Immediately I got up and dressed, I stuck my violin under my jacket and went out into the streets to try my
. I wandered about for an hour, looking for a likely
, feeling as though I were about to commit a crime. Then I
at last under a bridge near the station and decided to have a try.
I felt tense and
. It was the first time, after all. I drew the violin from under the jacket like a gun. It was here, in Southampton, with trains rattling overhead, that I was about to
myself. One moment I was part of the hurrying crowds, the next I stood apart, my back to the wall, my hat on the
before me, the violin under my chin.
The first notes I played were loud and raw, like a declaration of protest, then they settled down and began to run more _
and to stay more or less in tune. To my
,I was neither arrested nor told to shut up. Indeed, nobody took any
at all. Then an old man, without stopping at all, dropped a penny into my
as though getting rid of some guilty evidence.
I worked the streets of Southampton for several days, gradually obtaining the truth of the
by trial and error. It was not a good thing, for instance, to let the hat fill up with money---the sight could
a kind-hearted man; nor was it wise to
it completely, which could also confuse him, giving him no hint as to where to
his money. Placing a couple of pennies in the hat to start the thing going soon became a
practice and I made sure, between tunes, to take off most of the earnings, but always leaving two
behind.
Old
were most generous, and so were women with children, shop girls and barmaids. As for men, heavy drinkers were always willing listeners and so were big guys with muscles. But
a man with an expensive hat, briefcase or dog: respectable types were the least
of all. Except for retired army officers, who would shout "Why aren't you
, young man?" and then would over-tip to cover up their confusion.
| 小题1: | | A．violin | B．art | C．skill | D．luck |
|
| 小题2: | | A．station | B．spot | C．street | D．bridge |
|
| 小题3: | | A．played | B．wandered | C．stopped | D．sat |
|
| 小题4: | | A．nervous | B．excited | C．lost | D．strange |
|
| 小题5: | | A．shame | B．show | C．damage | D．declare |
|
| 小题6: | | A．wall | B．bridge | C．pavement | D．road |
|
| 小题7: | | A．smoothly | B．slowly | C．angrily | D．roughly |
|
| 小题8: | | A．excitement | B．sorrow | C．astonishment | D．surprise |
|
| 小题9: | | A．money | B．pity | C．notice | D．rest |
|
| 小题10: | | A．hat | B．pocket | C．hand | D．bag |
|
| 小题11: | | A．people | B．trade | C．performance | D．music |
|
| 小题12: | | A．encourage | B．help | C．support | D．discourage |
|
| 小题13: | | A．fill | B．empty | C．tear | D．hide |
|
| 小题15: | | A．modern | B．regular | C．timely | D．economic |
|
| 小题16: | | A．pennies | B．dollars | C．pounds | D．euros |
|
| 小题17: | | A．workers | B．teachers | C．doctors | D．ladies |
|
| 小题18: | | A．never | B．often | C．always | D．sometimes |
|
| 小题19: | | A．generous | B．comfortable | C．handsome | D．selfish |
|
| 小题20: | | A．playing | B．working | C．cheating | D．shopping |
|
