【正文】 mily of hawks in a nest high on a rocky point, a weird sensation came over us. There, in front of us, was the place we visited fifty years before, and about which we had heard and read so much throughout our adult lives. We thought, what an aesthetically breathtaking sight! The glittering sun, on that day, gave everything a picturepostcard image. This was indeed a slice of paradise. The ruins of a few remaining buildings that dotted the hillsides and shoreline and the once dominant St. Georges Church on the hill at the end of the harbour, aroused in us an exciting sense of history and of our heritage. Looking out over the harbour from the hill by the church at the extinct munity, revived memories of fifty years before.With a greater clarity of the knowledge of the area, we walked from the church a little farther inland to what used to be the post office and the school that our mother attended, the skeletal shells of which were still standing precariously. From there, stopping periodically to eat some edible berries, we struggled behind our cousins through the heavily brush and shrub covered footpaths to Black Duck Cove to visit the cemetery where our grandmother, whom we never knew, was buried. This sacred ground was in very bad condition, with many badly corroded gravestones buried under brush and long grass. After searching for a few minutes in the midst of tangled vegetation, we found our grandmother39。s resting place beside which we paid our respects. It was a good thing that our cousins stayed with us, as the footpaths that traversed the island, were overgrown with brush. It would have been virtually impossible for my brother and me, to walk to the other munities on the island.We made our way back to the church on the hill and descended to the boat for a half hour boat ride to the other side of the island. Sailing through a number of islets, we arrived at what remains of the small village of Traytown, where our grandparents had lived. There, we met some more long lost relatives at a small cottage. One, a bit of an eccentric, who now lives in Toronto but takes summer refuge in Traytown, showed us the remnants of what had once been our grandparents’ house. Beside these ruins, was the still flourishing cluster of wild rose bushes, planted there many years ago by our step grandmother. A lot of people, many whom were more lost cousins, continually dropped in or gathered on the porch outside.After a cup of tea and some more chitchat (small talk) and some ic relief, we made our departure for the mainland. On the way, we passed other inlets with ghost munities on Ireland39。s Eye. To add to the excitement of that special day, my brother spotted a humpback whale quite close, between the boat and the island.Our visit to Ireland39。s Eye was a bittersweet experience for us. On the one hand, there was a sense of being at the very place where our relatives and ancestors had lived, worked and played. On the other hand, there was a sense of agonizing loss of what were once thriving munities on the island. It was difficult to reconcile the past with the present, after a gap of fifty years of chronic degeneration of the munities. Today, the area is notorious for smuggling. However, our mission was invaluable in that we were able to find out more about ourselves. The entire expedition to Newfoundland was a major highlight in each of our lives. It tugged at our emotions at every turn. The people of Newfoundland, especially those of genetic connection, couldn39。t do enough for us. It was really like ing home, but then, that has always been the nature of Newfoundland courtesy, even to nonNewfoundlanders. It was reassuring to see that the Newfoundland charm has transcended time. It has endured so many changes since Confederation in 1949. My brother and I, eternally, will be Newfoundlanders and hope to go down home more often in the years to e. （1442 words）UNIT 5The FraudFlushed with excitement, Kate stepped into the spatial vestibule and was immediately dazzled by the scene before her. The inlaid marble floor paved the way to a circular staircase rising three levels above her. In a fountain in the center of the entryway stood a bronze dolphin balancing on its tail, its snout pointed to the lofty domed, stained glass skylight forty feet above. A massive chandelier, luminous in the bright sunlight, cast rainbow fairies dancing through the pink, green, and gold floral patterns of the floor and around the snowy white walls.Before she could fully appreciate the beauty of the intricate plaster work decorating the edges of the shallow niches installed in the walls to frame the numerous paintings, or, indeed, to appreciate the canvases themselves, her host, Victor Stone, approached. Small by North American standards, he was perfectly proportioned. Slightly balding at the forehead, his silver hair curved onto the collar of his pale blue shirt at the nape of his neck. Laughing blue eyes startled her with their clarity. A straight, aristocratic nose rose to meet his slightly arched brows. His carefully manicured hands bore a single gold pinkie ring. He held out his hand to take hers.“Thank you so much for ing, Kate.I am glad you could make it,” he said cheerfully. She had never met this charming little man before and knew him by reputation only. Among his contemporaries, he was known as a shrewd entrepreneur, able to diagnose at a glance, the prospects of those seeking his backing. She was anxious to learn why he had invited her to e to meet him at his home.“Thanks for asking me. Nice place you have here. “She felt stupid saying something so absurd, but she was, at that moment, stumped. Her ego wouldn39。t let her admit she39。d never in her whole life, been so impressed by a foyer. She hoped that he would realize she39。d had little experience with the elite, take pity on her, and show her around.“Would you like to see more of the house?” he asked, politely.“Would I? You bet!” She was happy he gave no indi