英语初级口语 (mp3+lrc字幕)Lesson38

[00:00.00]Lesson 38
[00:07.68]Text A
[00:09.74]Can't She Type?
[00:11.57]The well-known banker, T.J.Ellington,
[00:17.01]was at one time in his younger days the manager of a New York office.
[00:22.83]His secretary had been with him for many years, and knew his ways and habits.
[00:29.31]She always kept a glass off water on his desk, and knew that he disliked flowers in the office.
[00:37.59]He had a habit of interrupting a letter (when she was writing it down)
[00:43.23]with a few words on other subjects which had no connection with the letter?
[00:48.69]but she knew how to deal with that.
[00:50.96]She was never late, and was always willing to work beyond office hours when necessary.
[00:59.56]Therefore, when she left the ofrice to get married.Ellington felt rather sorry for himself.
[01:07.76]In those days good secretaries were hard to find.
[01:13.27]Ellington rang up the office in the city which had supplied him before?
[01:19.20]but the woman there said that she had no one suitable.
[01:23.83]He tried several other places, but the answer was always the same.
[01:29.16]There did not seem to be any secretaries unemployed.
[01:33.70]But it was absolutely necessary for him to find someone,
[01:38.46]and at last he rang up the first office again and urged the woman to find a girl who could at least type.
[01:47.55]"Well," she said slowly, "there's Miss Steele."
[01:52.01]"Good!" cried Ellington. "Send her along at once.
[01:57.39]I really must have someone here immediately."
[02:00.11]"I'm not sure about her," said the woman doubtfully.
[02:05.23]"Why? Can' t she type? Is she too old?"
[02:09.80]"Oh, she's quite young. In fact she's only just left the Secretarial College.She types very well indeed."
[02:20.83]"Well, then, what's the matter? Send her here at once."
[02:26.02]"All right, if you say so. But she's a bit simple."
[02:32.11]Miss Steele arrived soon afterwards, and he explained her duties to her.
[02:39.06]At first she refused to accept the post; she said that she had had no experience and was not used to such work.
[02:48.93]But after a further conversation he managed to persuade her to come, at least for a week or two.
[02:57.29]She agreed, but her face had a doubtful expression on it as she went out.
[03:04.58]On the following morning Miss Steele arrived at the office ready for work.
[03:04.63]Ellington had one letter to which he wished to reply immediately,and he rang the bell.
[03:11.50]Miss Steele came in quietly and sat down, pencil in hand iand notebook on knee.
[03:19.39]Ellington told her to take a letter, and was glad, to see that shelcould write as fast as he spoke.
[03:26.86]It was soon done and, she went out to type it.
[03:31.44]"Well," thought Elliugton, "there doesn't seem to be much wrong with that girl.
[03:37.63]A short time later she entered the office again and placed a letter, beautifully typed onhis desk.
[03:47.53]He looked at it with pleasure, but read it with surprise. !It was as follows:"24th July, 1976."Mr James Vandenberg,
[04:02.94]'His address is on this letter, Here! Take it with you."Dear Sir,
[04:09.97]"I thank you for your letter of yesterday's date."
[04:13.86]I think the question of the electric motors needs further consideration,
[04:19.63]and as time is important, it will probably be best if we meet to discuss it.
[04:26.79]There's that cat outside the window again. Please tell Miss Harper to remove it and keep it away.
[04:34.60]I've told her before about it.I should take it as a favour if you would lunch with me on Friday next.
[04:43.66]What's happened to my glass of water this morning?
[04:47.58]We may then be able to settle the matter finally. I don't like flowers in the office.
[04:54.87]Please remove them.  I usually lunch at one o'clock.
[05:00.38]Please let me know if that time will suit you. This letter is important and I want you to type it carefully.
[05:10.23]"Yours faithfully,"
[05:15.82]Text B
[05:20.13]A Quiz General Knowledge
[05:23.24]Charles Kent and Tony Smith are playing a game.
[05:29.04]They are asking each other questions about general knowledgeis.
[05:33.56]CHARLES: When was America discovered, Tony?
[05:37.27]TONY: I'm not certain. Do you know?
[05:40.85]CHARLES: America was discovered by Christopher Columbus in, 1492.
[05:47.27]TONY: In a way that's fight. But the Vikings travelled them, long  before  Columbus.
[05:54.40]And  what  about  the  Red Indians?
[05:57.30]CHARLES: All right. Ask me a question now.
[06:01.51]TONY: Who invented the electric light bulb?
[06:05.06]CHARLES: That's easy. It was invented by Edison.
[06:10.68]TONY: Correct. Now for a harder question. Who will be the first men on Mars?
[06:18.64]CHARLES: I can't answer that. But I think Mars will be visited by men before the end of this century.
[06:27.50]TONY: Ask me a question now.
[06:30.53]CHARLES: All right. What is the nearest planet to the sun?
[06:35.00]TONY: That's easy. It's... er... Venus. No. Pluto No.Wait a minute.
[06:44.11]It's on the tip of my tongue. Oh dear,what is the nearest planet to the sun?
[06:53.39]7. Read the following passage once.
[06:57.96]Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner.
[07:04.52]Billy is fourteen years old and in the ninth grade.
[07:09.37]He had a part-time job which gets him up every morning at five o' clock.He is a newspaper boy.
[07:17.24]Each morning, Billy leaves the house at 5:15 to go to the corner where the newspapers are.
[07:25.07]The newspapers were delivered to the corner by truck at midnight.
[07:29.85]He always takes a wagon to carry them.
[07:32.91]In the winter it is still dark when he gets up, but during the rest of the year it is light.
[07:41.19]Billy must deliver the newspapers to the houses of people on his route in all kinds of weather.
[07:48.43]He tries to put each paper on the porch where it will be protected from wind and rain or snow.
[07:55.98]His customers think he does a good job.
[07:59.40]Sometimes they give him tips.
[08:01.96]Billy earns about $ 70 per month, and he is saving some of the money to go to college.
[08:10.00]He spends the rest on records and clothes. Once a month, he has to collect money from his customers.
[08:19.28]Since many of them work during the day, Billy has to collect the money at night.
[08:26.15]Sometimes, when Billy is sick, his older brother has to deliver the newspapers.
[08:34.01]Once, Billy' s father had to help.
[08:37.64]Billy has seventy customers now, but he hopes to get more soon.
[08:44.07]Someday, if he gets many more customers, Billy might win a prize for being an outstanding newspaper boy.