
[Subject] knew [something] well enough that [verb-ing] was like [description].
- Vicky knew the amusement park well enough that walking through it was like going through her backyard.
- Wanda knew her neighbors well enough that being with them was like being with her family.

Language Lab
ornament n.
a small object that you keep in your house because it is beautiful rather than useful:
- The vase was put in the center of the table as an ornament.
- Most of our Christmas tree ornaments were handmade by our children when they were little.

bump into somebody phrasal verb
to meet someone who you know when you were not expecting to [= run into]:
- I bumped into my high school teacher yesterday at the airport.
- Max bumped into the glass window as he was rushing out.

be + stuck with someone
stick with something/somebody phrasal verb
to stay close to someone:
- I'm stuck with my young nephews during Christmas vacation.

her brother's keeper
used to say that you are not responsible for someone else's actions
- Why do you ask me where Ben has been? I'm not my brother's keeper.

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