New+Concept+English+Book+II (八)

Lesson 36 | Across the Channel
  Debbie Hart is going to swim across the English Channel tomorrow. She is going to set
out from the French coast at five o'clock in the morning. Debbie is only eleven years old
and she hopes to set up a new world record. She is a strong swimmer and many people
feel that she is sure to succeed. Debbie's father will set out with her in a small boat. Mr.
Hart has trained his daughter for years. Tomorrow he will be watching her anxiously as
she swims the long distance to England. Debbie intends to take short rests every two
hours. She will have something to drink but she will not eat any solid food. Most of
Debbie's school friends will be waiting for her on the English coast. Among them will be
Debbie's mother, who swam the Channel herself when she was a girl.

Lesson 37 | The Olympic Games

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                                                               New Concept English, Book II

  The Olympic Games will be held in our country in four years' time. As a great many
people will be visiting the country, the government will be building new hotels, an
immense stadium, and a new Olympic-standard swimming pool. They will also be
building new roads and a special railway line. The Games will be held just outside the
capital and the whole area will be called 'Olympic City'. Workers will have completed the
new roads by the end of this year. By the end of next year, they will have finished work on
the new stadium. The fantastic modern buildings have been designed by Kurt Gunter.
Everybody will be watching anxiously as the new buildings go up. We are all very excited
and are looking forward to the Olympic Games because they have never been held before
in this country.

Lesson 38 | Everything except the weather
  My old friend, Harrison, had lived in the Mediterranean for many years before he
returned to England. He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to
settle down in the country. He had no sooner returned than he bought a house and went
to live there. Almost immediately he began to complain about the weather, for even
though it was still summer, it rained continually and it was often bitterly cold. After so
many years of sunshine, Harrison got a shock. He acted as if he had never lived in
England before. In the end, it was more than he could bear. He had hardly had time to
settle down when he sold the house and left the country. The dream he had had for so
many years ended there. Harrison had thought of everything except the weather.

 Lesson 39 | Am I all right?
  While John Gilbert was in hospital, he asked his doctor to tell him whether his
operation had been successful, but the doctor refused to do so. The following day, the
patient asked for a bedside telephone. When he was alone, he telephoned the hospital
exchange and asked for Doctor Millington. When the doctor answered the phone, Mr.
Gilbert said he was inquiring about a certain patient, a Mr. John Gilbert. He asked if Mr.
Gilbert's operation had been successful and the doctor told him that it had been. He then
asked when Mr. Gilbert would be allowed to go home and the doctor told him that he
would have to stay in hospital for another two weeks. Then Dr. Millington asked the
caller if he was a relative of the patient. 'No,' the patient answered, 'I am Mr. John
Gilbert.'

Lesson 40 | Food and talk
  Last week at a dinner party, the hostess asked me to sit next to Mrs. Rumbold. Mrs.
Rumbold was a large, unsmiling lady in a tight black dress. She did not even look up
when I took my seat beside her. Her eyes were fixed on her plate and in a short time, she
was busy eating. I tried to make conversation.
  'A new play is coming to "The Globe" soon,' I said. 'Will you be seeing it?'
  'No,' she answered.
  'Will you be spending your holidays abroad this year?' I asked.
  'No,' she answered.
  'Will you be staying in England?' I asked.
  'No,' she answered.