“Mom,canIbakesomebread?”Wewere15,mybestfriend,Hanna,andI,determinedtotryourhandsatcreatingsomebeautifulbread. “It’snotworththetrouble,”mymothersaid.“Ittakeslotsoftimeandmakesabigmess.Ourbakerybreadisdeliciouswithoutallthateffort.” Beggingwasuseless.Mom’s“no”meant“No!” Butseveralweekslater,opportunityknocked:Myparentsweregoingoutfortheevening.IimmediatelyinvitedHannatobemypartnerinbread-bakingcrime. Westudiedtherecipe.Thatwaseasy.“Mixoilintoflourthenbeatinfouroftheeggs,oneatatime,withremainingsugarandsalt.” Wewerenotgoodatbreakingeggs.Itriedtolearnfrommymother. “Graduallyaddeightcupsofflour.Whendough(面团)holdstogether,squeezeit.” Wetookturnsworkinglikethat.“Isthedough‘holdingtogether’?”weaskedeachother. Irememberedmyneighbor’sinstructions:“Ifit’stoosticky,addsomeflour;iftoodry,addwater.” Weaddedwater.Thenmoreflour.Thenmorewater.Bythen,themassofourdoughhadgrownverymuch. “Placedoughonflouredsurfaceandsqueezetillsmooth,”therecipeinstructed. Wetookturnsburyingourhandsinthedampdough,pinching,squeezing,andfeelingitleakbetweenfingers. “Cleanandoilbowl,thenreturndoughtobowl.Coverandletdoughriseinwarmplacefor1hour.” Thiswasgoodnews---we’dhaveabreak.Ondirtiedkitchenchairs,wedreamedaboutourbeautifulbread.“See?”wewouldtellmymom.“Isn’titworththework?” HannaandIcouldn’thelpglancingattherisingprocesseveryfewminutes.Butnothingwashappening. “Maybesomethingwillhappeninthehotoven,”Isaid. Unfortunately,whenweremovedtheloavesfromtheoven,theywerelikehardstones. Momwasright;ittakestimeandeffort.Itsometimesmakesamess.Butstillitfeelsgood,somehow,tobepartofthatlong,ongoingchainofbreadbakers.Sincethatnight,bothHannaandIhavelearnedtodoitright. 小题1:Tothewriter,whathermothersaidwas__________.
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