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LESSON 54 Letters of recommendation
第五十四课 引荐信
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.
曾经有一位先生刊登了一则广告，招聘一名男孩做办公室助理，将近50人申请这一职位。在这些候选人中，他很快挑选一名，然后让其他面试者都回去了。
"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，”他的一个朋友说，“你是依据什么选了那个男孩。他连一封推荐信都没有。”
"You are mistaken," said the gentleman; "he had a great many:—
“你错了，”先生说道；“他有很多推荐信：——
"He wiped his feet when he came in, and closed the door after him; showing that he was orderly and tidy.
他进来时把鞋子擦干净了，进来后关上了门；这些表示他办事有条不紊。
"He gave up his seat instantly to that lame old man; showing that he was kind and thoughtful.
“他毫不犹豫地把座位让给了那个跛脚老者，显示出他心地善良，体贴人心。”
"He took off his cap when he came in, and answered my questions promptly and respectfully; showing that he was polite.
他进来时摘下了帽子，回答问题思路敏捷，口吻显示出对我的尊重；这些显示出他的礼貌。
"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.
“他捡起了我故意放在地上的书，并放在桌子上，而其他所有人都将这本书踩在脚下，或者踢在一旁；这些显示出他的细心。”
"And he waited quietly for his turn, instead of pushing the others aside; showing that he was modest.
“在等候面试时，他也很安静，没有把别人推开；这些显示出他的虚心。”
"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.
“和他交谈时，我注意到，他的衣服和头发都很整齐，他的牙齿白如牛奶。他写下自己名字时，我注意到他的指甲很干净，并没有污垢，他穿着一件蓝色夹克，是一位英俊的朋友。”
"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."
“难道所有这些还不足以叫做推荐信吗？我认为足够了；我用十分钟观察选出的这个男孩，比那些带着很好的推荐信的人更有价值。”
QUESTIONS
问题
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?
这位先生为什么发布广告？多少人申请这个职位？他的朋友为什么惊讶？男孩的第一封推荐信什么？第二封呢？第三封呢？第四封呢？第五封呢？第六封呢？这位先生说什么比一封写得很好的推荐信信更有价值？
