研究生听力考试七篇文章.docx

The Umbrella Man (Part One)Im going to tell you about a funny thing that happened to my mother and me yesterday evening. Yesterday afternoon, my mother took me to London to see the dentist. After that, we went to a café. When we came out of the café, it was raining. We must get a taxi, my mother said. Lots of them came by, but they all had passengers inside them.Just then a man came up to us. He was a small man and he was probably seventy or more. He said to my mother politely, Excuse me. He was under an umbrella which he held high over his head.Yes? my mother said, very cool and distant.I wonder if I could ask a small favour of you, he said. I saw my mother looking at him suspiciously. She is a suspicious person, my mother. The little man was saying, I need some help.My mother was staring down at him along the full length of her nose. I wanted to say to her, Oh mummy, hes a very old man, and hes polite, and hes in some sort of trouble, so be nice to him. But I didnt say anything.Ive never forgotten it before, he said.Youve never forgotten what? my mother asked.My wallet, he said. I mustve left it in my other jacket.Are you asking me to give you money? my mother said.No, Im offering you this umbrella to protect you and to keep, if you would give me a pound for my taxi fare just to get me home.Why dont you walk home? my mother asked.Oh, I dont think I could manage it. Ive gone too far already.The idea of getting an umbrella to shelter was very attractive.Its a lovely silk umbrella, the little man said. Why dont you take it, madam? It cost me over twenty pounds, but that isnt important because I want to get home.I dont think its quite right that I should take an umbrella from you worth twenty pounds. I think Id better just give you the taxi fare.No, no, no! he cried. I would never accept money from you like that! Take the umbrella, dear lady, and keep the rain off your shoulders.She took out a pound and gave it to the little man. He took it and gave her the umbrella.