Lesson 8
The best and the worst
最好的和最差的
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Why is Joe's garden the most beautiful one in the town?
Joe Sanders has the most beautiful garden in our town. Nearly everybody enters for 'The Nicest Garden Competition' each year, but Joe wins every time. Bill Frith's garden is larger than Joe's. Bill works harder than Joe and grows more flowers and vegetables, but Joe's garden is more interesting. He has made neat paths and has built a wooden bridge over a pool. I like gardens too, but I do not like hard work. Every year I enter for the garden competition too, and I always win a little prize for the worst garden in the town!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
competition n. 比赛，竞赛
neat adj. 整齐的，整洁的
path n. 小路，小径
wooden adj. 木头的
pool n. 水池
参考译文
乔.桑德斯拥有我们镇上最漂亮的花园。几乎每个人都参加每年举办的“最佳花园竞赛”，而每次都是乔获胜。比尔.弗里斯的花园比乔的花园大，他比乔也更为勤奋，种植的花卉和蔬菜也更多，但乔的花园更富有情趣。他修筑了一条条整洁的小路，并在一个池塘上架了一座小木桥。我也喜欢花园，但我却不愿意辛勤劳动。每年的花园竞赛我也参加，但总因是镇上最劣的花园而获得一个小奖！
Lesson 18
He often does this!
他经常干这种事！
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What had happened to the writer's bag?
After I had had lunch at a village pub, I looked for my bag. I had left it on a chair beside the door and now it wasn't there! As I was looking for it, the landlord came in.
'Did you have a good meal?" he asked.
'Yes, thank you,' I answered, 'but I can't pay the bill. I haven't got my bag.'
The landlord smiled and immediately went out. In a few minutes he returned with my bag and gave it back to me.
'I'm very sorry,' he said. 'My dog had taken in into the garden. He often does this!'
New words and expressions 生词和短语
pub n. 小酒店
landlord n. 店主
bill n. 帐单
参考译文
我在一家乡村小酒店吃过午饭后，就找我的提包。我曾把它放在门边的椅子上，可这会儿不见了！当我正在寻找时，酒店老板走了进来。
“您吃得好吗？”他问。
“很好，谢谢。”我回答，“但我付不了帐，我的提包没有了。”
酒店老板笑了笑，马上走了出去。一会儿工夫他拿着我的提包回来了，把它还给了我。
“实在抱歉，”他说，“我的狗把它弄到花园里去了，他常干这种事！”
Lesson 19
Sold out
票已售完
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
When will the writer see the play?
'The play may begin at any moment,' I said.
'It may have begun already,' Susan answered.
I hurried to the ticket office. 'May I have two tickets please?' I asked.
'I'm sorry, we've sold out,' the girl said.
'What a pity!' Susan exclaimed.
Just then, a man hurried to the ticket office.
'Can I return these two tickets?' he asked.
'Certainly,' the girl said.
I went back to the ticket office at once.
'Could I have those two tickets please?' I asked.
'Certainly,' the girl said, 'but they're for next Wednesday's performance. Do you still want them?'
'I might as well have them,' I said sadly.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
hurry v. 匆忙
ticket office 售票处
pity n. 令人遗憾的事
exclaim v. 大声说
return v. 退回
sadly adv. 悲哀地，丧气地
参考译文
“剧马上就要开演了，”我说。
“也许已经开演了呢，”苏珊回答说。
我匆匆赶到售票处，问：“我可以买两张票吗？”
“对不起，票已售完。”那位姑娘说。
“真可惜！”苏珊大声说。
正在这时，一个男子匆匆奔向售票处。
“我可以退掉这两张票吗？”他问。
“当然可以，”那姑娘说。
我马上又回到售票处。
“我可以买那两张票吗？”我问。
“当然可以，不过这两张票是下星期三的，您是否还要呢？”
“我还是买下的好，”我垂头丧气地说。
Lesson 26
The best art critics
最佳艺术评论家
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Who is the student's best critic?
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。
Lesson 68
Persistent
纠缠不休
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Why did Elizabeth tell Nigel that she was going to the dentist?
I crossed the street to avoid meeting him, but he saw me and came running towards me. It was no use pretending that I had not seen him, so I waved to him. I never enjoy meeting Nigel Dykes. He never has anything to do. No matter how busy you are, he always insists on coming with you. I had to think of a way of preventing him from following me around all morning.
'Hello, Nigel,' I said. 'Fancy meeting you here!'
'Hi, Elizabeth,' Nigel answered. 'I was just wondering how to spend the morning -- until I saw you. You're not busy doing anything, are you?'
'No, not at all,' I answered. 'I'm going to...'
'Would you mind my coming with you?' he asked, before I had finished speaking.
'Not at all,' I lied, 'but I'm going to the dentist.'
'Then I'll come with you,' he answered. 'There's always plenty to read in the waiting room!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
persistent adj. 坚持的，固执的
avoid v. 避开
insist v. 坚持做
参考译文
我穿过马路以便避开他，但他看到我并朝我跑过来。若再装作没看见他已是没有用了，我只好向他招手。我就怕遇到奈杰尔.戴克斯。他从来都是无事可做，不管你多忙，他总是坚持要跟你去。我得想办法不让他整个上午缠着我。
“你好，奈杰尔，想不到在这儿见到你。”我说。
“你好，伊丽莎白，”奈杰尔回答说，“我正不知道怎么消磨这一上午呢，正好见到好。你不忙，是吗？”
“不，不忙，我打算去......”我回答。
“我跟你一道去行吗？”没等我说完话他就问道。
“没关系，但我准备去牙医那里。”我说了个谎。
“那我也跟你去，候诊室里总有很多东西可供阅读！”他回答。