Last week I went to the theatre. I had a very good
seat. The play was very interesting. But I didn't enjoy it. A young man
and a young woman were sitting behind me. They were talking loudly. I got
very angry. I couldn't hear a word. I turned round. I looked at the man
angrily. They didn't pay any attention.In the end, I couldn't bear it.
I turned round again. 'I can't hear a word!' I said angrily. 'It's none
of your business,' the young man said rudely. 'This is a private conversation!'
2. Breakfast or Lunch
It was Sunday. I never get up early on Sundays. I
sometimes stay in bed until lunch time. Last Sunday I got up very late.
I looked out of the window. It was dart outside. 'What a day!' I thought.
'It's raining again.' Just then, a telephone rang. It was my aunt Lucy.
'I've just arrived by train,' she said. 'I'm coming to see you.' 'But I'
m still having breakfast,' I said. 'What are you doing?' she asked. 'I'm
having breakfast,' I repeated. 'Dear me,' she said. 'Do you always get
up so late? It's one o'clock!'
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. I friendly
waiter taught me a few words of Italian. Then he lent me a book. I read
a few lines, but didn't understand a word'. Every day I thought about postcards.
My holidays passed quickly, but I didn't 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 spend a whole day in my room, but I didn't write a single
card.
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 has already visited a great number of
different places in Australia. He has just bought an Australian 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 exiting.
5. No Wrong Numbers
Mr James Scott has a garage in Silbury and now he
has just 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, 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 began his own private 'telephone' service.
6. Percy Buttons
I have just moved to a house in Bridge street. Yesterday
a beggar knocked at my door. He asked for a meal and a glass of beer. In
return for this, 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 neighbour told me about him. Everybody
knows him. His name is Percy Buttons. He calls at every house in the street
once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of beer.
7. Too Late
The plane was late and detectives were waiting at
the airport all morning. They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamonds
from South Africa. A few hours earlier, someone had told the police that
thieves would try to 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 opened the parcel. To their surprise, the precious parcel
was full of stones and sand!
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, Joe wins every time. Bill Frith's garden is larger than Joe's. Bill
works harder than Joe and grows more flowers and vegetables, but Joe's
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 in the town!
10. Not For Jazz
We have an old musical instrument. It is called 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 struck 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 father's.
11. One Good Turn Deserves Another
I was having dinner at a restaurant when Harry Steele
came in. Harry worked in a lawyer's office years ago, 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. Harry 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 2 pounds. To my surprise, he gave me the money immediately.
'I have never borrowed any money from you,' Harry said, 'so now you can
pay for my dinner!'
12. Goodbye and Good Luck
Our neighbour, Captain Charles Alison, will sail
from Portsmouth tomorrow. We shall meet him in the harbour early in the
morning. He will be in his small boat, Topsail. Topsail is a famous little
boat. It has sailed across the Atlantic many times. Captain Alison will
set out at eight o'clock, 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 the Atlantic.
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 evening they
will bi 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.
14. Do you speak English?
I had an 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 in to the car, I said good morning to him in French.
And he replied in the same language. Apart 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 learned, he was English himself!
15. Good News
The secretary told me that Mr. Harmsworth would see
me. I felt very nervous when I went into his office. He didn't 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 couldn't afford to pay such large
salaries. Twenty people had already left. I knew that. My turn had come.
'Mr. Harmsworth,' I said in a weak voice. 'Don't interrupt,' he said.
Then he smiled and told me I would receive an extra L100 a year!
16. A Polite Request.
If you park your car in the wrong place, a traffic
policemen will soon find it. You will be very lucky if he lets you go without
a ticket. However, this doesn't always 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, you cannot fail to obey
it!
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 appear 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 asks her how old she is, she always answers, 'My dear, it must be
terrible to be grown up!'
18. HE OFTEN DOES THIS!
After I had had lunch at a village inn, I looked
for my bag. I had left it on a chair beside the door and now it wasn't
there! As I was looking for it, the innkeeper came in. 'Did you have a
good meal?' he asked. 'Yes, thank you,' I answered, ' but I can't pay the
bill. I haven't got my bag.' The innkeeper smiled and immediately went
out. In a few minutes he returned with my bag and gave it back to me. 'I
very sorry,' he said. 'My dog had taken it into the garden. He often does
this.
19. Sold out.
'The play may begin at any moment,' I said. 'It may
have begun already,' Susan answered. I hurried to ticket-office. 'May I
have two tickets please?' I asked. 'I am sorry, we've sold out,' the girl
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 once. 'Could I have those two tickets
please?' I asked. 'Certainly,' the girl said, 'But they are for the next
Wednesday performance. Do you still want them?' 'I might as well have them,'
I said sadly.
visits