$课文14 你会讲英语吗？
133. I had an amusing experience last year.
去年我有过一次有趣的经历。
134. After I had left a small village in the south of France, I drove on to the next town.
在离开法国南部的一个小村庄后，我继续驶往下一个城镇。
135. On the way, a young man waved to me.
途中，一个青年人向我招手。
136. I stopped and he asked me for a lift.
我把车停下，他向我提出要求搭车。
137. As soon as he had got into the car, I said good morning to him in French and he replied in the same language.
他一上车，我就用法语向他问早上好，他也同样用法语回答我。
138. Apart from a few words, I do not know any French at all.
除了个别几个单词外，我根本不会法语。
139. Neither of us spoke during the journey.
旅途中我们谁也没讲话。
140. I had nearly reached the town, when the young man suddenly said, very slowly, "Do you speak English?'
就要到达那个镇时，那青年突然开了口，慢慢地说道：“你会讲英语吗？”
141. As I soon learnt, he was English himself!'
我很快了解到，他自己就是个英国人！
$课文15 佳音
142. The secretary told me that Mr. Harmsworth would see me.
秘书告诉我说哈姆斯沃斯先生要见我。
143. I felt very nervous when I went into his office.
我走进他的办公室，感到非常紧张。
144. He did not look up from his desk when I entered.
我进去的时候，他连头也没抬。
145. After I had sat down, he said that business was very bad.
待我坐下后，他说生意非常不景气。
146. He told me that the firm could not afford to pay such large salaries. Twenty people had already left.
他还告诉我，公司支付不起这么庞大的工资开支，有20个人已经离去。
147. I knew that my turn had come.
我知道这次该轮到我了。
148. 'Mr.Harmsworth,' I said in a weak voice.
“哈姆斯沃斯先生，”我无力地说。
149. 'Don't interrupt,' he said.
“不要打断我的话，”他说。
150. Then he smiled and told me I would receive an extra thousand pounds a year!
然后他微笑了一下告诉我说，我每年将得到1,000 英镑的额外收入。
$课文16 彬彬有礼的要求
151. If you park your car in the wrong place, a traffic policeman will soon find it.
一旦你把汽车停错了地方，交通警很快就会发现。
152. You will be very lucky if he lets you go without a ticket.
如果他没给你罚单就放你走了，算你走运。
153. However, this does not always happen.
然而，情况并不都是这样，
154. Traffic police are sometimes very polite.
交通警有时也很客气。
155. During a holiday in Sweden,
有一次在瑞典度假，
156. I found this note on my car: 'sir, we welcome you to our city.
我发现我的车上有这样一个字条：“先生，欢迎您光临我们的城市。
157. This is a "No Parking" area.
此处是‘禁止停车’区。
158. You will enjoy your stay here if you pay attention to our street signs.
如果您对我们街上的标牌稍加注意，您在此会过得很愉快的。
159. This note is only a reminder.'
谨此提请注意。”
160. If you receive a request like this, you cannot fail to obey it!
如果你收到这样的恳求，你是不会不遵照执行的！
$课文17 青春常驻
161. My aunt Jennifer is an actress.
我的姑姑詹妮弗是位演员，
162. She must be at least thirty-five years old.
她至少也有35岁了。
163. In spite of this, she often appears on the stage as a young girl.
尽管如此，她却常在舞台上扮演小姑娘。
164. Jennifer will have to take part in a new play soon.
詹妮弗很快又要参加一个新剧的演出。
165. This time, she will be a girl of seventeen.
这一次，她将扮演一个17岁的少女。
166. In the play, she must appear in a bright red dress and long black stockings.
演出时她必须穿一条鲜红色的裙子和黑色的长筒袜。
167. Last year in another play, she had to wear short socks and a bright, orange-coloured dress.
去年在演另一个剧时，她不得不穿短袜和一件鲜艳的橘红色的衣服。
168. If anyone ever asks her how old she is, she always answers,
一旦有人问起她有多大年纪，她总是回答：
169. 'Darling, it must be terrible to be grown up!'
“亲爱的，长成大人真可怕啊！”