讀點好英文:Our Kind LandIord　我們的好房東

Our Kind LandIord　我們的好房東

·Sammy·

Two friends and I moved into a house off campus when I was a junior at Iowa State University. We were all a bit afraid of our landlord, a gruff middle-aged man.He gave us a lecture about paying the rent on time and maintaining the house and appIiances.

During the fall semester, my housemates and I threw a party. We sent invitations to many friends and told everyone to come to our house on Friday night.We drew a large crowd and everyone had a great time.The last guests left in the wee hours of the morning.

Exhausted, we decided to sleep in and clean the house and yard the next morning. Well, you guessed it！We were awakened about 7：00 a.m.by our landlord, who was knocking on the door.Sheepishly, we let him in, expecting to incur his wrath.Instead, he picked up a party invitation that had been laying on the sidewalk and asked，“Why didn't you girls invite me?”He came into the house, made a minor repair, and spent a few minutes helping us pick up trash from the yard.We weren't quite sure what to make of our unexpected luck, but we were thrilled that our landlord had been so understanding.

A few months later, I made a mathematical error while balancing my checkbook and my bank soon notified me that I had bounced a check. I was mortified when I discovered that it was my rent check and that I had to notify my landlord, I figured that he viewed my housemates and I as irresponsible after the party incident and this would prove him right.I was certain that he would evict me.Somehow, I mustered the courage to call him and explained what had happened.He said，“I have a daughter about your age, and the same thing happened to her once.Would you like to wait until next month and send a double payment then?”

I've never forgotten our landlord's kindness and understanding. He also taught me an important lesson about not judging a book by its cover.I'm proud to say that I have not bounced a check since（though I have thrown a few more parties）！

薩米

在艾奧瓦州立大學讀大三時，我和兩個朋友從宿舍搬出來，租了一間房子。房東是一個粗魯?shù)闹心耆耍覀兌加悬c兒怕他。他交代我們要及時交房租，保護好房子和電器。

下半學期，我和室友舉辦了一個聚會。我們邀請了許多朋友，讓他們星期五晚上到我們家里來玩。我們一大群人玩得很盡興，最后一個客人在天快要亮時才離開。

我們玩得筋疲力盡，決定先睡覺，第二天早上起來再清掃房子。你猜怎么著？早上七點時，我們被房東的敲門聲吵醒，我們滿懷歉意地請他進來，料想會遭到他的怒罵。誰知，他撿起過道邊的一張宴會請柬，問道：“你們這些女孩子怎么不邀請我呢？”他走進屋子，簡單清理了一下，又幫我們把院子里的垃圾清掃了。我們也不知道怎么這么走運，我們興奮地發(fā)現(xiàn)房東竟如此通情達理。

數(shù)月后，由于我計算失誤，賬戶上沒有余額了。銀行很快給我發(fā)了退票。我羞愧地發(fā)現(xiàn)那是我給房東的月租支票，而我又不得不告訴房東。那次聚會后，我想他一定以為我和室友們都是不負責任的人，現(xiàn)在更證實了他的看法。我想他一定會把我們趕出去的?？刹恢獮槭裁矗斘夜钠鹩職饨o他打電話解釋時，他說：“我有一個女兒跟你差不多大。她曾經(jīng)也干過相同的事兒。要不等到下個月你付我雙份月租，怎樣？”

我永遠都忘不了房東的善心和通情達理。他教給我一個重要的人生道理：切勿以貌取人。我自豪地說，從那以后我再也沒收到銀行的退票（盡管我又舉辦過幾次聚會）。

核心單詞

campus['k?mp?s]n.校園，校區(qū)

junior['d?u：nj?]adj.年紀較輕的；三年級（生）的

appIiance[?'plai?ns]n.器具；裝置，設備

notify['n?utifai]v.通知，告知；報告

evict[i（：）'vikt]v.（房客等）逐出；收回（財產(chǎn)等）

實用句型

WouId you Iike to wait untiI next month and send a doubIe payment then?要不等到下個月你付我雙份月租，怎樣？

①Would you like to……?“要不要……?”表示邀請或提出建議。這是一種很有禮貌的表達。

②double payment 雙份月租，類似的表達還有double pay雙倍工錢；a double room雙人房；a double significance雙重意義；double tongue兩面派，表里不一等固定搭配。

翻譯練習

1.請你把收音機聲音關小一點兒好嗎？（a bit）

2.你昨晚在晚會上玩兒得開心嗎？（have a great time）

3.我們兩人的想法不謀而合。（happen to）