Passage G2e

14
Soapy
Soapy was worried. The days were getting colder, and winter was near. Even now, it was very cold in the park where he slept. At night, he needed many, many newspapers to keep himself warm.
For many years, Soapy had slept in the prison during the winters. The prison was warm and he was well fed there. It was like a hotel for poor people.
Now it was time for Soapy to go to his hotel again. But in order to get in, he had to get arrested.
"Let me see," he asked himself, "how can I get arrested?" "Well," he answered himself, "there are many ways. The best way is to have a fine meal at an expensive restaurant. Then, because I can't pay for it, the police will come and take me to prison."
There was a very good restaurant across the street, so he tried to go in. But the doorman saw Soapy's shabby, dirty clothes and wouldn't let him in.
"Now what shall I do?" Soapy thought as he walked away from the restaurant. Then he saw a big shop window.
"If I break that window, the police will be sure to arrest me. I don't really want to break the window, but I must have a warm place to sleep this winter," he thought to himself. So he picked up a stone and threw it—CRASH—through the window.
Hearing the sound, a lot of people came running to see what had happened. A policeman was with them.
"Who broke this window?" the policeman shouted.
"I did it," Soapy said happily. But the policeman did not believe him.
"Don't bother me," said the policeman. "People who break windows don't wait for the police."
Then he saw a man running to catch a bus. “There's the man who did it. Stop! Stop!” the policeman shouted, and he ran after that man.
“Now what shall I do?” Soapy thought as he walked away from the broken window. As he walked, he began to get hungry. After a while, he saw a very cheap restaurant.
“Well,” he said to himself, “if I can't get arrested at an expensive restaurant, maybe I can get arrested here.” He walked into the restaurant, sat down, and ordered their best food.
“Sorry, but I don't have any money,” he said to the waiter after he had finished eating. “Aren't you going to call a policeman?”
“We don't need any policeman here,” the waiter said. Then he called another waiter, and they threw Soapy out of the restaurant.
(To be continued)

15Soapy

(Continued)
"If I don't get arrested, I can't go to prison for the winter. I have to get myself arrested," Soapy thought, "but how?"
Then he saw a young lady who was window-shopping. There was a big policeman standing near her.
"If I bother her, the policeman will arrest me," Soapy thought, "Excuse me, Miss," he asked the lady, "but wouldn't you like to go for a walk with me?"
"Sure," the woman said happily. "Will you buy me something to drink?"
This was not what Soapy had expected her to say. He had expected her to call the policeman. Soapy was very surprised, and he ran away as fast as he could. He ran for many blocks. When he stopped, he was on a crowded street.
"Maybe," he thought, "I can get myself arrested if I bother all of these people." And he began to make a lot of noise. There were two policemen standing on the corner, but they didn't pay any attention to Soapy.
Again, Soapy fail to get himself arrested. Disappointed, he walked away. "What shall I do now?" he thought, Then he saw a man with an umbrella. The man set his umbrella down to light a cigarette. Soapy quickly picked up the man's umbrella and began to walk away with it.
"Stop," the man said,"that's my umbrella."
"Is it?" replied Soapy. "Call a policeman then."
"Well," the man answered,"if you really think it's yours ... I picked it up in a restaurant this morning and ... if it's yours ..." Then the man began to run away.
"I've tried and tried, still I can't get myself arrested," thought Soapy. And, leaving the umbrella there, he walked away.
He came to a little church on a quiet street.Inside the church, some people were practising some songs for Sunday. Soapy stopped outside and listened to the songs. They reminded him of his childhood, and Soapy began to think.
"I've been bad. But I'm still young. I'll get a job tomorrow. I'll stop living in the park. I'll stop going to prison every winter. I'll ..." Just then, a policeman came up to Soapy.
"What are you doing here?" the policeman asked.
"Nothing," Soapy replied.
"Nothing? You must be up to something. I know people like you," the policeman said roughly. "Come along with me."
And so Soay was sent to prison.
16
We were walking along the road when we heard someone shouting, "Help! Help!" The man called out several more times before we could find him. He was in the lake, about a hundred feet from the shore. There was a small boat near him. We knew immediately what had happened. He had fallen from the boat and could not swim well enough to reach it or to get to shore.
As we ran towards the lake I saw him sinking, and I was afraid that he was drowning. But in a moment his head appeared again.
Quickly John threw off his coat, jumped into the water, and started swimming towards the drowning man. He reached him just as the man was going down again. John reached out his hand, trying to take hold of the man's clothing or his hair before he sank. But the man opened his arms in fear, caught John around the neck, and this drew John down under the water. John fought to keep his head above the water and at the same time tried to swim toward the boat, pulling the man with him.
John jumped into the water with no thought for his own safety. I was not so brave. But I did follow him in a moment or two. I swam to the boat. I could not get into it, so I started to push it towards John and the man.
When I reached them, John was very tired. He was so worn out that both of them might have drowned if I had not arrived with the boat. Together, we got the man to shore, holding to the boat with one hand and swimming with the other.
The man looked dead, but his heart was still beating. We made him comfortable, and John did what he could for him while I ran to the nearest house to call a doctor. When I got back, the man was beginning to come to. He opened his eyes a little and started to move.
By the time the doctor came, the man was able to sit up, but he still looked very sick. The doctor took him to the hospital, and when we were called late at night to ask about him, they told us that he would be just fine in a day or two.

Flood!
John: Has Uncle Bob arrived yet?
Jack: No, and I've just heard a flood warning on the radio. He may not be able to get back from Upton. The river is rising fast.
Betty: He's quite likely to be late anyway. It may not be because of the flood. He always leaves at the last minute; but he'll probably be in time for his part in the concert.
(The telephone rings)
John: Hello. This is the theatre.
Uncle Bob: Is that you, John?
John: Yes, what's happened? Why aren't you on the way yet?
Uncle Bob: I'm at Upton—at Hill Farm. The river has flooded the roads. The buses have stopped running and farmers are using boats to rescue the sheep. It's not likely to get any better, so I don't know how I can get to the theatre.
John: Possibly the police will help us. I'll ring them and explain our problem. What's your telephone number?
Uncle Bob: Upton 456.
John: I'll ring you back ...456... right ... goodbye.
Uncle Bob: Goodbye.
Betty: Ring 999, John! Quickly!
John: 9 ... 9 ... 9 ... Hello! Is that the police station? Can you help us, please? We're giving a concert tonight for some old people. But our singer is at Upton and can't get here because of the floods. Can you possibly send a police car? Yes, ... as soon as possible ... Oh, thank you. The address is: Hill Farm, Upton. Thank you very much. Goodbye.
Betty: Do you think they'll bring him back in time? Are you sure? They may not manage it.If so, what shall we do?
Jack: It will very likely take half an hour. We might sing some more songs to fill in the time.(10 minutes later)
Betty: What's that noise? Is it a fire-engine?
John: No, it's a lorry.
Jack: You're wrong. It is a fire-engine, and it's stopping here.
Betty: It's brought Uncle Bob. Here he is.
Uncle Bob: Hello, everybody! Better late than never!That was an exciting trip. First a boat, then a tractor, and last of all a fire-engine, and here I am. The fire-engine came to help some people in flooded houses in Upton. Then it brought me straight to the theatre. I may be a bit late,but I'm safe and sound. Couldn't someone help me and get me some dry clothes?
Jack: So the police did send a car to fetch you. I must tell everyone.
Betty: Hurry up everybody! Only five minutes left before the start of the show.

Passage G2d

 11

**An American Mother**

“Ma?”

My heart almost stopped beating when I heard my daughter's voice on the phone. One short word and I knew that Linda had been taking dope again. Her voice was usually soft and sweet, but now it was hoarse.

"Linda, where are you?" I tried my best not to show my anger. "Are you at a friend's place?"

"Yes, I'm with a friend of mine."

"Are you sure you're all right? You don't sound well at all. Hadn't you better come home?"

"I haven't got any money."

"Can you tell me where you are? I'll come and bring you home."

"No! This is no place for you."

"Then why did you call me? Just to make me suffer?" I was really angry now. "You promised you wouldn't take pills any more!" I shouted at her. "Do you still remember your promise?"

There was no reply—just a click at the other end of the line.

It was a cold rainy Saturday morning in April. I was worried. "Where is she? Will she get home safely?" I wasn't angry any more. My heart went out to my child.

An hour later the phone rang again. I was afraid to answer it, "Something terrible must have happened," I thought. I was right. It was the hospital.

"Is this Linda Harper's mother?"

"Yes. What's happened to my daughter?"

"Linda had a bad fall in the street and was brought to our hospital. She passed out while the doctor was taking care of her. We think she's been taking dope. Would you come to the hospital?"

My husband was away. I didn't want to ask anyone to go with me to the hospital. I felt I was to blame too. Every time Linda took those pills I felt as if I had handed them to her.

It was now raining heavily. I went to the hospital by myself. I was led to a small room. Linda lay sleeping quietly on a table.

This wasn't the first time Linda had taken too many pills. I knew she would sleep deeply for about twelve hours until the poison had stopped doing its harm.

I sat down by Linda's side and watched her sleep. The room was still. I looked around. The room seemed familiar. "Have I been here before?" I wondered. I looked around again." I'm sure I've been in this room," I told myself. Then I remembered. It was in this very room that I gave birth to Linda seventeen years ago. How happy I was then!

Linda used to be such a bright, healthy child. "What has turned her into a dope-taker?" I asked myself. "And why are millions of young people like her taking dope to destroy themselves? There must be something seriously wrong with our society. What is it?"

12

Mathematics Is Fun

Mathematics is fun. Long sums are often boring, but problems and puzzles are often interesting. Here is a problem for you. Three men had a meal in a small restaurant. After the meal, the waiter brought them a bill for thirty dollars. Each man gave the waiter a ten-dollar note. The waiter took the thirty dollars to the cash-desk. At the cash-desk, however, he found that there was a mistake. The bill was only twenty-five dollars, so he took five dollars back to the men. But the three men could not divide the five dollars among them.

"Let's give the waiter two of the five dollars," one of the men said. "Then he can give us one dollar each."

The other two agreed to this, and so each man received only one dollar from the waiter. This means that each man paid nine dollars for his meal. The waiter kept two dollars. Three times nine is twenty-seven, plus two is twenty-nine. Where is the other dollar?

Revision 3

**Lost in the Fog**

It's been quite some time **since** I was last in London, but something happened during that visit **that** I'll remember as long as I live.

London is well-known for its terrible fogs. During my visit, it was terribly foggy. You could hardly see your hands in front of your face. Cars and buses moved slowly, their lights on and their horns blowing wildly. **When** evening fell, the weather got worse. All traffic came to a stop. I had an important meeting on the other side of town. I was to be there at six o'clock. It was impossible to find a taxi, so I decided to walk and set out at once.

Minutes later I was completely lost. I couldn't even find a street sign to know **where** I was. Then I heard a voice coming out of the fog. "I suppose you are lost. Can I help you?" I could hardly see the young woman **who** had spoken to me, but was glad to find someone in the fog. I explained **where** I wanted to go, and she said she knew exactly how to get there. I was puzzled for a moment, then I followed her through the dark streets.

The city seemed as quiet as a cemetery and I remembered thinking the woman could be leading me to a lonely place **where** she and her friends would rob me. But nothing happened. The woman led me right to the place **where** I wanted to go.

I was greatly surprised at how well she had found her way through the fog.

"I know this part of town quite well," she said.  

"But the fog - this terrible fog - made it impossible to see anything," I said.

"It makes no difference to me **whether** it's foggy or clear. You see, I'm blind," she said.

**Who Has Disappeared?**

Mum: Have you seen the dog, Peter?

Peter: No, Mum, I've been upstairs all evening.

Mum: Have you seen him, Joe?

Joe: No, Mum.

Mum: Have you, Alice?

Alice: No, Mum. I've shouted for him and I've tried all the neighbours. None of them have seen him.

Mum: Oh well, dear, you've done everything.

Ah! Your father has just come in. Perhaps he has seen Bob.

Alice: Dad, have you found Bob?

Dad: No. Why? Has he disappeared?

Joe: Yes, we haven't seen him for three hours.

Peter: We must search all the streets, Dad. 

Joe: Take the car, Dad.

Alice: Please, Dad. Perhaps he has ...

Dad: All right, all right! Just a minute! Let me get the car out first.

*(One minute later)*

Dad: Joan, we've found Bob! He's been in the garage all evening. Silly old dog. And he hasn't barked once!

Mum: Oh good. But where has Peter gone?

Joe: He's gone out on his bike.

Mum: What! At this time of night? He might get lost or have an accident.

Dad: Don't be silly, Joan. Of course he won't.

Mum: Well, do something! Don't just stand there. Telephone the police. Ask the neighbours. Oh, dear! *(One minute later)*

Peter: No luck, Mum.

Mum: Peter! Where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere.

Peter: Well, I've been searching for Bob. But I haven't found him.

Mum: Well, your father has found him in the garage.

Peter: Oh good. But where's Dad?

Mum: Where has ...? Oh no! Now Dad has disappeared.

**Seventeen Camels**

Once upon a time there was an old man who had three sons. Calling them together, he said, "Sons, my end is near. To my oldest son I will give half my camels, to my second one-third, and to my youngest one-ninth." The next day he died. 

Now, the old man had seventeen camels, and the three brothers were puzzled to know how to share them as their father said. They thought a long time about the problem and it seemed that they must either kill some of the camels and cut them into pieces, or disobey their father. At last they went to an old friend of their father's and asked his advice. As soon as he heard their story, he said, "I will help you. I am old. I have only one camel, but take it. It is yours." With many thanks the three sons took the old man's camel, finding that it was now easy to divide the camels as their father wished. The oldest took half, which was nine camels; the second took one-third, which was six; and the youngest took one-ninth, which was two. Only when each received his share of camels did they discover that there was one camel to spare. So, out of gratitude to their father's friend, they returned the camel.

Passage G2c

 **The Man Who Had Many Questions**

Albert Einstein always liked to ask questions when he was a student. When his teacher wasn't asking Albert a question, he would think of a question to ask her. And often when he did, she would get red in the face and be angry at him for asking questions she couldn't answer. The more Albert learned, the more he found to think about. The more he thought about, the more questions he thought of to ask. 

He knew that the earth, the other planets, the moon, and the sun are just a part of what we call the universe. He knew also that the universe is made of all the stars we can see with our eyes, but still there are more that are so far away that they can't be seen at all. And he also knew that all these stars and our own bodies and everything else are made up of the atoms so tiny that they can't be seen even with the best microscope. 

He thought there must be some rules to explain why everything in the universe, big and small, acts as it does. Why don't the stars moving around in the sky bump into each other? What makes the tiny atoms stick together to form different things? Albert Einstein thought and thought until he believed he had some of the answers. And then people started asking him the questions because he could answer many problems that the scientists had been trying to work out for many, many years.

**Going Grocery Shopping**

Jenny White: Mom, I'm going down to the corner to buy some film for my camera. Can I get anything for you?

Mrs. White: Yes. I need some groceries. Help me make out a list.

Jenny White: I've got a piece of paper here. What do you need?

Mrs. White: First, we need some fruit. Go to Brown's Market. He has the nicest fruits and vegetables in this part of the town. Buy some oranges.

Jenny White: How about some pears? We haven't had any for a long time.

Mrs. White: All right. Also, get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad. And we'll need some meat.

Jenny White: Where should I buy that?

Mrs. White: Buy the meat and the other things at the supermarket.

Jenny White: How about buying some hamburger? I like hamburger.

Mrs. White: All right. Get a pound of hamburger. Have you got all that on the list? Just a minute. I'll go with you. I like shopping in the supermarket. I'm sure I'll find lots of other things I want to buy.

Jenny White: And I suppose I'll have to carry them all home for you.

Mrs. White: That's right. But you'll be glad to eat what I cook, won't you?

9

**Sports**

All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.

Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when "their" player or team wins.

Sports change with the seasons. People play different games in winter and summer. Swimming is fun in warm weather, but skating is good in winter.

Games and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities. The Arabs use horses or camels in much of their everyday life; they use them in their sports, too. It is the same with people in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. Millions of people hunt and fish for a living, but hunting and fishing are very good sports too.

Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy! And think of people in cold countries. Think how many love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada.

Some sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water-skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.

People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person's character. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace.（胜不骄，败不馁）

Passage G2b

4

A Very Special Passenger
The big bus pulled over to the bus stop.
Mr Cook got on the bus. He looked around and laughed. "I see there's a seat for me today," he said to the bus driver.
The driver laughed, too, because Mr Cook was the only passenger on the bus.
"We'll have another passenger soon," the driver said, "We'll pick him up at West Street."
"How do you know?" asked Mr Cook.
"Oh, I pick him up at West Street almost every day," the driver said with a smile. "He is a very special passenger."
"Is that so?" said Mr Cook. "What's so special about him?"
"He doesn't have to pay to ride in my bus," the driver told him.
"That is special!" Mr Cook said in surprise. "Why is that?"
"He saved a little girl who fell in the river," said the driver. "The father of the little girl is a bus driver. So now he is a very special passenger to all bus drivers."
"Do you stop for him whenever you see him?" asked Mr Cook.
"No," said the driver, "if he wants to ride he stands at a bus stop like anyone else. When he gets on he goes right to his seat in the back."
Mr Cook was surprised. "Doesn't he like to sit and talk to you?"
The driver shook his head. "He isn't much of a talker!"
The bus turned into West Street.
"There he is!" said the bus driver.
Mr Cook looked around. He didn't see anyone at the bus stop.
The bus stopped, and the door opened. Into the bus came a big brown dog.
The dog went straight to the back of the bus, got on to the back seat and lay down.
"There he is!" said the driver, laughing. "He is my very special passenger."
Revison 1
Getting Acquainted
Jack: Say, isn't your name Mike Smith?
Mike: Yes, it is. What's yours?
Jack: My name is Jack Brown.
Mike: Hi, Jack. Glad to meet you. You're in my class, aren't you?
Jack: Yes. My father knows your father.
Mike: Really? We've only been here for a short time. I don't know many people yet.
Jack: It's hard to meet people in a new town. Would you like to come to the café with me? Everybody goes there after school. They have ice cream and things to drink. You can meet some of the other people in our class.
Mike: I'd like to, Jack, but I've got to post these letters.
Jack: That doesn't matter. The post office is on the way to the café. I'll go with you. I suppose you're writing to your old friends?
Mike: Yes. We just moved here from a very small town, you know. We knew everybody there. I'm going to miss my old friends.
Jack: You'll make a lot of new friends here. Dad said you have a brother. Is that right?
Mike: Yes. He's a year younger than I am. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Jack: Yes. I have a younger sister. Her name is Kate. Well, here's the post office. You can post your letters first. The café is just across the street.
5
A Fish That Walks
Everyone knows that fish can swim. But there is a special kind of fish that can also "walk". The walking fish can "leave" the water and still live. Sometimes a walking fish gets tired of swimming in its pond. Then it can jump out and walk to a new one.
Like other fish, the walking fish uses its gills for breathing when it is in the water. But the walking fish also has a simple lung that lets it breathe outside of the water. It is its lung that makes this kind of fish different from other fish. Its lung lets the fish breathe air when it is not in the water. A walking fish can stay outside of the water for up to twelve hours.
The fish has its own strange way of walking. It jumps out of the water. It bends its back, drags its tail forward, lifts its head and throws itself toward where it wants to go.
The fish can keep up this "walking" until it reaches a new pond. Once in the new pond, the walking fish swims again.
6
Help!
Once a man was staying at a hotel. One morning, as the man was walking past a room on the first floor, he suddenly heard a woman's voice.
"Help!" the woman shouted.
Then he heard a young man's voice.
"Don't move or I'll shoot you!" the man shouted angrily.
"Please don't shoot me," the woman cried.
The young man laughed. And then the man heard a shot! The man hurried to the door and knocked at it loudly.
"Come in, please," the woman said softly.
The man rushed into the room and asked: "What's the matter? Can I help you?"
"Who are you?" the woman asked angrily.
"I heard a shot," said the man and asked, "Are you all right?"
The woman laughed and said, "Of course I'm all right." Then she turned to the young man.
"Put the gun in your pocket," she said.
"What's happening?" the man asked.
"We're not quarrelling," the young man said. "We're actors. We're learning our parts."

1. Where was the man staying?
2. What did the man hear one morning as he was walking past a room?
3. Was the man on the first floor or the second floor?
4. Was it a woman who called for help, or was it a young man?
5. What else did the man hear? He knocked at the door, didn't he?
6. 6. Why did he go into the room?
7. Was the woman alive or dead?
8. Were the young man and the woman quarrelling? What were they doing then?
   7
   Fast-food Restaurants
   Everybody knows that a favorite food of the Americans is the hamburger.
   The favorite place to buy a hamburger is a fast-food restaurant. In these restaurants, people order their food, wait just a few minutes, then when the food is ready they carry it to their tables themselves. They can either eat it in he restaurant or take the food out in a plastic box and eat it at home, at work, or in a park. At some restaurants people can drive up beside a window. They order the food, and a worker hands it to them through the window. Then they drive off and eat in their cars or wherever they like.
   Hamburgers are not the only kind of food that fast-food restaurants serve. Some serve fish, or chicken, or sandwiches, and also soft drinks, coffee, and so on.
   Fast-food restaurants are very popular because the service is fast and the food is not too expensive. For many people, this is very important. In the United States, about 50 percent (50%) of all married women with children work outside the home. They are often too busy or too tired to cook dinner for the family at night, and fast-food restaurants are a great help to them.
   Now there are fast-food restaurants in countries all over the world.
   8
   Let the Boy Speak
   Characters
   Mr Smith, a greengrocer
   Miss White customers in the shop
   Mrs Ball customers in the shop
   Mrs Wood customers in the shop
   Tom, a small boy
   (A greengrocer's shop. Mr Smith is serving behind the counter. One customer is going out. Three women are waiting in the shop.)
   Mr Smith: Yes? Who's next? please?
   Miss White: I think you're next, Mrs Ball. You were here before me, weren't you?
   Mrs Ball: Oh, was I?
   Mr Smith: What can I do for you, madam? Do you need any fruit?
   Mrs Ball: Let me see. Ah, yes! I want ...
   (A small boy runs into the greengrocer's shop. He pushes his way through the women and goes to the front of the counter.)
   Tom: Please, Mr Smith ...!
   Mr Smith (not letting him continue): One moment, young fellow! I'm serving this lady. And these two ladies are waiting. (He turns to Mrs Ball again.) Yes, madam. What were you saying?
   Tom: But, sir!
   Mrs Ball: Be quiet! I want three pounds of potatoes, Mr Smith.
   Mr Smith: Three pounds of potatoes? Certainly. I have some good ones here. (He points to the potatoes near the counter.) Three pence a pound. Are these all right?
   Mrs Ball: Yes, I'll take those.
   Mrs Wood (looking at Tom): The children today! They have no manners!
   Miss White: They can't wait! They want to be first!
   Mrs Wood: How old are you?
   Tom: Nine, madam.
   Mrs Wood: Only nine! And you pushed in front of this lady.
   Tom: I had to. I wanted ...
   Miss White (not letting him finish):Young people must learn to wait. You can't push in front of people. You're not the only customer in the shop, are you?
   Tom: No, madam.
   Mrs Ball: Did your mother send you?
   Tom: No. I wanted...
   Mrs Wood (quickly): Ah, you wanted something for yourself! You couldn't wait, could you? What's your name?
   Tom: Tom.
   Miss White: Yes, I know your mother. I'll speak to her about you.
   Tom: But I only wanted ...
   Mr Smith: That's enough, young man. We don't want to hear.(He turns to Mrs Ball.) Here you are, Mrs Ball. Three pounds of potatoes. Is that all? That'll be nine pence, please. Thank you.
   (Mrs Ball gives Mr Smith nine pence. She takes her potatoes and leaves.)
   Mr Smith: Next, please.
   Tom: I'm sorry but ... (No one listens to Tom.)
   Miss White: I want some apples, please. Two pounds.
   Mr Smith: What about these? (He points to some apples on the counter. ) They're only fifteen pence a pound.
   Miss White: No, they look rather green. Have you any sweet ones?
   Mr Smith: Certainly, madam. I have some good ones but they're still in my car.
   Miss White: Can I see them?
   Mr Smith: I'll go and get them.
   (Mr Smith goes out of the shop. After a minute he runs in again.)
   Mr Smith (shouting): They're not there! There was a box of apples in my car and now it's gone. The car's empty.
   Tom: I saw two men near your car, Mr Smith. They opened the door and took out a box of apples.
   Mr Smith: My apples! Someone has taken a big box of my apples! (He turns to Tom and shouts in an angry voice.) Why didn't you tell me?
   Tom: I wanted to tell you, sir, but no one would let me speak!

Passage G2a

  1

**Here's Your Hat**

Every Saturday morning, there is a line of boys and girls on Garden Street.

They are waiting to see a film. The film never starts before eight o'clock. But the boys and girls can not wait, and come earlier every time. They start getting in line before eight o'clock.

One Saturday morning there was a very good film. Tom came running down the street. He wanted to be one of the first to get in.

Tom took one look at the line of boys and girls. What a long line it was! He was not going to go to the end of the line. No, sir. Tom walked up to the front of the line and pushed his way in there.

Tom had pushed his way right in front of Peter. Peter did not say a word. Instead, he reached up and pulled off Tom's hat. He handed the hat to the boy behind him and said,

"Pass it back, John."

John passed the hat to the girl behind him, saying,

"Pass it on, Kate."

Kate turned around and passed the hat back.

"Pass it on," she said.

Tom's hat went down the line until it got to Betty Cook at the very end.

Tom looked hard at Peter, and asked, "Where's my hat?"

Peter pointed down the line and said, "It went that way."

Tom looked at the long line.

There at the end of the line was Betty holding up Tom's hat.

Everyone smiled but said nothing. Tom did not smile, nor did he say anything.

He stood there for some time. Finally, he walked all the way back to Betty Cook.

"Here's your hat," she said politely.

Tom still goes to the films on Saturday mornings. But now he never goes to the front of the line. He goes straight to the end of the line and waits his turn to buy his ticket.

2

**The Monkey Man**

Carl, a poor man, was once out of work and was trying to find a job. One day he read in the newspaper that a man was wanted to work in a zoo.

"That would be wonderful," he thought. "I like animals, and looking after them would be very interesting."

So Carl went to the manager of the zoo and asked for the job.

"You look like a smart boy," said the manager. "You can start work tomorrow."

"What must I do?" asked Carl.

"Well, you see, it's like this," said the manager. "Our big monkey has just died and it will be two months before we can get another one, so we want you to take his place."

"You want me to take the place of a monkey!" cried Carl angrily. "Take his place yourself; you look more like a monkey than I do."

"Don't take it like that," said the manager. "I know you don't look like a monkey, but we'll dress you up. We've got a monkey's skin and when you put it on, you'll look very much like a monkey. Then all you have to do is to play about in the cage to amuse the children. It's a nice easy job and you'll get good pay for it."

Carl thought about it for a bit. He did not like the idea much, but, as the manager said, the money was good; and after all, he had to make a living. So he took the job. The next day he started work. It wasn't so bad. In fact, he quite enjoyed it. He climbed the tree in the cage, he stood on his head, and he swung himself from branch to branch. He ate the bananas the people gave him, and he threw the skins at those who did not give him anything. He ate well, and when he got tired, he could sleep in a little room behind the cage. The only thing he did not like much was the lion in the cage next to his. But, as there were strong bars between them, he soon got used to his neighbour.

One day he climbed up to the top of the bars. Suddenly he missed his footing and fell—not on his own side of the bars, but into the lion's cage. That great beast was asleep at the time but the noise of Carl's fall woke him up. He stood up and looked round to see what the matter was.

Carl had only one idea, to climb the bars again quickly to get back into his own cage. He tried to get up, but he had hurt his feet so badly that he could not move. He hid his face in his hands so as not to see the lion coming. The next few seconds seemed like hours. Then he heard the lion whisper in his ear, "Don't be afraid, old man, I'm in the same boat as you."

3 

**Keys to Number Twenty-one**

"We want a room on the first floor," said Mr White.

"Certainly, sir," the hotel manager answered.

"Have you a room with a private bathroom?" Mr White asked.

"Yes, sir," the hotel manager said. "Here are the keys to number twenty-one."

Mr White took the keys and went upstairs with his wife, Mrs White. They unlocked the door of number twenty-one and went into the room. They shut the door and put their cases on the floor.

"Listen!" said his wife. "There's a man in this room. He's singing."

"You're right!" said Mr White. "He's in the bathroom!"

Mr White knocked at the door of the bathroom. The singing stopped.

"Who is it?" a voice said.

"This is our room, "Mr White answered. "What are you doing here?"

"Your room!" the voice answered angrily. This is my room. Please go away. I'm taking a bath."

"I'll call the manager," said Mrs White.

Just then the door opened and the manager came in.

"I'm very sorry," he said. "I made a mistake. Your room is next door. Here are the keys to number twenty-two."

HOW THE BODY CELLS LIVE G2sr06

 6. HOW THE BODY CELLS LIVE

Each cell is a little body living on its own. It moves, digests, grows, excretes and reproduces. But, living as it does in a community of cells, it is not independent at all. The specialized cells of the body are dependent on each other for such things as nourishment and the removal of their waste matter. For example, if the digestive cells of the food canal do not perform their function properly the muscle cells will not receive nourishment, or if the excreting cells do not take away poisonous waste the cells of the body will be poisoned and die.

Some cells of the body move, but not many. It is not necessary for the majority to move.

All the cells of the body need food. They receive their food from a fluid called lymph, which permeates all the tissues and bathes the individual cells. The lymph circulates through the tissues, carrying food obtained from the food canal, the intestines.

All cells excrete waste matter. When the food has been used, the waste matter which the cells do not require is passed into the circulating lymph and is thus carried away. It is taken to the cells of the organs which are specialized for removing waste matter from the body.

All cells reproduce their own kind and grow. In performing their work cells become tired, worn out and die. If the tissue of the organ is to maintain its health new cells are required to replace the old ones. The healthy cells accomplish this by splitting their bodies, so that one cell becomes two cells and the two cells four, and so on. These cells are young and small, but they get nourishment and they grow into adult cells, and so carry on the function of the organ.

It is plain, therefore, that each organ of the body must perform its work well if the other organs are to maintain their health When they are all functioning well the body is healthy. The individual is vigorous and free from discomfort of any kind. When any organ fails to do its work, all the organs are liable to become affected; changes take place in their cells and their functions are disordered. Such changes give rise to sensations of sickness, pain, loss of strength, bad appetite, fever, and so on. Then the body is said to be diseased.

A THIRSTY WORLD G2sr05

 5. A THIRSTY WORLD

The world is not only hungry, it is also thirsty for man. This may seem strange, since nearly 75 per cent of the earth's surface is covered with water. But about 97 per cent of this is seawater, or salt water. Man can only drink and use the other 3 per cent—the fresh water that comes from rivers, lakes, underground, and other sources. And we cannot even use all of that, because some of it is in the form of icebergs and glaciers. Even worse, some of it has been polluted.

However, the need for water is increasing day by day. Only if steps are taken to deal with this problem now can we avoid a severe worldwide water shortage later on. A limited water supply would affect agriculture and industry. So we should all learn how to stop wasting water. One of the first steps is to develop ways to reuse it. Experiments have already been done in this field. Today, in most large cities, water is used only once and then flows through pipes to the sea, or into underground tanks for waste water. But it is possible to pipe water that has been used to a purifying plant. There it can be separated from waste matter and treated with chemicals so that it can be used again, just as if it were fresh from a spring.

But even if every large city purified and reused its water, there still would not be enough. Other sources would have to be found. Where could people turn to next?

The oceans seem to offer the best answer. There is plenty of water in the oceans. All that needs to be done is to remove the salt from the seawater. This process is expensive but it is already in use in many parts of the world. Research is going on to make the process cheaper. So you see, if we take these steps we'll be in no danger of drying up!