早读英语精华本下册 Unit1

　　A Pair of Socks （I）一双袜子
One fine afternoon I was walking along Fifth Avenue, when I remembered that it was necessary to buy a pair of socks. Why I wished to buy only one pair is unimportant. I turned into the first sock shop that caught my eye, and a boy clerk who could not have been more than seventeen years old came forward. “What can I do for you, sir?” “I wish to buy a pair of socks.” His eyes glowed. There was a note of passion in his voice. “Did you know that you had come into the finest place in the world to buy socks?” I had not been aware of that, as my entrance had been accidental. “Come with me,” said the boy, ecstatically. I followed him to the rear of the shop, and he began to haul down from the shelves box after box, displaying their contents for my delectation.
“Hold on, lad, I am going to buy only one pair!” “I know that,” said he, “but I want you to see how marvelously beautiful these are. Aren’t they wonderful?” There was on his face an expression of solemn and holy rapture¹, as if he were revealing to me the mysteries of his religion. I became far more interested in him than in the socks. I looked at him in amazement². “My friend,” said I, “if you can keep this up, if this is not merely the enthusiasm that comes from novelty, from having a new job, if you can keep up this zeal³ and excitement day after day, in ten years you will own every sock in the United States.”
一个晴朗的下午，我沿第五大街而行，忽然想起需要买双袜子。我拐进看到的第一家袜店，一个不到17岁的少年售货员迎上来：“先生,我能为您效劳吗?” “我想买双短袜?” 他双眸满是热情,声音饱含激情:“您知道您来到了世界上最好的袜店吗?”我倒并未意识到这点,我不过是随便进来的? “随我来,”男孩欣喜若狂地说?我跟着他往里走?他开始从货架上拽下一个又一个盒子,向我展示里面的袜子,让我欣赏?
“停一停,孩子,我只买一双!”“我知道,”他说,“但我想让您瞧瞧这些袜子是多么漂亮，令人赞叹!难道它们不棒吗!”他的脸色庄严而虔诚,就像是在向我透露他的信仰中的奥秘似的。我对他远远超过了对袜子的兴趣?我吃惊地打量着他。“我的朋友,” 我说,“如果你能这样保持下去,如果这热情并不仅仅缘于新奇,缘于找到份新工作,如果你能日复一日地保持这种热心和激情,不出十年,全美的每一双袜子都将是从你手中卖出去的。”

1 rapture   

n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜

参考例句：

• His speech was received with rapture by his supporters.他的演说受到支持者们的热烈欢迎。
• In the midst of his rapture,he was interrupted by his father.他正欢天喜地，被他父亲打断了。

2 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

3 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。