英语初级口语教程 A Lesson to Learn

Lesson 19

Text A

  A Lesson to Learn
    John was the only son of a wealthy American businessman. Usually he was taken to school by the chauffeur in his father's beautiful car, before the chauffeur took John's father to his office. One evening his father told him that he had to go to the airport early the next day, so he would need the car at the time that John had to go to school. He said that John's mother, who possessed another car, would still be in bed at the time he had to leave the house .
    "Well , how will I get to school if you need your car and Mummy is still in bed?" John asked. His father thought this was a good opportunity to teach him a lesson about how hard life was for the less fortunate people of the world , so he answered , "You'll go in the same way as every other child in the world goes-in a taxi. "

Text B

What's Going on Here? PoLIcEMAN:   What's going on here?
MAN:   You mean, what's happening? Well, constable, I'm trying to get out of the window
   and Fred here is helping me.
PoLIcEMAN:   Why are you climbing through the window and not leaving by the front door?
MAN:   Well , you see I can't find the key and I'm in a hurry. Come on, Fied, We're
   wasting time.
POLICEMAN:   Just a minute you two. I don't think you're telling me the truth. This isn't your
   house, is it?
MAN:   No, it's my brother's. I'm staying with him for a while.
PoLIcEMAN:   Is he at home?
MAN:   I'm afraid not. He's in jail for house-breaking at the moment.

　
 
Question on Text B

7. Read the following passage once. Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner.

    Todd heard all the hammering behind the Marsey's house. He went to see what was going on. Jeff Marsey was making something from long pieces of wood.
    "What is it?" Todd asked.
    "A pair of stilts," Jeff said.
    Todd knew that stilts could make you several feet taller. Jeff was putting blocks of wood on the stilts. These were for his feet to rest on. Once you got used to them, you could walk anywhere on stilts.
    "I'm also making a pair of long pants," Jeff said. "They'll come all the way down and cover the stilts. I'll look like a giant. "
    As the summer went on, Todd forgot all about the stilts.
    One night Todd was watching television. His cousin came running in the front door. He'd never seen her so excited.
    "You'd better call the police , " she said.
    "Why?" asked Todd.
    "I was walking home," she said. "I looked up and saw a -a giant. He was following me. He wore big baggy pants. He was very stiff and straight. Each step was a huge step. I'm going to call the police. "
    "Wait," said Todd. "It wasn't a giant. You'll be surprised when I tell you who it was!"