第1个回答 2013-06-30
Lesson 60 The future The writer visited a fortune-teller at a village fair who told him that a relation was coming to see him. She added that a woman he knew well would speak to him when he left the tent and he would follow her outof the fair. This came true because his wife spoke to him when he went outside. She told him they had tomeet his sister at the station and she led him out of the fair. Lesson 61 Trouble with the Hubble When the Hubble telescope was launched into space in April 1990, the pictures it sent us were very disappointing because the main mirror was faulty. Four astronauts will soon be making the necessary repairs, and eventually, pictures from the Hubble will tell us a great deal about the age and size of the universe.
Lesson 62 After the fire It took the firemen nearly three weeks to get the forest fire under control. Now that all the great trees had been burnt, there was danger that heavy rain would cause serious floods which would destroy the surrounding villages. To prevent this, the forest authorities ordered grass-seed which was sprayed over the ground by planes for nearly a month. By the time that it began to rain, the grass had taken root inmany places. Lesson 63 She was not amused 2009-08-08 18:06 When Jeremy Hampden, who is greatly admired for his great sense of humour, was invited to make a speech at a wedding reception, he immediately agreed to do so. Since the speech contained a lot of funny stories, it was a great success. When his six-year-old daughter, Jenny, wanted to go home after his speech, Jeremy was disappointed. She had not enjoyed it because she did not like to see so many people laughing at him. Lesson 64 The channel tunnel The tunnel, which the French engineer, Aime Thome, planned to build under the English Channel in 1858, would be ventilated by tall chimneys built above sea level. An Englishman, William Lowe, suggested a better plan two years later. Passing trains would solve the problem of ventilation in his proposed double railway-tunnel because they would draw in fresh air behind them. Though work began forty-two years later, it was stopped because the British feared . Lesson 65 Jumbo versus the police After having decided to take some presents to a children’s hospital, the circus owner, Jimmy Gates, dressed up as Father Christmas and set off down the main street of the city riding an elephant called Jumbo. On being told that he was holding up the traffic, Jimmy agreed to go at once but Jumbo refused to move, so fifteen policemen had to push him off the main street. As he had a good record, however, Jumbo was not arrested. lesson 66 Sweet as honeyThe Lancaster bomber was not too badly damaged when it crashed on a remote island in the South Pacific.Then the wreck remained undisturned for twenty -six years until it was rediscovered in an aerial survey of the island.The French authorities had the plane packaged and moved in parts back to France,where a group of enthusiasts will be having it resored. They will have to have three of the engines rebuilt,but the fourth engine is still in perfect condition. Lesson 67 Volcanoes Tazieff,the Polish scientist,went to Lake Kivu in the Congo in 1948 to observe a new volcano which he called Kituro.After taking photographs,he had to leave almost at once because a river of liquid rock threatened to surround him.He escaped just in time but he returned two days later when the volcano had become quiet.This time he climbed into the mouth of Kituro in order to take photographs and measure temperatures. Lesson 68 Persistent Even though Elizabeth tried to avoid meeting Nigel Dykes,she was not able to do so. As he always insisted on accompanying her,she had to think of a way of preventing him from following her around all morning.When she told him she was going to the dentist,he said he would come with her because there was always plenty to read in the waiting room. Lesson 69 But not murder Mr.Eames had driven successfully through heavy traffic during his third driving test when theexaminer instructed him to drive out of town.He told him to suppose that a child wouldsuddenly cross the road in front of him.Mr. Eames would have to stop the car within five feet when the examiner tapped on the window.Though he tapped loudly,Mr.Eames did not react quickly enough and was told that he had just killed the child. Lesson 70 Red for danger A drunk suddenly wandered into the middle of the ring during a bullfight and shouted rude remarks and waved a red cap.Ignoring the matador,the bull charged at the drunk,but he stepped aside to let it pass.The crowd cheered and the drunk bowed.Just after this,three men dragged the drunk to safety while the bull looked on sympathetically before it once more turned its attention to the matador. Lesson 71 A famous clock After the Houses of Parliament were burnt down in 1834,Sir Benjamin Hall was made responsible for the construction of a huge clock,which became known as Big Ben.It is very accurate despite its immense size,for offcials from the Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day. This clock,which has rarely gone wrong,can be heard on the B.B.C. when it is striking, because microphones are connected to the clock tower. Lesson 72 A car called bluebird Sir Malcolm Campbell set up a land-speed record in 1935 driving a car called Bluebird,which had been specially built for him.His average speed was incorrectly declared to be 299 miles per hour,but this mistake was corrected later.He had averaged 301 miles an hour.Years later,his son,Donald,also broke a record and his car was also called Bluebird.