新视野大学英语视听说教程 2 Unit 7-12

V. Let’s Talk
Story of a Miser¹
There was a miser who loved money more than anything else. Just before he died, he said to his wife, “Now, listen. When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me.”
He made her promise with all her heart that when he dies, she would pit² all the money in the casket with him. Then he died. He was laid in the casket, his wife was sitting there wearing black, and her friend was sitting next to her.
When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got already to close the casket, the wife said, “Wait a minute!” She had a box with her. She came over with the box and put it in the casket.
Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it away. He friend said, “Girl, I know you weren’t fool enough to put all that money in there with your husband!”
She said, “Listen, I’m a Christian³. I can’t go back on my word. I promise him that I would put all the money in the casket with him.”
“You mean you really put that money in the casket with him!?”
“I surely⁴ did,” said the wife. “I wrote him a check.”
1. more than
2. money    casket
3. promise
4. in the casket
5. sitting    black
6. next to/beside
7. close
8. a box
9. away/off
10. foolish    all that money/the money
11. a Christian    on her word
12. put the money
13. a check

1 miser   

n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)

参考例句：

• The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。

2 pit   

n.深坑，核，矿井，陷阱，英国剧场正厅后排，凹陷疤痕；vt.使...有伤痕，去...的核，与...较量

参考例句：

• A sheep fell into a pit,and I helped it out.一只羊掉进坑里，我把它弄了出来。
• They dug a pit to bury the rubbish.他们挖了一个坑把垃圾埋掉。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 surely   

adv.确实地，无疑地；必定地，一定地

参考例句：

• It'should surely be possible for them to reach an agreement.想必他们可以达成协议。
• Surely we'll profit from your work.我们肯定会从你的工作中得到益处。