A Difficult Customer

                                      Lesson 31

                                             Text A

                                A Difficult Customer

    Dolores works in a shop selling gramophone 1 records. One afternoon a middle-aged 2 woman came in, sat on a stool 3 in front of the counter, and smiled at her brightly.

    "I want a record, dear," she began. "One I heard on the radios this morning. "

    "What was the record called?" Dolores asked, without much hope. The woman shook her head.

    "I don't remember. I should know it if I. heard it , though. Perhaps if you play me a few records, I shall be able to pick it out. "

    She settled herself more comfortably on her stool.

    "We have hundreds of records in stock, " Dolores pointed 4 out. "It would take a very long time to play you even a little of each. Could you hum it to me?"

    The woman shook her head again. "I can't even sing the National Anthem 5 in tune 6. We should only get into a complete muddle 7 if I were to start humming. " She looked quite depressed 8, as if this reminder 9 of her own lack of musical ability were the last straw. Then suddenly her face brightened.

    "I've just remembered something," she said. "It comes from a play. There's a girl who speaks very badly, if you see what I mean. But after a time she learns to talk well.Some thing about --- what do you call it? Phonetics."

    This was enough for Dolores. "If you ask me, it's from 'My Fair Iady',?quot;" she said.

"That's it, dear. If you'd thought of it soonerr, we wouldn't have wasted so much time. I suppose you are new to the job."

　

 



                                       TextB

                                 That Hurts a Iot

    Malc went to the Casualty 10 Department of the hospital There he was examincd by the doctor.

　　DOCTOR:   Right. Just take off your jacket and shirt. And lie down on that bed over there...

That's right... Now, just hold up your right arm, will you?... Does this hurt?

MALC:   No.

DOCTOR:   And this?

MALC:   Yes. . . a bit. . . ouch !

DOCTOR:   And do you feel anything when I do this?

MALC:   Yes , that hurts quite a lot.

DOCTOR:   And you don't feel any 'pain anywhere else? In you legs , for example?

MALC:   NO, nothing.

DOCTOR:   Well , it's probably nothing serious. But I think we'd better have that shoulderX-rayed. We can't do the until the morning, though. So it'd be better if yo stayedin hospital for the night. . . 　

 

Question Text B

7. Read the following dialogue once. Underline the key words while reading and retell to your partner the dialogue in your own words.

At the Doctor's

　　Doctor   Good morning. How are you?

Patient   I'm very worried , doctorDoctor   Oh? What are you worried about?

Patient   I'm afraid that I'm very ill.

Doctor   I'm sorry to hear that. Why do you think so?

Patient   Because I feel tired all the time, even when I wake up in the morning. I findit very difficult to do any work. I have no appetite. My wife cooks   medeliciousmeals but I can only eat a little.

Doctor   How do you sleep?

Patient   Very badly, doctor.

Doctor   Do you find it difficult to get to sleep, or do you wake up early?

Patient   Both, doctor. I never get to sleep until two o'clock and I always wake up atfive.

Doctor   Are you worricd about anything?

Patient   Well , yes , I am. 1'm worried about my work. I've just taken a new job. I earna lot of money but it's difficult work. I'm always afraid of making a mistake.

Doctor   I see. please take off your shirt and lie down on the couch 11.

Patient   Yes, doctor.(The doctor examines the patient )Doctor   Well, there's nothing very much wrong with you, I'm glad to say. You're workingtoo hard and worrying too much.Do you take much exercise?

Patient   No, doctor. I never have enough time for exercise. I start work very early inthe morning and finish late in the evening. Then I can't get to sleep. Canyou give me some medicine to help me to sleep?

Doctor   I can , but I'm not going to. You don't need medicine. You need advice. Don'twork so hard. Too much work is bad for you. Don't worry about your work.

It's silly to worry. Take regular exercise.

Patient   But I may lose my job, doctor! It's hard to get a job like mine.

Doctor   Then get an easier one, even if you earn less money. Which would you ratherhave, health or wealth?

Patient   You're right, doctor. It's more important to be healthy than wealthy. I'llchange my job. I'm grateful for your advice.

Doctor   Come and see me again in a month's time. I think you'll be a different man!