1. A Private Conversation 6.

Percy Buttons

Last week I went to the theatre. I had a very good I have just moved to a house in Bridge Street.
seat. The play was very interesting. I did not enjoy it. A young Yesterday, a beggar knocked at my door. He asked me for a
man and a young woman were sitting behind me. They were meal and a glass of beer. In return for this, the beggar stood on
talking loudly. I got very angry. I could not hear the actors. his head and sang songs. I gave him a meal. He ate the food
I turned round. I looked at the man and the woman angrily. and drank the beer. Then he put a piece of cheese in his
They did not pay any attention. In the end, I could not bear it. I pocket and went away.
turned round again. I cant hear word! I said angrily. Later a neighbour told me about him. Everybody knows
Its none of your business, the young man said rudely. This him. His name is Percy Buttons. He calls at every house in the
is a private conversation! street once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of
beer.
2. Breakfast or Lunch?
7. Too Late
It was Sunday. I never get early on Sundays. I sometimes
stay in bed until lunch time. Last Sunday, I got up very late. I The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport
looked out of the window. It was dark outside. What a day! I all morning. They were expecting a valuable parcel of
thought. Its raining again. diamonds from South Africa. A few hours earlier, someone had
Just then, the telephone rang. It was my aunt Lucy. Ive just told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds.
arrived by train, she said. Im coming to see you. When the plane arrived, some of the detectives were
waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on
But Im still having breakfast, I said. the airfield. Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it
What are you doing? she asked. into the Customs House. While two detectives were keeping
Im having breakfast, I repeated. guard at the door, two others opened the parcel. To their
Dear me, she said. Do you always get up so late? Its one surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand!
oclock!
8. The Best And The Worst
3. Please Send Me A Card
Joe Sanders has the most beautiful garden in our town. Nearly
Postcards always spoil my holidays. Last summer, I everybody enters for The Nicest Garden Competition each
went to Italy. I visited museums and sat in public gardens. A year, but Joe wins every time. Bill Friths garden is larger than
friendly waiter taught me a few words of Italian. Then he lent Joes.
me a book. I read a few lines, but I did not understand a word. Bill works harder than Joe and grows more flowers
and vegetables, but Joes garden is more interesting. He has
Every day I thought about postcards. My holidays passed made neat paths and has built a wooden bridge over a pool.
quickly, but I did not send any cards to my friends. On the last I like gardens too, but I do not like hard work. Every year I
day I made a big decision. I got up early and bought thirty- enter for the garden competition too, and I always win a little
seven cards. I spent the whole day in my room, but I did not prize for the worst garden in the town
write a single card!
9. A Cold Welcome
4. An Exciting Trip
On Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall. It
I have just received a letter from my bother, Tim. He is in was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had
Australia. He has been there for six months. Tim is an gathered under the Town Hall clock. It would strike twelve in
engineer. He is working for a big firm and he has already twenty minutes time. Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five
visited a great number of different places in Australia. to twelve, the clock stopped. The big minute hand did not
move. We waited and waited, but nothing happened.
He has just bought an Australian car and has gone to Alice
Springs, a small town in the centre of Australia. He will soon Suddenly someone shouted, Its two minutes past twelve. The
visit Darwin. From there, he will fly to Perth. clock has stopped. I looked at my watch. It was true. The big
My brother has never been abroad before, so he is finding this clock refused to welcome the New Year. At that moment,
trip very exciting. everybody began to laugh and sing.

5. No Wrong Number 10. Not For Jazz

Mr James Scott has a garage in Silbury and now he We have an old musical instrument. It is called a
has just bought another garage in Pinhurst. Pinhurst is only clavichord. It was made in Germany in 1681. Our clavichord is
five miles from Silbury, but Mr Scott cannot get a telephone for kept in the living-room. It has belonged to our family for a long
his new garage, so he has just bought twelve pigeons. time. The instrument was bought by my grandfather many
years ago.
Yesterday, a pigeon carried the first message from Pinhurst to
Silbury. The bird covered the distance in three minutes. Recently it was damaged by a visitor. She tried to play jazz on
Up to now, Mr Scott has sent a great many requests for spare it! She struck the keys too hard and two of the strings were
parts and other urgent messages from one garage to the other. broken. My father was shocked. Now we are not allowed to
In this way, he has begun his own private telephone service. touch it. It is being repaired by a friend of may fathers.
 11. One Good Turn Deserves Another 16. A Polite Request

I was having dinner at a restaurant when Harry Steele If you park your car in the wrong place, a traffic policeman
came in. Harry worked in a lawyers office years ago, but now will soon find it. You will be very lucky if he lets you go without
he is working at a bank. He gets a good salary, but he always a ticket. However, this does not always happen. Traffic
borrows money from his friends and never pays it back. policemen are sometimes very polite.
Harry saw me and sat at the same table. He has During a holiday in Sweden, I found this note on my car, Sir,
never borrowed money from me. While he was eating, I asked we welcome you to our city. This is a No Parking area. You
him to lend me two pounds. To my surprise, he gave me the will enjoy your stay here if you pay attention to our street signs.
money immediately. I have never borrowed any money from This note is only a reminder.
you, Harry said, so now you can pay for my dinner! If you receive a request like this, you cannot fail to obey it!

12. Good Bye and Good Luck

17. Always Young
Our neighbour, Captain Charles Alison, will sail from
Portsmouth tomorrow. We shall meet him at the harbour early My aunt Jennifer is an actress. She must be at least
in the morning. He will be in his small boat, Topsail. thirty-five years old. In spite of this, she often appears on the
Topsail is a famous little boat. It has sailed across the Atlantic stage as a young girl. Jennifer will take part in a new play
many times. Captain Alison will set out at eight oclock, so we soon. This time, she will be a girl of seventeen. In the play, she
shall have plenty of time. We shall see his boat and then we must appear in a bright red dress and long black stockings.
shall say good-bye to him. He will be away for two months. We Last year in another play, she had to wear short socks and a
are very proud of him. He will take part in an important race bright, orange-coloured dress. If anyone ever asks how old she
across the Atlantic. is, she always answers, My dear, it must be terrible to be
grown up!
13. The Greenwood Boys
He Often Does This
The Greenwood Boys are a group of popular singers.
At present, they are visiting all parts of the country. They will After I had had lunch at a village inn, I looked for my
be arriving here tomorrow. They will be coming by train and bag. I had left it on a chair beside the door and now it wasnt
most of the young people in the town will be meeting them at there! As I was looking for it, the inn-keeper came in.
the station. Did you have a good meal? he asked.
Yes, thank you, I answered, but I cant pay the bill. I havent
Tomorrow evening they will be singing at the Workers got my bag.
Club. The Greenwood Boys will be staying for five days. During The inn-keeper smiled and immediately went out. In a few
this time, they will give five performances. As usual, the police minutes he returned with my bag and gave it back to me.
will have a difficult time. They will be trying to keep order. It is Im very sorry, he said. My dog had taken it into the garden.
always the same on these occasions. He often does this.

14. Do You Speak English? Sold Out

I had an amusing experience last year. After I had left The play may begin at any moment, I said.
a small village in the south of French, I drove on to the next It may have begun already, Susan answered.
town. On the way, a young man waved to me. I stopped and I hurried to the ticket-office. May I have two ticket please? I
he asked me for a lift. As soon as he got into the car, I said asked.
good morning to him in French and he replied in the same Im sorry, weve sold out, the girl said.
language. What a pity! Susan exclaimed.
Apart from a few words, I do not know any French at Just then, a man hurried to the ticket-office.
all. Neither of us spoke during the journey. I had nearly Can I return these two tickets? he asked.
reached the town, when the young man suddenly said, very Certainly, the girl said.
slowly, Do you speak English? As I soon learnt, he was I went back to the ticket-office at once.
English himself! Could I have those two tickets please? I asked.
Certainly, the girl said, but they are for next Wednesdays
performance. Do you still want them?
15. Good News I might as well have them, I said sadly.

The secretary told me that Mr Harmsworth would see 20. One Man in a Boat
me. I felt very nervous when I went into his office. He did not Fishing is my favorite sport. I often fish for hours
look up from his desk when I entered. After I had sat down, he without catching anything. But this does not worry me. Some
said that business was very bad. He told me that the firm could fishermen are unlucky. Instead of catching fish, the catch old
not afford to pay such large salaries. Twenty people had boots and rubbish. I am even less lucky. I never catch anything
already left. I knew that my turn had come. not even old boots.
After having spent whole mornings on the river, I always go
Mr Harmsworth, I said in a weak voice. home with an empty bag. You must give up fishing! my friends
Dont interrupt, he said. say. Its a waste of time. But they dont realize one important
Then he smiled and told me I would receive an extra 100 thing. I am not really interested in fishing. I am only interested
pounds a year! in sitting in a boat and doing nothing at all!