1. A Private ConversationLast week I went to the theatre. I had a very good seat. The play was very interesting. I did not enjoy it. A young man and a young woman were sitting behind me. They were talking loudly . I got very angry. I could not hear the actors. I turned round. I looked at them angrily . They did not pay any attention. In the end, I could not bear it. I turned round again.I can t hear a waonrdg!rily. It I sasidnone of your business, the young man said rudely . This is a private conver sation! 2. Breakfast or Lunch?It was Sunday . I never get up early on Sundays. I sometimes stay in bed until lunch time. Last Sunday I got up very late. I looked out ofthe window. It was dark outside. Whaat day! I thought. It sraining again.t thenJ,utshe telephone rang. It was my aunt LucyI ve just arrived by train, she said.I m coming to see yostill having breakfast, I said. What are you doing? she a having breakfast, I repeated. Dear me! shewsaayisd.Do youget up so late? It s one o clock! 3. Please Send Me a CardPostcards always spoil my holidays. Last summer , I went to Italy . I visited museums and sat in the public gardens. A friendly waiter taught me a few words of Italian. Then he lends me a book. I read a few lines, but I did not understand a word. Every day I thought about postcards. My holidays passed quickly , but I did not send any cards to my friends. On the last day I made a big decision. I got up early and bought thirty-seven cards. I spent the whole day in my room but I did not write a single card!4. An Exciting TripI have just received a letter from my brother , Tim. He is in Australia. He has been there for six months. Tim is an engineer . He is working for a big firm and he has already visited a great number of different places in Australia. He has just bought an Australian car and has gone to Alice Springs, a small town in the centre of Australia. He will soon visit Darwin. From there, he will fly to Perth. My brother has never been abroad before, so he is finding this trip very exciting.5 No Wrong NumbersMr. James Scott has a garage in Sudbury and now he has just bought another garage in Pinehurst. Pinehurst is only five miles from Silbury, but Mr. Scott cannot get a telephone for his new garage, so he has just bought twelve pigeons. Yesterday, a pigeoncarried the first message from Pinhurst to Silbury . The bird covered the distance in three minutes. Up to now, Mr . Scott has sent a great many requests for spare parts and other urgent messages from on garage to the other . In this way, he has begun his own private telephone service.6 Percy ButtonsI have just moved to a house in Bridge Street. Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door . He asked me for a meal and a glass of beer . In return for this, the beggar stood on his head and sang songs. I gave him a meal. He ate the food and drank the beer . Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away . Later a neighbor told me about him. Everybody knows him. His name is Percy Buttons. He calls at every house in the street once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of beer .7 Too LateThe plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning. They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamonds from South Africa. A few hours earlier , someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds. When the airplane arrived, some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on the airfield. Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it into the Customs House. While two detectives were keeping guard at the door , two others opened the parcel. To their surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand! （ 不可 数）8 The Best and the WorstJoe Sanders has the most beautiful garden in our town. Nearly everybody enters for The Nicest Garden Competition , but each year Joe wins every time. Bill Firth gasrden is larger than Joe s. Bill worksharder than Joe and grows more flowers and vegetables, but Joe sgarden is more interesting. He has made neat path and has built a wooden bridge over a pool. I like gardens too, but I do not like hard work. Every year I enter for the garden competition too, and I always win a little prize for the worst garden in the town.9 A cold WelcomeOn Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall. It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock . It would strike twelve in twenty minute tims e. Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five to twelve, the clock stopped. The big minute hand did not move. We waited and waited, but nothing happened. Suddenly someone shouted, It twos minutes past twelve! The clock has stopped! I looked at my watch.It was true. The big clock refused to welcome the New Year . At that moment, everybody began to laugh and sing.10 Not For JazzWe have an old musical in