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母亲努力地挤出一丝微笑，而此时看到那么瘦弱无力的母亲，我心痛欲绝。母亲却又说：“孩子，别哭，我一点儿也不疼。”——这是母亲撒的第八个谎言。
第八个，也是最后一个谎言，母亲永远地离开了我。
This story begins when I was a child：I was born poor.Often we hadn't enough to eat.Whenever we had some food，Mother often gave me her portion of rice.While she was transferring her rice into my bowl，she would say'Have this rice，my son！I'm not hungry.'
This was Mother's First Lie.
As I was growing，Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house，she hoped that from the fish she caught，she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth.Once she had caught just two fishes，she would make fish soup.While I was eating the soup，mother would sit beside me and eat what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten，my heart was touched when I saw it.Once I gave the other fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said，'Have this fish，my son！I really don't like fish.'
This was Mother's Second Lie.
Then，in order to fund my education，Mother went to a Match Factory to bring home some used matchboxes，which she filled with fresh matchsticks.This helped her get some money to cover our needs.One wintry1 night，I woke up to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight.So I said，'Mother，go to sleep；it's late；you can continue working tomorrow morning.'Mother smiled and said，'Go to sleep，my son！I'm not tired.'
This was Mother's Third Lie.
When I had to sit2 my Final Examination，Mother accompanied me.After dawn，Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun.When the bell rang，I ran to meet her……Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos3.The tea was not as strong as my Mother's love.Seeing Mother covered with perspiration4，I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too.Mother said，'Drink，son！I'm not thirsty！'
This was Mother's Fourth Lie.
After Father's death，Mother had to play the role of a single parent.She held on to her former job；she had to fund our needs alone.Our family's life was more complicated.We suffered from starvation.Seeing our family's condition worsening，my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to help us solve our problems big and small.Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken5 so they often advised my mother to marry again.But Mother refused to remarry and said，'I don't need love.'
This was Mother's Fifth Lie.
After I had finished my studies and gotten a job，it was time for my old mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables.I kept sending her money but she was steadfast6 and even sent the money back to me.She said，'I have enough money.'
That was Mother's Sixth Lie.
I continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree.Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked，I succeeded in my studies.With a big jump in my salary，I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America but mother didn't want to bother her son；she said to me，'I'm not used to high living.'
That was Mother's Seventh Lie.
In her dotage7，Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized.Now living far across the ocean，I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden8 after an operation.Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said，'Don't cry，son！I'm not in pain.'
That was Mother's Eighth Lie.
Telling me this—her eighth lie，she died.
故事要从我小时候说起，我出生在一个贫穷的家庭中。我们的饭常常不够吃。每当此时，母亲就把她自己碗里的饭分给我吃。母亲边往我碗里夹饭边说道：“孩子，快吃吧，我不饿！”——这是母亲撒的第一个谎言。
到了我开始长身体的时候，勤劳的母亲就常常利用周末休息时间到我们房子附近的河沟里去捞鱼。她希望捞到的鱼能给我补些营养，更利于我成长。她只要捉到两条鱼就炖鱼汤给我喝。而当我在吃鱼、喝鱼汤的时候，母亲却在一旁啃我吃剩的鱼骨头，用舌头舔上面的肉渍。看到这，我心里很难过，就把自己碗里的鱼夹给母亲，让母亲吃鱼。可是，母亲不愿意，她立即又把鱼夹回我碗里。母亲说：“孩子，快吃吧，我真的不喜欢吃鱼！”——这是母亲撒的第二个谎言。
后来，为了让我继续上学，母亲就去火柴厂找回来一些已用过的火柴盒，带回家来，又放进去新的火柴杆。这样一来卖得一点钱来补贴家用。一个冬天的晚上，我半夜醒来，看到母亲还在烛光下躬着身子装火柴盒。我对母亲说：“妈妈，睡觉吧，已经很晚了，您可以明天早上再接着干啊。”母亲笑了笑，说：“孩子，你快睡吧，我不困！”——这是母亲撒的第三个谎言。
我要参加最后的升学考试了，母亲站在外面陪伴着我。时逢盛夏，烈日当头，母亲一直在等着我，这一等就是几个小时。考试结束的铃声响了，我跑过去找她……母亲迎上来，递给我一杯用暖水瓶泡好了的茶。茶亦浓，母亲的爱更浓。望着母亲满头的汗珠，我接着将手中的杯子递过去也让母亲喝。可母亲却说：“孩子，你快喝吧，我不渴！”——这是母亲撒的第四个谎言。
父亲去世之后，母亲不得不独自担当起父母的责任。她继续干着之前的工作，只能靠着自己的那点微薄收入养活一家人。我们的生活变得更加艰难，我们不得不忍饥挨饿了。看到我们家日益糟糕的情况，住在附近的好心的叔叔就过来打个帮手，无论大事还是小事都给了不少帮助。左邻右舍看到我们家的窘境，就经常劝母亲再嫁，何必苦了自己。然而母亲却始终没有再嫁，母亲说：“我不需要爱！”——这是母亲撒的第五个谎言。
我大学毕业参加工作之后，是时候让年迈的母亲好好休息下了。可是母亲仍坚持每天早上去农贸市场卖蔬菜。我常常寄钱给母亲，但是母亲坚决不要，甚至又将钱退了回来。母亲说：“我的钱够花！”——这是母亲撒的第六个谎言。
为了攻读博士学位，我一直利用业余时间学习。后来得到了我所在的美国公司的资助，我顺利地读完了博士。工资待遇相当丰厚，条件好了，我就想把母亲接到我身边来享享清福，可是却被老人回绝了，她不愿给他的孩子添麻烦。母亲说：“我不习惯！”——这是母亲撒的第七个谎言。
晚年，母亲患了癌症，住进了医院。远在大洋彼岸的我赶回家来，看望手术后已卧床不起的母亲。母亲努力地挤出一丝微笑，而此时看到那么瘦弱无力的母亲，我心痛欲绝。母亲却又说：“孩子，别哭，我一点儿也不疼。”——这是母亲撒的第八个谎言。
第八个，也是最后一个谎言，母亲永远地离开了我。
生词与短语 New Words and Expressions
1.wintry adj.冬天的；荒凉的
2.sit v.参加考试
3.thermos n.热水瓶，暖瓶
4.perspiration n.出汗，发汗
5.poverty stricken极其贫困的
6.steadfast adj.固执的，坚定的（信仰），不动摇的，不变的（意志）
7.dotage n.be in one's dotage年老昏愦
8.bedridden adj.卧病在床的，长期卧床不起的
妙语连珠：Beautiful Sentences
The tea was not as strong as my Mother's love.
茶亦浓，母亲的爱更浓。
心灵感悟：
小时候，父母与老师总是告诫我们要诚实，不要撒谎。事实上，有时候，每个人都会撒些美丽的谎言。这样一个谎言是善意的，是真诚的，它会让人高兴，甚至给人感动。我们会撒谎，那全都是因为爱。父母爱我们，我们也爱自己的父母。最美不过母亲的“谎言”。
