When I was young, my parents ran a snack bar in our small town.
One evening in early April, my mother told me to fill in at the snack bar 1 a worker who had the flu. I told her I would mess it up, 2 I had never worked at the bar before. I 3 that instead of making money, I would end up owing it.
“You can do it,” said my mother, “ 4 , you won’t get much business until lunch.”
“But I’ll never remember the orders, and I’m no good 5 money. Please, Mom, don’t 6 me.
“Then I’ll help you,” she said.
I shrugged my shoulders. I thought my mother’s 7 was a bad one, but I 8 .
When I got to the bar the next day, I found my mother was 9 . Because the weather that day was rainy and cold, people wanted hot snacks and drinks. 10 , I was really slow at taking the orders and making change. The line of people grew, and everybody seemed 11 , I was so nervous that my hands shook, and I 12 a cup into pieces. What a mess! Then my mother came to 13 me, and she also showed me how to make 14 . If someone gave me $ 5 for something that cost $ 3.25, I handed over 15 quarters and a dollar and said, “75 cents makes four dollars, plus one dollar makes five.” Things went more 16 after that.
By the end of the day, I could remember orders, 17 the bill, and make change quickly with a smile. I was even a little 18 when the sun came out and dried up business. My mother said she was proud of me, and when she 19 that I work at the snack bar again next year, I did not even shrug. I was too busy 20 the restaurant I would open one day.
1. | A. to | B. for | C. after | D. over |
2. | A. because | B. though | C. until | D. while |
3. | A. promised | B. noticed | C. worried | D. hoped |
4. | A. Therefore | B. However | C. Besides | D. Yet |
5. | A. of | B. on | C. about | D. with |
6. | A. blame | B. fool | C. frighten | D. make |
7. | A. idea | B. bar | C. day | D. answer |
8. | A. guessed | B. obeyed | C. begged | D. admitted |
9. | A. angry | B. sad | C. worry | D. ashamed |
10. | A. At least | B. At last | C. At most | D. At first |
11. | A. surprised | B. impolite | C. pleased | D. impatient |
12. | A. damaged | B. destroyed | C. broke | D. ruined |
13. | A. scold | B. help | C. beat | D. save |
14. | A. money | B. lunch | C. coffee | D. change |
15. | A. two | B. three | C. four | D. five |
16. | A. smoothly | B. fairly | C. simply | D. conveniently |
17. | A. turn in | B. count out | C. take over | D. add up |
18. | A. discouraged | B. disturbed | C. disappointed | D. distrusted |
19. | A. thought | B. stated | C. announced | D. suggested |
20. | A. imagining | B. preparing | C. examining | D. describing |
Welcome to my Message Board! | |
Subject: Slimming down classics? | |
Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12 8: 24 AM | Orion Books, which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics (经典著作), is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L. Tolstoy, M. Mitchell and C. Bronte. Now, each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 pages per cent of original, with words, sentences, paragraphs and, in a few cases, chapters removed. The first six shortened editions, all priced at £6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”, will go on sale next month, with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow. The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions. |
Mr. Edwards 2007-5-12 9: 40 AM | Well, I’m publisher of Orion Group. Thanks for your attention, Mr. Handsome. I must say, the idea developed from a game of “shame” in my office. Each of us was required to confess (承认) to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading. I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times. One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping (跳读) Jane Eyre. We realized that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones. As a leading publishing house, we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions. They are still there if you want to read them. |
Ms. Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM | I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk Mr. Edwards, I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air. I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina, because it’s just so long. I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book. I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
Mr. Crockatt 2007-5-12 4:38 PM | I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell. In my opinion, the practice is completely ridiculous. How can you edit the classics? I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work, and that is why you have to develop as a reader. If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina, then fine. But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
1. According to the message board, Orion Books ___________.
A. opposes the reading of original classics
B. is embarrassed for cutting down classics
C. thinks cut-down classics have a bright future
D. is cautions in its decision to cut down classics
2. In Mr. Edwards’ opinion, Orion Group is shortening classics to _________.
A. make them easier to read
B. meet a large demand in the market
C. increase the sales of literary books
D. compete with their original versions
3. By describing the shortened classics as “a breath of fresh air”, Ms. Weir ________.
A. speaks highly of the cut-down classics
B. shows her love for original classics
C. feels guilty of not reading the classics
D. disapprove of shortening the classics
4. Mr. Crockatt seems to imply that _________.
A. reading the classic works is a confusing attempt
B. shortening the classics does harm to the original
C. publishing the cut-down classics is a difficult job
D. editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs