中级口语教程A Pocketful of Pigs

Text A

A PocketfulPigs
Once there was no money.
If people wantedget something , they hadgive something. Thisthe wayusedbe.
"I will give you my cow for your pig," a man would say. "I'll give you my bowl if you give me a shirt," another would say.
"Here are seven oranges for one fish. "

"Will you give mc a chicken for a bagcorn?"
People hadtrade things every day. They hadgive a thingge.t a thing because there wasn't any money.
But they hadwork out a good trade . one that came out
even..

What could you get for two chickens? Were thrce bagsapples a good trade for two bagsgrapes? Or onc bagapples for a little butter? What was an even trade? It was hardknow.
Andwas too hardcarry around all the thinga for trading. People haduse too much time getting things they needed. So they thoughta new waytrade.

They thoughtmoney.
Money could "stand for" apples, or bowls, or pigs.
And a pocketfulmoney was better than a pocketfulpigs.
With money,was not so hardtrade. Everyone could use money. The man who needed a.pig could buywith money. The man who sold the pig could keep the moyey until he needed something. People could work for money, and people buy things with the money they got from work.

　

　
Text B

Let's Play Chess

Mr Wilson and Mr Dawson arc watching some men playing chess.

MR WILSON: Let's play chess.
MR DAWSON: haven't played chess for a long time.
MR WILSON: That's all right, I'm a beginner. I've just learnt howplay.
MR DAWSON: Look, there's a chessboard. Those two men have already finished playing.
MR WILSON (after they have played for a few minutes): You're a very good player
MR DAWSON: Not really, but oncewon a prize.
MR WILsoN: So did I.won a prize last week butwas a prize for beginners.
MR DAWSON: My prize was for the hest playerthe country. Now let's start playing chess
seriously.

7. Read the following dialogue once. Underline the key words while reading and retell the dialogueyour partneryour own words.

Man: I'm not satisfied with it.
Saleswoman: Why not? What's wrong with it?
Man: Sometimesgoes fast. And sometimesgoes slow. And the alarm doesn't
work, either.
Saleswoman: Would you like another one?
Man: No. Canhave my money back? Saleswoman; Hmm... have you got a receipt?
Man: A receipt?
Saleswoman: Yes.must see your receipt. You can't have your money back without a
receipt.
Man Oh, I'm not certain, butthink I've lost it.