wasobviousthathewasveryembarrassed.WhenIaskedhimwhathewasdoing,hesmiledguiltilyandthenputtheparcelonthedesk.Heexplainedthathisdietwassostrictthathehadtorewardhimselfoccasionally.Thenheshowedmethecontentsoftheparcel.Itcontainedfivelargebarsofchocolateandthreebagsofsweets!Lesson52Aprettycarpet漂亮的地毯WehavejustmovedintoanewhouseandIhavebeenworkinghardallmorning.Ihavebeentryingtogetmynewroominorder.ThishasnotbeeneasybecauseIownoverathousandbooks.Tomakemattersworse,theroomisrathersmall,soIhavetemporarilyputmybooksonthefloor.Atthemoment,theycovereveryinchoffloorspaceandIactuallyhavetowalkonthemtogetinoroutoftheroom.Ashortwhileago,mysisterhelpedmetocarryoneofmyoldbookcasesupthestairs.Shewentintomyroomandgotabigsurprisewhenshesawallthosebooksonthefloor.'ThisistheprettiestcarpetIhaveeverseen,'shesaid.Shegazedatitforsometimethenadded,'Youdon'tneedbookcasesatall.Youcansithereinyoursparetimeandreadthecarpet!'Lesson53Hotsnake触电的蛇AtlastfiremenhaveputoutabigforestfireinCalifornia.Sincethen,theyhavebeentryingtofindouthowthefirebegan.Forestfireareoftencausedbybrokenglassorbycigaretteendswhichpeoplecarelesslythrowaway.Yesterdaythefiremenexaminedthegroundcarefully,butwerenotabletofindanybrokenglass.Theywerealsoquitesurethatacigaretteenddidnotstartthefire.Thismorning,however,afiremanaccidentallydiscoveredthecause.Henoticedtheremainsofasnakewhichwaswoundroundtheelectricwiresofa16,000-voltpowerline.Inthisway,hewasabletosolvethemystery.Theexplanationwassimplebutveryunusual.Abirdhadsnatchedupthesnakefromthegroundandthendroppeditontothewires.Thesnakethenwounditselfroundthewires.Whenitdidso,itsentsparksdowntothegroundandtheseimmediatelystartedafire.Lesson54Stickyfingers粘糊的手指Afterbreakfast,IsentthechildrentoschoolandthenIwenttomarket.ItwasstillearlywhenIreturnedhome.Thechildrenwereatschool,myhusbandwasatworkandthehousewasquiet.SoIdecidedtomakesometartsfortea.InashorttimeIwasbusymixingbutterandflourandmyhandsweresooncoveredwithstickypastry.Atexactlythatmoment,thetelephonerang.Nothingcouldhavebee