我女儿进入了自治区英语听说大赛的复赛，复赛主要考口语，要事先准备一篇小英语短文，考试时背诵，然后主考官根据短文的内容进行提问，我女儿自己选了一篇感人的文章叫《男孩和他的苹果树》，内容是这样的：

     A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap1 under the shadow ... He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by ... the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.
　　 One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me!" the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid, I don t play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them." "Sorry, but I don t have money ... but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money." The boy was so excited. He grabbed   2 all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
　　One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me!"The tree said. "I don t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter3. Can you help me?"     
         "Sorry, but I don t have a house. But you can chop off4 my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
　　One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said.
        "I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?" "Use my trunk5 to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up6 for a long time.
　　Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I don t have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you ..."The tree said. "I don t have teeth to bite," the boy replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on." "I am too old for that now," the boy said. "I really can t give you anything ... the only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with tears. "I don t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the boy replied. "Good! Old tree roots is the best place to lean on and rest. Come sit down with me and rest." The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears ...
　　This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad ...When we grew up, we leave them ... only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they can to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that s how all of us are treating our parents. Please be enlightened7  by this story and love your parents!

    很久以前，有一棵很大的苹果树。一个小男孩每天都爱去那儿玩。他爬到树顶，吃着苹果，在树阴的庇护下打个盹……他爱这棵苹果树，苹果树也爱跟他一起玩儿。时光飞逝……小男孩长大了，不再每天去苹果树边玩了。
　　一天，男孩回到树下，似乎有些闷闷不乐。"来跟我玩吧!"树对男孩说。"我不是小孩子了，我不会再跟树玩了。"男孩回答。"我想要玩具。可没钱买。""非常抱歉，我也没钱……但是你可以摘下我所有的果子卖掉它们，你就会有钱了。"男孩一听非常兴奋。他摘下树上所有的苹果，高高兴兴地离去了。从那之后，男孩再没来过，树很伤心。
　　一天，男孩又来到树下，树非常高兴。"快来跟我玩吧。"树喊道。
　　"我可没时间玩。我要供养我一家。我们需要一所房子遮风挡雨，你能帮忙吗？"
　　"对不起，我没有房子。但是你可以砍掉我的树枝去建你的房子。"于是男孩砍光所有的树枝兴高采烈地走了。树看见男孩如此高兴自己也很开心，但是男孩从此没再回来过。树很伤心，它寂寞依旧。
　　一个炎热的夏天，男孩回来了，树别提有多开心。"来跟我玩吧！"树叫道。
　　"我很伤心，还一天天变老。我想出海航行放松一下，你有船吗？"
　　"用我的树干为你造船。你就能去远航得到快乐了。"于是男孩砍下树干造了一只船。他去远航了，很长一段时间没再出现过。
　　后来，男孩在很多年后回来了。"我很难过，孩子。我再没什么能给你，没有苹果了……"树说。"牙掉光了，我咬不动了。"男孩回答。"没有树干让你爬了。""我现在太老，也爬不动了。"男孩说。"我真的没什么好给你的了……惟一剩下的只有我垂死的根。"树老泪纵横。"现在我什么都不要，只想有个地方休息。奔波了这么多年，我累极了。"男孩答道。"好的！老树根用来休息再好不过了。来，坐到我上面休息吧。"男孩坐下，树含着泪开心地笑了……

    

    我女儿才11岁，她能选择这篇文章，说明她有颗感恩和善良的心，我很欣慰，长大了一定是个孝顺的女儿。