A teacher in Sichuan has moved many people with a simple, quiet choice. For eight years, Jiang Xianfang slept on her living room sofa so that a girl who had lost her family could have a bedroom of her own.
The girl, Zhang Zheng, is now 18. On September 9, she left her home in Anyue County carrying an admission letter from Sichuan Normal University. When she was eight, her grandfather and father died within two years, and her mother, who was ill, left home and could not be found. The local government stepped in with emergency help, and a neighbour and a worker from the local women federation began to look after her.
In October 2018, the town asked Jiang Xianfang, a school teacher, to take the girl in. Jiang said yes the same day, without even discussing it with her family first. She gave both bedrooms to Zhang Zheng and her own daughter, and slept on the sofa herself for eight years.
Jiang had grown up poor. She once almost had to give up her own studies because her family could not pay the fees. Because I have stood in the rain myself, I want to hold an umbrella for this child, she said.
Life was not easy. In 2019 her husband lost his job, and the family lived on her salary alone. I will just live frugally. Even if I have to borrow money, I will raise the child, she said.
Zhang Zheng arrived thin, ill and deeply unsure of herself. Slowly, she changed. She became outgoing, ranked near the top of her class, and began helping with housework.
Her story also shows how many hands can hold one child up. A donor in Beijing supported her for years, local officials visited on holidays, and several scholarship programmes helped pay for her schooling.
After receiving her admission letter, Zhang Zheng spent the summer volunteering. She has also been invited to teach left-behind children in her hometown. In four years, I want to come back and help more people who need help, she said.
Words to know:
- sofa (n.) 沙发
- admission letter (n.) 录取通知书
- step in (phr.) 介入、帮忙
- frugally (adv.) 节俭地
- borrow (v.) 借
- outgoing (adj.) 开朗的
- donor (n.) 捐助者
- scholarship (n.) 奖学金
长难句拆解 · so that 目的从句与插入式定语从句
① For eight years, Jiang Xianfang slept on her living room sofa so that a girl who had lost her family could have a bedroom of her own. 主干是 Jiang Xianfang slept on her living room sofa。so that 引导目的状语从句，从句用 could 呼应「为了……」；从句内 who had lost her family 是修饰 a girl 的定语从句，过去完成时 had lost 表示「失去」发生在「收留」之前，两层时间层次要理清。
② When she was eight, her grandfather and father died within two years, and her mother, who was ill, left home and could not be found. 主干是两个并列分句：her grandfather and father died… and her mother left home and could not be found。who was ill 是双逗号夹住的插入式非限制性定语从句，阅读时可先跳过再回看；could not be found 是被动语态收尾。并列分句 + 插入语，是「看着长、其实规整」的典型结构。
同义替换 · 雅思阅读利器
题目从不照抄原文，全靠同义替换改写。做题时先在题干里圈出「信号词」，再回原文找它们的同义变体，定位速度会明显变快。本文可迁移的替换组：
- moved many people → touched countless hearts（暖心人物类通用）
- take the girl in → give the girl a home
- grown up poor → had a poor childhood
- lived on her salary alone → relied solely on her income
- live frugally → spend very carefully
- deeply unsure of herself → lacking in confidence
- helping with housework → sharing household chores
阅读自测 · 3 题
- 简答（不超过 6 个词） — Where has Jiang Xianfang slept for eight years?
- 判断（T / F / NG） — Jiang discussed the decision with her family before agreeing.
- 判断（T / F / NG） — Zhang Zheng’s mother died when she was eight.
参考答案与解析
- On the living room sofa. — 首段「slept on her living room sofa」直接对应，介词 on 不能丢，答案正好五个词。
- F — 原文「Jiang said yes the same day, without even discussing it with her family first」，without 表否定，题目把「没商量」反转成「先商量」，属「正反混淆」。
- F — 原文写母亲「left home and could not be found」，是离家失联而非去世；去世的是祖父和父亲，属「张冠李戴」。
中文译文
四川一名教师用朴素而安静的选择打动了很多人。八年来，蒋先芳睡在客厅的沙发上，只为让一个失去家人的女孩拥有自己的卧室。
女孩张政如今18岁。9月9日，她带着四川师范大学的录取通知书离开了安岳县的家。八岁那年，祖父和父亲在两年内相继离世，身患疾病的母亲离家出走、下落不明。当地政府及时伸出援手，一位邻居和当地妇联的一名工作人员开始照料她。
2018年10月，镇里请小学教师蒋先芳收留这个女孩。蒋先芳当天就答应了，甚至没先和家人商量。她把两间卧室让给张政和自己的女儿，自己则在沙发上睡了八年。
蒋先芳从小家境贫寒，曾因家里交不起学费，差点被迫辍学。「因为我自己在雨中走过，所以想给这个孩子撑把伞。」她说。
生活并不轻松。2019年丈夫失业，全家只靠她一个人的工资过活。「我就省着点过。哪怕要借钱，我也要把这个孩子养大。」她说。
初到时，张政瘦弱多病，对自己毫无信心。慢慢地，她变了。她变得开朗，成绩排在班里前列，也开始帮忙做家务。
她的故事也说明，一个孩子可以被多少双手托起。北京的一位捐助者资助了她多年，当地干部节假日上门探望，多个奖助学金项目帮她支付了学费。
收到录取通知书后，张政整个夏天都在做志愿服务。她还受邀回乡为留守儿童授课。「四年之后，我想回来帮助更多需要帮助的人。」她说。