初级口语(LRC)-英语听力初级口语part8
Oral Workshop: Reproduction Lesson 38-40 ;
Lesson 38 ;
Text A Can't She Type? ;
The well-known banker, T.J.Ellington, ;
was at one time in his younger days the manager of a New York office. ;
His secretary had been with him for many years, ;
and knew his ways and habits.She always kept a glass of water on his desk, ;
and knew that he disliked flowers in the office. ;
He had a habit of interrupting a letter ;
(when she was writing it down) with a few words on other subjects ;
which had no connection with the letter; ;
but she knew how to deal with that. She was never late, ;
and was always willing to work beyond office hours when necessary. ;
Therefore,when she left the office to get married, ;
Ellington felt rather sorry for himself. ;
In those days good secretaries were hard to find. ;
Ellington rang up the office in the city which had supplied him before; ;
but the woman there said that she had no one suitable. ;
He tried several other places,but the answer was always the same. ;
There did not seem to be any secretaries unemployed. ;
But it was absolute- ly necessary for him to find someone, ;
and at last he rang up the first office again ;
and urged the woman to find a girl who could at least type. ;
"Well,"she said slowly,"there's Miss Steele." ;
"Good!"cried Ellington "Send her along at once. ;
I really must have someone here immediately." ;
"I'm not sure about her,"said the woman doubtfully. ;
"Why?Can't she type? Is she too old?" "Oh, she's quite young. ;
In fact she's only just left the Secretarial College. ;
She types very well indeed.""Well,then, what's the matter? ;
Send her here at once.""All right, if you say so. ;
But she's a bit simple."Miss Steele arrived soon afterwards, ;
and he explained her duties to her.At first she refused to accept the post; ;
she said that she had had no experience and was not used to such work. ;
But after a further conversation he managed to persuade her to come, ;
at least for a week or two. ;
She agreed,but her face had a doubtful expression on it as she went out. ;
On the following morning Miss Steele arrived at the office ready for work. ;
Ellington had one letter to which he wished to reply immediately, ;
and he rang the bell. ;
Miss Steele came in quietly and sat down pencil in hand and notebook on knee. ;
Ellington told her to take a letter, ;
and was glad to see that she could write as fast as he spoke. ;
It was soon done and she went out to type it."Well," thought Ellington, ;
"there doesn't seem to be much wrong with that girl." ;
A short time later she entered the office again ;
and placed a letter, beautifully typed on his desk. ;
He looked at it with pleasure,but read it with surprise. ;
It was as follows: "24th July,1976. "Mr James Vandenberg ;
"His address is on this letter.Here! Take it with you. ;
"Dear Sir,"I thank you for your letter of yesterday's date. ;
I think the question of the electric motors needs further consideration, ;
and as time is import- ant,it will probably be best if we meet to discuss it. ;
There's that cat outside the window again. ;
Please tell Miss Harper to remove it and keep it away. ;
I've told her before about it. ;
I should take it as a favor if you would lunch with me on Friday next. ;
What's happened to my glass of water this morning? ;
We may then be able to settle the matter finally. ;
I don't like flowers in the office.Please remove them. ;
I usually lunch at one o'clock.Please let me know if that time will suit you. ;
This letter is importa -nt and I want you to type it carefully. "Yours faithfully," ;
Text B A Quiz on General Knowledge ;
Charles Kent and Tony Smith are playing a game. ;
They are asking each other questions about general knowledge. ;
CHARLES:When was America discovered,Tony? ;
TONY:I'm not certain. Do you know? ;
CHARLES:America was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. ;
TONY:In a way that's right. ;
But the vikings traveled there long before Columbus. ;
And what about the Red Indians? ;
CHARLES:All right. Ask me a question now. ;
TONY:Who invented the electric light bulb? ;
CHARLES:That's easy. It was invented by Edison. ;
TONY:Correct.Now for a harder question. Who will be the first men on Mars? ;
CHARLES:I can't answer that. ;
But I think Mars will be visited by men before the end of this century. ;
TONY:Ask me a question now. ;
CHARLES:All right. What is the nearest planet to the sun? ;
TONY:That's easy. It's..er... Venus. No.Pluto.No.Wait a minute. ;
It's on the tip of my tongue. ;
Oh dear,what is the nearest planet to the sun? ;
7.Read the following passage once. ;
Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. ;
Billy is fourteen years old and in the ninth grade. ;
He had a part-time job which gets him up every morning at five o'clock. ;
He is a newspaper boy.Each morning, ;
Billy leaves the house at 5:15 to go to the corner where the newspapers are. ;
The newspapers were delivered to the corner by truck at midnight. ;
He always takes a wagon to carry them. ;
In the winter it is still dark when he gets up, ;
but during the rest of the year it is light. Billy must deliver the newspapers ;
to the houses of people on his route in all kinds of weather. ;
He tries to put each paper on the porch ;
where it will be protected from wind and rain or snow. ;
His customers think he does a good job. Sometimes they give him tips. ;
Billy earns about $70 per month, ;
and he is saving some of the money to go to college. ;
He spends the rest on records and clothes. ;
Once a month,he has to collect money from his customers. ;
Since many of them work during the day, Billy has to collect the money at night. ;
Sometimes,when Billy is sick,his older brother has to deliver the newspapers. ;
Once,Billy's father had to help. ;
Billy has seventy customers now,but he hopes to get more soon. ;
Someday,if he gets many more customers, ;
Billy might win a prize for bing an outstanding newspaper boy. ;
He wants to win a trip to Europe, ;
but he will be happy if he wins a new bicycle. ;
Lesson 39 ;
Text A My Father's Son ;
It's hard being an astronaut's son. ;
I mean,everybody expects you to be special or perfect, ;
and I'm just an average eleven- year old kid. ;
I'm an average student and I 'm average,too, ;
when it comes to basketball,football soccer,and baseball. ;
I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. ;
I mean he's so special and so good at everything he does. ;
In high school he was captain of the football team, class president, ;
and editor of the school newspaper. ;
Well,to tell you the truth,I do have a little talent that nobody knows about. ;
I write poems and stories ;
and keep them in a red notebook in my bottom desk drawer. ;
Nowadays I dream about being a famous writer, ;
but I used to dream about doing something spectacular to impress my father ;
and make him proud of me--something like rescuing a child ;
from a burning building or chasing a robber away from an old lady. ;
I was daydreaming in school one morning (which I do often). ;
I was daydreaming about being some kind of hero, ;
like discovering an instant cure for cancer or a shot for mental illness, ;
when I heard my English teacher ;
announce a Father's Day essay contest for the whole school. ;
"I hope we have a winner right here in my English class,"she said. ;
"The PTA has donated three cash prizes-- ;
one hundred dollars for first prize, fifty dollars for second, ;
and twenty-five dollars for third prize." ;
After school I walked home,thinking about the essay I would write. ;
My father is an astronaut,I would start out. ;
No,I decided.I wouldn't do that. The whole country ;
and maybe even the whole world saw my father as an astronaut, ;
but that wasn't the way I saw him. ;
When I got home. I kissed my mom quickly. ;
Then I went upstairs to my room and sat down with a pen and a pad of paper. ;
I started to think about what I would write. ;
How did I see my father.Hmm.I saw him sitting with me in the dark ;
when I was a little kid and had a nightmare. ;
I saw him teaching me how to use a bat and how to throw a baseball. ;
I remembered how he hugged me for hours ;
when my dog Spotty was hit and killed by a car. ;
And I remembered how he surprised me with a new puppy at my ei -ghth birthday party. ;
When I started to cry, he told all the kids that I had a bad allergy. ;
"David's allergy bothers him a lot this time of year," Dad said. ;
And I remembered how he sat and tried to explain death to me ;
when Grandpa Bob died. ;
These were the things I was going to write about my dad. ;
To me,he wasn't just a world-famous astronaut He was my dad. ;
I wrote about all these memories and put them in my essay. ;
I handed it in the next day and was surprised to find out ;
that the winning essays would be read in the auditorium on Thursday night. ;
All the parents and students were invited. ;
My parents and I went to school Thursday night. ;
One of our neighbours said,"I bet you'll win the contest,David. ;
I bet you wrote what it's like to be the son of an astronaut, ;
and you're the only one in town who could write about that." ;
My dad looked at me,and I shrugged. ;
I hadn't shown him the essay,and now I almost hoped I wouldn't win. ;
I didn't want to win just because my father was an astronaut. ;
When third prize was announced and it wasn't me, ;
I was relieved and disappointed at the same time, ;
Ellen Gordon won third prize,and she read her essay. ;
Ellen is adopted,and she wrote about her"better than real"father. ;
When she got to the end, ;
I heard people in the audience sniffing and blowing their noses. ;
My mother sniffed,and my father cleared his throat. ;
The second-prize winner was announced next. ;
It was me.I went up to the stage, my knees shaking. ;
I read my essay and wondered if my voice was shaking,too. ;
It was scary standing up in front of all those people. ;
I called my essay "My Father's Son." I watched my parents as I read. ;
When I finished reading,the audience applauded. ;
I saw my father blowing his nose. ;
Tears were running down my mother's face.I went back to my seat. ;
"I see you have an allergy,too,Dad," I tried to joke. ;
Dad nodded,cleared his throat,and put his hand on my shoulder. ;
"Son,this is the proudest moment of my life," he said. ;
It was the proudest moment of my life, too. ;
maybe I'll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize,but just then, ;
it was enough just to be my father's son. ;
Text B The Wrong Sex or the Wrong Clothes? ;
Sylvia and Larry both work for a big company in London.They work in different departments. ;
They are having lunch in the canteen. ;
SYLVIA:We've got a new manager in our department. ;
LARRY:Oh?You hoped to get that job, didn't you? ;
SYLVIA:Yes,I did. ;
LARRY:I'm sorry.That's too bad.Who is it? Who got the job,I mean? ;
SYLVIA:Someone called Drexler. ;
Carl Drexler He's been with the company only two years. ;
I've been here longer.And I know more about the job,too! ;
LARRY:Hmm.Why do you think they gave it to him and not to you? ;
SYLVIA:Because I'm the wrong sex,of course! ;
LARRY:You mean you didn't get the job because you're a woman? ;
SYLVIA:Yes,that was probably it!It isn't fair. ;
LARRY:What sort of clothes does he wear? ;
SYLVIA:A dark suit. White shirt.A tie. Why? ;
LARRY:Perhaps that had something to do with it. ;
SYLVIA:You mean you think I didn't get the job ;
because I come to work in jeans and a sweater? ;
LARRY:It's possible, isn't it? ;
SYLVIA:Do you really think I should wear different clothes? ;
LARRY:Well...perhaps you should think about it. ;
SYLVIA:Why should I wear a skirt? Or a dress? ;
LARRY:I'm not saying you should. ;
I'm saying you should think about it. That's all! ;
SYLVIA:Why should I do that? ;
I'm good at my job! That's the only important thing! ;
LARRY:Hmm.Perhaps it should be the only important thing. ;
But it isn't. Not in this company. ;
7.Read the following passage once. ;
Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. ;
The Clever Servant ;
A long time ago, ;
there was a rich old man who loved wine and good food above everything else. ;
And he had a servant who loved drinking and eating as much as his master did. ;
Each time the rich old man went out,he had to hide his wine and food away. ;
But each time the servant found them ;
and he helped himself to the bottles of wine and all the nice food. ;
Of course,the rich old man knew who did it and was displeased. ;
But he could do nothing about it ;
because he had never caught his servant drinking his wine or eating his food. ;
One day the old man was invited to dinner at the home of one of his friends. ;
He did not know what to do with the wine, meat and chicken he had just bought. ;
Certainly he could not leave them to the servant.Then he had an idea. ;
He called up the servant and said to him: ;
"I'll be away for the whole evening, ;
and I'll leave you to look after the house. ;
In the cupboard there are two bottles filled with poison. ;
Be careful about it. You'll be killed if you take even a drop of it. ;
There is also some meat and chicken in the cupboard. ;
Take care of them." With these words the rich old man left home. ;
As soon as the master turned his back.The servant opened the cupboard ;
and began to enjoy all the nice things in it. ;
He emptied the two bottles and ate up the meat, ;
the chicken and everything else he found in the cupboard. ;
He was satisfied and soon fell asleep. ;
At mid-night the rich old man returned home. ;
He looked into the cupboard and,to his great surprise, ;
all his wine and food were gone.He was mad with anger and called the servant up. ;
"Oh,Master,"the servant began before the old man could open his mouth. ;
"While you were away, the neighbour's black cat stole into our kitchen ;
and ate up everything in the cupboard.I knew you would be very angry with me. ;
I was so afraid that I drank the two bottles of poison to kill myself." ;
There were even tears in the servant's eyes. "Oh,Master,"he continued ;
"Please don't get angry with a dying man.I'll soon be dead." ;
The rich old man, of course,did not believe a word of his story. ;
But again,he could do nothing about it. ;
Lesson 40 ;
Text A Learn to Eat Like a Grown-up ;
MOTHER:The table's laid.Come along, both of you,and let us begin. ;
FATHER:I'm ready; I feel quite hungry. ;
CHRIS:So am I;I could eat a horse. ;
MOTHER:Well,we haven't got a horse for you, but what we have got is quite nice. ;
Sit there and see how well you can behave. ;
Remember,you're getting quite a big boy ;
and must learn to eat like a grown-up. ;
CHRIS:Does that mean that I can eat more? ;
MOTHER:We want you to make a good meal, ;
though we don't want you to stuff yourself. ;
Your place has been laid just like ours. ;
CHRIS:What's this little plate for? ;
MOTHER:That's for your bread. ;
Most people eat a little bread with their meat and vegetables. ;
CHRIS:Mother,aren't you going to cut my meat up for me any more? ;
MOTHER:No,I'm not. ;
We have put a knife and fork for you and you must learn how to use them. ;
Here is your meat; help yourself to vegetables from the dish. ;
Don't take more than you can eat. ;
CHRIS:All right, Mother;may I take some mustard? ;
FATHER:You may,but I don't think you'll like it. ;
You'll find it hot.Now sit up properly; ;
don't lean back and don't lean too far forward. ;
MOTHER:And take your elbows off the table-cloth. ;
FATHER:And don't take too much on your fork. ;
You shouldn't open your mouth wide at meals. ;
MOTHER:Don't make a noise when you are eating. ;
CHRIS:Good gracious! ;
I think it would be better if I took my plate away to the nursery. ;
I shan't be able to eat at all if I try to remember all those things. ;
FATHER:Stay where you are.You'll soon learn. ;
MOTHER:What are you doing? ;
Don't you know that you must never put you knife into your mouth? ;
CHRIS:But why,Mummy? It's easier like that sometimes. ;
FATHER:You might cut your mouth. ;
Do you want to make your mouth bigger than it is? Use your fork. ;
CHRIS:No,I don't.But I might prick my tongue with the points of my fork. ;
FATHER:Well,you must learn not to. ;
MOTHER:There,leave the lad alone.He'll soon learn.Have you finished,dear? ;
Lay your knife and fork on your plate. No,don't cross them. ;
Put the handles towards you. ;
FATHER:Now,here come the sweets.Here's your plate.Use that spoon and fork; ;
use your fork more than your spoon? ;
CHRIS:But why?Isn't it polite to use the spoon? ;
MOTHER:Of course it is,but most people use the fork more than the spoon. ;
Use the spoon when you have to. ;
CHRIS:You mean for eating very soft stuff? ;
MOTHER:That's right. Why,you haven't drunk any water! ;
FATHER:Not there. On your right. CHRIS:But why? ;
FATHER:Because it is nearer to your right hand.It's handier there. ;
CHRIS:All right.Dad. There seems to be a great deal to learn. ;
Give me some more pudding,Mother. ;
MOTHER:"Give me" doesn't get; say,"Please may I have?" ;
CHRIS:Please may I have some more pudding? ;
MOTHER:Here you are. What's that I see? Dirty hands? ;
See that you don't come to table with dirty hands again. ;
FATHER:And brush your hair next time you come. ;
CHRIS:I'll try to remember. ;
But you mustn't expect me to learn everything at once. May I get down now? ;
MOTHER:Very well. Run along. ;
Text B A Red Cross Nurse ;
Mary wanted to be a nurse when she left school, ;
but in the meantime, she joined the Red Cross and had some limited training. ;
She was taught that,in case of an accident-- and they were plentiful in her town- ;
she should give first aid at once and then send for a doctor. ;
One day,there was an accident in a busy street, ;
and when Mary arrived soon after,she saw a man bending over a woman ;
who had been accidentally knocked down by a car ;
and was lying motionless in the street. ;
Mary ran up,pushed the man away, ;
informed the crowd that she was a Red Cross nurse ;
and began to help the wounded woman. After a few minutes, ;
the man who had been bending over the woman ;
when Mary arrived touched her on the shoulder and said, ;
"When you reach the part about sending for a doctor, ;
don't worry.I'm here already." ;
7.Read the following passage once. ;
Underline the key words while reading and retell the passage to your partner. ;
We say that a person has good manners if he or she behaves politely ;
and is kind and helpful to others. ;
Everyone likes a person with good manners ;
but no one likes a person with bad manners. ;
"Yes,"you may say, "but what are good manners? ;
How does one know what to do and what not to do?"Well,here are some examples ;
of the things that a well-mannered person does or does not do. ;
He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. ;
Instead,he tries to help them.He is always kind,never cruel,to people. ;
When people are waiting for a bus,or in a post office,he takes his turn. ;
He does not push to the front line of the queue. ;
In the bus he gives his seat to an older person or a lady who is standing. ;
If he accidentally bumps into someone, or gets in their way, ;
he says "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry". ;
He says "Please" when he makes a request, ;
and "Thank you" when he receives something. ;
He stands up when he is speaking to a lady or an older person, ;
he does not sit down until the other person is seated. ;
He does not interrupt other people when they are talking. ;
He does not talk too much himself. ;
He does not talk loudly or laugh loudly in public. ;
When he is eating he does not speak with his mouth full of food. ;
He uses a handkerchief when he sneezes or coughs. ;
Lesson 38 ;
Text A Can't She Type? ;
The well-known banker, T.J.Ellington, ;
was at one time in his younger days the manager of a New York office. ;
His secretary had been with him for many years, ;
and knew his ways and habits.She always kept a glass of water on his desk, ;
and knew that he disliked flowers in the office. ;
He had a habit of interrupting a letter ;
(when she was writing it down) with a few words on other subjects ;
which had no connection with the letter; ;
but she knew how to deal with that. She was never late, ;
and was always willing to work beyond office hours when necessary. ;
Therefore,when she left the office to get married, ;
Ellington felt rather sorry for himself. ;
In those days good secretaries were hard to find. ;
Ellington rang up the office in the city which had supplied him before; ;
but the woman there said that she had no one suitable. ;
He tried several other places,but the answer was always the same. ;
There did not seem to be any secretaries unemployed. ;
But it was absolute- ly necessary for him to find someone, ;
and at last he rang up the first office again ;
and urged the woman to find a girl who could at least type. ;
"Well,"she said slowly,"there's Miss Steele." ;
"Good!"cried Ellington "Send her along at once. ;
I really must have someone here immediately." ;
"I'm not sure about her,"said the woman doubtfully. ;
"Why?Can't she type? Is she too old?" "Oh, she's quite young. ;
In fact she's only just left the Secretarial College. ;
She types very well indeed.""Well,then, what's the matter? ;
Send her here at once.""All right, if you say so. ;
But she's a bit simple."Miss Steele arrived soon afterwards, ;
and he explained her duties to her.At first she refused to accept the post; ;
she said that she had had no experience and was not used to such work. ;
But after a further conversation he managed to persuade her to come, ;
at least for a week or two. ;
She agreed,but her face had a doubtful expression on it as she went out. ;
On the following morning Miss Steele arrived at the office ready for work. ;
Ellington had one letter to which he wished to reply immediately, ;
and he rang the bell. ;
Miss Steele came in quietly and sat down pencil in hand and notebook on knee. ;
Ellington told her to take a letter, ;
and was glad to see that she could write as fast as he spoke. ;
It was soon done and she went out to type it."Well," thought Ellington, ;
"there doesn't seem to be much wrong with that girl." ;
A short time later she entered the office again ;
and placed a letter, beautifully typed on his desk. ;
He looked at it with pleasure,but read it with surprise. ;
It was as follows: "24th July,1976. "Mr James Vandenberg ;
"His address is on this letter.Here! Take it with you. ;
"Dear Sir,"I thank you for your letter of yesterday's date. ;
I think the question of the electric motors needs further consideration, ;
and as time is import- ant,it will probably be best if we meet to discuss it. ;
There's that cat outside the window again. ;
Please tell Miss Harper to remove it and keep it away. ;
I've told her before about it. ;
I should take it as a favor if you would lunch with me on Friday next. ;
What's happened to my glass of water this morning? ;
We may then be able to settle the matter finally. ;
I don't like flowers in the office.Please remove them. ;
I usually lunch at one o'clock.Please let me know if that time will suit you. ;
This letter is importa -nt and I want you to type it carefully. "Yours faithfully," ;
Text B A Quiz on General Knowledge ;
Charles Kent and Tony Smith are playing a game. ;
They are asking each other questions about general knowledge. ;
CHARLES:When was America discovered,Tony? ;
TONY:I'm not certain. Do you know? ;
CHARLES:America was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. ;
TONY:In a way that's right. ;
But the vikings traveled there long before Columbus. ;
And what about the Red Indians? ;
CHARLES:All right. Ask me a question now. ;
TONY:Who invented the electric light bulb? ;
CHARLES:That's easy. It was invented by Edison. ;
TONY:Correct.Now for a harder question. Who will be the first men on Mars? ;
CHARLES:I can't answer that. ;
But I think Mars will be visited by men before the end of this century. ;
TONY:Ask me a question now. ;
CHARLES:All right. What is the nearest planet to the sun? ;
TONY:That's easy. It's..er... Venus. No.Pluto.No.Wait a minute. ;
It's on the tip of my tongue. ;
Oh dear,what is the nearest planet to the sun? ;
7.Read the following passage once. ;
Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. ;
Billy is fourteen years old and in the ninth grade. ;
He had a part-time job which gets him up every morning at five o'clock. ;
He is a newspaper boy.Each morning, ;
Billy leaves the house at 5:15 to go to the corner where the newspapers are. ;
The newspapers were delivered to the corner by truck at midnight. ;
He always takes a wagon to carry them. ;
In the winter it is still dark when he gets up, ;
but during the rest of the year it is light. Billy must deliver the newspapers ;
to the houses of people on his route in all kinds of weather. ;
He tries to put each paper on the porch ;
where it will be protected from wind and rain or snow. ;
His customers think he does a good job. Sometimes they give him tips. ;
Billy earns about $70 per month, ;
and he is saving some of the money to go to college. ;
He spends the rest on records and clothes. ;
Once a month,he has to collect money from his customers. ;
Since many of them work during the day, Billy has to collect the money at night. ;
Sometimes,when Billy is sick,his older brother has to deliver the newspapers. ;
Once,Billy's father had to help. ;
Billy has seventy customers now,but he hopes to get more soon. ;
Someday,if he gets many more customers, ;
Billy might win a prize for bing an outstanding newspaper boy. ;
He wants to win a trip to Europe, ;
but he will be happy if he wins a new bicycle. ;
Lesson 39 ;
Text A My Father's Son ;
It's hard being an astronaut's son. ;
I mean,everybody expects you to be special or perfect, ;
and I'm just an average eleven- year old kid. ;
I'm an average student and I 'm average,too, ;
when it comes to basketball,football soccer,and baseball. ;
I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. ;
I mean he's so special and so good at everything he does. ;
In high school he was captain of the football team, class president, ;
and editor of the school newspaper. ;
Well,to tell you the truth,I do have a little talent that nobody knows about. ;
I write poems and stories ;
and keep them in a red notebook in my bottom desk drawer. ;
Nowadays I dream about being a famous writer, ;
but I used to dream about doing something spectacular to impress my father ;
and make him proud of me--something like rescuing a child ;
from a burning building or chasing a robber away from an old lady. ;
I was daydreaming in school one morning (which I do often). ;
I was daydreaming about being some kind of hero, ;
like discovering an instant cure for cancer or a shot for mental illness, ;
when I heard my English teacher ;
announce a Father's Day essay contest for the whole school. ;
"I hope we have a winner right here in my English class,"she said. ;
"The PTA has donated three cash prizes-- ;
one hundred dollars for first prize, fifty dollars for second, ;
and twenty-five dollars for third prize." ;
After school I walked home,thinking about the essay I would write. ;
My father is an astronaut,I would start out. ;
No,I decided.I wouldn't do that. The whole country ;
and maybe even the whole world saw my father as an astronaut, ;
but that wasn't the way I saw him. ;
When I got home. I kissed my mom quickly. ;
Then I went upstairs to my room and sat down with a pen and a pad of paper. ;
I started to think about what I would write. ;
How did I see my father.Hmm.I saw him sitting with me in the dark ;
when I was a little kid and had a nightmare. ;
I saw him teaching me how to use a bat and how to throw a baseball. ;
I remembered how he hugged me for hours ;
when my dog Spotty was hit and killed by a car. ;
And I remembered how he surprised me with a new puppy at my ei -ghth birthday party. ;
When I started to cry, he told all the kids that I had a bad allergy. ;
"David's allergy bothers him a lot this time of year," Dad said. ;
And I remembered how he sat and tried to explain death to me ;
when Grandpa Bob died. ;
These were the things I was going to write about my dad. ;
To me,he wasn't just a world-famous astronaut He was my dad. ;
I wrote about all these memories and put them in my essay. ;
I handed it in the next day and was surprised to find out ;
that the winning essays would be read in the auditorium on Thursday night. ;
All the parents and students were invited. ;
My parents and I went to school Thursday night. ;
One of our neighbours said,"I bet you'll win the contest,David. ;
I bet you wrote what it's like to be the son of an astronaut, ;
and you're the only one in town who could write about that." ;
My dad looked at me,and I shrugged. ;
I hadn't shown him the essay,and now I almost hoped I wouldn't win. ;
I didn't want to win just because my father was an astronaut. ;
When third prize was announced and it wasn't me, ;
I was relieved and disappointed at the same time, ;
Ellen Gordon won third prize,and she read her essay. ;
Ellen is adopted,and she wrote about her"better than real"father. ;
When she got to the end, ;
I heard people in the audience sniffing and blowing their noses. ;
My mother sniffed,and my father cleared his throat. ;
The second-prize winner was announced next. ;
It was me.I went up to the stage, my knees shaking. ;
I read my essay and wondered if my voice was shaking,too. ;
It was scary standing up in front of all those people. ;
I called my essay "My Father's Son." I watched my parents as I read. ;
When I finished reading,the audience applauded. ;
I saw my father blowing his nose. ;
Tears were running down my mother's face.I went back to my seat. ;
"I see you have an allergy,too,Dad," I tried to joke. ;
Dad nodded,cleared his throat,and put his hand on my shoulder. ;
"Son,this is the proudest moment of my life," he said. ;
It was the proudest moment of my life, too. ;
maybe I'll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize,but just then, ;
it was enough just to be my father's son. ;
Text B The Wrong Sex or the Wrong Clothes? ;
Sylvia and Larry both work for a big company in London.They work in different departments. ;
They are having lunch in the canteen. ;
SYLVIA:We've got a new manager in our department. ;
LARRY:Oh?You hoped to get that job, didn't you? ;
SYLVIA:Yes,I did. ;
LARRY:I'm sorry.That's too bad.Who is it? Who got the job,I mean? ;
SYLVIA:Someone called Drexler. ;
Carl Drexler He's been with the company only two years. ;
I've been here longer.And I know more about the job,too! ;
LARRY:Hmm.Why do you think they gave it to him and not to you? ;
SYLVIA:Because I'm the wrong sex,of course! ;
LARRY:You mean you didn't get the job because you're a woman? ;
SYLVIA:Yes,that was probably it!It isn't fair. ;
LARRY:What sort of clothes does he wear? ;
SYLVIA:A dark suit. White shirt.A tie. Why? ;
LARRY:Perhaps that had something to do with it. ;
SYLVIA:You mean you think I didn't get the job ;
because I come to work in jeans and a sweater? ;
LARRY:It's possible, isn't it? ;
SYLVIA:Do you really think I should wear different clothes? ;
LARRY:Well...perhaps you should think about it. ;
SYLVIA:Why should I wear a skirt? Or a dress? ;
LARRY:I'm not saying you should. ;
I'm saying you should think about it. That's all! ;
SYLVIA:Why should I do that? ;
I'm good at my job! That's the only important thing! ;
LARRY:Hmm.Perhaps it should be the only important thing. ;
But it isn't. Not in this company. ;
7.Read the following passage once. ;
Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. ;
The Clever Servant ;
A long time ago, ;
there was a rich old man who loved wine and good food above everything else. ;
And he had a servant who loved drinking and eating as much as his master did. ;
Each time the rich old man went out,he had to hide his wine and food away. ;
But each time the servant found them ;
and he helped himself to the bottles of wine and all the nice food. ;
Of course,the rich old man knew who did it and was displeased. ;
But he could do nothing about it ;
because he had never caught his servant drinking his wine or eating his food. ;
One day the old man was invited to dinner at the home of one of his friends. ;
He did not know what to do with the wine, meat and chicken he had just bought. ;
Certainly he could not leave them to the servant.Then he had an idea. ;
He called up the servant and said to him: ;
"I'll be away for the whole evening, ;
and I'll leave you to look after the house. ;
In the cupboard there are two bottles filled with poison. ;
Be careful about it. You'll be killed if you take even a drop of it. ;
There is also some meat and chicken in the cupboard. ;
Take care of them." With these words the rich old man left home. ;
As soon as the master turned his back.The servant opened the cupboard ;
and began to enjoy all the nice things in it. ;
He emptied the two bottles and ate up the meat, ;
the chicken and everything else he found in the cupboard. ;
He was satisfied and soon fell asleep. ;
At mid-night the rich old man returned home. ;
He looked into the cupboard and,to his great surprise, ;
all his wine and food were gone.He was mad with anger and called the servant up. ;
"Oh,Master,"the servant began before the old man could open his mouth. ;
"While you were away, the neighbour's black cat stole into our kitchen ;
and ate up everything in the cupboard.I knew you would be very angry with me. ;
I was so afraid that I drank the two bottles of poison to kill myself." ;
There were even tears in the servant's eyes. "Oh,Master,"he continued ;
"Please don't get angry with a dying man.I'll soon be dead." ;
The rich old man, of course,did not believe a word of his story. ;
But again,he could do nothing about it. ;
Lesson 40 ;
Text A Learn to Eat Like a Grown-up ;
MOTHER:The table's laid.Come along, both of you,and let us begin. ;
FATHER:I'm ready; I feel quite hungry. ;
CHRIS:So am I;I could eat a horse. ;
MOTHER:Well,we haven't got a horse for you, but what we have got is quite nice. ;
Sit there and see how well you can behave. ;
Remember,you're getting quite a big boy ;
and must learn to eat like a grown-up. ;
CHRIS:Does that mean that I can eat more? ;
MOTHER:We want you to make a good meal, ;
though we don't want you to stuff yourself. ;
Your place has been laid just like ours. ;
CHRIS:What's this little plate for? ;
MOTHER:That's for your bread. ;
Most people eat a little bread with their meat and vegetables. ;
CHRIS:Mother,aren't you going to cut my meat up for me any more? ;
MOTHER:No,I'm not. ;
We have put a knife and fork for you and you must learn how to use them. ;
Here is your meat; help yourself to vegetables from the dish. ;
Don't take more than you can eat. ;
CHRIS:All right, Mother;may I take some mustard? ;
FATHER:You may,but I don't think you'll like it. ;
You'll find it hot.Now sit up properly; ;
don't lean back and don't lean too far forward. ;
MOTHER:And take your elbows off the table-cloth. ;
FATHER:And don't take too much on your fork. ;
You shouldn't open your mouth wide at meals. ;
MOTHER:Don't make a noise when you are eating. ;
CHRIS:Good gracious! ;
I think it would be better if I took my plate away to the nursery. ;
I shan't be able to eat at all if I try to remember all those things. ;
FATHER:Stay where you are.You'll soon learn. ;
MOTHER:What are you doing? ;
Don't you know that you must never put you knife into your mouth? ;
CHRIS:But why,Mummy? It's easier like that sometimes. ;
FATHER:You might cut your mouth. ;
Do you want to make your mouth bigger than it is? Use your fork. ;
CHRIS:No,I don't.But I might prick my tongue with the points of my fork. ;
FATHER:Well,you must learn not to. ;
MOTHER:There,leave the lad alone.He'll soon learn.Have you finished,dear? ;
Lay your knife and fork on your plate. No,don't cross them. ;
Put the handles towards you. ;
FATHER:Now,here come the sweets.Here's your plate.Use that spoon and fork; ;
use your fork more than your spoon? ;
CHRIS:But why?Isn't it polite to use the spoon? ;
MOTHER:Of course it is,but most people use the fork more than the spoon. ;
Use the spoon when you have to. ;
CHRIS:You mean for eating very soft stuff? ;
MOTHER:That's right. Why,you haven't drunk any water! ;
FATHER:Not there. On your right. CHRIS:But why? ;
FATHER:Because it is nearer to your right hand.It's handier there. ;
CHRIS:All right.Dad. There seems to be a great deal to learn. ;
Give me some more pudding,Mother. ;
MOTHER:"Give me" doesn't get; say,"Please may I have?" ;
CHRIS:Please may I have some more pudding? ;
MOTHER:Here you are. What's that I see? Dirty hands? ;
See that you don't come to table with dirty hands again. ;
FATHER:And brush your hair next time you come. ;
CHRIS:I'll try to remember. ;
But you mustn't expect me to learn everything at once. May I get down now? ;
MOTHER:Very well. Run along. ;
Text B A Red Cross Nurse ;
Mary wanted to be a nurse when she left school, ;
but in the meantime, she joined the Red Cross and had some limited training. ;
She was taught that,in case of an accident-- and they were plentiful in her town- ;
she should give first aid at once and then send for a doctor. ;
One day,there was an accident in a busy street, ;
and when Mary arrived soon after,she saw a man bending over a woman ;
who had been accidentally knocked down by a car ;
and was lying motionless in the street. ;
Mary ran up,pushed the man away, ;
informed the crowd that she was a Red Cross nurse ;
and began to help the wounded woman. After a few minutes, ;
the man who had been bending over the woman ;
when Mary arrived touched her on the shoulder and said, ;
"When you reach the part about sending for a doctor, ;
don't worry.I'm here already." ;
7.Read the following passage once. ;
Underline the key words while reading and retell the passage to your partner. ;
We say that a person has good manners if he or she behaves politely ;
and is kind and helpful to others. ;
Everyone likes a person with good manners ;
but no one likes a person with bad manners. ;
"Yes,"you may say, "but what are good manners? ;
How does one know what to do and what not to do?"Well,here are some examples ;
of the things that a well-mannered person does or does not do. ;
He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. ;
Instead,he tries to help them.He is always kind,never cruel,to people. ;
When people are waiting for a bus,or in a post office,he takes his turn. ;
He does not push to the front line of the queue. ;
In the bus he gives his seat to an older person or a lady who is standing. ;
If he accidentally bumps into someone, or gets in their way, ;
he says "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry". ;
He says "Please" when he makes a request, ;
and "Thank you" when he receives something. ;
He stands up when he is speaking to a lady or an older person, ;
he does not sit down until the other person is seated. ;
He does not interrupt other people when they are talking. ;
He does not talk too much himself. ;
He does not talk loudly or laugh loudly in public. ;
When he is eating he does not speak with his mouth full of food. ;
He uses a handkerchief when he sneezes or coughs. ;
