英语口语教程(初级) UNIT 38-40

[00:00.00] Oral Workshop:    Reproduction    Lesson 38-40 ;

[00:12.82]    Lesson 38 ;

[00:15.83]    Text A  Can't She Type? ;

[00:20.74]The well-known banker, T.J.Ellington, ;

[00:24.70]was at one time in his younger days the manager of a New York office. ;

[00:30.88]His secretary had been with him for many years, ;

[00:34.84]and knew his ways and habits.She always kept a glass of water on his desk, ;

[00:41.49]and knew that he disliked flowers in the office. ;

[00:45.61]He had a habit of interrupting a letter ;

[00:49.15](when she was writing it down) with a few words on other subjects ;

[00:53.58]which had no connection with the letter; ;

[00:55.85]but she knew how to deal with that. She was never late, ;

[01:01.40]and was always willing to work beyond office hours when necessary. ;

[01:06.52]Therefore,when she left the office to get married, ;

[01:11.32]Ellington felt rather sorry for himself. ;

[01:15.07]In those days good secretaries were hard to find. ;

[01:20.62]Ellington rang up the office in the city which had supplied him before; ;

[01:25.95]but the woman there said that she had no one suitable. ;

[01:30.44]He tried several other places,but the answer was always the same. ;

[01:36.35]There did not seem to be any secretaries unemployed. ;

[01:40.47]But it was absolute- ly necessary for him to find someone, ;

[01:44.74]and at last he rang up the first office again ;

[01:48.12]and urged the woman to find a girl who could at least type. ;

[01:52.56]"Well,"she said slowly,"there's Miss Steele." ;

[01:58.10]"Good!"cried Ellington "Send her along at once. ;

[02:02.91]I really must have someone here immediately." ;

[02:06.07]"I'm not sure about her,"said the woman doubtfully. ;

[02:10.77]"Why?Can't she type? Is she too old?" "Oh, she's quite young. ;

[02:18.48]In fact she's only just left the Secretarial College. ;

[02:23.34]She types very well indeed.""Well,then, what's the matter? ;

[02:29.04]Send her here at once.""All right, if you say so. ;

[02:34.74]But she's a bit simple."Miss Steele arrived soon afterwards, ;

[02:40.81]and he explained her duties to her.At first she refused to accept the post; ;

[02:47.94]she said that she had had no experience and was not used to such work. ;

[02:53.06]But after a further conversation he managed to persuade her to come, ;

[02:58.97]at least for a week or two. ;

[03:01.51]She agreed,but her face had a doubtful expression on it as she went out. ;

[03:07.84]On the following morning Miss Steele arrived at the office ready for work. ;

[03:14.29]Ellington had one letter to which he wished to reply immediately, ;

[03:19.04]and he rang the bell. ;

[03:21.15]Miss Steele came in quietly and sat down pencil in hand and notebook on knee. ;

[03:28.75]Ellington told her to take a letter, ;

[03:31.66]and was glad to see that she could write as fast as he spoke. ;

[03:36.14]It was soon done and she went out to type it."Well," thought Ellington, ;

[03:42.95]"there doesn't seem to be much wrong with that girl." ;

[03:47.07]A short time later she entered the office again ;

[03:51.24]and placed a letter, beautifully typed on his desk. ;

[03:56.00]He looked at it with pleasure,but read it with surprise. ;

[04:01.01]It was as follows: "24th July,1976. "Mr James Vandenberg ;

[04:10.83]"His address is on this letter.Here! Take it with you. ;

[04:15.95]"Dear Sir,"I thank you for your letter of yesterday's date. ;

[04:22.08]I think the question of the electric motors needs further consideration, ;

[04:27.51]and as time is import- ant,it will probably be best if we meet to discuss it. ;

[04:34.64]There's that cat outside the window again. ;

[04:38.13]Please tell Miss Harper to remove it and keep it away. ;

[04:41.98]I've told her before about it. ;

[04:45.57]I should take it as a favor if you would lunch with me on Friday next. ;

[04:51.22]What's happened to my glass of water this morning? ;

[04:55.13]We may then be able to settle the matter finally. ;

[04:59.56]I don't like flowers in the office.Please remove them. ;

[05:04.21]I usually lunch at one o'clock.Please let me know if that time will suit you. ;

[05:11.12]This letter is importa -nt and I want you to type it carefully. "Yours faithfully," ;

[05:20.57]    Text B  A Quiz on General     Knowledge ;

[05:29.23]Charles Kent and Tony Smith are playing a game. ;

[05:34.41]They are asking each other questions about general knowledge. ;

[05:39.53]CHARLES:When    was America    discovered,Tony? ;

[05:43.38]TONY:I'm not certain.   Do you know? ;

[05:47.24]CHARLES:America was   discovered by   Christopher   Columbus in 1492. ;

[05:53.41]TONY:In a way that's     right. ;

[05:55.84]  But the vikings   traveled there   long before   Columbus. ;

[05:59.96]  And what about the   Red Indians? ;

[06:02.86]CHARLES:All right.   Ask me a question   now. ;

[06:07.25]TONY:Who invented   the electric   light bulb? ;

[06:10.36]CHARLES:That's easy.   It was invented   by Edison. ;

[06:15.27]TONY:Correct.Now for   a harder question.   Who will be the   first men on Mars? ;

[06:22.56]CHARLES:I can't   answer that. ;

[06:24.88]  But I think Mars   will be visited by   men before the end   of this century. ;

[06:31.01]TONY:Ask me a question   now. ;

[06:33.86]CHARLES:All right.   What is the nearest   planet to the sun? ;

[06:38.82]TONY:That's easy.   It's..er... Venus.   No.Pluto.No.Wait   a minute. ;

[06:47.06]  It's on the tip of   my tongue. ;

[06:49.59]  Oh dear,what is the   nearest planet to   the sun? ;

[06:54.13]7.Read the following   passage once. ;

[07:01.15]Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. ;

[07:07.54]Billy is fourteen years old and in the ninth grade. ;

[07:12.13]He had a part-time job which gets him up every morning at five o'clock. ;

[07:17.52]He is a newspaper boy.Each morning, ;

[07:22.01]Billy leaves the house at 5:15 to go to the corner where the newspapers are. ;

[07:27.55]The newspapers were delivered to the corner by truck at midnight. ;

[07:31.83]He always takes a wagon to carry them. ;

[07:35.10]In the winter it is still dark when he gets up, ;

[07:39.54]but during the rest of the year it is light. Billy must deliver the newspapers ;

[07:45.99]to the houses of people on his route in all kinds of weather. ;

[07:50.25]He tries to put each paper on the porch ;

[07:53.42]where it will be protected from wind and rain or snow. ;

[07:57.38]His customers think he does a good job. Sometimes they give him tips. ;

[08:03.24]Billy earns about $70 per month, ;

[08:07.74]and he is saving some of the money to go to college. ;

[08:11.64]He spends the rest on records and clothes. ;

[08:15.44]Once a month,he has to collect money from his customers. ;

[08:20.82]Since many of them work during the day, Billy has to collect the money at night. ;

[08:27.47]Sometimes,when Billy is sick,his older brother has to deliver the newspapers. ;

[08:34.60]Once,Billy's father had to help. ;

[08:38.56]Billy has seventy customers now,but he hopes to get more soon. ;

[08:44.42]Someday,if he gets many more customers, ;

[08:49.02]Billy might win a prize for bing an outstanding newspaper boy. ;

[08:54.24]He wants to win a trip to Europe, ;

[08:56.62]but he will be happy if he wins a new bicycle. ;

[09:02.48]  Lesson 39 ;

[09:34.16]    Text A  My Father's Son ;

[09:39.38]It's hard being an astronaut's son. ;

[09:43.50]I mean,everybody expects you to be special or perfect, ;

[09:49.04]and I'm just an average eleven- year old kid. ;

[09:53.00]I'm an average student and I 'm average,too, ;

[09:57.44]when it comes to basketball,football soccer,and baseball. ;

[10:02.98]I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. ;

[10:08.37]I mean he's so special and so good at everything he does. ;

[10:13.91]In high school he was captain of the football team, class president, ;

[10:19.61]and editor of the school newspaper. ;

[10:22.94]Well,to tell you the truth,I do have a little talent that nobody knows about. ;

[10:29.91]I write poems and stories ;

[10:32.92]and keep them in a red notebook in my bottom desk drawer. ;

[10:37.67]Nowadays I dream about being a famous writer, ;

[10:41.95]but I used to dream about doing something spectacular to impress my father ;

[10:47.75]and make him proud of me--something like rescuing a child ;

[10:52.82]from a burning building or chasing a robber away from an old lady. ;

[10:58.52]I was daydreaming in school one morning (which I do often). ;

[11:04.86]I was daydreaming about being some kind of hero, ;

[11:09.24]like discovering an instant cure for cancer or a shot for mental illness, ;

[11:16.26]when I heard my English teacher ;

[11:18.53]announce a Father's Day essay contest for the whole school. ;

[11:23.87]"I hope we have a winner right here in my English class,"she said. ;

[11:29.41]"The PTA has donated three cash prizes-- ;

[11:34.11]one hundred dollars for first prize, fifty dollars for second, ;

[11:39.28]and twenty-five dollars for third prize." ;

[11:42.71]After school I walked home,thinking about the essay I would write. ;

[11:48.73]My father is an astronaut,I would start out. ;

[11:53.27]No,I decided.I wouldn't do that. The whole country ;

[11:58.82]and maybe even the whole world saw my father as an astronaut, ;

[12:03.78]but that wasn't the way I saw him. ;

[12:06.79]When I got home. I kissed my mom quickly. ;

[12:10.91]Then I went upstairs to my room and sat down with a pen and a pad of paper. ;

[12:18.35]I started to think about what I would write. ;

[12:22.47]How did I see my father.Hmm.I saw him sitting with me in the dark ;

[12:29.49]when I was a little kid and had a nightmare. ;

[12:33.29]I saw him teaching me how to use a bat and how to throw a baseball. ;

[12:39.73]I remembered how he hugged me for hours ;

[12:43.43]when my dog Spotty was hit and killed by a car. ;

[12:47.97]And I remembered how he surprised me with a new puppy at my ei -ghth birthday party. ;

[12:54.15]When I started to cry, he told all the kids that I had a bad allergy. ;

[13:00.06]"David's allergy bothers him a lot this time of year," Dad said. ;

[13:05.08]And I remembered how he sat and tried to explain death to me ;

[13:10.51]when Grandpa Bob died. ;

[13:13.21]These were the things I was going to write about my dad. ;

[13:18.54]To me,he wasn't just a world-famous astronaut He was my dad. ;

[13:24.72]I wrote about all these memories and put them in my essay. ;

[13:29.84]I handed it in the next day and was surprised to find out ;

[13:34.75]that the winning essays would be read in the auditorium on Thursday night. ;

[13:40.08]All the parents and students were invited. ;

[13:43.99]My parents and I went to school Thursday night. ;

[13:48.58]One of our neighbours said,"I bet you'll win the contest,David. ;

[13:53.81]I bet you wrote what it's like to be the son of an astronaut, ;

[13:58.03]and you're the only one in town who could write about that." ;

[14:02.25]My dad looked at me,and I shrugged. ;

[14:05.63]I hadn't shown him the essay,and now I almost hoped I wouldn't win. ;

[14:11.81]I didn't want to win just because my father was an astronaut. ;

[14:16.67]When third prize was announced and it wasn't me, ;

[14:20.63]I was relieved and disappointed at the same time, ;

[14:24.59]Ellen Gordon won third prize,and she read her essay. ;

[14:29.60]Ellen is adopted,and she wrote about her"better than real"father. ;

[14:35.52]When she got to the end, ;

[14:37.79]I heard people in the audience sniffing and blowing their noses. ;

[14:42.64]My mother sniffed,and my father cleared his throat. ;

[14:47.08]The second-prize winner was announced next. ;

[14:50.77]It was me.I went up to the stage, my knees shaking. ;

[14:56.37]I read my essay and wondered if my voice was shaking,too. ;

[15:01.70]It was scary standing up in front of all those people. ;

[15:06.46]I called my essay "My Father's Son." I watched my parents as I read. ;

[15:13.85]When I finished reading,the audience applauded. ;

[15:17.81]I saw my father blowing his nose. ;

[15:20.97]Tears were running down my mother's face.I went back to my seat. ;

[15:27.31]"I see you have an allergy,too,Dad," I tried to joke. ;

[15:32.59]Dad nodded,cleared his throat,and put his hand on my shoulder. ;

[15:37.82]"Son,this is the proudest moment of my life," he said. ;

[15:42.94]It was the proudest moment of my life, too. ;

[15:46.74]maybe I'll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize,but just then, ;

[15:53.29]it was enough just to be my father's son. ;

[15:58.72]    Text B   The Wrong Sex   or the Wrong     Clothes? ;

[16:07.07]Sylvia and Larry both work for a big company in London.They work in different departments. ;

[16:15.51]They are having lunch in the canteen. ;

[16:18.57]SYLVIA:We've got a   new manager in   our department. ;

[16:22.38]LARRY:Oh?You hoped   to get that job,   didn't you? ;

[16:25.97]SYLVIA:Yes,I did. ;

[16:27.29]LARRY:I'm sorry.That's   too bad.Who is it?   Who got the job,I   mean? ;

[16:33.52]SYLVIA:Someone called   Drexler. ;

[16:35.79]  Carl Drexler He's   been with the   company only   two years. ;

[16:41.12]  I've been here   longer.And I   know more about   the job,too! ;

[16:46.03]LARRY:Hmm.Why do you   think they gave it   to him and not to   you? ;

[16:50.73]SYLVIA:Because I'm   the wrong sex,of   course! ;

[16:53.68]LARRY:You mean you   didn't get the job   because you're a   woman? ;

[16:57.22]SYLVIA:Yes,that was   probably it!It   isn't fair. ;

[17:02.18]LARRY:What sort of   clothes does he   wear? ;

[17:05.09]SYLVIA:A dark suit.   White shirt.A tie.   Why? ;

[17:09.94]LARRY:Perhaps that   had something to   do with it. ;

[17:13.27]SYLVIA:You mean you   think I didn't get   the job ;

[17:16.39]  because I come to   work in jeans and   a sweater? ;

[17:19.82]LARRY:It's possible,   isn't it? ;

[17:22.35]SYLVIA:Do you really   think I should   wear different   clothes? ;

[17:25.84]LARRY:Well...perhaps   you should think   about it. ;

[17:28.79]SYLVIA:Why should I   wear a skirt?   Or a dress? ;

[17:32.49]LARRY:I'm not saying   you should. ;

[17:34.28]  I'm saying you   should think   about it.   That's all! ;

[17:38.03]SYLVIA:Why should I   do that? ;

[17:40.04]  I'm good at my job!   That's the only   important thing! ;

[17:44.42]LARRY:Hmm.Perhaps it   should be the only   important thing. ;

[17:48.17]  But it isn't.   Not in this   company. ;

[17:51.92]7.Read the following   passage once. ;

[17:57.62]Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. ;

[18:03.80]The Clever Servant ;

[18:06.96]A long time ago, ;

[18:09.29]there was a rich old man who loved wine and good food above everything else. ;

[18:15.36]And he had a servant who loved drinking and eating as much as his master did. ;

[18:21.75]Each time the rich old man went out,he had to hide his wine and food away. ;

[18:28.61]But each time the servant found them ;

[18:31.73]and he helped himself to the bottles of wine and all the nice food. ;

[18:37.06]Of course,the rich old man knew who did it and was displeased. ;

[18:43.13]But he could do nothing about it ;

[18:45.24]because he had never caught his servant drinking his wine or eating his food. ;

[18:51.79]One day the old man was invited to dinner at the home of one of his friends. ;

[18:58.65]He did not know what to do with the wine, meat and chicken he had just bought. ;

[19:05.15]Certainly he could not leave them to the servant.Then he had an idea. ;

[19:11.43]He called up the servant and said to him: ;

[19:15.13]"I'll be away for the whole evening, ;

[19:18.03]and I'll leave you to look after the house. ;

[19:21.36]In the cupboard there are two bottles filled with poison. ;

[19:26.37]Be careful about it. You'll be killed if you take even a drop of it. ;

[19:32.39]There is also some meat and chicken in the cupboard. ;

[19:36.19]Take care of them." With these words the rich old man left home. ;

[19:42.95]As soon as the master turned his back.The servant opened the cupboard ;

[19:48.49]and began to enjoy all the nice things in it. ;

[19:52.66]He emptied the two bottles and ate up the meat, ;

[19:56.68]the chicken and everything else he found in the cupboard. ;

[20:01.06]He was satisfied and soon fell asleep. ;

[20:04.91]At mid-night the rich old man returned home. ;

[20:09.72]He looked into the cupboard and,to his great surprise, ;

[20:14.15]all his wine and food were gone.He was mad with anger and called the servant up. ;

[20:22.49]"Oh,Master,"the servant began before the old man could open his mouth. ;

[20:27.98]"While you were away, the neighbour's black cat stole into our kitchen ;

[20:34.21]and ate up everything in the cupboard.I knew you would be very angry with me. ;

[20:40.44]I was so afraid that I drank the two bottles of poison to kill myself." ;

[20:46.78]There were even tears in the servant's eyes. "Oh,Master,"he continued ;

[20:53.48]"Please don't get angry with a dying man.I'll soon be dead." ;

[20:58.61]The rich old man, of course,did not believe a word of his story. ;

[21:04.04]But again,he could do nothing about it. ;

[21:09.06]  Lesson 40 ;

[21:40.69]    Text A  Learn to Eat Like     a Grown-up ;

[21:45.38]MOTHER:The table's   laid.Come along,   both of you,and   let us begin. ;

[21:51.45]FATHER:I'm ready;   I feel quite   hungry. ;

[21:55.78]CHRIS:So am I;I   could eat a horse. ;

[22:00.06]MOTHER:Well,we haven't   got a horse for you,   but what we have got   is quite nice. ;

[22:06.08]  Sit there and see   how well you can   behave. ;

[22:10.30]  Remember,you're   getting quite a   big boy ;

[22:13.58]  and must learn   to eat like a   grown-up. ;

[22:16.74]CHRIS:Does that mean     that I can eat     more? ;

[22:20.02]MOTHER:We want you to   make a good meal, ;

[22:22.87]  though we don't   want you to stuff   yourself. ;

[22:25.51]  Your place has been   laid just like ours. ;

[22:28.78]CHRIS:What's this    little plate for? ;

[22:31.26]MOTHER:That's for    your bread. ;

[22:33.53]  Most people eat a   little bread with   their meat and   vegetables. ;

[22:37.91]CHRIS:Mother,aren't   you going to cut my   meat up for me any   more? ;

[22:42.30]MOTHER:No,I'm not. ;

[22:44.36]  We have put a knife   and fork for you and   you must learn how   to use them. ;

[22:49.79]  Here is your meat;   help yourself to   vegetables from   the dish. ;

[22:54.92]  Don't take more   than you can eat. ;

[22:57.61]CHRIS:All right,   Mother;may I   take some   mustard? ;

[23:01.73]FATHER:You may,but     I don't think     you'll like it. ;

[23:05.48]  You'll find it   hot.Now sit up   properly; ;

[23:09.59]  don't lean back and   don't lean too far   forward. ;

[23:13.34]MOTHER:And take your     elbows off the     table-cloth. ;

[23:16.03]FATHER:And don't     take too much     on your fork. ;

[23:19.10]  You shouldn't open   your mouth wide at   meals. ;

[23:21.89]MOTHER:Don't make a   noise when you are   eating. ;

[23:24.80]CHRIS:Good gracious! ;

[23:26.38]  I think it would be   better if I took my   plate away to the   nursery. ;

[23:30.82]  I shan't be able to   eat at all if I try   to remember all   those things. ;

[23:35.83]FATHER:Stay where   you are.You'll   soon learn. ;

[23:39.69]MOTHER:What are   you doing? ;

[23:41.48]  Don't you know that   you must never put   you knife into your   mouth? ;

[23:45.44]CHRIS:But why,Mummy?   It's easier like   that sometimes. ;

[23:49.61]FATHER:You might cut   your mouth. ;

[23:52.09]  Do you want to make   your mouth bigger   than it is? Use   your fork. ;

[23:56.27]CHRIS:No,I don't.But   I might prick my   tongue with the   points of my fork. ;

[24:02.44]FATHER:Well,you must   learn not to. ;

[24:05.35]MOTHER:There,leave the   lad alone.He'll soon   learn.Have you   finished,dear? ;

[24:11.89]  Lay your knife and   fork on your plate.   No,don't cross them. ;

[24:17.12]  Put the handles   towards you. ;

[24:19.71]FATHER:Now,here come   the sweets.Here's   your plate.Use that   spoon and fork; ;

[24:26.25]  use your fork more   than your spoon? ;

[24:29.69]CHRIS:But why?Isn't   it polite to use   the spoon? ;

[24:33.49]MOTHER:Of course it   is,but most people   use the fork more   than the spoon. ;

[24:38.98]  Use the spoon when   you have to. ;

[24:41.62]CHRIS:You mean for   eating very soft   stuff? ;

[24:44.36]MOTHER:That's right.   Why,you haven't   drunk any water! ;

[24:49.48]FATHER:Not there.   On your right. CHRIS:But why? ;

[24:54.24]FATHER:Because it   is nearer to your   right hand.It's   handier there. ;

[24:59.36]CHRIS:All right.Dad.   There seems to be   a great deal to   learn. ;

[25:03.53]  Give me some more   pudding,Mother. ;

[25:05.80]MOTHER:"Give me"   doesn't get;   say,"Please   may I have?" ;

[25:11.29]CHRIS:Please may   I have some more   pudding? ;

[25:13.82]MOTHER:Here you are.   What's that I see?   Dirty hands? ;

[25:19.31]  See that you don't   come to table with   dirty hands again. ;

[25:23.43]FATHER:And brush   your hair next   time you come. ;

[25:26.49]CHRIS:I'll try to   remember. ;

[25:28.50]  But you mustn't   expect me to learn   everything at once.   May I get down now? ;

[25:33.88]MOTHER:Very well.   Run along. ;

[25:37.53]    Text B A Red Cross Nurse ;

[25:43.34]Mary wanted to be a nurse when she left school, ;

[25:47.45]but in the meantime, she joined the Red Cross and had some limited training. ;

[25:53.84]She was taught that,in case of an accident-- and they were plentiful in her town- ;

[26:01.29]she should give first aid at once and then send for a doctor. ;

[26:06.51]One day,there was an accident in a busy street, ;

[26:11.53]and when Mary arrived soon after,she saw a man bending over a woman ;

[26:17.71]who had been accidentally knocked down by a car ;

[26:21.35]and was lying motionless in the street. ;

[26:24.89]Mary ran up,pushed the man away, ;

[26:29.32]informed the crowd that she was a Red Cross nurse ;

[26:33.12]and began to help the wounded woman. After a few minutes, ;

[26:39.04]the man who had been bending over the woman ;

[26:41.62]when Mary arrived touched her on the shoulder and said, ;

[26:46.53]"When you reach the part about sending for a doctor, ;

[26:50.12]don't worry.I'm here already." ;

[26:54.45]7.Read the following   passage once. ;

[27:00.52]Underline the key words while reading and retell the passage to your partner. ;

[27:06.96]We say that a person has good manners if he or she behaves politely ;

[27:13.35]and is kind and helpful to others. ;

[27:16.31]Everyone likes a person with good manners ;

[27:20.01]but no one likes a person with bad manners. ;

[27:23.28]"Yes,"you may say, "but what are good manners? ;

[27:28.24]How does one know what to do and what not to do?"Well,here are some examples ;

[27:36.00]of the things that a well-mannered person does or does not do. ;

[27:40.60]He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. ;

[27:44.71]Instead,he tries to help them.He is always kind,never cruel,to people. ;

[27:53.21]When people are waiting for a bus,or in a post office,he takes his turn. ;

[27:59.97]He does not push to the front line of the queue. ;

[28:04.04]In the bus he gives his seat to an older person or a lady who is standing. ;

[28:11.11]If he accidentally bumps into someone, or gets in their way, ;

[28:16.07]he says "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry". ;

[28:21.30]He says "Please" when he makes a request, ;

[28:25.89]and "Thank you" when he receives something. ;

[28:29.70]He stands up when he is speaking to a lady or an older person, ;

[28:35.13]he does not sit down until the other person is seated. ;

[28:39.89]He does not interrupt other people when they are talking. ;

[28:44.27]He does not talk too much himself. ;

[28:47.44]He does not talk loudly or laugh loudly in public. ;

[28:52.56]When he is eating he does not speak with his mouth full of food. ;

[28:57.47]He uses a handkerchief when he sneezes or coughs. ;