新概念2.docx

1、新概念2No 1 A private conversation Last week I went to the theatre.I had a very good seat.The play was very interesting.I did not enjoy it.A young man and a young woman were sitting behind me.They were talking loudly.I got very angry.I could not hear the actors.I turned round.I looked at the man and th

2、e woman angrily.They did not pay any attention.In the end,I could not bear it.I turned round again.I cant hear a word!I said angrily.Its none of your business,the young man said rudely.This is a private conversation!No 2 Breakfast or lunch It was Sunday.I never get up early on Sundays.I sometimes st

3、ay in bed until lunch time.Last Sunday I got up very late.I looked out of the window.It was dark outside.What a day! I thought.Its raining again.Just then,the telephone rang.It was my aunt Lucy.Ive just arrived by train,she said.Im coming to see you.But Im still having breakfast,I said.What are you

4、doing?she asked. Im having breakfast,I repeated.Dear me,she said.Do you always get up so late? Its one oclock!No 3 Please send me a card Postcards always spoil my holidays.Last summer,I went to Italy.I visited museums and sat in public gardens.A friendly waiter taught me a few words ofItalian.Then h

5、e lent me a book.I read a few lines, but I did not understand a word.Every day I thought about postcards.My holidays passed quickly, but I did not send any cards to my friends. On the last day I made a big decision.I got up early and bought thirty seven cards.I spent the whole day in my room, but I

6、did not write a single card!No 4 An exciting trip I have just received a letter from my brother,Tim.He is in Australia.He has been there for six months.Tim is an engineer.He is working for a big firm and he has already visited a great number of different places in Australia. He has just bought an Au

7、stralian car and has gone to Alice Springs,a small town in the centre of Australia.He will soon visit Darwin.From there,he will fly to Perth. My brother has never been abroad before,so he is finding this trip very exciting.No 5 No wrong numbers Mr.James Scott has a garage in Silbury and now he has j

8、ust bought another garage in Pinhurst. Pinhurst is only five miles from Silbury, but Mr.Scott cannot get a telephone for his new garage, so he has just bought twelve pigeons.Yesterday,a pigeon carried the first message from Pinhurst to Silbury.The bird covered the distance in three minutes.Up to now

9、,Mr.Scott has sent a great many requests for spare parts and other urgent messages from one garage to the other.In this way,he has begun his own private telephone service.No 6 Percy Buttons I have just moved to a house in Bridge Street.Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door.He asked me for a meal and

10、 a glass of beer.In return for this,the beggar stood on his head and sang songs.I gave him a meal.He ate the food and drank the beer.Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away. Later a neighbor told me about him.Everybody knows him.His name is Percy Buttons.He calls at every house in

11、the street once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of beer.No 7 Too late The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning.They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamond from South Africa.A few hours earlier,someone had told the police that thieves would try to

12、steal the diamonds.When the plane arrived, some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on the airfield.Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it into the Customs House. While two detectives were keeping guard at the door,two others openedthe parc

13、el.To their surprise,the precious parcel was full of stones and sand!No 8 The best and the worst Joe Sanders has the most beautiful garden in our town.Nearly everybody enters for The Nicest Garden Competition each year,but Joe wins every time.Bill Friths garden is larger than Joes. Bill works harder

14、 than Joe and grows more flowers and vegetables,but Joes garden is more interesting.He has made neat paths and has built a wooden bridge over a pool.I like gardens too,but I do not like hard work.Every year I enter for the garden competition too,and I always win a little prize for the worst garden i

15、n the town!No 9 A cold welcome On Wednesday evening,we went to the Town Hall.It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock.It would strike twelve in twenty minutes time.Fifteen minutes passed and then,at five to twelve,the clock stopped.The big mi

16、nute hand did not move.We waited and waited,but nothing happened.Suddenly someone shouted,Its two minutes past twelve! The clock has stopped!I looked at my watch.It was true.The big clock refused to welcome the New Year.At that moment everybody began to laugh and sing.No 10 Not for jazz We have an o

17、ld musical instrument.It is called a clavichord.It was made in Germany in 1681.Our clavichord is kept in the living room.It has belonged to our family for a long time.The instrument was bought by my grandfather many years ago.Recently it was damaged by a visitor.She tried to play jazz on it!She stru

18、ck the keys too hard and two of the strings were broken. My father was shocked.Now we are not allowed to touch it.It is being repaired by a friend of my fathers.No 11 One good turn deserves another I was having dinner at a restaurant when Harry Steele came in.Tony worked in a lawyers office years ag

19、o,but he is now working at a bank.He gets a good salary,but he always borrows money from his friends and never pays it back.Tony saw me and came and sat at the same table.He has never borrowed money from me.While he was eating,I asked him to lend me twenty pounds.To my surprise,he gave me the money

20、immediately.I have never borrowed any money from you,Tpny said,so now you can pay for my dinner!No 12 Goodbye and good luck Our neighbor,Captain Charles Alison,will sail from Portsmouth tomorrow.We shall meet him at the harbour early in the morning.He will be in his small boat;Topsail.Tapsail is a f

21、amous little boat.It has sailed across the Atlantic many times.Captain Alison will set out at eight oclock so we shall have plenty of time.We shall see his boat and then we shall say goodbye to him. He will be away for two months.We are very proud of him.He will take part in an important race across

22、 the Atlantic.No 13 The Greenwood Boys The Greenwood Boys are a group of popular singers.At present,they are visiting all parts of the country.They will be arriving here tomorrow.They will be coming by train and most of the young people in the town will be meeting them at the station.Tomorrow evenin

23、g they will be singing at the Workers Club.The Greenwood Boys will be staying for five days.During this time,they will give five performances.As usual,the police will have a difficult time.They will be trying to keep order.It is always the same on these occasions.No 14 Do you speak English I had an

24、amusing experience last year.After I had left a small village in the south of France, I drove on to the next town.On the way,a young man waved to me.I stopped and he asked me for a lift.As soon as he had got into the car,I said good morning to him in French and he replied in the same language.Apart

25、from a few words,I do not know any French at all.Neither of us spoke during the journey.I had nearly reached the town,when the young man suddenly said,very slowly, Do you speak English?As I soon learnt,he was English himself! No 15 Good news The secretary told me that Mr.Harmsworth would see me.I fe

26、lt very nervous when.I went into his office.He did not look up from his desk when I entered. After I had sat down, he said that business was very bad.He told me that the firm could not afford to pay such large salaries. Twenty people had already left.I knew that my turn had come.Mr.Harmsworth,I said

27、 in a weak voice.Dont interrupt,he said.Then he smiled and told me I would receive an extra thousand pounds a year!No 16 A polite request If you park your car in the wrong place,a traffic policeman will soon find it.You will be very lucky if he lets you go without a ticket.However,this does not alwa

28、ys happen.Traffic police are sometimes very polite.During a holiday in Sweden,I found this note on my car:Sir,we welcome you to our city.This is a No Parking area.You will enjoy your stay here if you pay attention to our street signs.This note is only a reminder.If you receive a request like this, y

29、ou cannot fail to obey it!No 17 Always young My aunt Jennifer is an actress.She must be at least thirty five years old.In spite of this, she often appears on the stage as a young girl.Jennifer will have to take part in a new play soon.This time, she will be a girl of seventeen.In the play,she must a

30、ppear in a bright red dress and long black stockings.Last year in another play,she had to wear short socks and a bright,orange coloured dress.If anyone ever asked her how old she is,she always answers,My dear, it must be terrible to be grown up!No18 He often does this After I had had lunch at a vill

31、age inn,I looked for my bag.I had left it on a chair beside the door and now it wasnt there!As I was looking for it,the landlord came in.Did you have a good meal?he asked.Yes,thank you,I answered,but I cant pay the bill.I havent got my bag.The landlord smiled and immediately went out.In a few minute

32、s he returned with my bag and gave it back to me.Im very sorry,he said.My dog had taken it into the garden.He often does this.No19 Sold out The play may begin at any moment,I said.It may have begun already,Susan answered.I hurried to the ticket office.May I have two tickets pleaseI asked.Im sorry,we

33、ve sold out,the gir said.What a pity!Susan exclaimed.Just then,a man hurried to the ticket office.Can I return these two tickets?he asked.Certainly,the girl said.I went back to the ticket office at ance.Could I have those two tickets please?I asked.Certainly,the girl said,but they are for next Wednesdays performance.Do you still