大学英语精读第一册 Unit Seven: The Sampler

TEXT

The author finds out that good intentions alone are not enough when his attempt to be kind to an old man leaves them both feeling worse than before.

The Sampler

In a certain store where they sell puddings, a number of these delicious things are laid out in a row during the Christmas season. Here you may select the one which is most to your taste, and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision.
I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of making a purchase, would take advantage of this privilege. One day I asked this question of the shop girl, and I learned it was indeed the case.
"Now there's one old gentleman, for instance," she told me, "he comes here almost every week and samples each one of the puddings, though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember him from last year before that, too. Well, let him come if he wants it, and welcome to it. And what's more, I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share. He looks as if he needed it all right, and I suppose they can afford it."
She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman limped up to the counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great interest.
"Why, that's the very gentleman I've been telling you about," whispered the shop girl." Just watch him now." And then turning to him:" Would you like to sample them, sir? Here's spoon for you to use."
The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly¹ dressed, accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings, only braking off occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief.
"This is quite good."
"This is not bad either, but a little too heavy."
All the time it was quite evident that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings, and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store. Poor old chap! Probably he had come down in the world and this sampling was all that was left him from the time when he could afford to come and select his favorite pudding.
Amidst the crowd of happy, prosperous looking Christmas shoppers, the little black figure of the old man seemed pitiful and out of place, and in a burst of benevolence², I went up to him and said:
"Pardon me, sir, will you do me a favor? Let me purchase you one of these puddings. It would give me such pleasure."
He jumped back as if he had been stung, and the blood rushed into his wrinkled face.
"Excuse me," he said, with more dignity than I would have thought possible considering his appearance, "I do not believe I have the pleasure of knowing you. Undoubtedly³ you have mistaken me for someone else." And with a quick decision he turned to the shop girl and said in a loud voice, "Kindly⁴ pack me up this one here. I will take it with me." He pointed⁵ at one of the largest and most expensive of the puddings.
The girl took down the pudding from its stand and started to make a parcel of it, while he pulled out a worn little black pocketbook and began counting out shillings and pennies on to the counter. To save his "honour" he had been forced into a purchase which he could not possibly afford. How I longed for the power to unsay my tactless words! It was too late though, and I felt that the kindest thing I could do now would be walk away.
"You pay at the desk," the shop girl was telling him, but he did not seem to understand and kept trying to put the coins into her hand. And that was the last I saw or the old man. Now he can never go there to sample pudding any more.

NEW WORDS

author
n. the writer of a book, article, play, poem, etc. 作者
intention
n. purpose　目的；意图
sampler
n. one who finds out the quality of sth. by testing a part of it　品尝家
pudding
n. 布丁（西餐中一种松软的甜点心）
delicious
a. tasting or smelling pleasant　美味的，可口的
select
vt. choose from a group　挑选
selection
n.
sample
vt. test a part of　品尝
purchase
n. buying
vt. buy
advantage
n. sth. useful or helpful　利益，好处；优点
privilege
n. special right given to a person　特权
instance
n. example, case　例子，实例
suspect
vt. feel doubt about; guess or suppose　怀疑；猜测
suspicion
n.
afford
vt. have the money for 　担负得起
elderly
a. near old age 　上了年纪
limp
n. walk with an uneven⁶ step　跛行
counter
n. 柜台
spoon
n. 调羹
eagerly
ad. with strong interest or impatient desire　热切地，急切地
occasionally
ad. now and then; at times 　偶尔；间或
occasional
a.
heavy
a. (of food, etc.) too rich to digest easily　（食物等）太油腻而不易消化
evident
a. plain and clear (to the eye or mind)　明显的，明白的
sincerely
ad. honestly　诚恳地
eventually
ad. in the end 　终于，最终
positive
a. sure, certain　有把握的，确信的
cheat
vt. deceive　欺骗
chap
n. man; boy; fellow　男人；小伙子；家伙
amidst
prep. in the middle of; among　在...中间
crowd　　　　　　　　
n. 人群
prosperous
a. rich; successful　富裕的；成功的；昌盛的
prosperity
n.
figure
n. 外形，伦廓；体形
pitiful
a. making one feel pity 可怜的
benevolence
n. the desire to do good 仁慈
sting
vt. prick⁷ or hurt 刺，螫
wrinkle
v. (cause to) form into lines （使）起皱纹
dignity
n. calm and serious manner or style 尊严
appearance
n. that which can be seen; look 外表
pack
vt. put (things) into boxes, cases, etc. 把（东西）打包（或装箱）
stand
n. （货）架；（货摊）
worn
a. damaged by use or wear 破烂的，损坏的
pocketbook
a. a wallet for money and personal papers 皮夹
shilling
n. 先令
long
vi. wish earnestly 渴望
unsay
vt. take back (sth. that has been said) 收回（说过的话）
tactless
a. 不策略的
coin
n. metal money 硬币

PHEASES & EXPRESSIONS

lay out
spread out 陈列
in a row
side by side in a neat line 成一长行
to one's taste
in a way that one likes 合...口味，中...的意
take advantage of
use (sth.) for one's own benefit 利用
for instance
for example
and what's more
also, and more importantly 而且，更重要的是
all right
certainly; beyond doubt 确实，无疑地
break off
pause 中止，中断
come down (in the world)
become poor; lose social position 落泊，潦倒；失势
out of place
improper⁸ (for one's surroundings) 不适当的；不相称的
do sb. a favo(u)r
do sth. kind to sb. 给某人以恩惠；帮某人忙
mistake...for
think wrongly that (sth. or sb.) is (sth. or sb. else) 把...错认为
pull out
take out 抽出，取出
count out
count (things) one by one 逐一数出
long for
wish very much for 渴望

 

1 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

2 benevolence   

n.慈悲，捐助

参考例句：

• We definitely do not apply a policy of benevolence to the reactionaries.我们对反动派决不施仁政。
• He did it out of pure benevolence. 他做那件事完全出于善意。

3 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

4 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

7 prick   

v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛

参考例句：

• He felt a sharp prick when he stepped on an upturned nail.当他踩在一个尖朝上的钉子上时，他感到剧烈的疼痛。
• He burst the balloon with a prick of the pin.他用针一戳，气球就爆了。

8 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。