【正文】 his office. He did not look up from his desk when I entered. After I had sat down, he said that business was very bad. He told me that the firm could not afford to pay such large salaries. Twenty people had already left. I knew that my turn had e. 39。 If you receive a request like this, you cannot fail to obey it! Lesson 17 Always young 青年常駐 My aunt Jennifer is an actress. She must be at least thirtyfive years old. In spite of this, she often appears on the stage as a young girl. Jennifer will have to take part in a new play soon. This time, she will be a girl of seventeen. In the play, she must appear in a bright red dress and long black stockings. Last year in another play, she had to wear short socks and a bright, orangecoloured dress. If anyone ever asked her how old she is, she always answers, 39。but I can39。 Lesson19 Sold out 票已售完 39。I39。Certainly,39。I might as well have them,39。m not really interested in fishing. I am only interested in sitting in a boat and doing nothing at all ! Lesson21 Mad or not? 是不是瘋了？ Aeroplanes are slowly driving me mad. I live near an airport and passing planes can be heard night and day. The airport was built during the war, but for some reason it could not be used then. Last year, however, it came into use. Over a hundred people must have been driven away from their homes by the noise. I am one of the few people left. Sometimes I think this house will be knocked down by a passing plane. I have been offered a large sum of money to go away, but I am determined to stay here. Everybody says I must be mad and they are probably right. Lesson22 A glass envelope 玻璃信封 My daughter, Jane, never dreamed of receiving a letter from a girl of her own age in Holland. Last year, we were travelling across the Channel and Jane put a piece of paper with her name and address on it into a bottle. She threw the bottle into the sea. She never thought of it again, but ten months later, she received a letter from a girl in Holland. Both girls write to each other regularly now. However, they have decided to use the postoffice. Letters will cost a litt1e more, but they will certainly travel faster. Lesson23 A new house 新居 I had a letter from my sister yesterday. She lives in Nigeria. In her letter, she said that she would e to England next year. If she es, she will get a surprise. We are now living in a beautiful new house in the country. Work on it had begun before my sister left. The house was pleted five months ago. In my letter, I told her that she could stay with us. The house has many large rooms and there is a lovely garden. It is a very modern house, so it looks strange to some people. It must be the only modern house in the district. Lesson24 It could be worse 不幸中之萬幸 I entered the hotel manager39。Everyone39。 I said to the manager, 39。 she said. 39。s not there now.39。 But they don39。but they are for next Wednesday39。Can I return these two tickets?39。May I have two tickets please ?39。 he said 39。Yes, thank you,39。100 a year! Lesson 16 A polite request 彬彬有禮的要求 If you park your car in the wrong place, a traffic policeman will soon find it. You will be very lucky if he lets you go without a ticket. However, this does not always happen. Traffic police are sometimes very polite. During a holiday in Sweden, I found this note on my car:39。 Club. The Greenwood Boys will be staying for five days. During this time, they will give five performances. As usual, the police will have a difficult time. They will be trying to keep order. It is always the same on these occasions. Lesson 14 Do you speak English? 你會講英語嗎？ I had an amusing experience last year. After I had left a small village in the south of France, I drove on to the next town. On the way, a young man waved to me. I stopped and he asked me for a lift. As soon as he had got into the car, I said good morning to him in French and he replied in the same language. Apart from a few words, I do not know any French at all. Neither of us spoke during the journey. I had nearly reached the town, when the young man suddenly said, very slowly, 39。s. Lesson 11 One good turn deserves another 禮尚往來 I was having dinner at a restaurant when Harry Steele came in. Harry worked in a lawyer39。 each year, but Joe wins every time. Bill Frith39。Do you always get up so late ? It39。 I said.39。 I39。 the young man said rudely. 39。. Of cour se, m any pi ct ur es ar c not 39。 I repeat ed my quest ion sever al t imes and at last he underst ood. He answer ed me, but he spoke nei ther sl owly nor clearl y. 39。5o. 39。 I lef t the money in my r oom ,39。 my f r iends say.39。 I asked. 39。 the gir l sai d. 39。I t may have begun alr eady,39。 The i nn keeper sm il ed and imm edi at ely went out. In a few mi nut es he r etur ned wi t h my bag and gave it back t o me. 39。t t her e ! As I was l ooki ng for i t, the i nnkeeper cam e in. 39。Don39。so now you can pay f or my di nner !39。I t39。Then he lent me a book. I r ead a few li nes, but I di d not understand a wor d. Ever y day I thought about postcards. M y holi days pased quickly, but I di d not send any car ds to m y f ri ends. On the l ast day I made a big decision. I got up ear ly and bought t hi rt yseven car ds. I spent the whol e day in m y room, but I did not wr ite a si ngle card ! Leson 4 An exci ti ng t ri p 激動人心的旅行 I have j ust r eceived a l eter f rom my br other, Tim. He is i n Austr ali a. He has been there f or si x mont hs. Tim i s an engineer. He is wor ki ng f or a bi g f ir m and he has alr eady visi ted a gr eat number of di f er ent pl aces in Aust ral ia. He has just bought an Aust rali an car and has gone t o Al ice Spri ngs, a smal t own in the cent re of Aust rali a. He wil l soon vi si t Darwi n. Fr om t her e, he wil l fl y to Per th. My br other has never been abroad before, so he is f indi ng this tr ip very excit 5 No wrong numbers 無錯號之虞 Mr James Scot t has a garage i n Sil bur y and now he has just bought anot her garage i n Pinhurst. Pi nhur st i s onl y f i ve m i les f rom Sil bur y, but