Unit Seven



　

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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 se-
lect 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 and the 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
inter-est.
　

"Why, that's the very gentleman I've been telling you about, " whis-
pered the shop girl. "Just watch him now. " And then turning to him:
"Would you like to sample them, sir? Here's a spoon for you to use. "
The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly dressed, accepted
the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings,
only breaking off occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn hand-
kerchief .
　

"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 benevolence, 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. Undoubtedly you
have mistaken me for someoneelse." And with a quick decision
he turned to the shop girl and said in a loud voice, " Kindly
pack me up this one here. I will take it with me." He pointed at
one of the largest and most ex-pensive 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 pock-
et book 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 heard of the old man. Now he can never go there
to sample puddings any more.

　

　

　

Click the button to listen to the pronunciations of new words

　

　

　

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 wha 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 买得起;担负得起

elderly a.
near old age 上了年纪的

limp vi.
walk with an uneven 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)太油腻而不易消化的

evident a.
plain and clear (to the eye or mind)明显的,


明白的

sincerely ad.
honestly 诚恳地

sincere a.

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,轮廓;体形

pitiful a.
making one feel pity 可怜的

benevolence n.
the desire to do good 仁慈

sting vt.
prick or hurt 刺,螯

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

pocketbook n.
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


　
　
Phrases & 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...的口味,


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 落魄,


潦倒;失势

out of place improper

(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