My Own Place

A first apartment and the meaning of home · 第一套公寓与家的意义

I couldn't wait to have my own apartment. I have a big family with two brothers and two sisters. I love my family very much. But I really wanted my own place! I wanted it to be just how I wanted it.

For as long as I could remember, I had been eating the food my parents told me to eat, wearing the clothes my parents bought for me, and doing the things my parents wanted me to do.

But, I knew that one day I would have my own place. I'd paint the walls the colours I wanted, watch the TV shows I liked, and arrange the furniture the way I liked it.

Well, that day finally came!

Because I was starting my first year of college, I was allowed to rent an apartment near campus. It was the first time that I had my own apartment. It wasn't very big or very nice, but it was my apartment. It was my place. It was about two hours away from my parents' house. I decorated the rooms the way I liked and painted the walls the way I liked. I bought food that I liked. It was a very special time!

But something was missing, and I couldn't quite figure out what it was. So I called some friends over and we had a party. But the next day, I still felt a little down. What was my problem? Why was I feeling so blue?

While I was sitting on the couch thinking, the doorbell rang. I opened the door. Standing there was my whole family. There were twenty of them! Brothers and cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course, my mother and father. They had come a long way to surprise me with a party. I was delighted!

They brought food and drinks, and we had a great time. At the party, my father said, "Raise your glass to my son's first home!" I felt proud. When the party was over, I realized that even though I had my own place and was feeling like a real grown-up, I was homesick.

Since that party, I visit my family once a week because I learned something that day — there's no place like home.

My Own Place — A first apartment, a surprise party and a lesson about home

I couldn't wait to have my own apartment. I have a big family with two brothers and two sisters. I love my family very much. But I really wanted my own place! I wanted it to be just how I wanted it.

For as long as I could r(1)__________, I had been eating the food my parents told me to eat, wearing the clothes my parents bought for me, and doing the things my parents wanted me to do.

But, I knew that one day I would have my own place. I'd paint the walls the colours I wanted, watch the TV shows I liked, and a(2)__________ the furniture the way I liked it.

Well, that day finally came!

Because I was starting my first year of college, I was a(3)__________ to rent an apartment near campus. It was the first time that I had my own apartment. It wasn't very big or very nice, but it was my apartment. It was my place. It was about two hours away from my parents' house. I d(4)__________ the rooms the way I liked and painted the walls the way I liked. I bought food that I liked. It was a very special time!

But something was m(5)__________, and I couldn't quite f(6)__________ out what it was. So I called some friends over and we had a party. But the next day, I still felt a little down. What was my problem? Why was I feeling so blue?

While I was sitting on the c(7)__________ thinking, the doorbell rang. I opened the door. Standing there was my whole family. There were twenty of them! Brothers and cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course, my mother and father. They had come a long way to surprise me with a party. I was d(8)__________!

They brought food and drinks, and we had a great time. At the party, my father said, "Raise your glass to my son's first home!" I felt proud. When the party was over, I r(9)__________ that even though I had my own place and was feeling like a real grown-up, I was h(10)__________.

Since that party, I visit my family once a week because I learned something that day — there's no place like home.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🏠 文化拓展 · Leaving the Nest

本文描绘了许多西方年轻人共同的成长经历：18 岁上大学后搬离父母家独立生活，这个过程在英语中叫 leaving the nest（离巢）——就像雏鸟长成后飞出鸟窝。在美国，大学生住宿舍或合租公寓十分普遍，很多学生靠兼职打工付房租，独立自主被视为成熟的标志。

文章结尾的 “there's no place like home” 出自经典童话《绿野仙踪》（The Wizard of Oz）中多萝西的名言，如今已成为英语中家喻户晓的谚语，与中文的“金窝银窝不如自己的草窝”异曲同工。

有趣的是，“homesick”（想家）在西方文化中常被轻松谈起，家人专程开车两小时为孩子办惊喜派对，正是许多家庭表达关爱的方式。独立与亲情并不矛盾：离开家是为了成长，而回家则让我们记得出发的理由。