80年代初中英语课本第五册课文

Why the bat comes out only at night？

（80年代初中英语课本第五册第1课）

Long, long ago, there was a war between the birds and the beasts. No one knows what they fought about. The bat did not know whose side he should take. He thought and thought, then decided he must try to be on the side of the winners. So he watched from far away. After a while, it seemed that the birds were going to win. He flew over to join them. “What on earth are you doing here?” a bird shouted at him. “Can’t you see I’m a bird?” the bat said with a smile. “Look, I have swings, just like you.” “Come along, then,” said the bird. “Don’t hide behind others.” But things changed soon. Now it seemed that the beasts were winning. So the bat left the birds in a hurry and went over to the beasts. “What are you doing on our side?” and animal called out to him. “Are you spying on us?” “Don’t you know I’m one of you?” asked the bat, showing his teeth. “Look. Can’t you see I’ve got teeth, too?” “Who are trying to fool?” said the animals. “We saw you fighting on the side of the birds just now.” So the beasts drove him off. Of course the birds refused to take him back. When the beasts and the birds saw neither side could win, they decided to stop fighting. Neither beasts nor birds would have the bat as their friend, so he was afraid to leave his home. Ever since then, he comes out only at night.

Lesson 2 Nathan Hale

（80年代初中英语课本第五册第2课）

The young American stood quietly while the British guards searched his clothes. They found nothing. “If they don’t find the maps in my boot,” he thought, “maybe they will let me go. Then I’ll try to send the maps to General Washington.” “Take off your boots,” one of the guards ordered. The American’s heart beat faster. He took off his boots and handed them to the guard. The guard looked inside one boot, then another. “Use your knife, man!” ordered the British officer nearby. The guard brought out his knife and cut one boot open. He stopped suddenly and the American knew what it meant. The maps of the British army’s defence works! The guards took the American to General Howe. The general looked at the maps. “I see you’ve made some drawing of our defence works,” he said. “This can only mean one thing.” “Yes, sir.” “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” “No, nothing.” “What’s your name?” “Nathan Hale.” “Rank?” “Captain.” The general studied the maps a few more minutes. “Captain Hale,” he said finally. “I’ve never seen such fine drawings. You know, we could use a man like you. Why not join us? You don’t have to worry about rank or pay.” Nathan Hale looked straight at the general. “Nothing could make me turn against my country!” “Then there’s only one thing I can do, you

understand?” “Yes, sir.” “You will be hanged as a spy early tomorrow morning.” * * * Nathan Hale looked around as a British soldier put the rope around his neck. “Now, Nathan Hale,” said the British officer. “Let’s hear what you have to say before you die.” Nathan Hale took a last look at his beautiful country and said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Lesson 3 A question of pronunciation

（80年代初中英语课本第五册第3课）

This happened in London. It was November and the weather was very wet and cold. A Frenchman had caught a very bad cold. He coughed day and night. So he decided to go and get some medicine for his cough. As he did not know much English, he got out his dictionary and looked up the word “cough”. But the dictionary did not tell him how to pronounce the word. He thought it over and remembered that he had learned the word “plough”. He remembered that it was pronounced [plau]. So he thought that c-o-u-g-h must be pronounced [kau]. The he put on his coat and hat and went to a chemist’s shop. When the man in the shop asked him what he wanted, the Frenchman said: “I want something for my cow, please.” The man in the shop looked at him. Had he heard him correctly? “I beg your pardon, sir?” he asked. The Frenchman repeated: “I want some medicine for my cow.” “For your cow?” asked the man. “Are you a farmer?” “A farmer?” said the Frenchman in surprise. “What makes you think I’m a farmer? I come from Paris. I’m not a farmer.” “Where’s your cow, then?” asked the man in the shop. “It’s here!” replied the Frenchman. He put his hand on his chest and began to cough. “Here it is!” he said. “I’ve a very bad cow here.” Then the man in the shop understood what the Frenchman meant. He wanted some medicine for his cough.

Lesson 4 The Arab in the desert

（80年代初中英语课本第五册第4课）

An Arab was walking alone through the desert when he met two men. The men looked worried. It seemed that they had lost something. The Arab went over to them. “Have you lost one of your camels?” he asked them. “Yes,” they said. “Was he blind in the right eye and lame in the left foot?” asked the Arab. “Yes, he was? “Had he lost a tooth and was he carrying corn?” “Yes,” said the men. “Please tell us where he is.” “I don’t know where he is,” said the Arab. “I’ve never seen such an animal.” “Did someone tell you about him?” “No.” The two men looked at each other in surprise. They could not believe the Arab’s words. Finally, they came up close to him, took hold of him, and shouted: “Where’s the animal? And what have you done with our goods?” The Arab insisted that he had never seen the camel. At last the men took him before a judge. They said that the A …… 此处隐藏：14131字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……