【正文】 ently across the water. Lesson87 A perfect alibi 極好的不在犯罪現(xiàn)場的證據(jù) 39。At the time the murder was mitted, I was travelling on the o39。clock train to London,39。 said the man. 39。Do you always catch such an early train ?39。 asked the inspector. 39。Of course I do,39。 answered the man.39。 I must be at work at o39。clock. My employer will confirm that I was there on time.39。 39。 Would a later train get you to work on time ?39。 asked the inspector. 39。 I suppose it would, but I never catch a later train.39。 39。At what time did you arrive at the station ?39。 39。At ten to eight. I bought a paper and waited for the train.39。 39。And you didn39。t notice anything unusual ?39。 39。 Of course not.39。 39。I suggest,39。 said the inspector, 39。that you are not telling the truth. I suggest that you did not catch the o39。clock train, but that you caught the which would still get you to work on time. You see, on the morning of the murder, the o39。clock train did not run at all. It broke down at Ferngreen station and was taken off the line.39。 Lesson88 Trapped in a mine 困在礦井里 Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives. However, rescue operations are proving difficult. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have pleted the job in a few hours. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with the closest relatives. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart. Lesson89 A slip of the tongue 口誤 People will do anything to see a free showeven if it is a bad one. When the news got round that a variety show would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company, we all rushed to see it. We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have been several hundred people present just be fore the show began. Unfortunately, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen. Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed as many of the artistes who should have appeared did not e. The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at the beginning of the programme. He was obviously very nervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone burst out laughing. We all know what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was: 39。This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen !39。 lesson90 Whats for supper ？ 晚餐吃什么？ Though Brazil is one of the richest countries in the world, much of it has not yet been developed. It was mainly for this reason that the Brazilian government decided to have a new city built 600 miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro. Designed by the great architect Lucio Costa, the new city, Brasilia, replaced Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazif in 1960. Brasilia has been carefully planned for modern living. Its wide roads, which can take fourteen lanes of traffic, have been kept away from living areas. Children do not have to cross busy streets to go to school. Housewives can visitshopping centres on foot, for in these specially designed living areas, cars are unnecessary. At first, the government had great difficulty in persuading people to leave Rio and to settle in Brasilia. Since 1960, however, the population has been growing all the time. Brasilia has quickly established itself as the capital of the country. The idea to have the capital moved so far inland will have a great effect on the future of Brazil. Lesson91 Three men in a basket 三人同籃 A pilot noticed a balloon which seemed to be making for a Royal Air Force Station nearby. He informed the station at once, but no one there was able to explain the mystery. The officer in the control tower was very angry when he heard the news, because balloons can be a great danger to aircraft. He said that someone might by spying on the station and the pilot was ordered to keep track of the strange object. The pilot managed to circle the balloon for some time. He could make out three men in a basket under it and one of them was holding fieldglasses. When the balloon was over the station, the pilot saw one of the men taking photographs. Soon afterwards, the balloon began to descend and it landed near an airfield. The police were called in, but they could not arrest anyone, for the basket contained two Members of Parliament and the Commanding Officer of the station! As the Commanding Officer explained later, one half of the station did not know what the other half was doing ! Lesson92 Asking for trouble 自找麻煩 It must have been about two in the morning when I returned home. I tried to wake up my wife by ringing the doorbell, but she was fast asleep, so I got a ladder from the shed in the garden, put it against the wall, and began climbing towards the bedroom window. I was almost there when a sarcastic voice below said,39。 I don39。t think the windows need cleaning at this time of the night.39。 I looked down and nearly fell off the ladder when I saw a policeman. I immediately regretted answering in the way I did, but I said, 39。I enjoy cleaning windows at night.39。 39。So do I,39。 answered the policeman in the same tone. 39。Excuse my interrupting you. I hate to interrupt a man when he39。s busy working, but would you mind ing with me to the station ?39。 39。Well, I39。d prefer to stay here,39。 I said. 39。You see, I39。ve fotten my key.39。 39。Your what ?39。 he called. 39。My key,39。 I shouted.39。