高三英語， Unit eight.A person of greatexamination.
Dialogue.
Jane and kate are leaving the swimmingpool.
See you next Friday.
Next Friday?Why, what's happening?I'm goingaway for the weekend.
But you said you'd come out the dinner withme. We fixed it.
No, we didn’t fix anything.. We thought wemight go out, but we said we'd check with each other first.And now I'm tellingyou I can't manage this Friday.Another time possibly, but not Friday.
You don't keep your word.Why did you tellme then? I've been looking forward to it.How can you change your mind at lastminute?
I'm sorry about that.
You just don't consider anyone butyourself.
That's not true. I don't want to argueabout it anymore anyhow. I'll see you next week.
A fortnight later.
Kate, I'm sorry about that argument. Iapologize for being so angry with you.
You were very angry.
Yes, I'm sorry about that.I think we justhad a misunderstanding about the plan, but I was destroyed, did not to be goingout. So I got angry and started shouting at you.
You certainly did.
I'm sorry to have done that. I didn't meanto be so rude.
It does matter.
I feel rather ashamed.
There's no need for that. We will havedinner another time.
Thanks ,I’d like that.
A person of greatdetermination.
Many years ago I walked into a bookstore in Cincinnati in search of some books that I wanted.Where I wasthere. A young boy of about 12 came into ask whether they had any geographybooks for sale.
“Plenty of them.”was the shop assistantsreply.
“How much do they cost?”
“$1 each,young man.”
“Oh, dear, I didn't know they cost somuch.”He turned to go out and had already opened the door,but then he pausedand came back to the counter.”I'm only got 62 cents.”He said.”Will you let mehave the book, and wait a little while for the rest of the money?”
How easily he looked up at the salesassistant for an answer. And how disappointed he looked when the man refusedhis request.Looking up at me with a weak smile. The boy left the store. I‘followed him.
“And what now?”I asked.
“I shall try another place,sir”
“Do you mind if I come belong to and seehow you get on.?”
“If you like.”He said in surprise, wewent to four different stores together and four times I saw the boyseager face turn to disappointment.
“Are you going to try again?”I ask.
“Yes sir.Unless I visit every bookstorein town, I shall not know whether I can get what I want.”
We entered the 5th store and the boywalked straight up to the counter and told the bookseller, just what he wantedand how much money he had.
Do you want the book very much?”Askedthe bookseller.
“Yes sir very much.”
“Why do you want it so badly?”急切的，
To study ,sir. I can't go to school ,butwhen I have time I study at home,.All the other boys have geography books, andthey will be ahead of me If I don't get one. Besides, my father was a sailor ,andI want to know about all the places he used to go to.
“Does he still go to these places?”
“He is died.”Replied the boy softly.Amoment later he added.”I'm going to be a sailor too.”
“Are you young man.?”said thebookseller with a curious look.
“Yes indeed sir. If I possibly can.”
“Where i'll tell you what i'll do. I'lllet you have the new geography book. And you may pay me the rest of the moneywhen you can. Or, I can let you have a second hand book, for 15 cents.”
“Are you sure that there are nopages missing. And that it is just like the others, only second hand?”
“Yes. It is as good as new ones.”
“Well in that case, it ‘ll do just aswell, and then I shall have 12cents left to buy some other book. I'm glad theydidn't let me have one at any of the other places.”
At the boy's last remark, the booksellerlooked at his curiously. I told him what I had seen and heard at the five otherplaces. to the boy’s delight. The bookseller give him a nice new pencil and asome writingpaper.
“A present young man for your great determination.”hesaid.”You are obviously a person of great courage.”
“Thank you, sir. It's very kind of.”
What is your name?
“William harry potter.”
I look into the boys heroes but eagerface and asked him.” Do you want any more books?”
“Yes. More than I can ever get.”
I give him $2. “Take this money and buyyourself some more books.”
Tears of joy filled his eyes. For onemoment ,I thought he was going to burst into tears. Thank you very much indeed,sir. he said,” I hope that one day I shall be able to repay you.”
He asked for my name and I told him,then I left him standing by the counter. So happy that I almost envied him.
Many years later, I was sailing toeurope on a fine sailing ship across the atlantic .For the greater part of thevoyage we had pleasant weather,but towards the end of our crossing a terriblestorm came up and the ship would have sunk with all on board but for the effortsof the captain.
The ship started to leak and began tofill with water. The sailors were strong ,able, and willing.But after pumpingfor one whole night, they will losing the battle against the rising water andwere on the point of giving up.
The captain,as soon as he realized thesituation, took charge.He ordered the sailors back to the pumps and encouragedthe years later to save the ship.His strong will doubled their efforts.How theman pumped like crazy.As the captain passed me, I asked him whether there wasany hope of saving the ship.
He look at me. “Yes, sir” he said, “whilemy feet remain standing above the water level, there is hope.Neither I nor anyof the sailors Will leave the ship, so long as it remains above the surface ofthe sea.We shall do everything we can to seize the ship. And if we fail, itwill not be our fault.Then he turned to all the passengers and shouted,”To thepumps. Everyone of you.”
Three times during that day We were onthe point of giving up. but the captain’s courage, determination and iron willforced us to continue ,and we went back to the pumps.”I will land you safe inliverpool. He cried. If you will stay strong and form with me.”
And in the end he did land us safe,butthe ship sank soon after it reached the port of liverpool.The captain stood atthe edge of the ship once it was safely tied up to the wall of the port andreceived the thanks of the passengers as they hurried off the ship.As Iexpressed to him my thanks, he held my hand firmly , looked into my eyes andsaid” sir,don't you recognize me?” I told him that I did not.
“Do you remember the boy who youfollowed when he had so much difficulty in buying a geography book, some 30years ago, in Cincinnati？
Why yes I remember that boy very wellhis name was William hartley.
I am that same William hartley.
Goodness! I said, “what a good fortunethat I traveled with you as my captain. The determination that 30 years ago gotyou that geography book has today saved our lives.
