Stage Reading-Stage II-Lesson 25-Lesson 48

Stage II

Test 1
I arrived in London at last. The railway station was big, black and dark. I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter. I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well. The porter, however, could not understand me. I repeated my question several times and at last he understood. He answered me, but he spoke neither slowly nor clearly. 'I am a foreigner,' I said. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him. My teacher never spoke English like that! The porter and I looked at each other and smiled. Then he said something and I understood it. 'You'll soon learn English!' he said. I wonder. In England, each person speaks a different language. The English understand each other, but I don't understand them! Do they speak English?
New words and expressions 生词和短语
railway n. 铁路porter n. 搬运工several quantifier 几个foreigner n. 外国人wonder v. 感到奇怪
参考译文
我终于到了伦敦。火车站很大，又黑又暗。我不知道去饭店的路该怎么走，于是向一个搬运工打听。我的英语讲得不但非常认真，而且咬字也非常清楚。然而搬运工却不明白我的话。我把问话重复了很多遍。他终于听懂了。他回答了，但他讲得既不慢也不清楚。“我是个外国人，”我说。于是他说得慢了，可我还是听不懂。我的老师从来不那样讲英语！我和搬运工相视一笑。接着，他说了点什么，这回我听懂了。“您会很快学会英语的！”他说。我感到奇怪。在英国，人们各自说着一种不同的语言。英国人之间相互听得懂，可我却不懂他们的话！他们说的是英语吗？
Text 2
I am an art student and I paint a lot of pictures. Many people pretend that they understand modern art. They always tell you what a picture is 'about'. Of course, many pictures are not 'about' anything. They are just pretty patterns. We like them in the same way that we like pretty curtain material. I think that young children often appreciate modern pictures better than anyone else. They notice more. My sister is only seven, but she always tells me whether my pictures are good or not. She came into my room yesterday. 'What are you doing?' she asked. 'I'm hanging this picture on the wall,' I answered. 'It's a new one. Do you like it?' She looked at it critically for a moment. 'It's all right,' she said, 'but isn't it upside down?' I looked at it again. She was right! It was!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
art n. 艺术critic n. 评论家paint v. 画pretend v. 假装pattern n. 图案curtain n. 窗帘，幕布material n. 材料appreciate v. 鉴赏notice v. 注意到whether conj. 是否hang v. 悬挂，吊critically adv. 批评地upside down 上下颠倒地
参考译文
我是个学艺术的学生，画了很多画。有很多人装成很懂现代艺术的样子，总是告诉你一幅画的“意思”是什么。当然，有很多画是什么“意思”也没有的。它们就是些好看的图案，我们喜爱它们就像我们喜欢漂亮的窗帘布一样。我觉得小孩子们往往比任何人都更能欣赏现代绘画，他们观察到的东西更多。我的妹妹只有7岁，但她总能说出我的画是好还是坏。昨天她到我房里来了。
Text 3
Late in the afternoon, the boys put up their tent in the middle of a field. As soon as this was done, they cooked a meal over an open fire. They were all hungry and the food smelled good. After a wonderful meal, they told stories and sang songs by the campfire. But some time later it began to rain. The boys felt tired so they put out the fire and crept into their tent. Their sleeping bags were warm and comfortable, so they all slept soundly. In the middle of the night, two boys woke up and began shouting. The tent was full of water! They all leapt out of their sleeping bags and hurried outside. It was raining heavily and they found that a stream had formed in the field. The stream wound its way across the field and then flowed right under their tent!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
tent n. 帐篷field n. 田地，田野smell v. 闻起来wonderful adj. 极好的campfire n. 营火，篝火creep v. 爬行sleeping bag 睡袋comfortable adj. 舒适的，安逸的soundly adv. 香甜地leap v. 跳跃，跳起heavily adv. 大量地stream n. 小溪form v. 形成wind v. 蜿蜒right adv. 正好
参考译文 傍晚时分，孩子们在田野中央搭起了帐篷。这件事刚刚做完，他们就在篝火上烧起了饭。他们全都饿了，饭菜散发出阵阵香味。他们美美地吃了一顿饭后，就围在营火旁讲起了故事，唱起了歌。但过了一阵子。天下起雨来，于是他们扑灭了篝火，钻进了帐篷。睡袋既暖和又舒服，所以，他们都睡得很香。午夜前后，有两个孩子醒了，大声叫了起来。原来帐篷里到处都是水！他们全都跳出睡袋，跑到外面。雨下得很大，他们发现地上已经形成了一条小溪。那小溪弯弯曲曲穿过田野，然后正好从他们的帐篷底下流过去。
Text 4
Jasper White is one of those rare people who believes in ancient myths. He has just bought a new house in the city, but ever since he moved in, he has had trouble with cars and their owners. When he returns home at night, he always finds that someone has parked a car outside his gate. Because of this, he has not been able to get his own car into his garage even once. Jasper has put up 'No Parking' signs outside his gate, but these have not had any effect. Now he has put an ugly stone head over the gate. It is one of the ugliest faces I have ever seen. I asked him what it was and he told me that it was Medusa, the Gorgon. Jasper hopes that she will turn cars and their owners to stone. But none of them has been turned to stone yet!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
rare adj. 罕见的ancient adj. 古代的，古老的myth n. 神话故事trouble n. 麻烦effect n. 结果，效果Medusa n. 美杜莎（古希腊神话中3位蛇发女怪这一）Gorgon n. （古希腊神话中的）3位蛇发女怪这一（凡见其貌者都会变成石头）
参考译文
贾斯珀.怀特是少有的相信古代神话的人之一。他刚在城里买下一所新房子，但自从搬进去后，就和汽车及车主们发生了磨擦。当他夜里回到家时，总是发现有人把车停在他家大门外。为此，他甚至一次也没能把自己的车开进车库。贾斯珀曾把几块“禁止停车”的牌子挂在大门外边，但没有任何效果。现在他把一个丑陋的石雕头像放在了大门上边，这是我见过的最丑陋的头像之一。我问他那是什么？他告诉我那是蛇发女怪美杜莎。贾斯珀希望她把汽车和车主们都变成石头。但到目前为止还没有一个变成石头呢！
Text 5
Captain Ben Fawcett has bought an unusual taxi and has begun a new service. The 'taxi' is a small Swiss aeroplane called a 'Pilatus Porter'. This wonderful plane can carry seven passengers. The most surprising thing about it, however, is that it can land anywhere: on snow, water, or even on a ploughed field. Captain Fawcett's first passenger was a doctor who flew from Birmingham to a lonely village in the Welsh mountains. Since then, Captain Fawcett has flown passengers to many unusual places. Once he landed on the roof of a block of flats and on another occasion, he landed in a deserted car park. Captain Fawcett has just refused a strange request from a businessman. The man wanted to fly to Rockall, a lonely island in the Atlantic Ocean, but Captain Fawcett did not take him because the trip was too dangerous.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
taxi n. Pilatus Porter land v. plough v. lonely adj. Welsh adj. roof n. block n. flat n. desert v.
参考译文
本.弗西特机长买了一辆不同寻常的出租汽车，并开始了一项新的业务。这辆“出租汽车”是一架小型瑞士飞机，叫“皮勒特斯.波特“号。这架奇妙的飞机可以载7名乘客。然而，最令人惊奇的是它能够在任何地方降落：雪地上，水面上，甚至刚耕过的田里。弗西特机长的第一名乘客是位医生，他从伯明翰飞往威尔士山区一个偏僻的村庄。从那时开始，弗西特机长已经载送乘客到过许多不寻常的地方。一次，他把飞机降落在了一栋公寓楼的屋顶上；还有一次，降落在了一个废弃的停车场上。弗西特机长刚刚拒绝了一位商人的奇怪要求。这个人想要飞往大西洋上的一个孤岛 -- 罗卡尔岛，弗西特机长之所以不送他去，是因为那段飞行太危险了。
Text 6
The Wayle is a small river that cuts across the park near my home. I like sitting by the Wayle on fine afternoons. It was warm last Sunday, so I went and sat on the river bank as usual. Some children were playing games on the bank and there were some people rowing on the river. Suddenly, one of the children kicked a ball very hard and it went towards a passing boat. Some people on the bank called out to the man in the boat, but he did not hear them. The ball struck him so hard that he nearly fell into the water. I turned to look at the children, but there weren't any in sight: they had all run away! The man laughed when he realized what had happened. He called out to the children and threw the ball back to the bank.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
polo n. 水球Wayle n. 威尔（河名）cut v. 穿过row v. 划（船）kick v. 踢towards prep. 朝，向nearly adv. 几乎sight n. 眼界，视域
参考译文
威尔河是横穿过我家附近公园的一条小河。我喜欢在天气晴朗的下午到河边坐坐。上星期日天气很暖和。于是我和往常一样，又去河边坐着。河岸上有些孩子正在玩耍，河面上有些人正在划船。突然，一个孩子狠狠地踢了一脚球，球便向着一只划过来的小船飞去。岸上的一些人对着小船上的人高喊，但他没有听见。球重重地打在他身上，使他差点儿落入水中。我转过头去看那些孩子，但一个也不见，全都跑了！当那个人明白了发生的事情时，笑了起来。他大声叫着那些孩子，把球扔回到岸上。
Text 7
Yesterday afternoon Frank Hawkins was telling me about his experiences as a young man. Before he retired, Frank was the head of a very large business company, but as a boy he used to work in a small shop. It was his job to repair bicycles and at that time he used to work fourteen hours a day. He saved money for years and in 1958 he bought a small workshop of his own. In his twenties Frank used to make spare parts for aeroplanes. At that time he had two helpers. In a few years the small workshop had become a large factory which employed seven hundred and twenty-eight people. Frank smiled when he remembered his hard early years and the long road to success. He was still smiling when the door opened and his wife came in. She wanted him to repair their grandson's bicycle!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
retire v. 退休company n. 公司bicycle n. 自行车save v. 积蓄workshop n. 车间helper n. 帮手，助手employ v. 雇佣grandson n. 孙子
参考译文
昨天下午弗兰克.霍金斯向我讲述了他年轻时的经历。在退休前，弗兰克是一家非常大的商业公司的经理，但他小时候却在一家小铺里做工。他那时的工作是修理自行车，并且通常是一天工作14个小时。他靠多年积蓄，于1958年买下了自己的一个小铺子。20多岁的时候，弗兰克曾生产飞机零配件。那时他有两个帮手。几年之后，小铺子已经发展成了一个雇有728人的大工厂。弗兰克回想着他早年的艰难经历和走过的漫长的成功之路，微笑了。他正笑着的时候门开了，他的妻子走了进来。她叫他去修理孙子的自行车。
Text 8
People are not so honest as they once were. The temptation to steal is greater than ever before -- especially in large shops. A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who always went into a large store on Monday mornings. One Monday, there were fewer people in the shop than usual when the woman came in, so it was easier for the detective to watch her. The woman first bought a few small articles. After a little time, she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible. Then the woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying. When she was arrested, the detective found out that the shop assistant was her daughter. The girl 'gave' her mother a free dress once a week!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
once adv. 曾经，以前temptation n. 诱惑article n. 物品，东西wrap v. 包裹simply adv. 仅仅arrest v. 逮捕
参考译文
人们不再像以前那样诚实了。偷窃的诱惑力比以往任何时候都更强烈 -- 特别是在大的商店里。一名侦探最近注意上了一位穿着讲究的妇女，她总是在星期一上午进入一家大商场。有一个星期一，当这位妇女走进这家商场时，里面的人比往常少，因此，侦探比较容易监视她。这位妇女先是买了几样小商品。过了一会儿，她又选了商场里最昂贵的一件衣服，把它递给了售货员。那售货员以最快的速度为她包好了衣服。然后，那妇女拿过包就走出了商场，根本没有付钱。她被逮捕后。侦探发现原来那售货员是她的女儿。那姑娘每星期“送”她母亲一件免费的衣服！
Text 9
Nearly a week passed before the girl was able to explain what had happened to her. One afternoon she set out from the coast in a small boat and was caught in a storm. Towards evening, the boat struck a rock and the girl jumped into the sea. Then she swam to the shore after spending the whole night in the water. During that time she covered a distance of eight miles. Early next morning, she saw a light ahead. She knew she was near the shore because the light was high up on the cliffs. On arriving at the shore, the girl struggled up the cliff towards the light she had seen. That was all she remembered. When she woke up a day later, she found herself in hospital.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
darkness n. explain v. coast n. storm n. towards prep. rock n. shore n. light n. ahead adv. cliff n. struggle v. hospital n.
参考译文
几乎过了一个星期，那姑娘才能讲述自己的遭遇。一天下午，她乘小船从海岸出发，遇上了风暴。天将黑时，小船撞在了一块礁石上，姑娘跳进了海里。她在海里游了整整一夜才游到岸边。在那段时间里，她游了8英里。第二天凌晨，她看到前方有灯光，知道自己已经接近岸边了，因为那灯光是在高高的峭壁上。到达岸边后，姑娘朝着她看到的灯光方向挣扎着往峭壁上爬去。她所记得的就是这些。第二天她醒来时，发现自己躺在医院里。
Text 10
Dan Robinson has been worried all week. Last Tuesday he received a letter from the local police. In the letter he was asked to call at the station. Dan wondered why he was wanted by the police, but he went to the station yesterday and now he is not worried anymore. At the station, he was told by a smiling policeman that his bicycle had been found. Five days ago, the policeman told him, the bicycle was picked up in a small village four hundred miles away. It is now being sent to his home by train. Dan was most surprised when he heard the news. He was amused too, because he never expected the bicycle to be found. It was stolen twenty years ago when Dan was a boy of fifteen!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
station n. （警察）局most adv. 相当，非常
参考译文
丹.鲁宾逊焦虑了整整一个星期。上星期二他收到当地警察局的一封信，要他到警察局去一趟。丹奇怪警察为什么找他，但昨天还是去了，结果他一再担心了。在警察局里，一位面带笑容的警察告诉他，他的自行车找到了。那位警察对他说，那辆自行车是5天前在400英里外的一个小村里发现的，现在正用火车给他运回家来。丹听到这个消息后，惊奇万分，但又感到非常好笑，因为他从未指望那辆自行车还能找到。这是20年前丹还是一个15岁的孩子时被人偷走的！
Text 11
Roy Trenton used to drive a taxi. A short while ago, however, he became a bus driver and he has not regretted it. He is finding his new work far more exciting. When he was driving along Catford Street recently, he saw two thieves rush out of a shop and run towards a waiting car. One of them was carrying a bag full of money. Roy acted quickly and drove the bus straight at the thieves. The one with the money got such a fright that he dropped the bag. As the thieves were trying to get away in their car, Roy drove his bus into the back of it. While the battered car was moving away, Roy stopped his bus and telephoned the police. The thieves' car was badly damaged and easy to recognize. Shortly afterwards, the police stopped the car and both men were arrested.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
while n. 一段时间regret v. 后悔far adv. 非常rush v. 冲act v. 行动straight adv. 径直fright n. 害怕battered adj. 撞坏的shortly adv. 很快，不久afterwards adv. 以后
参考译文
罗伊.特雷顿原是开出租汽车的，然而就在前不久，他开上了公共汽车，也并不为此而感到后悔。他发觉自己的新工作令人兴奋得多。最近，当他正开车在凯特福德街上行驶时，看到有两个小偷从一家商店里冲出来，奔向等在那里的一辆汽车，其中一个提着一只装满钞票的提包。罗伊行动迅速，开车直冲窃贼而去。拿钱的那个小偷吓得把提包都扔了。当那两个小偷企图乘车逃跑时，罗伊驾驶他的公共汽车撞在了那辆车的后尾上。当那辆被撞坏的车开走后，罗伊停下车，给警察挂了电话。小偷的车损坏严重，很容易辨认。没过多久，警察就截住了那辆车，两个小偷都被抓住了。
Text 14
Debbie Hart is going to swim across the English Channel tomorrow. She is going to set out from the French coast at five o'clock in the morning. Debbie is only eleven years old and she hopes to set up a new world record. She is a strong swimmer and many people feel that she is sure to succeed. Debbie's father will set out with her in a small boat. Mr. Hart has trained his daughter for years. Tomorrow he will be watching her anxiously as she swims the long distance to England. Debbie intends to take short rests every two hours. She will have something to drink but she will not eat any solid food. Most of Debbie's school friends will be waiting for her on the English coast. Among them will be Debbie's mother, who swam the Channel herself when she was a girl.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
record n. 记录strong adj. 强壮的swimmer n. 游泳运动员succeed v. 成功train v. 训练anxiously adv. 焦急地intend v. 打算solid adj. 固体的，硬的
参考译文
黛比.哈特准备明天横渡英吉利海峡。她打算早上5点钟从法国海岸出发。黛比只有11岁，她希望创一项新的世界纪录。她是一个游泳能手，很多人认为她一定能成功。黛比的父亲将乘一条小船同她一道出发。哈特先生训练她的女儿已经多年了，明天他将焦急地注视着女儿游过这段漫长的距离到达英国。黛比计划每两小时休息一下。她将喝些饮料，但不吃固体食物。黛比的大部分同学将在英国海岸等候她。他们当中还会有黛比的母亲，她本人还是个姑娘时，也曾横渡过英吉利海峡！
Text 13
The Olympic Games will be held in our country in four years' time. As a great many people will be visiting the country, the government will be building new hotels, an immense stadium, and a new Olympic-standard swimming pool. They will also be building new roads and a special railway line. The Games will be held just outside the capital and the whole area will be called 'Olympic City'. Workers will have completed the new roads by the end of this year. By the end of next year, they will have finished work on the new stadium. The fantastic modern buildings have been designed by Kurt Gunter. Everybody will be watching anxiously as the new buildings go up. We are all very excited and are looking forward to the Olympic Games because they have never been held before in this country.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
Olympic adj. 奥林匹克的hold v. 召开government n. 政府immense adj. 巨大的stadium n. 露天体育场standard n. 标准capital n. 首都fantastic adj. 巨大的design v. 设计
参考译文
4年以后，奥林匹克运动会将在我们国家举行。由于将有大批的人到我们国家来，所以政府准备建造一些新的饭店、一个大型体育场和一个新的奥运会标准游泳池。他们还将修筑一些新的道路和一条铁路专线。奥运会就在首都市郊举办，整个地区将被称作“奥林匹克城”。工人们将在今年年底前把新路铺好；到明年年底，他们将把新体育场建成。这些巨大的现代化建筑是由库尔特.冈特设计的。大家都将急切地注视着新建筑的建成。我们都非常激动，盼望着奥运会的到来，因为在这个国家里还从未举办过奥运会。
Text 14
My old friend, Harrison, had lived in the Mediterranean for many years before he returned to England. He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down in the country. He had no sooner returned than he bought a house and went to live there. Almost immediately he began to complain about the weather, for even though it was still summer, it rained continually and it was often bitterly cold. After so many years of sunshine, Harrison got a shock. He acted as if he had never lived in England before. In the end, it was more than he could bear. He had hardly had time to settle down when he sold the house and left the country. The dream he had had for so many years ended there. Harrison had thought of everything except the weather.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
except prep. 除了Mediterranean n. 地中海complain v. 抱怨continually adv. 不断地bitterly adv. 刺骨地sunshine n. 阳光
参考译文
我的老朋友哈里森在回到英国以前曾多年居住在地中海地区。过去他常幻想退休后到英国，并计划在乡间安顿下来。他刚一回到英国便买下了一幢房子住了进去。但紧接着他就开始抱怨那里的天气了。因为即使那时仍为夏季，但雨总是下个不停，而且常常冷得厉害。在阳光下生活了那么多年的哈里森对此感到惊奇。他的举动就好像他从未在英国生活过一样。最后，他再也忍受不住，还没等安顿下来就卖掉了房子，离开了这个国家。他多年来的幻想从此破灭。哈里森把每件事情都考虑到了，唯独没想到天气。
Text 15
While John Gilbert was in hospital, he asked his doctor to tell him whether his operation had been successful, but the doctor refused to do so. The following day, the patient asked for a bedside telephone. When he was alone, he telephoned the hospital exchange and asked for Doctor Millington. When the doctor answered the phone, Mr. Gilbert said he was inquiring about a certain patient, a Mr. John Gilbert. He asked if Mr. Gilbert's operation had been successful and the doctor told him that it had been. He then asked when Mr. Gilbert would be allowed to go home and the doctor told him that he would have to stay in hosptial for another two weeks. Then Dr. Millington asked the caller if he was a relative of the patient. 'No,' the patient answered, 'I am Mr. John Gilbert.'
New words and expressions 生词和短语
operation n. 手术successful adj. 成功的following adj. 下一个patient n. 病人alone adj. 独自的exchange n. （电话的）交换台inquire v. 询问，打听certain adj. 某个caller n. 打电话的人relative n. 亲戚
参考译文
当约翰.吉尔伯特住院的时候，他问医生他的手术是否成功，但医生拒绝告诉他。第二天，这位病人要了一部床头电话。当房里只剩他一个人时，他挂通了医院的交换台，要求与米灵顿医生讲话。当这位医生接过电话时，吉尔伯特先生说他想询问一个病人的情况，是一位名叫约翰.吉尔伯特的先生。他问吉尔伯特先生的手术中否成功，医生告诉他手术很成功。然后他又问吉尔伯特先生什么时候可以回家，医生说他在医院还必须再住上两个星期。之后，米灵顿医生问打电话的人是否是病人的亲属。“不是，”病人回答说，“我就是约翰.吉尔伯特先生。”
Text 16
Last week at a dinner party, the hostess asked me to sit next to Mrs. Rumbold. Mrs. Rumbold was a large, unsmiling lady in a tight black dress. She did not even look up when I took my seat beside her. Her eyes were fixed on her plate and in a short time, she was busy eating. I tried to make conversation. 'A new play is coming to "The Globe" soon,' I said. 'Will you be seeing it?' 'No,' she answered. 'Will you be spending your holidays abroad this year?' I asked. 'No,' she answered. 'Will you be staying in England?' I asked. 'No,' she answered. In despair, I asked her whether she was enjoying her dinner. 'Young man,' she answered, 'if you ate more and talked less, we would both enjoy our dinner!"
New words and expressions 生词和短语
hostess n. 女主人unsmiling adj. 不笑的，严肃的tight adj. 紧身的fix v. 凝视globe n. 地球despair n. 绝望
参考译文
在上星期的一次宴会上，女主人安排我坐在兰伯尔德夫人的身旁。兰伯尔德夫人是一位身材高大、表情严肃的女人，穿一件紧身的黑衣服。当我在她身旁坐下来的时候，她甚至连头都没有抬一下。她的眼睛盯着自己的盘子，不一会儿就忙着吃起来了。我试图找个话题和她聊聊。 “一出新剧要来‘环球剧场’上演了，”我说，“您去看吗？” “不，”她回答。 “您今年去国外度假吗？”我又问。 “不，”她回答。 “您就呆在英国吗？”我问。 “不，”她回答。 失望之中我问她饭是否吃得满意。 “年轻人，”她回答说，“如果你多吃点，少说点，我们两个都会吃得好的！”
Text 17
'Do you call that a hat?' I said to my wife. 'You needn't be so rude about it,' my wife answered as she looked at herself in the mirror. I sat down on one of those modern chairs with holes in it and waited. We had been in the hat shop for half an hour and my wife was still in front of the mirror. 'We mustn't buy things we don't need,' I remarked suddenly. I regretted saying it almost at once. 'You needn't have said that,' my wife answered. 'I needn't remind you of that terrible tie you bought yesterday.' 'I find it beautiful,' I said. 'A man can never have too many ties.' 'And a woman can't have too many hats,' she answered. Ten minutes later we walked out of the shop together. My wife was wearing a hat that looked like a lighthouse!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
rude adj. 无礼的mirror n. 镜子hole n. 孔remark v. 评说remind v. 提醒lighthouse n. 灯塔
参考译文
“你把那个叫帽子吗？”我对妻子说。 “你说话没必要这样不客气，”我的妻子边回答边照着镜子。 我坐在一个新式的满是网眼儿的椅子上，等待着。我们在这家帽店已经呆了半个小时了，而我的妻子仍在镜子面前。 “我们不应该买我们不需要的东西，”我突然发表意见说，但马上又后悔说了这话。 “你没必要这么说，”我妻子回答说，“我也不必提醒你昨天买的那条糟糕透了的领带。” “我觉得它好看，”我说，“男人有多少领带也不会嫌多。” “女人有多少帽子也不嫌多。”她回答。 10分钟以后，我们一道走出了商店。我妻子戴着一顶像灯塔一样的帽子。
Text 18
As we had had a long walk through one of the markets of old Delhi, we stopped at a square to have a rest. After a time, we noticed a snake charmer with two large baskets at the other side of the square, so we went to have a look at him. As soon as he saw us, he picked up a long pipe which was covered with coins and opened one of the baskets. When he began to play a tune, we had our first glimpse of the snake. It rose out of the basket and began to follow the movements of the pipe. We were very much surprised when the snake charmer suddenly began to play jazz and modern pop songs. The snake, however, continued to 'dance' slowly. It obviously could not tell the difference between Indian music and jazz!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
musical adj. 精通音乐的market n. 市场，集市snake charmer 玩蛇者（通常借音乐控制）pipe n. （吹奏的）管乐器tune n. 曲调glimpse n. 一瞥snake n. 蛇movement n. 动作continue v. 继续dance v. 跳舞obviously adv. 显然difference n. 差别Indian adj. 印度的
参考译文
当我们穿过旧德里的市场时走了很长一段路，我们在一个广场上停下来休息。过了一会儿，我们注意到广场的那一边有一个带着两个大筐的耍蛇人，于是就走过去看看。他一见我们，就拿起了一个长长的上面镶有硬币的管乐器，并掀开了一个筐的盖子。当他开始吹奏一支曲子时，我们才第一次看到那条蛇。它从筐里探出身子，随着乐器的摆动而扭动。当耍蛇人突然又吹奏起爵士乐和现代流行乐曲时，我们感到非常惊奇。然而那蛇却还是缓慢地“舞动”着。显然，它分辨不出印度音乐和爵士乐！
Text 19
In 1929, three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer, R.E. Byrd, successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time. Though, at first, Byrd and his men were able to take a great many photographs of the mountains that lay below, they soon ran into serious trouble. At one point, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. It could only get over the mountains if it rose to 10,000 feet. Byrd at once ordered his men to throw out two heavy food sacks. The plane was then able to rise and it cleared the mountains by 400 feet. Byrd now knew that he would be able to reach the South Pole which was 300 miles away, for there were no more mountains in sight. The aircraft was able to fly over the endless white plains without difficulty.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
pole n. （地球的）极flight n. 飞行explorer n. 探险家lie v. 处于serious adj. 严重的point n. 地点seem v. 似乎crash v. 坠毁sack n. 袋子clear v. 越过aircraft n. 飞机endless adj. 无尽的plain n. 平原
参考译文
美国探险家 R.E. 伯德在飞越北极3年之后，于1929年第一次飞越了南极。虽然开始时伯德和他的助手们拍下了飞机下面连绵群山的大量照片，但他们很快就陷入了困境。在有个地方，飞机似乎肯定要坠毁了。只有在飞至10,000英尺的高度时，它才能飞过这些山头。伯德马上命令他的助手们把两个沉重的食物袋扔掉，于是飞机可以上升了，它在离山头400英尺的高度飞越了过去。伯德这时知道他能够顺利飞抵300英里以外的南极了，因为前面再没有山了。飞机可以毫无困难地飞过这片茫茫无际的白色原野！
Text 20
Mrs. Anne Sterling did not think of the risk she was taking when she ran through a forest after two men. They had rushed up to her while she was having a picnic at the edge of a forest with her children and tried to steal her handbag. In the struggle, the strap broke and, with the bag in their possession, both men started running through the trees. Mrs. Sterling got so angry that she ran after them. She was soon out of breath, but she continued to run. When she caught up with them, she saw that they had sat down and were going through the contents of the bag, so she ran straight at them. The men got such a fright that they dropped the bag and ran away. 'The strap needs mending,' said Mrs. Sterling later, 'but they did not steal anything.'
New words and expressions 生词和短语
forest n. 森林risk n. 危险，冒险picnic n. 野餐edge n. 边缘strap n. 带，皮带possession n. 所有breath n. 呼吸contents n. （常用复数）内有的物品mend v. 修理
参考译文
安.斯特林夫人在穿过森林追赶两个男人时，她并没有考虑到所冒的风险。刚才，当她和孩子们正在森林边上野餐的时候，这两个人冲到她跟前，企图抢走她的手提包。在争抢中，手提包的带断了，包落入这两个人手里，他们拔腿跑进了树林。斯特林夫人非常气愤，向着他们追了过去。只追了一会儿便上气不接下气了，但她还是继续追赶。当她赶上他们时，发现他们已经坐了下来，正翻着包里的东西。于是她直冲过去。这两个人吓了一跳，扔下提包逃跑了。“这提包带需要修理，”斯特林夫人事后说道，“不过他们什么也没偷走。”
Text 21
The whole village soon learnt that a large sum of money had been lost. Sam Benton, the local butcher, had lost his wallet while taking his savings to the post office. Sam was sure that the wallet must have been found by one of the villagers, but it was not returned to him. Three months passed, and then one morning, Sam found his wallet outside his front door. It had been wrapped up in newspaper and it contained half the money he had lost, together with a note which said: 'A thief, yes, but only 50 per cent a thief!' Two months later, some more money was sent to Sam with another note: 'Only 25 per cent a thief now!' In time, all Sam's money was paid back in this way. The last note said: 'I am 100 per cent honest now!'
New words and expressions 生词和短语
clear adj. 无罪的，不亏心的conscience n. 良心，道德心wallet n. 皮夹，钱夹savings n. 存款villager n. 村民per cent 百分之……
参考译文
整个村子很快知道，有一大笔钱丢失了。当地的屠户萨姆.本顿在把存款送往邮局的途中把钱包丢了。萨姆确信那钱包一定是被某个村民捡到了，可是却不见有人来送还给他。3个月过去了，后来在一天早晨，萨姆在自己的大门外发现了他的钱包。钱包是用报纸包着的，里面有他丢失的钱的一半，而且还附着一张纸条，上面写着：“一个小偷，是的，但只是一个50%的小偷！”又过了两个月，又有一些钱送还给了萨姆，又附了一张字条：“这回只是25%的小偷了！”很快，萨姆全部的钱都用同样的方式还了回来。最后的那张字条上写道：“我现在是一个100%的诚实人了！”
Text 22
When a plane from London arrived at Sydney airport, workers began to unload a number of wooden boxes which contained clothing. No one could account for the fact that one of the boxes was extremely heavy. It suddenly occurred to one of the workers to open up the box. He was astonished at what he found. A man was lying in the box on top of a pile of woolen goods. He was so surprised at being discovered that he did not even try to run away. After he was arrested, the man admitted hiding in the box before the plane left London. He had had a long and uncomfortable trip, for he had been confined to the wooden box for over eighteen hours. The man was ordered to pay $3,500 for the cost of the trip. The normal price of a ticket is $2,000!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
unload v. 卸（货）wooden adj. 木制的extremely adv. 非常，极其occur v. 发生astonish v. 使惊讶pile n. 堆woollen n. 羊毛的goods n. （常用复数）货物，商品discover v. 发现admit v. 承认confine v. 关在（一个狭小的空间里）normal adj. 正常的，通常的
参考译文
当一架来自伦敦的飞机抵达悉尼机场时，工人们开始卸下装有服装的一批木箱。其中有只箱子特别重，可谁也弄不清是怎么回事。突然一个工人想到打开箱子看看。看到的情景使吃惊，箱内有一个人正躺在一堆毛织品之上。他由于被人发现而感到非常吃惊，甚至都没有企图逃跑。此人被逮捕后，承认他是在飞机离开伦敦前躲进箱里的。他经历了一次漫长而又难受的旅程，因为他在那木箱里闷了18个多小时。此人被责令交付旅费3,500英镑，而正常票价是2,000英镑！
Text 23
A public house which was recently bought by Mr.Ian Thompson is up for sale. Mr.Thompson is going to sell it because it is haunted. He told me that he could not go to sleep one night because he heard a strange noise coming from the bar. The next morning, he found that the doors had been blocked by chairs and the furniture had been moved. Though Mr.Thompson had turned the lights off before he went to bed, they were on in the morning. He also said that he had found five empty whisky bottles which the ghost must have drunk the night before. When I suggested that some villagers must have come in for a free drink, Mr.Thompson shook his head. The villagers have told him that they will not accept the pub even if he gives it away.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
thirsty adj. 贪杯的ghost n. 鬼魂haunt v. （鬼）来访，闹鬼block v. 堵furniture n. 家具whisky n. 威士忌酒suggest v. 暗示shake v. 摇动accept v. 接受
参考译文
伊恩.汤普森先生最近才买的一个小酒店现在又要卖出去。汤普森先生之所以想卖它，是因为那里常闹鬼。他告诉我有天夜里他怎么也睡不着，因为他听到酒吧里传来一阵奇怪的响声。第二天早上，他发现酒吧间的门被椅子堵上了，家具也被挪动过。虽然汤普森临睡觉时把灯关了，但早晨灯却都亮着。他还说他发现了5只空的威士忌瓶子，肯定是鬼魂昨天晚上喝的。当我暗示说一定是村里有些人来喝不花钱的酒时，汤普森先生摇了摇头。村里的人已经告诉他，即使他把小酒店白送人，他们也不要。
Text 24
Dentists always ask questions when it is impossible for you to answer. My dentist had just pulled out one of my teeth and had told me to rest for a while. I tried to say something, but my mouth was full of cotton wool. He knew I collected match boxes and asked me whether my collection was growing. He then asked me how my brother was and whether I liked my new job in London. In answer to these questions I either nodded or made strange noises. Meanwhile, my tongue was busy searching out the hole where the tooth had been. I suddenly felt very worried, but could not say anything. When the dentist at last removed the cotton wool from my mouth, I was able to tell him that he had pulled out the wrong tooth.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
pull v. 拔cotton wool 药棉collect v. 搜集collection n. 收藏品，收集品nod v. 点头meanwhile adv. 同时
参考译文
牙科医生们总是在你无法作出回答的时候向你提出问题。我的牙科医生刚刚给我拔掉了一颗牙，叫我休息一会儿。我想说点什么，但我嘴里塞满了药棉。他知道我收集火柴盒，于是问我收藏的米柴盒是否在增加。接着他又问我的兄弟近来如何，问我是否喜欢伦敦的新工作。作为对这些问题的回答，我不是点头，就是发出奇怪的声音。与此同时，我的舌头正在忙着寻找刚拔掉的那颗牙的伤口。我突然非常着急起来，但却什么也说不出来。当那位牙医最后将药棉从我嘴中取出时，我总算有可能告诉他，他拔错了牙。