The Miser

    A miser¹，to make sure the safety of his property，sold all that he had and converted it into a great lump of gold，which he hid in a hole under the ground，and went continually to visit and inspect it．This roused the curiosity of one of his workmen，who，suspecting that there was a treasure，went to the spot，and stole it away when his master's back was turned．When the miser returned and found the place empty，he wept andtore his hair But a neighbour who saw him in this extravagant² grief，and learned the cause of it，said，“Fret yourself no longer，just take a stone and put it in the same place，and think that it is your lump of gold；now that you never meant to use it，this one will do you as much good as the other．”
    The worth of money is not in its possession，but in its use．Exercises：
    判断对（T）、错（F）：
    ① A miser sold all his property and converted it into a great lump of gold．② He hid the gold in a hole under the ground，and no one knew that．③When the miser found the gold was stolen，he wept and stamped his feet．④ The neighbour thought the gold and the stone were the same for the miser for the sake of possession．回答下列问题：
    ① Where did the miser hide the gold？
    ② What does the fable³ tell us？

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 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

3 fable   

n.寓言；童话；神话

参考例句：

• The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
• He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。