It was rush hour and I was dashing to a train in New York City's Grand Central Terminal - As I neared the gate, a plump, middle-aged woman sprinted up from behind, lost her footing on the smooth marble floor and slid onto her back. Her momentum carried her close to my shoes. Before I could help her, however, she had scrambled up. Gaining her composure, she winked at me and said, "Do you always have beautiful women failing at your feet?"

Notes:

(1) rush hour n. （大城市上下班时的）拥挤时刻；高峰时刻

(2) dash v.猛冲

(3) terminal n.（铁路、公路的）终点站

(4) near v.接近；靠近

(5) plump adj. 圆胖的；丰满的

(6) sprint v.以全速缩短距离

(7) momentum n.动量（即物体质量与速度之乘积）

(8) scramble v.爬

(9) composure n.泰然自若

Exercises:

根据短文选择正确答案：

①The author was hurrying he ______.

A. wanted to catch a bus

B. wanted to catch a train

C. was driven by crowds

D. wanted a taxi

② The story happened during ______.

A. working time

B. the author's vacation

C. rush hour

D. a weekend

③The story happened______ .

A. in central New York

B. near the suburbs of New York

C. at a bus station in New York

D. at a railway station in New York

④ Why did the won-man fall over?

A. Because somebody behind her pushed her.

B. Because the author was blocking her way.

C. Because she "t her footing on the smooth marble floor.

D. Because she wanted to see how smooth the floor was.

⑤ What does "Do you always have beautiful women falling at imply?

A. The woman was complaining to the author.

B. The woman was mocking herself with humor.

C. The woman was angry at the fall.

D. The woman had seen some beautiful women falling at the author's feet before.

25.摔倒的女人

上下班高峰期，我匆匆奔向纽约豪华中心站去赶一趟火车。接近门口，一位肥胖的中年妇女从后面冲过来，没想到在平滑的大理石地面上失了脚，仰面滑倒了。她的惯性使她接近了我的脚。我正准备扶她，她却自己爬了起来。她镇定了一下，对我挤了一下眉，说道：“总是有漂亮女人拜倒在你脚下吗？”

练习参考答案：

①B②C③D④C⑤B