练习材料

Lesson95 A fantasy

When the Ambassador of Escalopia returned home for lunch, his wife got a shock. He looked pale and his clothes were in a frightful state.

'What has happened ?' she asked.

'How did your clothes get into such a mess ?'

'A fire-extinguisher, my dear,' answered the Ambassador drily. 'University students set the Embassy on fire this morning.'

'Good heavens!' exclaimed his wife. 'And where were you at the time ?'

'I was in my office as usual,' answered the Ambassador. 'The fire broke out in the basement. I went down immediately. of course, and that fool, Horst, aimed a fire-extinguisher at me. He thought I was on fire. I must definitely get that fellow posted.'

The Ambassador's wife went on asking questions, when she suddenly noticed a big hole in her husband's hat. 'And how can you explain that ?' she asked.

'Oh, that,' said the Ambassador. 'Someone fired a shot through my office window. Accurate, don't you think ? Fortunately, I wasn't wearing it at the time. If I had been, I would not have been able to get home for lunch.'

ˈlɛsn95 ə ˈfæntəsi 

wɛn ði æmˈbæsədər ɒv Escalopia rɪˈtɜːnd həʊm fɔː lʌnʧ, hɪz waɪf gɒt ə ʃɒk. hiː lʊkt peɪl ænd hɪz kləʊðz wɜːr ɪn ə ˈfraɪtfʊl steɪt. 

wɒt hæz ˈhæpənd ?' ʃiː ɑːskt. 

haʊ dɪd jɔː kləʊðz gɛt ˈɪntuː sʌʧ ə mɛs?' 

ə ˈfaɪərɪksˌtɪŋgwɪʃə, maɪ dɪə,' ˈɑːnsəd ði æmˈbæsədə ˈdraɪli. ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪti ˈstjuːdənts sɛt ði ˈɛmbəsi ɒn ˈfaɪə ðɪs ˈmɔːnɪŋ.' 

gʊd ˈhɛvnz!' ɪksˈkleɪmd hɪz waɪf. ænd weə wɜː juː æt ðə taɪm?' 

aɪ wɒz ɪn maɪ ˈɒfɪs æz ˈjuːʒʊəl,' ˈɑːnsəd ði æmˈbæsədə. ðə ˈfaɪə brəʊk aʊt ɪn ðə ˈbeɪsmənt. aɪ wɛnt daʊn ɪˈmiːdiətli. ɒvkɔːs, ænd ðæt fuːl, Horst, eɪmd ə ˈfaɪərɪksˌtɪŋgwɪʃər æt miː. hiː θɔːt aɪ wɒz ɒn ˈfaɪə. aɪ mʌst ˈdɛfɪnɪtli gɛt ðæt ˈfɛləʊ ˈpəʊstɪd.' 

ði æmˈbæsədəz waɪf wɛnt ɒn ˈɑːskɪŋ ˈkwɛsʧənz, wɛn ʃiː ˈsʌdnli ˈnəʊtɪst ə bɪg həʊl ɪn hɜː ˈhʌzbəndz hæt. ænd haʊ kæn juːɪksˈpleɪn ðæt ?' ʃiː ɑːskt. 

əʊ, ðæt,' sɛd ði æmˈbæsədə. ˈsʌmwʌn ˈfaɪəd ə ʃɒt θruː maɪ ˈɒfɪs ˈwɪndəʊ. ˈækjʊrɪt, dəʊnt juː θɪŋk ? ˈfɔːʧnɪtli, aɪ wɒznt ˈweərɪŋɪt æt ðə taɪm. ɪf aɪ hæd biːn, aɪ wʊd nɒt hæv biːn ˈeɪbl tuː gɛt həʊm fɔː lʌnʧ.'

任务配置：L0+L4

笔记：set on fire放火，aim at 用...瞄准，embassy 大使馆，ambassador大使，shot子弹，post派任。

感悟：学英语是一场持久战，革命尚未成功，同志仍须努力努力再努力。