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LESSON 54 Letters of recommendation
第五十四課 引薦信
A gentleman once advertised for a boy to assist him in his office, and nearly fifty applied for the place. Out of the whole number he in a short time chose one, and sent all the rest away.
曾經有一位先生刊登了一則廣告，招聘一名男孩做辦公室助理，將近50人申請這一職位。在這些候選人中，他很快挑選一名，然后讓其他面試者都回去了。
"I should like to know," said a friend, "on what ground you chose that boy. He had not a single recommendation with him."
“我很想知道，”他的一個朋友說，“你是依據什么選了那個男孩。他連一封推薦信都沒有?！?/p>
"You are mistaken," said the gentleman; "he had a great many:—
“你錯了，”先生說道；“他有很多推薦信：——
"He wiped his feet when he came in, and closed the door after him; showing that he was orderly and tidy.
他進來時把鞋子擦干凈了，進來后關上了門；這些表示他辦事有條不紊。
"He gave up his seat instantly to that lame old man; showing that he was kind and thoughtful.
“他毫不猶豫地把座位讓給了那個跛腳老者，顯示出他心地善良，體貼人心?！?/p>
"He took off his cap when he came in, and answered my questions promptly and respectfully; showing that he was polite.
他進來時摘下了帽子，回答問題思路敏捷，口吻顯示出對我的尊重；這些顯示出他的禮貌。
"He lifted up the book which I had purposely laid on the floor, and placed it on the table, while all the rest stepped over it, or shoved it aside; showing that he was careful.
“他撿起了我故意放在地上的書，并放在桌子上，而其他所有人都將這本書踩在腳下，或者踢在一旁；這些顯示出他的細心?！?/p>
"And he waited quietly for his turn, instead of pushing the others aside; showing that he was modest.
“在等候面試時，他也很安靜，沒有把別人推開；這些顯示出他的虛心?！?/p>
"When I talked with him, I noticed that his clothes were carefully brushed, his hair in nice order, and his teeth as white as milk. When he wrote his name, I observed that his finger-nails were clean, instead of being tipped with jet, like the handsome little fellow's in the blue jacket.
“和他交談時，我注意到，他的衣服和頭發都很整齊，他的牙齒白如牛奶。他寫下自己名字時，我注意到他的指甲很干凈，并沒有污垢，他穿著一件藍色夾克，是一位英俊的朋友?！?/p>
"Don't you call these things letters of recommendation? I do; and what I can tell about a boy by using my eyes for ten minutes, is worth more than all the fine letters he can bring me."
“難道所有這些還不足以叫做推薦信嗎？我認為足夠了；我用十分鐘觀察選出的這個男孩，比那些帶著很好的推薦信的人更有價值。”
QUESTIONS
問題
What did the gentleman advertise for? How many applied for the place? Why was his friend surprised? What was the boy's first recommendation? And his second? And his third? And his fourth? And his fifth? And his sixth? What did the gentleman say was worth more than fine letters?
這位先生為什么發布廣告？多少人申請這個職位？他的朋友為什么驚訝？男孩的第一封推薦信什么？第二封呢？第三封呢？第四封呢？第五封呢？第六封呢？這位先生說什么比一封寫得很好的推薦信信更有價值？
