练习材料：

Lesson 85 Never too old to learn

I have just received a letter from my old school informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster's home. We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday. It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.

ˈnɛvər tu oʊld tu lɜrn

aɪ hæv ʤʌst rɪˈsivd əˈlɛtər frʌm maɪ oʊld skul ɪnˈfɔrmɪŋ mi ðæt maɪˈfɔrmər ˈhɛdˈmæstər, ˈmɪstər. ˈstuərt peɪʤ, wɪl bi rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ nɛkst wik. ˈpjupəlz ʌv ðə skul, oʊld ænd nu, wɪl bi ˈsɛndɪŋ hɪm əˈprɛzənt tu mɑrk ði əˈkeɪʒən. ɔl ðoʊz hu hæv kənˈtrɪbjutɪd təˈwɔrdz ðə gɪft wɪl saɪn ðɛr neɪmz ɪn ə lɑrʤˈælbəm wɪʧ wɪl bi sɛnt tu ðəˈhɛdˈmæstərz hoʊm. wi ʃæl ɔl rɪˈmɛmbər ˈmɪstər. peɪʤ fɔr hɪz ˈpeɪʃəns ænd ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋænd fɔr ðəˈkaɪndli ɪnˈkɜrɪʤmənt hi geɪv ʌs wɛn wi wɛnt soʊənˈwɪlɪŋli tu skul. ə greɪt ˈmɛni ˈfɔrmər ˈpjupəlz wɪl bi əˈtɛndɪŋ əˌfɛrˈwɛl ˈdɪnər ɪn hɪz ˈɑ nər nɛkst ˈθɜrzˌdeɪ. ɪt ɪz əˈkjʊriəs koʊˈɪnsɪdəns ðæt ðə deɪ bɪˈfɔr hɪz rɪˈtaɪərmənt, ˈmɪstər. peɪʤ wɪl hæv bɪn ˈtiʧɪŋ fɔr əˈtoʊtəl ʌv ˈfɔrti jɪrz. ˈæftər hi hæz rɪˈtaɪrd, hi wɪl dɪˈvoʊt hɪmˈsɛlf tu ˈgɑrdənɪŋ. fɔr hɪm, ðɪs wɪl bi ən ɪnˈtaɪərli nu ˈhɑbi. bʌt ðɪs dʌz nɑt ˈmætər, fɔr, æz hi hæz ˈɔfən rɪˈmɑrkt, wʌn ɪz ˈnɛvər tu oʊld tu lɜrn.

任务配置：L0+L4

知识笔记：

inform 告诉；通知

pupil 小学生

contribute 捐助，援助

farewell 告别

unwillingly 不情愿地；勉强地

coincidence 巧合

devote 致力于

entirely 完全地，彻底地

练习感悟：

要注意的单词发音：headmaster，pupils，shall，great，farewell，curious，coincidence。