2020年新高考Ⅱ卷（海南） Passage B

Theend of the school year was in sight and spirits were high. I was back teachingafter an absence of 15 years, dealing with the various kinds of “forbiddenfruit” that come out of book bags. Now was the spring of the water pistol.

Idecided to think up a method of dealing with forbidden fruit.

“Pleasebring that pistol to me,” I said. “I’m going to put it in my Grandma’s Box.”

“What’sthat?” they asked.

“It’sa large wooden chest full of toys for my grandchildren,” I replied,

“Youdon’t have grandchildren,” someone said.

“Idon’t now.” I replied. “But someday I will. When I do, my box will be full ofwonderful things for them.”

Myimaginary Grandma’s Box worked like magic that spring, and later. Sometimes. students would ask me to describe all the things I had in it. Then I would tryto remember the different possessions I supposedly had taken away—since Iseldom actually kept them. Usually the offender would appear at the endof the day, and I would return the belonging.

The-yearswent by, and my first grandchild Gordon was born. I shared my joy with that year’sclass. Then someone said, “Now you can use your Grandma’s Box.” From then oninstead of coming to ask their possessions back, the students would say, “That’sokay. Put it in your Grandma’s Box for Gordon.”

Iloved talking about the imaginary box, not only with my students but also withmy own children. They enjoyed hearing about all the forbidden fruit I hadcollected. Then one Christmas I received a surprise gift — a large, beautifullymade wooden chest. My son Bruce had made my Grandma’s Box a reality.