Lesson 24 It could be worse

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I entered the hotel manager's office and sat down. I had just lost £50 and I felt very upset. 'I left the money in my room,' I said, 'and it's not there now.' The manager was sympathetic, but he could do nothing. 'Everyone's losing money these days,' he said. He started to complain about this wicked world but was interrupted by a knock at the door. A girl came in and put an envelop on his desk. It contained £50. 'I found this outside this gentleman's room,' she said. 'Well,' I said to the manager, 'there is still some honesty in this world!'

Note

1. manager: 经理
   boss: 老板
   head: 头（褒义词）

2. complain: vi. 抱怨
   complain of/about sth. to sb.
   The manager complained about this wicked world to me.

3. wicked: 邪恶的 ＝ evil

4. container: n. 集装箱、容器
   contain: v. 包含，内装
   include: v. 包含，包括
   My bag contains books.
   The envelop contains letters.

5. honest: adj. 诚实的，诚信的
   honesty: n. 诚实
   honestly: adv. 真诚地

6. 名词修饰名词
   hotel manager
   the village fair
   telephone number

7. I could do nothing to help you.

8. Everyone's losing money these days.
   lost本来没有进行时态，但是此处用进行时态来表示不断重复的动作，其中常包含有埋怨的意思。

9. start to do sth. = start doing sth.
   The college started at 8:00 in the morning.

10. a knock at the door.
    knock: n. 敲门声