英语口语教程（Oral Workshop）--初级 Lesson 22

 

Lesson 22 

                                           Text A 

                                If I Don't Do Anything Else

    Yesterday morning Paul said to himself. "I've got to write that economics¹ paper today. If I don't do anything else, I've got to write that paper. "

    He sat down at his desk and put a sheet. of paper into his typewriter. He looked out of the window, ate a piece of candy, got up to get a drink of water, brushed his teeth, and sat down at his desk again. 

    "I haven't written my family since Thanksgiving," he said to himself. "I'll write them a letter first. "

    Paul wrote his family a long letter. "My typewriter needs a new ribbon. I've got to change this ribbon before I write my

economics paper." 

    The ink from the typewriter ribbon got his hands very dirty, so he washed them and washed them. While he was washing his hands, he noticed that his fingernails were much too long. He cut them very carefully and then went back to his desk. He put a sheet of paper into his typewriter . looked out of the window, and looked at his watch. It was noon.

    "I'll get some lunch now,".he said to himself. "After lunch I'll write that paper, if I don't do anything else. " 

                                              Text B 

                                         I'll Find My Way 

    The day of Uncle George's arrival is here. Everything is ready, but Uncle George and his family haven't arrived. Uncle George can't find his way to the Miller² home. Mrs Miller gives him specific directions on the telephone. 

MRS MILLER:   Please answer the telephone, Mary. 

MARY:   Hello. Uncle George? Where are you? Wait a minute, please. I'll call Mother. Mother,it's Uncle George. 

MRS MILLER:   George, dear. Where are you? At the corner of Pine and State 5treet? Wait there. Michael can come and get you. 

UNCLE GEORGE:   No. It's not necessary. We drove the car. Give me the directions. I'll find my way. 

MRS MILLER:   Go north on State Street to Main Street. There's a large statue there. Turn left. Continue to Grove³ Avenue. Turn right. Continue on Grove Avenue to Seventh  Street.Turn left. We're in the middle of the block. Can you repeat the directions, George? 

UNCLE GEORGE:   I think so. I have to go north on State Street to Main Street. I turn left to Grove Avenue. I continue on Grove Avenue. I turn right. I continue on Grove Avenue to Seventh Street. I turn left and go to the middle of the block. 

MRs MILLER:   That's it. I'll see you soon, George. Mary, is the table set? 

MARY:   Yes, Mother. Come and look. 

MRs MILLER:   It looks very pretty. Thank you, Mary. 

                              Questions on Text B 

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

                                A Break in the Routine⁴

    Jonathan Rivers lived alone in a neat, two-storey, semi-detached house in Compton Street. Like many bachelors approaching middle age, be was getting rather set in his ways. He caught the same train to London every morning, ate his lunch in the same crowded restaurant near the office where he worked and always came home on the 6. 00 train. People were so used to seeing Jonathan set off at a quarter past eight, dressed in a simple dark suit, wearing a black bowler⁵ hat and carrying a rolled umbrella on his arm, that they said you didn't need to wear a watch if you lived in Compton Street. 

    Ever since Jonathan had set up house in Compton Street, he had looked after it very carefully. He worked hard in the garden every Sunday and set out to impress the neighbours with his flower beds and lawn⁶. Before he left the house in the mornings, he carefully closed all the doors downstairs, opened some windows to let the air in and locked the front door. Everything Jonathan did was tidy and systematic⁷. 

    One summer evening Jonathan returned home as usual at five minutes to seven precisely⁸.When he opened the front gate he immediately noticed something strange. There was a heavy footprint in the earth in one of the flower beds. Jonathan was just going to blame the milkman or the postman when he noticed that one of the white lace⁹ curtains in the front room downstairs was out of place. Jonathan never left anything out of place. 

    He walked up to the front door and opened it quietly. He listened carefully for a few moments but could hear nothing. The front-room door was half-open. Jonathan studied it thoughtfully¹⁰, wondering if he had forgotten to close it that morning. He had never forgotten before. He stepped silently across the hall to the door and looked inside the room. The shadow of a man was clearly reflected on the far wall in the evening sunlight. He had obviously¹¹ been standing¹² behind the door since Jonathan's return. ]onathan grabbed¹³ the door-handle, slanmed the door and turned the key. Then he calmly picked up the telephone in the hall and set about calling the police. 

    The burglar¹⁴, a tall, thick-set, bearded fellow, tried to climb through a window to get out but Jonathan had expected that. He set about him with his umbrella, using it like a swoid. Three minutes later the police arrived on the scene. Jonathan was a little annoyed that he had to have dinner later than usual but on the whole he felt quite pleased with himself. 

1 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

2 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

3 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

4 routine   

n.例行公事，惯例；adj.例行的，常规的

参考例句：

• It is everyday routine.这是每天的例行公事。
• She found the hospital routine slightly dull.她感到医院的工作有点枯燥乏味。

5 bowler   

n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手

参考例句：

• The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。
• The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。

6 lawn   

n.草地，草坪，上等细麻布

参考例句：

• The lawn was crawling with ants.草坪上爬满了蚂蚁。
• They are lying on a grassy lawn.他们躺在绿草如茵的草坪上。

7 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

8 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

9 lace   

n.饰带，花边，缎带；v.结带子，饰以花边

参考例句：

• She let a piece of lace into her dress.她在衣服上镶了一块花边。
• The bride is wearing a wedding dress made of lace.新娘穿一件蕾丝婚纱。

10 thoughtfully   

ad.考虑周到地

参考例句：

• She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. 她若有所思地抚摩着下巴。
• The man pulled thoughtfully at his pipe before commenting on our proposal. 那人若有所思地吸了口烟，然后就我们的建议发表自己的见解。

11 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

12 standing   

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。

13 grabbed   

v.抢先，抢占( grab的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指匆忙地）取；攫取；（尤指自私、贪婪地）捞取

参考例句：

• He was grabbed by two men and frogmarched out of the hall. 他被两个男人紧抓双臂押出大厅。
• She grabbed the child's hand and ran. 她抓住孩子的手就跑。

14 burglar   

n.窃贼，破门盗窃者

参考例句：

• The policeman took the burglar by surprise as he opened the window.当夜盗开窗时，警察冷不防地捉住了他。
• The man glanced the burglar climbing out of the window.那人瞥见小偷从窗户爬出来。