新概念3-第3部分

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　children；　small　sums　go　a　long　way。　If　sixpences　are　not　exchanged　for　sweets；　they　rattle　for　months　inside　money…boxes。　Only　very　thrifty　children　manage　to　fill　up　a　money…box。　For　most　of　them；　sixpence　is　a　small　price　to　pay　for　a　satisfying　bar　of　chocolate。
My　nephew；　George；　has　a　money…box　but　it　is　always　empty。　Very　few　of　the　sixpences　I　have　given　him　have　found　their　way　there。　I　gave　him　sixpence　yesterday　and　advised　him　to　save　it。　Instead；　he　bought　himself　sixpence　worth　of　trouble。　On　his　way　to　the　sweet　shop；　he　dropped　his　sixpence　and　it　rolled　along　the　pavement　and　then　disappeared　down　a　drain。　George　took　off
his　jacket；　rolled　up　his　sleeves　and　pushed　his　right　arm　through　the　drain　cover。　He　could　not　find　his　sixpence　anywhere；　and　what　is　more；　he　could　not　get　his　arm　out。　A　crowd　of　people　gathered　round　him　and　a　lady　rubbed　his　arm　with　soap　and　butter；　but　George　was　firmly　stuck。　The　fire…brigade　was　called　and　two　firemen　freed　George　using　a　special　type　of　grease。　George　was　not　too　upset　by　his　experience　because　the　lady　who　owns　the　sweet　shop　heard　about　his　troubles　and　rewarded　him　with　a　large　box　of　chocolates。　

Lesson16　Mary　had　a　little　lamb
Mary　and　her　husband　Dimitri　lived　in　the　tiny　village　of　Perachora　in　southern　Greece。　One　of　Mary's　prize　possessions　was　a　little　white　lamb　which　her　husband　had　given　her。　She　kept　it　tied　to　a　tree　in　a　field　during　the　day　and　went　to　fetch　it　every　evening。　One　evening；　however；　the　lamb　was　missing。　The　rope　had　been　cut；　so　it　was　obvious　that　the　lamb　had　been　stolen。　When　Dimitri　came　in　from　the　fields；　his　wife　told　him　what　had　happened。　Dimitri　at　once　set　out　to　find　the　thief。　
He　knew　it　would　not　prove　difficult　in　such　a　small　village。　After　telling　several　of　his　friends　about　the　theft；　Dimitri　found　out　that　his　neighbour；　Aleko；　had　suddenly　acquired　a　new　lamb。　Dimitri　immediately　went　to　Aleko's　house　and　angrily　accused　him　of　stealing　the　lamb。　He　told　him　he　had　better　return　it　or　he　would　call　the　police。　Aleko　denied　taking　it　and　led　Dimitri　into　his　back…yard。　It　was　true　that　he　had　just　bought　a　lamb；　he　explained；　but　his　lamb　was　black。　Ashamed　of　having　acted　so　rashly；　Dimitri　apologized　to　Aleko　for　having　accused　him。　While　they　were　talking　it　began　to　rain　and　Dimitri　stayed　in　Aleko's　house　until　the　rain　stopped。　When　he　went　outside　half　an　hour　later；　he　was　astonished　to　find　that　the　little　black　lamb　was　almost　white。　Its　wool；　which　had　been　dyed　black；　had　been　washed　clean　by　the　rain　！　

Lesson17　The　longest　suspension　bridge　in　the　world
Verrazano；　an　Italian　about　whom　little　is　known；　sailed　into　New　York　Harbour　in　1524　and　named　it　Angouleme。　He　described　it　as　'a　very　agreeable　situation　located　within　two　small　hills　in　the　midst　of　which　flowed　a　great　river。'　Though　Verrazano　is　by　no　means　considered　to　be　a　great　explorer；　his　name　will　probably　remain　immortal；　for　on　November　21st；　1964；　the　greatest　bridge　in　the　world　was　named　after　him。　
The　Verrazano　Bridge；　which　was　designed　by　Othmar　Ammann；　joins　Brooklyn　to　Staten　Island。　It　has　a　span　of　4260　feet。　The　bridge　is　so　long　that　the　shape　of　the　earth　had　to　be　taken　into　account　by　its　designer。　Two　great　towers　support　four　huge　cables。　The　towers　are　built　on　immense　underwater　platforms　made　of　steel　and　concrete。　The　platforms　extend　to　a　depth　of　over　100　feet　under　the　sea。　These　alone　took　sixteen　months　to　build。　Above　the　surface　of　the　water；　the　towers　rise　to　a　height　of　nearly　700　feet。　They　support　the　cables　from　which　the　bridge　has　been　suspended。　Each　of　the　four　cables　contains　26；108　lengths　of　wire。　It　has　been　estimated　that　if　the　bridge　were　packed　with　cars；　it　would　still　only　be　carrying　a　third　of　its　total　capacity。　However；　size　and　strength　are　not　the　only　important　things　about　this　bridge。　Despite　its　immensity；　it　is　both　simple　and　elegant；　fulfilling　its　designer's　dream　to　create　'an　enormous　object　drawn　as　faintly　as　possible'。　

Lesson18　Electric　currents　in　modern　art
Modern　sculpture　rarely　surprises　us　any　more。　The　idea　that　modern　art　can　only　be　seen　in　museums　is　mistaken。　Even　people　who　take　no　interest　in　art　cannot　have　failed　to　notice　examples　of　modern　sculpture　on　display　in　public　places。　Strange　forms　stand　in　gardens；　and　outside　buildings　and　shops。　We　have　got　quite　used　to　them。　Some　so…called　'modern'　pieces　have　been　on　display　for　nearly　fifty　years。　
In　spite　of　this；　some　peopleincluding　myselfwere　surprised　by　a　recent　exhibition　of　modern　sculpture。　The　first　thing　I　saw　when　I　entered　the　art　gallery　was　a　notice　which　said：　'Do　not　touch　the　exhibits。　Some　of　them　are　dangerous！'　The　objects　on　display　were　pieces　of　moving　sculpture。　Oddly　shaped　forms　that　are　suspended　from　the　ceiling　and　move　in　response　to　a　gust　of　wind　are　quite　familiar　to　everybody。　These　objects；　however；　were　different。　Lined　up　against　the　wall；　there　were　long　thin　wires　attached　to　metal　spheres。　The　spheres　had　been　magnetized　and　attracted　or　repelled　each　other　all　the　time。　In　the　centre　of　the　hall；　there　were　a　number　of　tall　structures　which　contained　coloured　lights。　These　lights　flickered　continuously　like　traffic　lights　which　have　gone　mad。　Sparks　were　emitted　from　small　black　boxes　and　red　lamps　flashed　on　and　off　angrily。　It　was　rather　like　an　exhibition　of　prehistoric　electronic　equipment。　These　Peculiar　forms　not　only　seemed　designed　to　shock　people　emotionally；　but　to　give　them　electric　shocks　as　well　！　

Lesson19　A　very　dear　cat
Kidnappers　are　rarely　interested　in　Animals；　but　they　recently　took　considerable　interest　in　Mrs　Eleanor　Ramsay's　cat。　Mrs　Eleanor　Ramsay；　a　very　wealthy　old　lady；　has　shared　a　flat　with　her　cat；　Rastus；　for　a　great　many　years。　Rastus　leads　an　orderly　life。　He　usually　takes　a　short　walk　in　the　evenings　and　is　always　home　by　seven　o'clock。　One　evening；　however；　he　failed　to　arrive。　Mrs　Ramsay　got　very　worried。　She　looked　everywhere　for　him　but　could　not　find　him。
Three　day　after　Rastus'　disappearance；　Mrs　Ramsay　received　an　anonymous　letter。　The　writer　stated　that　Rastus　was　in　safe　hands　and　would　be　returned　immediately　if　Mrs　Ramsay　paid　a　ransom　of　&1000。　Mrs　Ramsay　was　instructed　to　place　the　money　in　a　cardboard　box　and　to　leave　it　outside　her　door。　At　first；　she　decided　to　go　to　the　police；　but　fearing　that　she　would　never　see　Rastus　again　the　letter　had　made　that　quite　clearshe　changed　her　mind。　She　drew　&1000　from　her　bank　and　followed　the　kidnapper's　instructions。　The　next　morning；　the　box　had　disappeared　but　Mrs　Ramsay　was　sure　that　the　kidnapper　would　keep　his　word。　Sure　enough；　Rastus　arrived　punctually　at　seven　o'clock　that　evening。　He　looked　very　well；　though　he　was　rather　thirsty；　for　he　drank　half　a　bottle　of　milk。　The　police　were　astounded　when　Mrs　Ramsay　told　them　what　she　had
done。　She　explained　that　Rastus　was　very　dear　to　her。　Considering　the　amount　she　paid；　he　was　dear　in　more　ways　than　one！　

Lesson20　Pioneer　pilots
In　1908　Lord　Northcliffe　offered　a　prize　of　&1000　to　the　first　man　who　would　fly　across　the　English　Channel。　Over　a　year　passed　before　the　first　attempt　was　made。　On　July　19th；　1909；　in　the　early　morning；　Hubert　Latham　took　off　from　the　French　coast　in　his　plane　the　'Antoinette　IV'。　He
had　travelled　only　seven　miles　across　the　Channel　when　his　engine　failed　and　he　was　forced　to　land　on　the　sea。　The　'Antoinette'　floated　on　the　water　until　Latham　was　picked　up　by　a　ship。　
Two　days　later；　Louis　Bleriot　arrived　near　Calais　with　a　plane　called　'No。　XI'。　Bleriot　had　been　making　planes　since　1905　and　this　was　his　latest　model。　A　week　before；　he　had　completed　a　successful　overland　flight　during　which　he　covered　twenty…six　miles。　Latham；　however　did　not　give　up　easily。　He；　too；　arrived　near　Calais　on　the　same　day　with　a　new　'Antonette'。　It　looks　as　if　there　would　be　an　exciting　race　across　the　Channel。　Both　planes　were　going　to　take　off　on　July　25th；　but　Latham　failed　to　get　up　early　enough。　After　making　a　short　test　flight　at　4。15　a。m。；　Bleriot　set　off　half　an　hour　later。　His　great　flight　lasted　thirty　seven　minutes。　When　he　landed　near　Dover；　the　first　person　to　greet　him　was　a　local　policeman。　Latham　made　another　attempt　a　week　later　and　got　within　half　a　mile　of　Dover；　but　he　was　unlucky　again。　His　engine　failed　and　he　landed　on　the　sea　for　the　second　time。　

Lesson21　Daniel　Mendoza
Boxing　matches　were　very　popular　in　England　two　hundred　years　ago。　In　those　days；　boxers　fought　with　bare　fists　for　Prize　money。　Because　of　this；　they　were　known　as　'prize…fighters'。　However；　boxing　was　very　crude；　for　there　were　no　rules　and　a　prize…fighter　could　be　seriously　injured　or　even　killed　during　a　match。　
One　of　the　most　colourful　figures　in　boxing　history　was　Daniel　Mendoza　who　was　born　in　1764。　The　use　of　gloves　was　not　introduced　until　1860　when　the　Marquis　of　Queensberry　drew　up　the　first　set　Of　rules。　Though　he　was　technically　a　prize…fighter；　Mendoza　did　much　to　change　crude　prize…fighting　into　a　sport；　for　he　brought　science　to　the　game。　In　his　day；　Mendoza　enjoyed　tremendous　popularity。　He　was　adored　by　rich　and　poor　alike。　Mendoza　rose　to　fame　swiftly　after　a　boxing…match　when　he　was　only　fourteen　years　old。　This　attracted　the　attention　of　Richard　Humphries　who　was　then　the　most　eminent　boxer　in　England。　He　offered　to　train　Mendoza　and　his　young　pupil　was　quick　to　learn。　In　fact；　Mendoza　soon　became　so　successful　that　Humphries　turned　against　him。　The　two　men　quarrelled　bitterly　and　it　was　clear　that　the　argument　could　only　be　settled　by　a　fight。　A　match　was　held　at　Stilton　where　both　men　fought　for　an　hour。　The　public　bet　a　great　deal　of　money　on　Mendoza；　but　he　was　defeated。　Mendoza　met　Humphries　in　the　ring　on　a　later　occasion　and　he　lost　for　a　second　time。　It　was　not　until　his　third　match　in　1790　that　he　finally　beat　Humphries　and　became　Champion　of　England。　Meanwhile；　he　founded　a　highly　successful　Academy　and　even　Lord　Byron　became　one　of　his　pupils。　He　earned　enormous　sums　of　money　and　was　paid　as　much　as　&100　for　a　single　appearance。　Despite　this；　he　was　so　extravagant　that　he　was　always　in　debt。　After　he　was　defeated　by　a　boxer　called　Gentleman　Jackson；　he　was　quickly　f