英语 英语 日语 日语 韩语 韩语 法语 法语 德语 德语 西班牙语 西班牙语 意大利语 意大利语 阿拉伯语 阿拉伯语 葡萄牙语 葡萄牙语 越南语 越南语 俄语 俄语 芬兰语 芬兰语 泰语 泰语 泰语 丹麦语 泰语 对外汉语

英语口语教程(Oral Workshop)--初级 Lesson 35

时间:2013-01-16 08:08来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
特别声明:本栏目内容均从网络收集或者网友提供,供仅参考试用,我们无法保证内容完整和正确。如果资料损害了您的权益,请与站长联系,我们将及时删除并致以歉意。
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

 

Lesson 35 

                                            Text A 

                                  A Proud Linguist1

    Once upon a time there was an Austrian emperor who made it a rule to interview every one of his soldiers once a year. During the interviews he invariably asked three questions- "How old are'you?", "How long have you been in my army?" and "Are you satisfied with your pay and the food you get?" -in that order. 

    One year, the day before the imperial interviews, a Frenchman got himself enlisted2 in the Austrian army. Since he knew no German he was on tenterhooks3. Now there was an old soldier in his unit who knew a little French and was anxious to help. In fact he knew just about enough French to be able to teach his young friend the shortest possible answers, in the proper order , to the imperial questions. 

    The day arrived with all the sound and colour that befitted it. The Emperor in all his splendour was seated on the throne, his entourage attending respectfully in. the background. The soldiers filed past him, each taking barely half a minute during which time the questions were asked and the answers reverently5 provided. 

    When the Frenchman's turn came, far from being nerous he was sure of himself, havi.ng recited the answers, in the proper order, he did not know how many times. The Emperor looked at him long and hard and suddenly took it into his head that he had seen the young man somewhere before. He began, a little out of the usual order, with the second question:

    "How long have you been in my army?"

    "Twenty-one years , " replied the Frenchman , not without some pride in his ability to learn a foreign language so quickly and so well.

    The monarch6 was surprised, for the young man did not look very much older than that , but he went on to ask:

    "Then how old are you?"

    "One day," came the answer.

    That was too much for the Emperor, who sat back and muttered .

    "Well , well. That beats me. It seems either you're mad or I am. "

    Positive that that was the last of the imperial questions, the proud linguist stepped forward and with a smile said:

    "Both, your majesty7. " 

                                            Text B 

                              What Am I Going to Do? 

    Mr Davidson is standing8 outside his house. He has forgotten to bring his key with him. Henry Black and John Field walk past and they say "Hello" to Mr Davidson. MR DAvIDSON:   Hello, boys. Can you help me? I've forgotten my key and I can't get in. 

JOHN AND HENRY:   We'll try our best , Mr Davidson. 

MR DAVIDSON:   You're both taller than me, aren't you? 

JOHN:   Yes , I'm over five foot ten. I'm the tallest of the three of us. 

HENRY:   But I'm almost as tall as John. 

MR DAVIDSON:   Can you climb on John's shoulders and reach that window? 

HENRY:   All right. (He climbs on John's shoulders. ) What shall I do now? 

MR DAVIDSON:   Open the window, please, and climb through it into the house. 

HENRY:   Oh dear , I can't move it . It's fastened in side. 

MR DAVIDSON:   Can you break the window? 

JOHN:   Look ! There's a policeman ! He's coming towards us. 

                                  Question on Text B 

7. Read the following passage once. Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner. 

                                 Adventure at Midnight

    Long ago there 1 ived two brothers who were very poor. They lived in tiny huts at opposite sides of their large wheat field. At the end of each summer, when harvest time came, the brothers divided the grain they had grown into two equal parts. Some of it they took to be milled into flour, from which they baked bread. The rest was sold for money, with which they bought shoes, clothing, and tools.

    Although they toiled9 from sunup to sundown, six days a week, they hardly had enough to eat. In spite of this, they were happy because of their great love for one another. 

    But one year, Sirnon, the younger brother. felt a great sadness.

His wife said, "Tell me what is making you so blue? You no longer sing while you work, and the twinkle is gone from your eye. " 

    "You are right , dear wife. I am worried about my older brother , Ruben. He is alone in the world, with neither wife nor children. Who will care for him when he gets old and can no longer work? If only he had some money to save for his old age! It isn't fair that we share the harvest equally. But he is proud and will not accept gifts from me. What shall I do?"

    "Would you take food from your own children? " She asked in astonishment10. "There is nothing you can do, "'she said. "So forget it. " 

    Simon knew that his wife was right , but he was determined11 to help Ruben, come what might.

Meanwhile, Ruben was sitting under a tree, thinking deeply. When he noticed a bird on the way to its winter home, he said, that bird and I are fortunate because we are free. Neither of us has a wife and children always needing to be fed. But my poor brother, Simon, is burdened with a family. 

    "Itisn't fair that we share the harvest equally. Surely he deserves more than I! But he is very proud and will not accept gifts from me. What can I do? In several days we'll take our harvest to town. If I don't think of a plan soon, it will be too late. "

    That night. when the moon was high in the sky, Ruben went quietly to his barn where he filled a sack with wheat'?and put in on his shoulder. Then he crossed the empty field to his brother's hut and secretly placed his wheat with Simon's.

    "Ah." he said when he had finished, "this is better. Now my dear younger brother will have more than I. " 

    Ruben went happily back to his hut and slept soundly for the first time in wceks.

    An hour later, Simon woke up with a start. He had dreamed of a marvelous plan. He crept out of bed, got dressed, and went to his barn. Filling a sack with wheat., walking across the field to Ruben's hut, and placing it there took very little time. Before long, he was back in bed, pulling up the covers.

    "Now I can sleep peacefully," he thought, "because Ruben will have a little extra to save for his old age. " 

    The next morning Ruhen and Simon were amazed. How could this be? 'hheir piles were equal, yet each knew he had secretly given wheat to his brother. Something must have gone wrong.

    So that night Ruben waited until midnight, when he again took Simon some of his grain. "There! Now I am fully4 awake and I'm sure I put it on his pile. Tomorrow mine will be smaller and his larger, as it should be. " 

    A short time later, Simon did the same. He, too, was sure that all would be well this time.

    But when day dawned, each brother saw that his share was exactly half the harvest. Ruben and Simon were desperate. Tomorrow they were to go to town to sell their grain. Tonight was their last chance. 

    Midnight came again. But this time Ruben and Simon chose the same moment to carry out their mission of brotherly love. Each placed a sack of wheat on his shoulders and began to walk across the field. Halfway12 across they met.

    "Ruben! What are you doing out so late at night?" cried Simon in dismay. He tried to hide his sack.

    Startled, Ruben dropped his bundle. Then he saw Simon's sack and they both began to laugh. When they finished laughing, they hugged each other tightly. Their hearts were full of love for each other and they were content.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 linguist K02xo     
n.语言学家;精通数种外国语言者
参考例句:
  • I used to be a linguist till I become a writer.过去我是个语言学家,后来成了作家。
  • Professor Cui has a high reputation as a linguist.崔教授作为语言学家名声很高。
2 enlisted 2d04964099d0ec430db1d422c56be9e2     
adj.应募入伍的v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 );获得(帮助或支持)
参考例句:
  • enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
  • He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
3 tenterhooks tenterhooks     
n.坐立不安
参考例句:
  • The students are on tenterhooks to hear the result of the examination.学生们烦躁不安地听考试结果。
  • The mother was on tenterhooks until her little Laura came back.当小珞拉回来后,她母亲才放下心来。
4 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
5 reverently FjPzwr     
adv.虔诚地
参考例句:
  • He gazed reverently at the handiwork. 他满怀敬意地凝视着这件手工艺品。
  • Pork gazed at it reverently and slowly delight spread over his face. 波克怀着愉快的心情看着这只表,脸上慢慢显出十分崇敬的神色。
6 monarch l6lzj     
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者
参考例句:
  • The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
  • I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。
7 majesty MAExL     
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权
参考例句:
  • The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
  • Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下,您必须赶快做出决定!
8 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
9 toiled 599622ddec16892278f7d146935604a3     
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉
参考例句:
  • They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
  • He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。
10 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
11 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
12 halfway Xrvzdq     
adj.中途的,不彻底的,部分的;adv.半路地,在中途,在半途
参考例句:
  • We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路,天就黑了。
  • In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上,最忌讳的是有始无终。
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎点击提交分享给大家。
------分隔线----------------------------
TAG标签:   英语口语  初级
顶一下
(0)
0%
踩一下
(0)
0%
最新评论 查看所有评论
发表评论 查看所有评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:
听力搜索
推荐频道
论坛新贴