英语口语教程（Oral Workshop）--初级 Lesson 40

 

Lesson 40 

                                             Text A 

                             Learn to Eat Like a Grown-up

MOTHER:   The table's laid. Come along, both of you, and let us begin. 

FATHER:   I'm ready, I feel quite hungry. 

CHRIS:   So am I, I could eat a horse. 

MOTHER:   Well, we haven't got a horse for you , but what we have got is quite nice. Sit there and see how well you can behave. Remember, you're getting quite a big boy and must learn to eat like a grown-up. 

CHRIS:   Does that mean that I can eat more? 

MOTHER:   We want you to make a good meal, though we don't want you to stuff¹ yourself. Your place has been laid just like ours. 

CHRIS:   What's this little plate for? 

MOTHER:   That's for your bread. Most people eat a little bread with their meat and vegetables. 

CHRIS:   Mother, aren't you going to cut my meat up for me any more? 

MOTHER:   No, I'm not. We have put a knife and fork for you and you must learn how to use them. Here is your meat,help yourself to vegetables from the dish. Don't take more than you can eat. 

CHRIS:   All right, Mother, may I take some mustard²? 

FATHER:   You may, but I don't think you'll like it. You'll find it hot. Now sit up properly, don't lean back and don't Iean too far forward. 

MOTHER:   And take your elbows off the table-cloth. 

FATHER:   And don't take too much on your fork. You shouldn't open your mouth wide at meals. 

MOTHER:   And don't make a noise when you are eating. 

CHRIS:   Good gracious³!I think it would be better if I took my plate away to the nursery⁴. I shan't be able to eat at all if I try to remember all those things. 

FATHER:   Stay where you are. You'll soon learn.(Chris begins to eat; he puts some vegetables into his mouth with his knife. ) 

MOTHER:   What are you doing? Don't you know that you must never put you knife into your mouth? 

CHRIS:   But why, Mummy? It's easier like that sometimes. 

FATHER:   You might cut your mouth. Do you want to make your mouth bigger than it  is? Use your fork. 

CHRIS:   No, I don't. But I might prick⁵ my tongue with the points of my fork. 

FATHER:   Well, you must learn not to. 

MOTHER:   There, leave the lad alone. He'll soon learn. Have you finished, dear? Lay your knife and fork on your plate. No, don't cross them. Put the handles towards you. 

FATHER:   Now, here come the sweets. Here's your plate. Use that spoon and fork, use your fork more than your spoon. 

CHRIS:   But why? Isn't it polite to use the spoon? 

MOTHER:   Of course it is, but most people use the fork more than the spoon. Use the spoon when you have to. 

CHRIS:   You mean for eating very soft stuff? 

MOTHER:   That's right. Why, you haven't drunk⁶ any water! (Chris drinks some water and puts his glass down on the left of his plate. ) 

FATHER:   Not there. On your right. 

CHRIS:  But why? 

FATHER:   Because it is nearer to your right hand. It's handier⁷ there. 

CHRIS:   All right, Dad. There seems to be a great deal to learn. Give me some more pudding, Mother. 

MoTHER:   "Give me" doesn't get, say, "Please may I have?" 

CHRIS:   Please may I have some more pudding? 

MoTHER:   Here you are. What's that I see? Dirty hands? See that you don't come to table with dirty hands again. 

FATHER:   And brush your hair next time you come. 

CHRIS:   I'll try to remember. But you mustn't expect me to learn everything at once. May I get down now? 

MoTHER:   Very well. Run along. 

                                             Text B 

                                 A Red Cross Nurse 

    Mary wanted to be a nurse when she left school , but in the meantime⁸, she joined the Red Cross and had some limited training.

    She was taught that, in case of an accident-and they were plentiful⁹ in her town-she should give first aid at once and then send for a doctor. 

    One day, there was an accident in a busy street, and when Mary arrived soon after, she saw a man bending over a woman who had been accidentally¹⁰ knocked down by a car and was lying motionless¹¹ in the street.

    Mary ran up, pushed the man away, informed the crowd that she was a Red Cross nurse and began to help the wounded woman. 

    After a few minutes, the man who had been bending over the woman when Mary arrived, touched her on the shoulder and said, "When you reach the part about sending for a doctor,don't worry. I'm here already. " 

                                Questions on Text B 

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

    We say that a person has good manners if he or she behaves politely and is kind and helpful to others. Everyone likes a person with good manners but no one likes a person with bad manners. "Yes," you may say, "but what are good manners? How does one know what to do and what not to do?" 

    Well, here are some examples of the things that a well-mannered person does or does not do.

    He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. Instead, he tries to help them. He is always kind, never cruel to people. When people are waiting for a bus, or in a post office, he takes his turn. He does not push to the front line of the queue. In the bus he gives his seat to an older person or a lady who is standing¹². If he accidentally bumps¹³ into someone, or gets in their way, he says "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry". 

    He says "Please" when he makes a request , and "Thank you" when he receives something. He stands up when he is speaking to a lady or an older person, he does not sit down until the other person is seated. He does not interrupt other people when they are talking. He does not talk too much himself. He does not talk loudly or laugh loudly in public. When he is eating he does not speak with his mouth full of food. He uses a handkerchief when he sneezes or coughs.

1 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

2 mustard   

n.芥子，芥末，深黄色，强烈的兴趣，热情的人

参考例句：

• This meat should be seasoned with salt and mustard.这肉里应该加点盐和芥末调味。
• This mustard is hot enough to bite your tongue.这种芥末很辣，你的舌头会吃不消的。

3 gracious   

adj.亲切的，客气的，宽厚的，仁慈的

参考例句：

• She was a very gracious lady.她是一位非常和蔼可亲的女士。
• She was gracious enough to show us round her home.她彬彬有礼地领我们参观了她的家。

4 nursery   

n.托儿所；苗圃

参考例句：

• They have decided to start up a nursery in the factory.他们已决定要在工厂里开办一个托儿所。
• Her company ran its own workplace nursery.她的公司开办了内部的托儿所。

5 prick   

v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛

参考例句：

• He felt a sharp prick when he stepped on an upturned nail.当他踩在一个尖朝上的钉子上时，他感到剧烈的疼痛。
• He burst the balloon with a prick of the pin.他用针一戳，气球就爆了。

6 drunk   

adj.醉酒的；(喻)陶醉的；n.酗酒者，醉汉

参考例句：

• People who drives when they are drunk should be heavily penalised.醉酒驾车的人应受重罚。
• She found him drunk when she came home at night.她晚上回家时，经常发现他醉醺醺的。

7 handier   

方便的( handy的比较级 )； 手边的； 附近的； 手巧的

参考例句：

• Charlemagne, another great ruler, found it handier to grip his sword with his left hand. 另一位伟大的统治者查理曼发现自己左手握剑比右手握剑更加灵便。
• The supermarket might be cheap but corner shop is handier. 超市或许价格便宜些，但小店买东西更方便。

8 meantime   

n.其时，其间；adv.同时，当时

参考例句：

• I continued working,meantime,he went out shopping.我继续工作，这期间他出去买东西。
• In the meantime we pressed on with the airlift.与此同时，我们加紧进行空运。

9 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

10 accidentally   

adv.偶然地；意外地

参考例句：

• Mary accidentally let out that her mother had telephoned.玛丽无意中说出她的母亲来过电话。
• As I turned around,I accidentally hit him in the face.我转身时不经意撞了他的脸。

11 motionless   

adj.一动不动的

参考例句：

• She stood absolutely motionless.她纹丝不动地站在那里。
• A silent movie doesn't mean it is motionless.无声电影并非没有动作。

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 bumps   

碰撞( bump的名词复数 )； 肿块； 轻微撞车事故； 隆起物

参考例句：

• I had goose bumps when we watched the fireworks. 我们看烟火的时候，我起鸡皮疙瘩。
• E was kind of zig-zagging across the pavement, and I bumps into 'im accidental-like. 他有点歪歪斜斜地在人行道上走，我一不小心撞到了他的怀里。 来自英汉文学