A Lesson to Learn

Lesson 19

Text A

                                 A Lesson to Learn
    John was the only son of a wealthy American businessman. Usually he was taken to school by the chauffeur¹ in his father's beautiful car, before the chauffeur took John's father to his office. One evening his father told him that he had to go to the airport early the next day, so he would need the car at the time that John had to go to school. He said that John's mother, who possessed² another car, would still be in bed at the time he had to leave the house .
    "Well , how will I get to school if you need your car and Mummy is still in bed?" John asked. His father thought this was a good opportunity to teach him a lesson about how hard life was for the less fortunate people of the world , so he answered , "You'll go in the same way as every other child in the world goes-in a taxi. "

 

　
 

 

Text B

What's Going on Here?

　　PoLIcEMAN:   What's going on here?
MAN:   You mean, what's happening? Well, constable³, I'm trying to get out of the windowand Fred here is helping⁴ me.
PoLIcEMAN:   Why are you climbing through the window and not leaving by the front door?
MAN:   Well , you see I can't find the key and I'm in a hurry. Come on, Fied, We'rewasting time.
POLICEMAN:   Just a minute you two. I don't think you're telling me the truth. This isn't yourhouse, is it?
MAN:   No, it's my brother's. I'm staying with him for a while.
PoLIcEMAN:   Is he at home?
MAN:   I'm afraid not. He's in jail⁵ for house-breaking at the moment.　
 
Question on Text B

7. Read the following passage once. Underline⁶ the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner.

    Todd heard all the hammering behind the Marsey's house. He went to see what was going on. Jeff Marsey was making something from long pieces of wood.
    "What is it?" Todd asked.
    "A pair of stilts⁷," Jeff said.
    Todd knew that stilts could make you several feet taller. Jeff was putting blocks of wood on the stilts. These were for his feet to rest on. Once you got used to them, you could walk anywhere on stilts.
    "I'm also making a pair of long pants," Jeff said. "They'll come all the way down and cover the stilts. I'll look like a giant. "
    As the summer went on, Todd forgot all about the stilts.
    One night Todd was watching television. His cousin came running in the front door. He'd never seen her so excited.
    "You'd better call the police , " she said.
    "Why?" asked Todd.
    "I was walking home," she said. "I looked up and saw a -a giant. He was following me. He wore big baggy⁸ pants. He was very stiff⁹ and straight. Each step was a huge step. I'm going to call the police. "
    "Wait," said Todd. "It wasn't a giant. You'll be surprised when I tell you who it was!"

 
 

1 chauffeur   

n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车

参考例句：

• The chauffeur handed the old lady from the car.这个司机搀扶这个老太太下汽车。
• She went out herself and spoke to the chauffeur.她亲自走出去跟汽车司机说话。

2 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

3 constable   

n.(英国)警察，警官

参考例句：

• The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
• The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 jail   

n.监狱，看守所；vt.监禁，拘留

参考例句：

• The castle had been used as a jail.这城堡曾用作监狱。
• If she carries on shoplifting,she'll end up in jail.她如果还在店铺里偷东西，最终会被抓进监狱的。

6 underline   

n.下划线；加下划线；vt.在…下面划线；强调

参考例句：

• Underline all the sentences you do not know.在你不懂的所有句子下面划一条线。
• Please underline the noun clauses in the passage.请用线画出短文中的名词性从句。

7 stilts   

n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷

参考例句：

• a circus performer on stilts 马戏团里踩高跷的演员
• The bamboo huts here are all built on stilts. 这里的竹楼都是架空的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 baggy   

adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的

参考例句：

• My T-shirt went all baggy in the wash.我的T恤越洗越大了。
• Baggy pants are meant to be stylish,not offensive.松松垮垮的裤子意味着时髦，而不是无礼。

9 stiff   

adj.严厉的，激烈的，硬的，僵直的，不灵活的

参考例句：

• There is a sheet of stiff cardboard in the drawer.在那个抽屉里有块硬纸板。
• You have to push on the handle to turn it,becanse it's very stiff.手柄很不灵活，你必须用力推才能转动它。