A penny-pinching farmer didn't want his hired hand to stop working. One morning, he told the farmhand, "It's such a nuisance to come in from the field,, wash up for lunch and take time to eat. Why don't we save time and eat lunch now?"

The hired man agreed. The farm's wife brought in some cold meat and fried potatoes, and the two men ate again.

When they had finished, the cheap farmer said, "While we're still at the table, let's have supper too. " They were now served steak, boiled potatoes and mixed vegetables, and they ate once more.

"Now that the meals are out of the way, " the farmer announced, we can go out and work all day without interruption. "

"Oh, no, " the farmhand answered. " I never work after supper.

Notes:

(1) penny-pinching adj.吝啬的

(2) hired hand n. 帮手

(3) nuisance n. 讨厌的事物、人、行为等

(4) wash up洗

(5) be out of the way解决某事

(6) interruption n.打断某人

Exercises:

根据短文选择正确答案：

①How many people did the farmer hire to work in his field?

A. One

B. Two

C. Three

D. Four

② What, according to the farmer, was a nuisance?

A. to come back from the field

B. to wash up for lunch

C. to take time to eat

D. All of the above.

③ Why did the farmer urge the farmhand to eat three meals together?

A. Because the farmhand was always hungry.

B. Because the farmer's wife prepared three meals at one time.

C. Because he was not willing to let the farmhand have a rest.

D. Because the crops in the field had to be harvested in no time.