王强口语 第一册 long conversation 21.2

　　B:
Henry: In America, they live by the appointment book. When you walk into an office, the first question they ask you is, "Do you have an appointment?" If you say no they tell you, "I'm sorry, Mr. So-and-so can't see anyone without an appointment."
Jennifer: You're pulling my leg. How could that be? If I go there and wait, won't they have to see me?
Henry: I'm not exaggerating. I just arrived in the United States two weeks ago. I went to an employment agency one hot day. I was dying for a job at that point. I wanted to start working as soon as possible. You know, I was living with my friend from China and I felt that I was imposing¹ on him.
Jennifer: What happened then?
Henry: I arrived at the agency at 9: 30 and an agent came out and asked me if I had an appointment. I looked around the spacious² office and told him that I didn't but I saw that there were very few people waiting there. I was pretty sure that his superior could see me.
Jennifer: Did he see you?
Henry: Nope. The agent said sorry to me and told me that the agency works by appointment only. He told me to leave my resume, fill out an application blank, and make an appointment. I didn't have a resume with me, but I was able to get an appointment in four days.
Jennifer: That wasn't too bad.
Henry: But I felt kind of frustrated³. Had I traveled all the way to the agency for nothing? I went back in and explained to the agent that it was important for me to see his boss. I was prepared to wait until six o'clock if necessary in order to see him.
Jennifer: Did it work?
Henry: Did it work? The agent sounded like a broken record. He continued to repeat, "This agency works by appointment only, by appointment only..."
Jennifer: What a waste of time!
Henry: After dinner that night, I dropped in on my American friend Allen. He told me again why sometimes in America you cannot just drop in. All of a sudden I realized that in America people don't live from day to day---they live from appointment to appointment!
Exercise: Turn either the first or the second mini-dialogue into ONE descriptive narrative⁴. Use only indirect speech.

1 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

2 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

3 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。