As a new father，I quickly learned the true meaning of maternal instinct。Late one night，I was summoned to the hospital to attend to one of my patients。I quietly got up in the dark but tripped over a toy and crashed to the floor。As I lay there rubbing my sore leg，my wife slept on。
Then there was a faint cough from the nursery。Debra leaped out of bed，running past me down the hall to our baby’s room。When she returned，she looked at me and said，“What on earth are you doing on the floor？”
母性的本能
刚刚作了父亲，我就很快体会到母性本能的涵义了。一个深夜，医院召我去照应一位病人。我悄悄地在黑暗中起了床，但一只脚绊在一个玩具上，扑通一声摔在地板上。我倒在那里，揉着疼痛的腿，妻子毫无反应地继续睡着。
突然，保育室传来轻微的咳嗽声。戴博拉跃下床来，从我身边跑过，穿过客厅到我们婴儿的房间。她返回来时，看了看我说：“你究竟在地板上干什么？”
maternal[mt：nl]adj。母亲的；母亲般的
例：Every woman has maternal instinct。每个妇女都有母性的天性。
summon[smn]vt。传唤；召集
例：The general summoned all his officers。将军把所有的军官召集在一起。
trip over被……绊倒；读错，说错
例：Mind you，don’t trip over these roots；they are difficult to see under all these leaves。当心别被那些树根绊倒；它们埋在这些树叶底下不容易被发现。
crash[kr]vt。＆vi。（使）猛撞，（使）撞毁vi。猛冲直撞
例：The plane crashed shortly after taking off。飞机起飞后不久便坠毁了。
attend to的用法
①处理，如：He offered to go and attend to the matter。他主动提出来处理这件事。
②注意；听取；致力于，如：You must attend to your studies。你必须注意你的学习。
③照料，照顾，如：He carefully attended to the wounded soldiers day and night。他日夜仔细照料伤员。
关于instinct的习惯用语
act on instinct凭直觉行动，如：When I saw the flames I acted on instinct and threw a blanket over them。我看见火焰时便凭直觉把一张毯子扑在火焰上。
by instinct出于本能，如：Birds learn to fly by instinct。鸟类学习飞翔是出于本能。
have an instinct for生来就有……的本能，生性爱好，天性就会，如：Ladies have an instinct for carefulness。女性天性认真细致。
instinct with充满着……；受……的鼓舞，如：The picture is instinct with life and beauty。这幅画充满着生机，美极了。