Important people often like to show how important they are ．
They usually have the largest cars ．They live in the biggest houses． They wear the most
expensive clothes ．They eat in the best restaurants ．
Mr．Mammoth，the president of Acme Inc．was an important man ． Acme Inc．，was an
important company ， one of the biggest in the country ．
Thousands of men and women worked for it．
The offices of Acme Inc．were in the Acme Building ．This was one of the tallest buildings in the city ．It had fifty floors ．
Mr．Mammoth，the president，had his office on the top floor．One day a man came to see
him ．He walked up to Mr．Mammoth's secretary ．She was ，of course ，the most beautiful
secretary in the company ．
“My name is John Watkins ，”he told her．“I have come to see Mr．Mammoth．My
appointment is at ten o 'clock．”
The most beautiful secretary in the building looked at the clock on the wa ll．It was the largest clock in the company ．
“It is ten o'clock now ，”she said ．“You are on time for your appointment．How ever，
I am afraid you can not see Mr．Mammoth．”
John Watkins was surprised ．
“Oh？Why is that？”he asked ．
“Mr．Mammoth is playing golf．”
“Oh，”John Watkins said ．“Then he won't be coming to his office today ．”
The most beautiful secretary in the company smiled at him ．
“Mr．Mammoth's already here ，” she said ．“He has the largest office in the world ．”
Notes:
president／'prezIdEnt／n．总裁；总经理
Inc有限公司的adj．（Incorporate d ／In'kR:pEreItId／的缩写，英国人多用Ltd）
company／'kQmpEnI／n．公司
secretary／'sekrEtrI／n．秘书
appointment／E'pRIntmEnt／n．约会
golf ／gRlf／n．高尔夫球
EXERCISE 1
1．Choose the best answer a ，b，c or d ，to the following questions about the
story．（在a，b，c，d中选出一个最适合本故事的答案。）
1．The Acme Building had ____ ．
a ．twenty floors
b．thirty floors
c．forty floors
d ．fifty floors
2．John Watkins 'appointment with Mr．Mammoth was at ____ ．
a ．nine o'clock
b．ten o'clock
c．eleven o'clock
d ．noon
3．He could not see Mr．Mammoth because ____ ．
a ．Mr．Mammoth was out
b．Mr．Mammoth was playing golf
c．Mr．Mammoth was in a meeting
d ．Mr．Mammoth was on the telephone
4．What did the secretary mean at the end of the story ？
a ．Mr．Mammoth liked having a big office ．
b．The office was big enough to play golf．
c．The secretary wanted John Watkins to leave ．
d ．John Watkins wanted to leave ．
keys:
1-4 d b b b
