Window of Love/情缘之窗
Margaret was busy. She was a thirty-year-old blonde-haired and blue-eyed beauty. She ranked high among top fashion designers. She worked hard. She achieved her success by long hours of designing and creating. She loved what she did and appreciated how far she had come. She occupied a prized office in a New York City high rise building. The view from her office was to die for. It was magnificent and glorious. She cherished it.
After many hours spent leaning over her desk busily drawing，erasing，and drawing again，she treasured her break time by gazing out of her large office window. She always kept the blinds up. One day，the sun was shining brightly and the sky was actually visible. She happily sighed and returned to her drawing. After an hour，she put down her pencil and returned to gazing out of her office window. There he was. Wow！ It was always the same man. He had bright blue eyes，brown hair and he was gorgeous，tall and slim. Way too good-looking to be a window washer. And he appeared to be her personal window washer.
They had established a pattern. He came by on Friday afternoons，washing and giving her quite a nice view，of him. Along with the stunning city view，of course. She remembered how it all started. He nodded to her one day and she smiled and waved back. That action became routine. Just little things and making gestures made her smile. They were laughing together without saying a word. Margaret stayed busy. She had no time for men，family or much else except work. That kept her ahead of the competition but，it made for some very lonely nights.
The window washer did a low bow to her and she giggled. He was so cute and funny，too. She was sometimes afraid that he would topple over and fall to his death. He appeared to love heights and had good balance. He had captured her imagination and her attention long ago. Soon，she felt her heart skip a beat when they shared exchanges of humor through the glass. She often wondered if he had a girlfriend or wife. He was not wearing a wedding ring but，that does not mean much sometimes.
She heard a tap on the window. That startled her. He had never done that before. She looked up. He was holding a sign，a piece of white cardboard with a phone number. Under the phone number was the name Jim. Underneath the name“Call me？”was written. She gasped. Should she？ She really didn，t know him，except six months of flirting through a window. Still，he seemed nice. She wrote down the number and nodded. He waved，smiled and rode off to wash another window. She was still in shock when Jessica walked into her office.
Jessica was her boss. She was also one of Margaret，s closest friends. Margaret told Jessica what had just happened. Jessica told Margaret that she knew Jim from her church. He was a regular member. Jessica said that Jim was indeed not married and that he always attended church services alone. Margaret smiled. She asked Jessica if she believed in fate and told her that she kept being drawn to that particular window. Jessica laughed. She said，“Honey，this is your window of love and it just opened for you！”Margaret said，“Maybe so.”Later that night，she picked up the phone and started dialing. Jim answered.
Margaret and Jim had been happily dating for six months. Once again Margaret heard a tap on her office window. She looked up. Jim was dressed in a black tux and he held a sign. This one said “Marry me？”Margaret grabbed a sheet of paper，writing quickly and held it up.“Yes！”Then， she walked to the window and pressed her lips to it. Jim did the same. A red lipstick stain is still on Margaret，s window of love to this very day.
玛格丽特是个大忙人。年近三十的她是个金发碧眼的美女，同时，她也是一名顶级时装设计师。她工作勤奋努 力，通过夜以继日的设计和创作终于取得今日的成就。她热爱自己的工作，珍惜自己所取得的成绩。她所拥有 的办公室处在纽约市的一栋高层建筑中，从办公室能看到的景色宏伟壮观，令人艳羡。她珍爱这一切。
她总是长时间伏在桌边反复涂画修改，闲暇时，她喜欢透过办公室巨大的窗玻璃向外远眺，因此她总将窗帘拉 开。这一天，阳光明媚，碧空如洗，她愉快地叹了口气，继续绘图。一个小时后，她放下手中的铅笔站在窗边 眺望。哇哦！他在那儿。每次都是那个人，他有一双明亮的蓝眼睛，一头棕色的头发，他帅气、高大、修长，竟有如此好看的窗户清洁工。他仿佛就是她专属的窗户清洁工。
他们甚至建立起一种默契。他每周五下午会从窗户旁经过，将玻璃清洗干净，让她有一个清晰美好的视野，这 样就可以更清楚地看到他，当然还有城市的美景。她还记得这一切是如何开始的：那天他朝她点了点头，而她 微笑着招手示意。这样的动作成了两人例行不变的问候方式。一些很小的举动甚至一个手势都能让她开心不已。他们心意相通，隔窗相视而笑。玛格丽特工作忙碌，她没有时间谈朋友，没有时间照顾家庭，她的时间都花 在了工作上。虽然在激烈的竞争中，她脱颖而出，遥遥领先，可是，一个人的夜里，她难免有时会感到孤单。
这时，窗户清洁工对她深深鞠了一躬，逗得她咯咯直笑。他真的太可爱了，而且还这么风趣。有时候她担心他 会掉下去摔死，不过他似乎很喜欢处在高处，并且他的平衡感也极好。她不禁对他浮想联翩，脑海中时常浮现 出他的样子。又过了不久，她发现每当他们透过窗户分享各自的愉悦心情，自己的心就会扑通扑通地狂跳。她 很想知道他有没有女朋友或妻子，虽然他没有戴婚戒，但是有时候那并不代表什么，不是吗？
这时响起了一阵敲窗声，她吓了一跳，要知道他以前可从没这么干过。她抬起头看到他正拿着一块白色牌子，上面写着一串电话号码，电话号码下署名“吉姆”，名字下还写着“可以打给我吗？”她深吸一口气，心想这样可以吗，除了这六个月时间里隔着窗户的暧昧，她根本就对他一无所知。不过他看起来人不错，于是，她记下电话号码，点点头表示同意。他挥挥手，喜笑颜开地去清洁另一扇窗户了。直到杰西卡走进她的办公室，她依然心潮澎湃。
杰西卡既是玛格丽特的老板，也是她的闺密。玛格丽特告诉杰西卡刚刚发生的一切后，杰西卡便告诉玛格丽特，她在她常去的教堂见过吉姆，他是那儿的教徒，而且他还没结婚，常常一个人去那里做礼拜。玛格丽特莞尔一笑，问杰西卡是否相信缘分，并告诉杰西卡这扇特别的窗户仿佛有魔力一般吸引着她。杰西卡笑了起来：“亲爱的，这是你的情缘之窗，而且这扇窗只为你而开。”玛格丽特应和着：“或许是吧。”那天晚上她拿起电 话拨号过去，吉姆接了电话。
玛格丽特和吉姆约会了六个月，这段时间他们过得十分开心。一天，玛格丽特又听到了一阵敲窗声。她抬起头，只见吉姆穿着一身黑色晚礼服并举着一块牌子，上面写着“嫁给我吧！”玛格丽特拿起一张纸飞快地写下“我愿意！”并将其举在手上。接着她走到窗前将嘴唇贴在窗上，吉姆也将嘴唇贴了上来。直到现在，玛格丽特的情缘之窗上还留着一个红红的嘴唇印。
to die for
【释义】[美国俚语] 惹人喜爱的，很美的
flirt
【释义】vi. 调情，打情骂俏
tux
【释义】n. 男士无尾半正式晚礼服
appreciate
【释义】vi. 增值；涨价 vt. 欣赏；感激；领会；鉴别
【短语】highly appreciate 充分肯定
magnificent
【释义】adj. 高尚的；壮丽的；华丽的；宏伟的
cherish
【释义】vt. 珍爱 vt. 怀有（感情等）；抱有（希望等）
treasure
【释义】n. 财富，财宝；珍品 vt. 珍爱；珍藏
【短语】buried treasure 藏宝，宝藏，埋藏的珍宝
cute
【释义】adj. 可爱的；漂亮的；聪明的，伶俐的
height
【释义】n. 高地；高度；高处
gasp
【释义】n. 喘气 vi. 喘气；渴望 vt. 气喘吁吁地说；喘着气说话
【短语】gasp out 喘着气说出
indeed
【释义】adv. 的确；真正地；甚至 int. 真的（表示惊讶、怀疑、讽刺等）
【短语】indeed so 确实如此
No Fooling/愚人节不愚人
“Hey，Eli，are you looking forward to your birthday tomorrow？”Rob asked.
Eli shook his head.“Are you kidding？ Do you know what it，s like having your birthday on April Fools，Day？”Eli waved to Rob，then jumped off the school bus and turned to walk home.
Every year，Eli，s family thought it would be a hoot to come up with bigger and better April Fools，jokes. And who got to be the victim？ That，s right. The birthday boy，Eli. Beautifully wrapped boxes-empty. Ice-cold lemonade-without any sugar. Salt in the cake icing…
When Eli arrived home，he found his big sister in the kitchen.“Amy，you know when I said not to do April Fools，stuff this year？ I really meant it. I never get to have a normal birthday.”He shrugged so he wouldn，t seem whiny .
