The Nobel Prize
[00:27.48]Winning the Nobel Prize is considered by most people
[00:33.36]the highest honor that can be achieved in certain particular fields of work
[00:40.12]such as chemistry,physics,medicine,and literature.
[00:47.20]There is also a Nobel Peace Prize,awarded for efforts on behalf of peace.
[00:54.75]The ironic thing about these prizes is that they were started by a man
[01:01.41]who did a great deal to help the science of destruction!
[01:06.69]Alfred Nobel was born in Stockhom and lived from 1833 to 1896.
[01:15.76]Among the things which he invented and patented were dynamite
[01:22.42]and a new kind of detonator for explosives.
[01:27.17]It may be that having created such deadly explosives,
[01:32.92]Nobel felt a need to do something noble for the world.
[01:38.51]He was interested in establishing peace,
[01:43.05]and had a plan he thought would prevent war.
[01:47.91]He thought that literature and science
[01:52.35]were the most important factors in human progress.
[01:57.60]When he died,Nobel left a fund of $9,000,000.
[02:03.66]The money was ti be used in giving prizes
[02:08.84]to those who made outstanding contributions in physics,
[02:14.16]chemistry,medicine,literature,and the advancement of world peace.
[02:21.71]The prizes averaged about $40,000 each,
[02:27.96]and were first awarded on December 10,1901,the anniversary of Nobel's death.
[02:36.40]Playing Daddy
[03:05.94]Twelve-year-old Dave rushes home from school.
[03:10.80]He sits down on the couch and turns on the TV.
[03:16.05]Then mom enters the living room,switches off the TV,
[03:22.21]and puts the remote control in her pocket.
[03:26.58]"You watch too much TV.Go outside and play."
[03:32.04]Dave whimpers and says,"There's no one to play with."
[03:37.60]Trying to appease him,she says,"OK.I'll play with you.What do you want to play?"
[03:45.54]He says,"I wanna play Mommy and Daddy."
[03:51.00]Trying not to register surprise,and to further appease him,
[03:57.06]she says,"Fine,I'll play.What do I do?"
[04:03.54]Dave says,"You go up to the bedroom and lie down."
[04:09.50]Figuring that she can easily control the situation,mom goes upstairs.
[04:16.55]Dave swaggers down the hall and opens the closet.
[04:22.71]He puts on his father's old fishing hat.
[04:27.57]As he starts up the stairs
[04:31.52]he notices a cigarette but in the ashtray on the table.
[04:36.87]He picks it up and slips it in the corner of his mouth.
[04:42.75]At the top of the stairs he moves to the bedroom doorway.
[04:49.41]His mother raises her head and says,"What do I do now?"
[04:55.16]In a gruff manner,Dave says,
[04:59.13]"Get your ass downstairs right now and turn on the damn TV for the kid!"
[05:06.29]A Fast Learner
[05:35.75]Mr.Hill returned from a business trip,
[05:40.48]exhausted and eager for a hot shower and a relaxing afternoon.
[05:47.43]His wife greeted him,took his suitcase and slid it into a closet.
[05:54.40]He looked around the room,hoping to spot his dog,
[05:59.55]who would usually rush into the living-room,
[06:04.12]wagging its tail,and greet Mr.Hill as he closed the door behind him.
[06:10.36]"Where's Bruno?'he asked.
[06:15.12]His wife took a deep breath,folded her hands in front of her,and said,
[06:22.56]"I'm sorry,dear.Bruno was killed by a truck yesterday."
[06:28.34]"What...what..."Hill sputtered.
[06:32.99]"What kind of a way is that to tell me such bad news?
[06:38.24]I mean,you could have tried to soften it a little."
[06:43.28]"But how?"Mrs.Hill asked.
[06:47.33]"Well,I don't know,"her husband said.
[06:52.00]"You could have prepared me for it,instead of just blurting it out.
[06:57.46]You might have said,'Bruno was playing on the street.
[07:02.50]The neighbor's children were running with him and laughing.
[07:07.36]Then,all of a sudden,from out of nowhere,a truck came roaring down the street.'
[07:14.73]You could have prepared some story like that,just to cushion the shock a bit".
[07:23.06]"I guess you're right,"his wife said apologetically.
[07:29.33]"I'm sorry,dear.
[07:32.49]I was so upset myself that I didn't think much about how you would react."
[07:39.05]Calmer now,Hill said,"That's all right."
[07:44.80]He sat down in the chair and sighed.
[07:48.77]"By the way,where's Mother?"
[07:52.71]Mrs.Hill hesitated.
[07:56.47]Then she said,"Well,she was walking the dog on the street.
[08:03.11]All of a sudden,from out of nowhere..."
[08:07.34]A Job Interview
[08:34.48]Tony goes for a job interview in an office.
[08:40.44]The interviewer decides to start with the basics.
[08:45.30]"So,can you tell us your age,please?"
[08:50.34]Tony counts carefully on his fingers
[08:54.78]for about 30 seconds before replying"Ehhh...19!"
[09:02.72]The interviewer tries another straightforward one to break the ice3.
[09:08.78]"And can you tell us your height,please?"
[09:12.83]Tony stands up and produces a measuring tape from hs pocket.
[09:19.60]He then traps one end under his foot and extends the tape to the top of his head.
[09:27.75]He checks the measurement and announces,"Five foot nine!"
[09:33.70]This isn't looking good so the interviewer goes for the real basics.
[09:39.94]"And just to confirm for our records,your name please?"
[09:46.00]Tony bobs his head from side to side for about twenty seconds,
[09:52.38]mouthing something silently to himself before replying"Tony!"
[09:59.54]The interviewer is completely baffled at this stage,
[10:06.38]so he asks"Just out of curiosity.
[10:12.26]We can understand your counting on your fingers to work out your age,
[10:18.42]and the measuring tape for your hight is obvious,
[10:23.18]but what were you doing when we asked you your name?"
[10:28.14]"Oh that!That's just me running through'Happy birthday to you,
[10:36.19]happy birthday to you... |