register v。 挂号邮寄
参考译文
早饭后，我送孩子们上学，然后就去了商店。我回到家时，时间还早。孩子们在上学，我丈夫在上班，家里清静得很。于是我决定做些肉馅饼。不一会儿我就忙着调拌起了黄油和面粉，很快我的手上就沾满了粘粘的面糊。恰恰在此时，电话铃响了。没有什么能比这更烦人了。我用两个沾满面糊的手指捏起了话筒。当听出是海伦。贝茨的声音时，非常丧气。我用了10分钟的时间才说服她过会儿再来电话。我终于挂上了话筒。真是糟糕透了！我的手指上、电话机上以及门的把手上，都沾上了面糊。我刚回到厨房，门铃又响了起来，响声足以把死人唤醒。这次是邮递员，他要我签收一封挂号信！
Lesson 55
Not a gold mine
并非金矿
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What did the team find？
Dreams of finding lost treasure almost came true recently。 A new machine called 'The Revealer' has been invented and it has been used to detect gold which has been buried in the ground。 The machine was used in a cave near the seashore where it is said pirates used to hide gold。 The pirates would often bury gold in the cave and then fail to collect it。 Armed with the new machine； a search party went into the cave hoping to find buried treasure。 The leader of the party was examining the soil near the entrance to the cave when the machine showed that there was gold under the ground。 Very excited； the party dug a hole two feel deep。 They finally found a small gold coin which was almost worthless。 The party then searched the whole cave thoroughly but did not find anything except an empty tin trunk。 In spite of this； many people are confident that 'The Revealer' may reveal something of value fairly soon。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
gold n。 金子
mine n。 矿
treasure n。 财宝
revealer n。 探测器
invent v。 发明
detect v。 探测
bury v。 埋藏
cave n。 山洞
seashore n。 海岸
pirate n。 海盗
arm v。 武装
soil n。 泥土
entrance n。 入口
finally adv。 最后
worthless adj。 毫无价值的
thoroughly adv。 彻底地
trunk n。 行李箱
confident adj。 有信心的
value n。 价值
参考译文
最近，找到失踪宝藏的梦想差一点儿变成现实。一种叫“探宝器”的新机器已经发明出来，并被人们用来探测地下埋藏的金子。在靠近海边的一个据说过去海盗常在里面藏金子的岩洞里，这种机器被派上了用场。海盗们过去常把金子埋藏在那个洞里，可后来却没能取走。一支用这种新机器装备起来的探宝队进入了这个岩洞，希望找到埋藏着的金子。当这个队的队长正在检查洞口附近的土壤时，那台机器显示出它的下面埋有金子。队员们异常激动，就地挖了一个两英尺深的坑，但最后找到的是一枚几乎一钱不值的小金币。队员们接着又把整个洞彻底搜寻了一遍，但除了一只空铁皮箱外什么也没找到。尽管如此，很多人仍然相信“探宝器”很快就会探出值钱的东西来。
Lesson 56
Faster than sound！
比声音还快！
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
How fast did the winning car go？
Once a year； a race is held for old cars。 A lot of cars entered for this race last year and there was a great deal of excitement just before it began。 One of the most handsome cars was a Rolls…Royce Silver Ghost。 The most unusual car was a Benz which had only three wheels。 Built in 1885； it was the oldest car taking part。 After a great many loud explosions； the race began。 Many of the cars broke down on the course and some drivers spent more time under their cars than in them！ A few cars； however； completed the race。 The winning car reached a speed of forty miles an hour much faster than any of its rivals。 It sped downhill at the end of the race and its driver had a lot of trouble trying to stop it。 The race gave everyone a great deal of pleasure。 It was very different from modern car races but no less exciting。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
sound n。 声音
excitement n。 激动，兴奋
handsome adj。 漂亮的；美观的
Rolls…Royce 罗尔斯罗伊斯
Benz n。 奔驰
wheel n。 轮子
explosion n。 爆炸，轰响
course n。 跑道；行程
rival n。 对手
speed v。 疾驶
downhill adv。 下坡
参考译文
旧式汽车的比赛每年举行一次。去年有很多汽车参加了这项比赛。比赛开始之前，人们异常激动。最漂亮的汽车之一是罗尔斯罗伊斯生产的银鬼汽车，而最不寻常的一辆则要属只有3只轮子的奔驰牌汽车了。该车造于1885年，是参赛车中最老的一辆。在好一阵喧闹的爆炸声之后，比赛开始了。很多汽车在途中就抛了锚，而有些驾驶员花在汽车底下的时间比坐在汽车里面的时间还长。然而还是有几辆汽车跑完了全程。获胜的那辆车达到了时速40英里远远超过任何对手。它在接近终点时，冲下了山坡，驾驶员费了好大劲才把车停下来。这次比赛使每个人都挺开心。它虽然与现代汽车比赛大不相同，但激动人心的程度并不亚于现代化汽车大赛。
Lesson 57
Can I help you； madam？
您要买什么，夫人？
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Did the woman get what she wanted？
A woman in jeans stood at the window of an expensive shop。 Though she hesitated for a moment； she finally went in and asked to see a dress that was in the window。 The assistant who served her did not like the way she was dressed。 Glancing at her scornfully； he told her that the dress was sold。 The woman walked out of the shop angrily and decided to punish the assistant next day。 She returned to the shop the following morning dressed in a fur coat； with a handbag in one hand and a long umbrella in the other。 After seeking out the rude assistant； she asked for the same dress。 Not realizing who she was； the assistant was eager to serve her this time。 With great difficulty； he climbed into the shop window to get the dress。 As soon as she saw it； the woman said she did not like it。 She enjoyed herself making the assistant bring almost everything in the window before finally buying the dress she had first asked for。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
madam n。 （对妇女的尊称）太太，夫人
jeans n。 牛仔裤
hesitate v。 犹豫，迟缓
serve v。 接待（顾客）
scornfully adv。 轻蔑地
punish v。 惩罚
fur n。 裘皮
eager adj。 热切的，热情的
参考译文
一位穿着牛仔裤的妇女站在一家高档商店的橱窗前。她虽然犹豫了片刻，但终于还是走进了商店，要求把陈列在橱窗里的一件衣服拿给她看。接待她的售货员不喜欢她的那副打扮，轻蔑地看了她一眼后，便告诉她那件衣服已经卖出去了。这位妇女怒气冲冲地走出了商店，决定第二天教训一下那个售货员。第二天上午，她又来到这家商店，穿了一件裘皮大衣，一只手拎着一只手提包，另一只手拿着一把长柄伞。找到那个无礼的售货员后，她还要看昨天的那件衣服。那个售货员没有认出她是谁，这一回接待她的态度非常殷勤。费了好大劲儿，他爬进橱窗去取那件衣服。这位妇女对那件衣服只看一眼，就说不喜欢。她开心地迫使那位售货员把橱窗里几乎所有的东西都拿了出来，最后才买下了她最先要看的那一件。
Lesson 58
A blessing in disguise？
是因祸得福吗？
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Why does the vicar refuse to cut down the tree？
The tiny village of Frinley is said to possess a 'cursed tree'。 Because the tree was mentioned in a newspaper； the number of visitors to Frinley has now increased。 The tree was planted near the church fifty years ago； but it is only in recent years that it has gained an evil reputation。 It is said that if anyone touches the tree； he will have bad luck； if he picks a leaf； he will die。 Many villagers believe that the tree has already claimed a number of victims。 The vicar has been asked to have the tree cut down； but so far he has refused。 He has pointed out that the tree cut down； but so far he has refused。 He has pointed out that the tree is a useful source of income； as tourists have been coming from all parts of the country to see it。 In spite of all that has been said； the tourists have been picking leaves and cutting their names on the tree…trunk。 So far； not one of them has been struck down by sudden death！
New words and expressions 生词和短语
blessing n。 福分，福气
disguise n。 伪装
tiny adj。 极小的
possess v。 拥有
cursed adj。 可恨的
increase v。 增加
plant v。 种植
church n。 教堂
evil adj。 坏的
reputation n。 名声
claim v。 以。。。。。。为其后果
victim n。 受害者，牺牲品
vicar n。 教区牧师
source n。 来源
income n。 收入
trunk n。 树干
参考译文
据说弗林利这个小村里有一棵“该诅咒的树”。就因为报上提到过这棵树，所以现在来弗林利参观的人越来越多。该树是50年前栽在教堂附近的�