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College English Intensive Reading 1 (Unit 7)
Text
The 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 se-
lect the one which is most to your taste,and you are even allowed to sample
them before coming to a decision.
5 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,
10 though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember
him from last year and the 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. "
15 She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman Iimped up to the
counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great
inter-est.
"Why, that's the very gentleman I've been telling you about, " whis-
pered the shop girl. "Just watch him now. " And then turning to him:
20 "Would you like to sample them, sir? Here's a 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 breaking off occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn hand-
kerchief .
25 "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
30 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
35 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.
40 " Excuse me, " he said, with more dignity than I would have thought possible consider- ing his appearance, " I do not believe I have the pleasure of 45 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 50 pack me up this one here.I will take it with me."He pointed at one of the largest and most ex- pensive of the puddings.
The girl took down the
55 pudding from its stand and
started to make a parcel of it, while he pulled out a worn little black pock-
etbook 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 heard of the old man. Now he can never go there
to sample puddings any more.
New Words
author / n. the writer of a book, article, play, poem,etc.
作者
intention / n. purpose 目的，意图
sampler n . one wha 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
advantnge / 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 买得起;担负得起
elderly / a. near old age 上了年纪的
limp vi. walk with an uneven step 跛行
cownter / 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)太油腻而不易消化的
evident / a. plain and clear (to the eye or mind)明显的,
明白的
sincerely / ad. honestly 诚恳地
sincere a.
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,轮廓;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,螯
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
pocketbook / n. a wallet for money and personal papers皮夹
shilling / n. 先令
long vi. wish eamestly 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
Phrases & 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...的口味,
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 落魄,
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
mistake . . . for 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
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