大学英语精读第一册Unit Seven
导语:大学英语精读选材力求题材、体裁多样,下面YJBYS小编分享大学英语精读第一册Unit Seven的内容,欢迎学习!
TEXTThe author finds out that good intentions alone are not enough when his attempt to be kind to an old man leaves them both feeling worse than before.
The Sampler
In a certain store where they sell puddings, a number of these delicious things are laid out in a row during the Christmas season. Here you may select the one which is most to your taste, and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision.
I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of making a purchase, would take advantage of this privilege. One day I asked this question of the shop girl, and I learned it was indeed the case.
"Now there's one old gentleman, for instance," she told me, "he comes here almost every week and samples each one of the puddings, though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember him from last year before that, too. Well, let him come if he wants it, and welcome to it. And what's more, I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share. He looks as if he needed it all right, and I suppose they can afford it."
She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman limped up to the counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great interest.
"Why, that's the very gentleman I've been telling you about," whispered the shop girl." Just watch him now." And then turning to him:" Would you like to sample them, sir? Here's spoon for you to use."
The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly dressed, accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings, only braking off occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief.
"This is quite good."
"This is not bad either, but a little too heavy."
All the time it was quite evident that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings, and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store. Poor old chap! Probably he had come down in the world and this sampling was all that was left him from the time when he could afford to come and select his favorite pudding.
Amidst the crowd of happy, prosperous looking Christmas shoppers, the little black figure of the old man seemed pitiful and out of place, and in a burst of benevolence, I went up to him and said:
"Pardon me, sir, will you do me a favor? Let me purchase you one of these puddings. It would give me such pleasure."
He jumped back as if he had been stung, and the blood rushed into his wrinkled face.
"Excuse me," he said, with more dignity than I would have thought possible considering his appearance, "I do not believe I have the pleasure of knowing you. Undoubtedly you have mistaken me for someone else." And with a quick decision he turned to the shop girl and said in a loud voice, "Kindly pack me up this one here. I will take it with me." He pointed at one of the largest and most expensive of the puddings.
The girl took down the pudding from its stand and started to make a parcel of it, while he pulled out a worn little black pocketbook and began counting out shillings and pennies on to the counter. To save his "honour" he had been forced into a purchase which he could not possibly afford. How I longed for the power to unsay my tactless words! It was too late though, and I felt that the kindest thing I could do now would be walk away.
"You pay at the desk," the shop girl was telling him, but he did not seem to understand and kept trying to put the coins into her hand. And that was the last I saw or the old man. Now he can never go there to sample pudding any more.
NEW WORDSauthor
n. the writer of a book, article, play, poem, etc. 作者
intention
n. purpose 目的;意图
sampler
n. one who finds out the quality of sth. by testing a part of it 品尝家
pudding
n. 布丁(西餐中一种松软的甜点心)
delicious
a. tasting or smelling pleasant 美味的,可口的
select
vt. choose from a group 挑选
selection
n.
sample
vt. test a part of 品尝
purchase
n. buying
vt. buy
advantage
n. sth. useful or helpful 利益,好处;优点
privilege
n. special right given to a person 特权
instance
n. example, case 例子,实例
suspect
vt. feel doubt about; guess or suppose 怀疑;猜测
suspicion
n.
afford
vt. have the money for 担负得起
elderly
a. near old age 上了年纪
limp
n. walk with an uneven step 跛行
counter
n. 柜台
spoon
n. 调羹
eagerly
ad. with strong interest or impatient desire 热切地,急切地
occasionally
ad. now and then; at times 偶尔;间或
occasional
a.
heavy
a. (of food, etc.) too rich to digest easily (食物等)太油腻而不易消化
evident
a. plain and clear (to the eye or mind) 明显的,明白的
sincerely
ad. honestly 诚恳地
eventually
ad. in the end 终于,最终
positive
a. sure, certain 有把握的,确信的
cheat
vt. deceive 欺骗
chap
n. man; boy; fellow 男人;小伙子;家伙
amidst
prep. in the middle of; among 在...中间
crowd
n. 人群
prosperous
a. rich; successful 富裕的;成功的;昌盛的
prosperity
n.
figure
n. 外形,伦廓;体形
pitiful
a. making one feel pity 可怜的
benevolence
n. the desire to do good 仁慈
sting
vt. prick or hurt 刺,螫
wrinkle
v. (cause to) form into lines (使)起皱纹
dignity
n. calm and serious manner or style 尊严
appearance
n. that which can be seen; look 外表
pack
vt. put (things) into boxes, cases, etc. 把(东西)打包(或装箱)
stand
n. (货)架;(货摊)
worn
a. damaged by use or wear 破烂的,损坏的`
pocketbook
a. a wallet for money and personal papers 皮夹
shilling
n. 先令
long
vi. wish earnestly 渴望
unsay
vt. take back (sth. that has been said) 收回(说过的话)
tactless
a. 不策略的
coin
n. metal money 硬币
PHEASES & EXPRESSIONS
lay out
spread out 陈列
in a row
side by side in a neat line 成一长行
to one's taste
in a way that one likes 合...口味,中...的意
take advantage of
use (sth.) for one's own benefit 利用
for instance
for example
and what's more
also, and more importantly 而且,更重要的是
all right
certainly; beyond doubt 确实,无疑地
break off
pause 中止,中断
come down (in the world)
become poor; lose social position 落泊,潦倒;失势
out of place
improper (for one's surroundings) 不适当的;不相称的
do sb. a favo(u)r
do sth. kind to sb. 给某人以恩惠;帮某人忙
think wrongly that (sth. or sb.) is (sth. or sb. else) 把...错认为
pull out
take out 抽出,取出
count out
count (things) one by one 逐一数出
long for
wish very much for 渴望
-
【精华】我的大学英语作文集合六篇
在我们平凡的日常里,大家或多或少都会接触过作文吧,作文是经过人的思想考虑和语言组织,通过文字来表达一个主题意义的记叙方法。那么你有了解过作文吗?下面是小编帮大家整理的我的大学英语作文6篇,欢迎阅读,希望大家能够喜欢。我的'大学英语作文篇11.myjobisacolleg...
-
大学英语社团活动总结9篇
总结是指对某一阶段的工作、学习或思想中的经验或情况加以总结和概括的书面材料,他能够提升我们的书面表达能力,因此我们要做好归纳,写好总结。你所见过的总结应该是什么样的?以下是小编为大家收集的大学英语社团活动总结,供大家参考借鉴,希望可以帮助到有需要的朋友...
-
大学生英语求职信15篇
时间流逝得如此之快,前方等待着我们的将是新的工作机会和挑战,是时候好好地琢磨一下写求职信的事情了哦。一定要好好重视求职信喔!以下是小编帮大家整理的大学生英语求职信,欢迎阅读,希望大家能够喜欢。大学生英语求职信1____经理:您好!感谢您抽出宝贵时间来阅读我的...
-
大学英语自我介绍集合15篇
初到一个新的环境,时常要进行自我介绍,自我介绍是认识自我的手段。那么什么样的自我介绍才合适呢?以下是小编收集整理的大学英语自我介绍,欢迎大家借鉴与参考,希望对大家有所帮助。大学英语自我介绍1goodmorning,mynameisjack,itisreallyagreathonortohavethisoppor...
相关文章
- TV Receivers in Students Flats大学英语作文
- 初一英语Unit 12 My favorite subject is science 课后练习题答
- 八年级下册Unit 9 have you ever been to museum? 说课稿
- 21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册课文Unwritten Rules
- 英语阅读:Life is inevitable consequence of physics
- 英语阅读:African Union Leaders Talk Mali, Chinese Investmen
- 大学英语精读第二册Unit Nine课文详解
- 林版六年级英语下册《Unit 6 An interesting country》说课稿
- 大学生活(Life in the University)英语作文
- My Closest Friend in University我大学最好的朋友英语作文范文