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Embracing Summer Rain: A Personal Reflection

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
16 views2 pages

Embracing Summer Rain: A Personal Reflection

Uploaded by

markceledonio3
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Summer Rain

The worst days of any summer are the rainy ones. We spend all year looking forward to
nice weather and long, hot days. All of winter, with its dreary gray days and bitter cold, we
dream of those endless days at the beach, laying on the sand and soaking in the bright and
burning sun. And then, summer comes, and it rains.

As a child, I would wake up to rainy summer days and come close to crying. It wasn’t
fair. We suffered through months of school and miserable weather for those scant ten weeks of
freedom and balmy weather. Any day that I could not spend at the beach or playing ball with my
friends seemed like a punishment for something I didn’t even do.

On those rainy summer days, I had nothing fun to do and could only sit inside, staring out
at the rain like a Dickensian orphan. I was an only child, so there was no one else to play with.
My father worked from home, so I was not truly alone, but he could not actively play with me
since he was technically at work. It was those days that I would resign myself to whatever was
on television or any books that I could find lying around. I’d crawl through the day and pray
each night that the rain would not be there the next day.

As an adult, though, my opinion of summer rain has changed. When you have to work
every day, summer is not as eagerly anticipated. Mostly, the days run together, bleeding into each
other so that they no longer seem like separate entities and instead feel like continuations of the
same long day. Everything seems monotonous and dull, and an ennui or listlessness kicks in.
Such a mindset makes you cheer for anything new or different. I spend the winter dreaming of
summer and the summer dreaming of winter. When summer comes, I complain about how hot it
is. And then I look forward to the rain, because the rain brings with it a cold front, which offers a
reprieve—admittedly one that is all too short—from the torture of 100° and humid days. Rainy
days are still the worst days of the summer, but summer rain today means positively beautiful—
and considerably cooler—weather tomorrow.
Answer the following questions:

1) The passage makes use of language that is


A. metaphorical
B. rhetorical
C. formal
D. ambiguous
2) According to the passage, summer is different for adults because
A. rain brings with it cold temperatures for the following days
B. the weather is much warmer than it is for children
C. they do not get a long time off from work for the season
D. they better know how to occupy their downtime
3) According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the narrator as a
child?
A. He or she was often bored on summer days.
B. He or she preferred cooler weather.
C. He or she liked staying indoors.
D. He or she had no siblings.

4) Compared to how he or she was as a child, the narrator as an adult is


A. more realistic
B. less excitable
C. more idealistic
D. less calm

5) As used in the final paragraph, the word reprieve most nearly means
A. a permanent conclusion
B. a short continuation
C. a higher level of pain
D. a temporary break
6) The author of this passage describes his or her feelings about rainy summer days. In general,
how do you feel about such days? Do you agree with the author’s opinions, or do you not mind
this type of weather? Briefly explain your views below.
7) In paragraph 4, the author describes why he or she no longer looks forward to summertime the
way he or she used to do as a child. What do you think of this change? Do you believe that you
will come to feel this way one day? Why or why not?
8) The author writes in paragraph 4 that he or she “spend[s] the winter dreaming of summer and
the summer dreaming of winter.” On the other hand, many people would say that they have
specific favorite seasons or times of year. How do you feel? Do you have a favorite season, or do
you always look forward to whatever is to come? Why?ways look forward to whatever is to
come? Why?

Common questions

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A child's sense of fairness is depicted through the reaction to rainy days as unjust punishment—a view that sees summer as a deserved reward for enduring difficult school terms. The simple binary of fairness as reward vs. punishment reflects a child's limited but intense emotional logic .

The statement implies a perpetual state of longing and dissatisfaction, a common human experience where anticipation for change overshadows enjoyment of the present. This suggests a broader philosophical observation about human nature and the difficulty in attaining contentment regardless of circumstances .

The narrative articulates freedom as a psychological construct tied to expectations and societal norms. For children, summer represents liberation from school, symbolizing emotional freedom. As adults, freedom becomes more about mental reprieve from stress, embodied in brief escapes like summer rains, reflecting a deeper understanding of time’s constraints .

The passage suggests that the expectation of perfect summer weather during childhood leads to disappointment with rain, illustrating a conflict between expectations and reality. In adulthood, shifting expectations allow the author to see rain as a necessary and even beneficial part of the weather cycle, demonstrating a more nuanced understanding of reality .

The passage's structure juxtaposes childhood and adulthood experiences to convey nostalgia and changing perceptions. The language shifts from the emotive and wistful descriptions of a child's frustrations to a more reflective and resigned tone in adulthood, underscoring the dichotomy in how simple events like rain are experienced differently over time .

The passage contrasts the unbridled enjoyment of summer seen through a child's eyes—where rain is a disappointment—with an adult perspective that values rain as a welcome system of temporary relief due to added responsibilities and altered priorities. This contrast highlights the complexities behind how seasonal elements are appreciated differently at various life stages .

The author finds summer rain to be the worst because it disrupts the expected experience of summer. However, as an adult, it is also seen as a welcome event due to the relief from heat it brings. This duality reflects a transition from seeking excitement to desiring reprieve from monotony .

The text explores themes of nostalgia and changing perspectives over time. As a child, the author viewed rainy days as wasted opportunities for enjoyment, but as an adult, they highlight the monotonous nature of time and view rain as a welcome change from the monotony and heat of summer. This shift illustrates how priorities and attitudes can evolve with age and experience .

As a child, the author perceived rainy summer days as the worst days because they interfered with outdoor activities and freedom after a long school year. As an adult, however, the author views summer rain more positively, appreciating the temporary relief from the oppressive heat and humidity of summer .

The author's changing view towards climate from childhood to adulthood reflects a broader human tendency to romanticize seasons opposite to the current discomfort. It shows how initially, summer is idealized due to its association with freedom, whereas, as responsibilities increase, reprieves (like rain) within seasons are appreciated for breaking monotony and providing physical comfort .

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