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Unit Two

　

　

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A heated discussion about whether men are braver
than women is settled in a rather unexpected way.

　

　

　

THE DINNER PARTY

　

Mona Gardner



I first heard this tale in India, where it is told as if true-though any
naturalist would know it couldn't be. Later someone told me that the story
appeared in a magazine shortly before the First World War. That magazine
story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down.
　

The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large
dinner party. They are seated with their guests - officers and their wives,
and a visiting American naturalist - in their spacious dining room, which
has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a
veranda.
　

A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that
women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era
and a major who says that they haven't.
　

"A woman's reaction in any crisis, " the major says, "is to scream.


And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of control than a
woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts. "


The American. does not join in the argument but watches the other
guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the
hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly.
She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers
something to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.
　

Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy
place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
　

The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only
one thing--bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room.


He looks up at the rafters-the likeliest place -put they are bare. Three
corners of the room are empty and in the fourth the servants are waiting
to serve the next course. There is only one place left - under the table.


His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows
the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking He speaks quickly,
the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.


"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will
count three hundred - that's five minutes - and not one of you is to move
a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready!"
　

The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "…
two hundred and eighty…" when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the
cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps
to slam the veranda doors safely shut.


"You were right, Major! " the host exclaims. " A man has just shown
40 us an example of perfect self-control. "


"Just a minute, "the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes,
how did you know that cobra was in the room?"


A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was
crawling across my foot. "

　

　

　

Click the button to listen to the pronunciations of new words

　

　

New Words



heated a.
with strong, excited, and often angry feelings

　
热烈的; 激烈的

unexpected a.
not expected 意外的

naturalist n.
one who makes a special study of plants or ani-

　
mals outdoors 博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)

shortly ad.
soon ; (in) a little time 不久, 马上

colonial a.
of or related to a colony or colonies 殖民地的

spacious a.
big; having much space 广阔的；宽敞的

dining room n.
餐厅

bare a.
not covered ( with a carpet ) ; empty 不铺地毯

　
的;赤裸的;光秃的

marble n.
大理石

rafter n.
one of the sloping beams that support the roof 椽

onto prep.
to a position or point on 到…之上; 向…之上

veranda n.
阳台

spirited a.
full of spirit; lively

outgrow (outgrew, outgrown )
leave behind, as one grows older or more mature

vt.
长大得使…不再适用；成长得不再要

mouse n.
鼠

era n.
时代；年代

major n.
少校

crisis (pl. crises )n.
time of difficulty, danger, etc. 危机

ounce n.
盎司；少量

argument n.
discussion by persons who disagree; dispute

　
争论 ; 辩论

hostess n.
女主人

muscle n.
肌肉

contract vi.
become shorter or smaller 收缩

contraction n.


slightly ad.
a little 稍微地

slight a.

motion vi.
give a signal by moving the hand or head 打手

　
势;点(或摇)头示意

widen v.
make or become wider

bait n.
food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so

　
that they may be caught 诱饵

cobra n.
poisonous snake found in India and Africa. 眼镜蛇

likely a.
probable 可能的

impulse n.
sudden wish to do sth. 冲动

commotion n.
noisy confusion or excitement 混乱; 骚动

tone n.
quality of voice or music 语气 ; 音调

commanding a.
authoritative 威严的

forfeit vt.
suffer the loss of ( sth. ) as a punishment

　
(作为惩罚而)失去

rupee n.
monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比

image n.
statue 雕像

emerge vi.
come or appear (from somewhere)

emergence n.

slam vt.
shut loudly and with force 砰地关上

host n.
man who receives guests 男主人

faint a.
weak, indistinct 微弱的 ; 不明显的

crawl vi.
move slowly by pulling the body along the

　
ground 爬行


　

Phrases & Expressions

　

track down
find or discover by hunting or searching 追捕到; 追查到

be seated
sit down

spring up
begin suddenly; grow up quickly 突然开始;迅速生长

at the sight of
on seeing 一看见

feel like
have a liking for; wish for 想要

come to
regain consciousness 苏醒

make for
move towards 走向

ring out
sound loudly and clearly 突然响起

light up
make or become bright with light or color 照亮 ; 变亮


　
　
　
Proper Names
　
Mona Gardner
莫娜·加德纳

India
印度

Wynnes
温兹(姓氏)


　

　

　

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