1Tom and His Mother
"Mother," said little Tom, "did you tell father I wanted a
new bicycle.'?"
"Yes, dear," said his mother. "I told him, but he said he
couldn't afford to buy you one."
"Of course he would say that. But what did you do?"
I told him how badly you wanted it and argued in favor of it,
but he refused.
"Argued? Ah, mother, if it had been something you wanted
you would have cried a little and then you' d have got it !"
湯姆和媽媽
“媽媽,”小湯姆說(shuō),“你告訴爸爸我想要一輛新自行車
了嗎?”
“是呀,親愛(ài)的,”媽媽說(shuō).“我告訴他了,可是他說(shuō)沒(méi)
錢給你買.”
“他當(dāng)然會(huì)那么說(shuō).可是你怎么做的呢?”
我告訴他你有多么想要,并且也站在你這邊據(jù)理力爭(zhēng)
了,可是他還是拒絕了.
“據(jù)理力爭(zhēng)?啊!媽媽,如果是你想要什么東西,你就
哭一會(huì)兒,然后你就得到了!”
2 Is There a Crib in Your Stomach
When my sister-in-law Leah was expecting her second child,
her son Brian would sometimes touch his mother' s tummy to feel
the baby move. One day, while touching her stomach and not
feeling anything, he asked, "How come the baby isn't moving?"
"The baby is sleeping," replied his mother.
Brian thought for a moment and then said, "You mean you
got a crib in there, too?"
你的肚子里有個(gè)小床嗎
我嫂子利亞準(zhǔn)備生第二個(gè)孩子的時(shí)候,她的兒子布萊
恩有時(shí)就會(huì)摸摸她的肚子,感覺(jué)一下胎兒的動(dòng)靜.一天,
他摸著媽媽的肚子,卻沒(méi)感覺(jué)到任何動(dòng)靜,他便問(wèn)道：“小
孩為什么不動(dòng)了?”
他媽媽回答道：“小孩睡著了.”
布萊恩想了一會(huì)兒,說(shuō)道：“你是說(shuō)你的肚子里有個(gè)小
床嗎?”
3 Mother and Son
One day Mother looked at Tom' s shoes and said, "Tom,
look at your shoes. How dirty they are! You must clean them."
"Oh, Mother, but I cleaned them only yesterday," said the boy.
"But they are dirty now. You must clean them again"
"I don' t want to clean them today; even if I Clean them to-
day, they will be dirty again tomorrow."
Tom' s mother thought for a moment and said, "All right,
don' t clean them then."
In the evening Tom came back from school. He was very
hungry.
"Mother, give me something to eat, please," he said
"You had your breakfast in the morning, Tom, and you had
your lunch at school," his mother said, smiling.
"I' m hungry again now," cried the boy.
"Oh, really.'? But even if I give you something to eat today,
you will be hungry again tomorrow."
母親和兒子
一天,媽媽看了湯姆的鞋子說(shuō)道：“湯姆,看看你的鞋
子.真臟啊!你得洗洗了.”
“哦,媽媽,可我昨天剛洗的啊!”湯姆說(shuō).
“可是,現(xiàn)在又臟了啊.你要再洗洗.”
“今天我不想洗；就算今天我洗了,明天還是會(huì)臟的.”
湯姆的媽媽想了一會(huì)兒,說(shuō)：“好吧,那就不要洗了.”
晚上,湯姆放學(xué)回來(lái).他餓極了.
“媽媽,請(qǐng)給我些吃的吧.”他說(shuō).
“湯姆,你早上吃了早飯,中午又在學(xué)校吃了午餐.”
他媽媽笑著說(shuō).
“我現(xiàn)在又餓了啊.”湯姆叫著.
“哦?真的?可是就算我今天給你吃了東西,明天你也
會(huì)又餓的.”
4Quick Service
A man took a pair of shoes to a shoe repair shop and said to the shoemaker, "I'd like you to repair these shoes for me, please."
"Certainly, sir," the shoemaker said.
"When will they be ready?" the man asked.
"I'm a bit busy, but they'll be ready for you on Thursday." he said.
That's fine," the man said, and left the shop.
The next morning he received a letter, offering him a job in another country. Within 24 hours he was on an airplane to his new job.
Twenty years passed and he returned to his hometown.
He remembered his shoes.
"They were a good pair of shoes," he thought. "I wonder if the shoemaker is still there and still has them. I'll go and see.He was pleased to see that the shoemaker was still in the same shop ,although he was an old man by now.
"Good morning," he said to him. "Twenty years ago, I brought in a pair of shoes to be repaired. Do you think you've still got them?"
"Name?" the old shoemaker asked.
"Smith," the man said.
"I'll go and see. They may be out back.
The shoemaker went out to the back of his shop -and a few minutes later returned ,carrying the pair of shoes.
"Here we are," he said. "One pair of brown shoes to be repaired. I'm a bit busy now, but they'll probably be ready on Thursday."
快速服務(wù)
一個(gè)人把一雙鞋子拿到一家鞋店,并對(duì)修鞋匠說(shuō),“請(qǐng)幫我修這雙鞋子.”
“當(dāng)然可以,先生,”鞋匠說(shuō).
“什么時(shí)候能修好?”那個(gè)人問(wèn).
“我有點(diǎn)忙,但到星期四我會(huì)修好鞋子的.”他說(shuō).
“很好,”那人說(shuō),并離開(kāi)了那家店.
第二天早上,他收到一封信,提供他一份在國(guó)外的工作.24小時(shí)內(nèi),他登上飛機(jī)去接受那份新工作.
二十年過(guò)去了,他回到了故鄉(xiāng).
他記起了那雙鞋.
“那是一雙好鞋,”他想,“我想知道鞋匠是否還在那兒,是否還有那雙鞋.我要去看看.”
他很高興看到鞋匠還在那家店里,雖然他已很老了.
“早上好,”他對(duì)鞋匠說(shuō),“二十年前,我拿了一雙鞋子來(lái)修.你記得還有那雙鞋嗎?”
“名字?”老鞋匠問(wèn).
“史密斯,”那人回答.
“我去瞧瞧,或許在后面呢.”
鞋匠回到店的后面去,幾分鐘后又回來(lái)了,手里提著那雙鞋子,“在這呢,”他說(shuō),“一雙棕色的鞋子要修.我有點(diǎn)忙,但可以到星期四把鞋子修好.”
5 A Short Holiday
Alan worked in an office in the city. He worked very hard and really looked forward to his holidays.
He usually went to the seaside, but one year he saw an ad in a newspaper "Enjoy country life. Spend a few weeks at Willow Farm. Good food, fresh air, horse riding, walking, fishing. Reasonable prices ."
" This sounds like a good idea." he thought, " I' 11 spend a month at Willow Farm. I'll enjoy horse riding, walking and fishing. They'll make a change from sitting by the seaside.
Four days later he returned home.
"What' s wrong with Willow Farm ?" his friend asked him. " Didn't you enjoy country life ?"
"Country life was fine," Alan said." But there was another problem.
"Oh, what?"
Well, the first day I was there a sheep died, and we had roast lamb for dinner.
Fresh meat is the best."I know, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner. "
"Lucky you!"
"You don't understand," Alan said." On the third day a pig died and we had roast pork for dinner."
" A different roast every day." Jack exclaimed.
"Let me finish," Alan said." On the fourth day the farmer died and I didn't dare stay for dinner!"
短期假日
亞倫在一個(gè)城市的公司工作.他十分努力地工作,期望著休假.
以前休假,他經(jīng)常去海邊.但有一年,他看到報(bào)紙上有一則廣告：“領(lǐng)略鄉(xiāng)村生活.在唯利屋農(nóng)場(chǎng)度假數(shù)周,可享受：美味佳肴、新鮮空氣、騎馬、散步、垂釣.價(jià)格合理.”
“這到是個(gè)好主意,”他想,“我要在唯利屋過(guò)上一個(gè)月,去享受騎馬的樂(lè)趣,還要去散步、釣魚(yú).這肯定與坐在海邊不同.”
四天后,他回來(lái)了.
“唯利屋發(fā)生什么事了?”他的朋友問(wèn)他,“你不喜歡那里的鄉(xiāng)村生活嗎?”
“鄉(xiāng)村生活是很好,”亞倫說(shuō),“但是有一個(gè)問(wèn)題.”
“什么?”
“第一天,一只羊死了.我們的飯是烤羊肉.”
“新鮮肉最好.”
“我知道,但是第二天,一只牛死了.于是我們吃的是烤牛肉.”
“你真是幸運(yùn).”
“你不知道,”亞倫說(shuō),“第三天,一頭豬死了.我們就吃烤豬肉.”
“每天吃不同的燒烤.”
“讓我說(shuō)完,”亞倫說(shuō),“第四天,農(nóng)場(chǎng)主死了.我不敢呆在那里吃飯了.”
6 A Woman's answer
A husband said to his wife, " Why did God create women to be beautiful but foolish?"
"Well," his wife answered at once." The reason is very simple. God made us beautiful so men would love us; God made us foolish so we would marry them."
婦女的回答
一位丈夫?qū)λ钠拮诱f(shuō)：“為什么上帝把婦女創(chuàng)造得如此美麗卻又愚蠢呢?”
“噢,”他的妻子立刻回答道,“原因很簡(jiǎn)單.上帝使我們?nèi)绱嗣利?男人才會(huì)愛(ài)我們.上帝使我們?nèi)绱擞薮?我們才會(huì)嫁給他們.”
7 The Beat Salesman in the World
Harry saw an ad in a window. It said: "Wanted. The Best Sales- man in the World. Top Pay."
" I' m a great salesman." Harry told himself." I can sell anything. I'll go in and ask for that job."
He went into the building and spoke to the manager.
"I'm the best salesman in the world," he said. "Give me the job. "
"You must prove you're the best," the manager said.
"I'll pass every test you give me." Harry told him.
"Good."
The manager took a box of candy out of his desk .
"Last week, I bought a thousand boxes of this candy. If you can sell them all before the end of the week, you can have the job.
"That's easy," Harry said.
He took the box of candy and left the office.
Every day and all day, he went from shop to shop, trying to sell boxes of the candy .
He couldn't sell one.
The candy was so bad he couldn't even give it away.
At the end of the week he went back to the manager.
"I'm sorry, sir, " he said," I was wrong about myself . I'm not the best salesman in the world, but I know who is.
"Oh," said the manager. "Who?"
"The person who sold you a thousand boxes of this candy, " Harry said.
世界上最好的售貨員
哈里在櫥窗上看到一則廣告.上面寫(xiě)著：“招聘世界上最好的售貨員,報(bào)酬優(yōu)厚.”
“我是一名了不起的售貨員,”哈里自言自語(yǔ),“任何東西我都能賣出去,我要進(jìn)去應(yīng)聘這份工作.”
他走進(jìn)大樓去和經(jīng)理說(shuō)這件事.
“我是世界上最好的售貨員,”他說(shuō),“把這件工作給我吧.”
“你必須證明你是最好的,”經(jīng)理說(shuō).
“我會(huì)通過(guò)你給我的每一次考驗(yàn)的.”哈里告訴他.
“好.”
經(jīng)理從桌子里取出一箱糖果.
“我上星期買了一千箱這種糖果.如果你能在周末之前把這些全賣出去,你就能得到這份工作.”
“這很簡(jiǎn)單.”哈里說(shuō).
他拿著這箱糖果離開(kāi)了辦公室.
每天從早到晚,他從這家店走到那家店,竭力想賣出一千箱糖果.
結(jié)果他一箱也沒(méi)賣出去.
糖果質(zhì)量太差,以至于送人都沒(méi)人要.
周末他回去見(jiàn)經(jīng)理.
“很抱歉,先生,”他說(shuō),“我搞錯(cuò)了.我不是世界上最好的售貨員,但我知道誰(shuí)是最好的.”
“哦,”經(jīng)理問(wèn),“是誰(shuí)?”
“是把這一千箱糖果賣給你的人,”哈里說(shuō).
8 A Boy with a Big Head
A boy cried to his mother, "All the children make fun of me. They say I have a big head."
"Don't listen to them," his mother said, "You have a beautiful head. Now stop crying and go to the store to buy twenty pounds of patotoes."
"Where is the shopping bag?"
"I haven't got one-use your hat
大頭娃娃
一個(gè)小男孩向他母親哭訴道：“他們都取笑我,說(shuō)我腦袋大.” “別聽(tīng)他們的,”他母親安慰道,“你有一個(gè)很漂亮的腦袋.好啦,別哭了,去商店買十斤土豆來(lái).”
“購(gòu)物袋在哪兒?”
“沒(méi)購(gòu)物袋了——就用你的帽子吧.”
9 The Choice of Word
One day, John was back home after work. He found that his wife was shaking their daughter who was only half a year old. She said "Da-Dy" to the baby many times. John felt very happy because he thought his wife chose the word "Dady" to teach their baby.
During one night several weeks later, John and his wife were waken up by the cry "Dady". His wife said to him, "Darling, she is calling you." Then she turned to sleep.
選 詞
一天下班回家,約翰發(fā)現(xiàn)妻子在搖半歲的女兒,嘴里反復(fù)念道：“爸-爸.”約翰心里感到美滋滋的,他的妻子選擇了“爸爸”這個(gè)詞首先教孩子.
幾周后的一天夜里,約翰和妻子被一陣哭聲驚醒了,“爸-爸!”“她在叫你,親愛(ài)的.”妻子說(shuō),然后翻身竟自睡了.
10 I,You and she
Peter was a clever boy. On his first day at school, he learned three words: 1, You and She. The teacher taught him how to make sentences with those words. The teacher said," I, I am your teacher; （then pointing to a girl） She, She is your classmate; You, You are my student.
When Peter went home, his father asked him what he had learned at school. Peter said at once, " I, I am your teacher; （then pointing to his mother） She, She is your classmate; You, You are my student His father got angry and said, "I, I am your father; （then pointing to his wife） She, She is your mother; You, You are my son.
The next morning at school, the teacher asked Peter if he had learned the three words by heart. "Yes," he said proudly, "I, I am your father; （then pointing to a girl） She, She is your mother; You, You are my son."
我,你,她
彼得是個(gè)聰明的孩子.在學(xué)校的第一天,他學(xué)了三個(gè)詞：我,你,她.老師教他如何用這三個(gè)詞造句子.老師說(shuō)：“我,我是你的老師；（然后指著一個(gè)女孩）她,她是你的同學(xué)；你,你是我的學(xué)生.”
彼得回到家里,爸爸問(wèn)他學(xué)了什么.彼得馬上說(shuō)：“我,我是你的老師；（然后指著他的媽媽）她,她是你的同學(xué)；你,你是我的學(xué)生.”他的爸爸聽(tīng)了非常生氣,說(shuō)：“我,我是你的爸爸；（然后指著他的妻子）她,她是你的媽媽；你,你是我的兒子.”
第二天,老師問(wèn)彼得是否用心學(xué)那三個(gè)詞了.“是的,”彼得自豪地說(shuō),“我,我是你的爸爸；（然后指著一個(gè)女孩）她,她是你的媽媽；你,你是我的兒子.”