But as time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree.

One day, the boy came back to the tree.

"Come and play with me," the tree asked the boy.

"I am no longer a kid. I can't play with you now," the boy replied, "I need toys."

"Sorry, I don't have any. But you can pick all my apples and sell them."

The other day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited.

"Come and play with me," the tree said.

"I need a house for my family. Can you help me?"

"You can cut off my branches to build your house."

So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily.

One hot summer day, the boy came back again afterhe left for so many years.

"Sorry, my boy. But I don't have anything for you anymore.

"I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the boy replied.

"Good! Please sit down with me and have a rest."

The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

读完故事，你有什么感觉？苹果树对小男孩无私的爱，所有的付出象征着什么？

【词语释疑】

since then 从那时起

【词语扩展】

no longer 不再 常常放在行为动词前，be后面的动词。no longer 可用not...any longer替代。

He no longer lives here.=He doesn't live here any longer.