A ride on a double- decker
Yesterday it was Gretel’s afternoon off.“You needn’t stay in doors ,Gretel,” Mrs.Clark said.”You like paintings.Why don’t you go to the Tate Gallery?There’s a famous collection of modern paintings there.”
“How can I get there?” Gretel asked.
“You must catch a bus.Number 88 will take you there.”
Gretel loves the red double-decker buses in London.She always sits upstairs and tries to get the front seat.Yesterday she was lucky.The front seat was empty.Gretel had a wonderful view of London.The bus went round Trafalgar Square and down Whitehall.The conductor collected Gretel’s fare.“Tate Gallery please,” she said.” Please tell me where I must get off.”
After a while the conductor said,” Here’s the Tate,Miss.You should get off here.”
“I should ,but I’m not going to ,” Gretel said.“ I’m enjoying my ride on the bus.I’ll have to go to the Tate next week.May I have another ticket please?”
New Words and Expressions 生词和词组
afternoon off 下午放假 Trafalgar Square 特拉法尔加广场(地名)
gallery 美术馆 Whitehall 怀特霍尔(伦敦的一条街名
Tate Gallery 泰特美术馆 conductor (电车等的)售票员
double-decker 双层公共汽车 fare 票费,车费
view 景色 ride 乘车,(乘车)旅行
square 广场
The American War of Independence 美国独立战争
TV Commentary:
The American colonists often quarreled with the British Government.They had to buy British goods and they had to pay taxes to Britain.In 1767 Britain put customs duty on many goods,such as tea.The Government should have know this would cause trouble .In 1773 some Americans dressed as Red Indians went on to some British ships in Boston and threw £18.000 worth of tea into the sea.This was the famous “Boston Tea Party”.The British Government closed the port of Boston.Then the colonists got ready for war and George Washington became the commander of their army.During the war,on 4th July 1776,the American Congress drew up the Declaration of Independence.Later,in 1778,France joined the war against Britain and so did Spain in 1779.The British fleet surrendered in 1781 and the Government did not continue the war.It had to recognize the independence of the new United States of America.In 1789 George Washington became the first president of the country.
New Words and Expressions 生词和词组
colonist 殖民地居民,殖民者 port 港口,海港
British 英国的 Gorge Washington 乔治•华盛顿
government 政府 commander 指挥员,司令员
tax 税 army 军队
Britain 英国 Congress （美国等国的）国会
duty 税 draw up 草拟；制定
such as … 诸如…… declaration 宣布,宣告,宣言
cause 使发生,引起 independence 独立,自主
trouble 烦恼,麻烦 the Declaration of Independence 独立宣言
Indian 印第安人 Spain 西班牙
Boston 波士顿（地名） fleet 舰队
worth 值……的,相当于……价值 surrender 投降
£18,000 worth of tea价值18000英镑的茶叶 recognize 认识,认出
Boston Tea Party 波士顿茶叶案 president 总统
