Lesson 37 The Olympic Games
When was the last time this country hosted the Olympic Games?
The Olympic Games will be held in our country in four years' time. As a great many people
will be visiting the country, the government will be building new hotels, an immense
stadium, and a new Olympic-standard swimming pool. They will also be building new roads
and a special railway line. The Games will be held just outside the capital and the whole
area will be called Olympic City. Workers will have completed the new roads by the end of
this year. By the end of next year, they will have finished work on the new stadium. The
fantastic modern buildings have been designed by Kurt Gunter. Everybody will be watching
anxiously as the new buildings go up. We are all very excited and are looking forward to
the Olympic Games because they have never been held before in this country.
Lesson 38 Everything except the weather
Why did Harrison sell his house so quickly?
My old friend, Harrison, had lived in the Mediterranean for many years before he returned
to England. He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down
in the country. He had no sooner returned than he bought a house and went to live there.
Almost immediately he began to complain about the weather, for even though it was still
summer, it rained continually and it was often bitterly cold. After so many years of
sunshine, Harrison got a shock. He acted as if he had never lived in England before.
In the end, it was more than he could bear. He had hardly had time to settle down when he
sold the house and left the country. The dream he had had for so many years ended there.
Harrison had thought of everything except the weather.
Lesson 39 Am I all right?
Why did Mr. Gilbert telephone Dr. Millington?
While John Gilbert was in hospital, he asked his doctor to tell him whether his operation
had been successful, but the doctor refused to do so. The following day, the patient asked
for a bedside telephone. When he was alone, he telephoned the hospital exchange and asked
for Doctor Millington. When the doctor answered the phone, Mr. Gilbert said he was
inquiring about a certain patient, Mr. John Gilbert. He asked if Mr. Gilbert's operation
had been successful and the doctor told him that it had been. He then asked when
Mr. Gilbert would be allowed to go home and the doctor told him that he would have to
stay in hospital for another two weeks. Then Dr. Millington asked the caller if he was a
relative of the patient. No, the patient answered, I am Mr. John Gilbert.