1、大学英语精读 1_07Unit Seven Text第七单元 课文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圣诞布丁品尝师In a certain store where they sell puddings,有一家出售布丁的商店，a number of these delicious things are laid ou
2、t in a row during the Christmas season.每年圣诞期间都把许多这类美味的食品摆成一排供顾客选购。Here you may select the which is most to your taste,在这里你可以挑选最合你口味的布丁。and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision.甚至商店还允许你先把各色布丁品尝一番，然后再作出决定。I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of mak
3、ing a purchase, 我常常纳闷，会不会有一些根本无意购买的人would take advantage of this privilege.利用这一优惠趁机揩油。One day I asked this question of the shop girl,有一天，我向女店员提出了这一问题，And I learned it was indeed the case.从她那儿得知事情果真如此。“Now, theres one old gentleman,“有这样一位老先生，for instance,“ she told me,比如说， ”她告诉我。“he comes here almost
4、 every week and samples each one of the puddings,“他差不多每个星期都要到这儿来，每只布丁他都要尝一尝，though he never buys anything,尽管他从来不买什么东西，and I suspect he never will.而且我猜想他永远也不会买。I remember him from last year and the year before that, too.我从去年，甚至前年就记住他了。Well, let him come if he wants it,唉，要是他想品尝就让他来吧，and welcome to it.
5、欢迎他来品尝。And whats more,而且，I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share.我希望有更多的商店可以让他去品尝。He looks as if he needed it all right,他看上去似乎确实有这种需要，and I suppose they can afford it.“我想这点小意思他们是不在乎的。 ”She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman limped up to the counter and began lo
6、oking closely at the row of puddings with great interest.就在她讲这话的时候，一位上了年级的先生一瘸一拐地走到了柜台前，开始对着那排布丁兴致勃勃地仔细看了起来。“Why, thats the very gentleman Ive been telling you about,“喏，这就是刚刚对你说起的那位先生， ”whispered the shop girl.女店员轻声对我说。“Just watch him now.“现在你就看着他好了。 ”And then turning to him: “Would you like to samp
7、le them, sir?接着她就转过身去对老人说道：“先生，您想品尝这些布丁吗？Heres a spoon for you to use.“您可以用这把调羹。 ”The elderly gentleman, 这位老先生，who was poorly but neatly dressed,衣着虽然破旧，但却十分整洁。accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings,他接过调羹，便开始急切地一只接一只地品尝起来，only breaking off occasionally to wip
8、e his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief.只是偶尔停下来，用一方大的破手绢擦擦他的红眼睛。“This is quite good.“这种很好。 ”“This is not bad either, “这种也不错，but a little too heavy.“只是稍微腻了一点。 ”All the time it was quite evident that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings,有一点自始自终很明显：他真诚地相信自己最终也许
9、会买一只布丁；and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store.而我也确信，他一点也不觉得自己是在欺骗商店。Poor old chap!可怜的老头儿！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 puddin
10、g.很可能他已经家道败落。从前他是有钱来选购他最喜欢的布丁的，而今却只能这样来品尝一下布丁的味道了。Amidst the crowd of happy,顾客个个喜形于色，prosperous looking Christmas shoppers,为圣诞节忙着采购商品，看上去都很富裕。the little black figure of the old man seemed pitiful and out of place,老人矮小的黑色身影在这群人中间显得很可怜，很不相称。and in a burst of benevolence, 我突然动了恻隐之心，I went up to him and
11、 said: “Pardon me, sir, 走到他跟前说：“请原谅，先生，will you do me a favor?能赏我个脸吗？Let me purchase you one of these puddings.让我为您买一只布丁吧。It would give me such pleasure.“如果您肯收下，我将不胜欣慰。 ”He jumped back as if he had been stung,他往后一跳，仿佛被什么东西螫了一下似的，and the blood rushes into his wrinkled face.他那张布满皱纹的脸顿时涨得通红。“Excuse me,
12、“ he said,“对不起， ”他说，with more dignity than I would have thought possible considering his appearance,其神态之高傲，远非我根据外表所能想象得出：“I do not believe I have the pleasure of knowing you.“我想我跟您并不相识。Undoubtedly you have mistaken me for someone else.“无疑您是认错人了。 ”And with a quick decision he turned to the shop girl
13、and said in a loud voice,于是他当机立断，转向女店员，大声说道：“Kindly pack me up this one here.“劳驾把这只替我包扎一下。I will take it with me.“我要带走的。 ”He pointed at one of the largest and most expensive of the puddings.他指了指最大的也是最贵的一只布丁。The girl took down the pudding from its stand and started to make a parcel of it,女店员从架子取下那只布丁
14、，动手包扎。while he pulled out a worn little black pocketbook and began counting out shillings and pennies on to the counter.这时，他掏出一只破旧的黑色小皮夹子，开始一个先令一个便士地数着硬币，把它们放在柜台上。To save his “honour“ he had been forced into a purchase which he could not possibly afford.为了住“面子， ”他被迫买下了他实在买不起的东西。How I longed for the
15、power to unsay my tactless words!我多么希望能收回我那些不得体的话啊！It was too late though,然而为时已晚，and I felt that the kindest thing I could do now would be walk away.我感到此时唯有走开才是最积德的事。“You pay at the desk,“ the shop girl was telling him,“请您到那边帐台上去付款。 ”女店员告诉他，but he did not seem to understand and kept trying to put th
16、e coins into her hand.但他好像没有听懂，只管把硬币往她手里塞。And that was the last I saw or heard of the old man.打这以后我再也没有看到这位老人，也没有听到过有关他的情况。Now he can never go there to sample puddings any more.现在他再也不会到那家商店去品尝布丁了。New Words单词author n.作者intention n.目的，意图sampler n.品尝家pudding n.布丁（西餐中一种松软的甜点心）Delicious n.美味的，可口的Select v
17、t.挑选Selection n.选择，挑选Sample vt.品尝Purchase n. vt.买，购买Advantage n.利益，好处；优点Privilege n.特权Instance n.例子，实例Suspect vt.怀疑；猜测Suspicion n.猜疑，怀疑Afford vt.买得起；担负得起Elderly a.上了年级的Limp vi.跛行Counter n.柜台Spoon n.调羹Eagerly ad.热切地，急切地Occasionally ad.偶尔；间或Occasional a.偶然的Heavy a.（食物等）太油腻而不易消化的Evident a.明显的，明白的Sincer
18、ely ad.诚恳地Sincere a.真实的，真诚的Eventually ad.终于，最终Positive a.有把握的，确信的Cheat vt.欺骗Chap n.男人；小伙子；家伙Amidst prep.在中间Crowd n.人群Prosperous a.富裕的；成功的；昌盛的Prosperity n.繁荣Figure n.外形；轮廓；体型Pitiful a.可怜的Benevolence n.仁慈Sting vt.刺，螫Wrinkle v.（使）起皱纹Dignity n.尊严Appearance n.外表Pack vt.把（东西）打包（或装箱）Stand n.（货）架；（货）摊Pocket
19、book n.皮夹Shilling n.先令Long vi.渴望Unsay vt.收回（说过的话）Tactless a.不策略的Coin n.硬币Phases&Expressions短语及表达Lay out 陈列In a row 成一长行To ones taste合的口味，中的意Take advantage of 利用For instance 例如And whats more 而且，更重要的是All right 确实，无疑地Break off 中止，中断Come down(in the world)落泊，潦倒；失势Out of place 不适当；不相称的Do sb. A favo(u)r给某人以恩惠；帮某人忙Mistake for把错认为Pull out 抽出，取出Count out 逐一数出Long for 渴望
