New+Concept+English+Book+II (七)

Lesson 31 | Success story
   Yesterday afternoon Frank Hawkins was telling me about his experiences as a young
man. Before he retired, Frank was the head of a very large business company, but as a boy
he used to work in a small shop. It was his job to repair bicycles and at that time he used
to work fourteen hours a day. He saved money for years and in 1958 he bought a small
workshop of his own. In his twenties Frank used to make spare parts for aeroplanes. At
that time he had two helpers. In a few years the small workshop had become a large
factory which employed seven hundred and twenty-eight people. Frank smiled when he
remembered his hard early years and the long road to success. He was still smiling when
the door opened and his wife came in. She wanted him to repair their grandson's bicycle!

Lesson 32 | Shopping made easy
   People are not so honest as they once were. The temptation to steal is greater than ever
before—especially in large shops. A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who
always went into a large store on Monday mornings. One Monday, there were fewer
people in the shop than usual when the woman came in, so it was easier for the detective
to watch her. The woman first bought a few small articles. After a little time, she chose
one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped
it up for her as quickly as possible. Then the woman simply took the parcel and walked
out of the shop without paying. When she was arrested, the detective found out that the
shop assistant was her daughter. The girl 'gave' her mother a free dress once a week!

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Lesson 33 | Out of the darkness
   Nearly a week passed before the girl was able to explain what had happened to her.
One afternoon she set out from the coast in a small boat and was caught in a storm.
Towards evening, the boat struck a rock and the girl jumped into the sea. Then she swam
to the shore after spending the whole night in the water. During that time she covered a
distance of eight miles. Early next morning, she saw a light ahead. She knew she was near
the shore because the light was high up on the cliffs. On arriving at the shore, the girl
struggled up the cliff towards the light she had seen. That was all she remembered. When
she woke up a day later, she found herself in hospital.

Lesson 34 | Quick work
   Dan Robinson has been worried all week. Last Tuesday he received a letter from the
local police. In the letter he was asked to call at the station. Dan wondered why he was
wanted by the police, but he went to the station yesterday and now he is not worried
anymore. At the station, he was told by a smiling policeman that his bicycle had been
found. Five days ago, the policeman told him, the bicycle was picked up in a small village
four hundred miles away. It is now being sent to his home by train. Dan was most
surprised when he heard the news. He was amused too, because he never expected the
bicycle to be found. It was stolen twenty years ago when Dan was a boy of fifteen!

Lesson 35 | Stop thief!
   Roy Trenton used to drive a taxi. A short while ago, however, he became a bus driver
and he has not regretted it. He is finding his new work far more exciting. When he was
driving along Catford Street recently, he saw two thieves rush out of a shop and run
towards a waiting car. One of them was carrying a bag full of money. Roy acted quickly
and drove the bus straight at the thieves. The one with the money got such a fright that
he dropped the bag. As the thieves were trying to get away in their car, Roy drove his bus
into the back of it. While the battered car was moving away, Roy stopped his bus and
telephoned the police. The thieves' car was badly damaged and easy to recognize. Shortly
afterwards, the police stopped the car and both men were arrested.