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1. lesson39

Roast Beef on Rye A little digging will unearth the roots of our language and habits. For instance, our word "sandwich" is derived from the Earl of Sandwich, who lived in the time of George Ill. This gentleman would not depart from the gambling table for hours on end. If his play happened to coincide with dinner, he would cancel his regular meal and order a slice of meat to be served to him between two pieces of bread. The biography of the Earl claims that we are his debtors for his discovery of the sandwich. Charles Dickens later used the phrase "sandwich man" to describe someone who walks about with a clearly legible message on placards hung on his chest and back. An example of a superstition is the fear of walking under a ladder. This must have been a contagious fear for it seems to have started with the ancient belief that spirits lived in trees or wood. "Knocking on wood" was a way of calling up the friendly spirit to protect one from harm. Today a member of the clergy might sneer at this custom, expecting that by this time such superstitions would have receded into the past with witches and ghosts. Another expression, "giving someone the cold shoulder," has been traced to the Middle Ages, when a host would serve his guests a cold shoulder of mutton or beef instead of the customary hot food. This was a transparent attempt to show the guest he was no longer welcome. The host had thus found a more charitable yet effective way of expressing his feelings without using a scalding remark.
An Unusual Strike The baseball strike of 1994-95, which kept the public from seeing the annual World series, was not atypical labor dispute in which low-paid workers try to persuade their employers to grant a raise above their minimum wage. On the contrary, players who earned millions of dollars yearly, who were visible on TV commercials, drove expensive autos, and dined with presidents, withheld their essential skills until the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of our government were forced to devise solutions to the quarrel. The team owners, a blend of lawyers, manufacturers, corporate executives, etc. felt that something had to be done about the huge salaries that the players were demanding. Since the talent beyond the major leagues was scarce they had to start spring training in 1995 with wholesale invitation to replacement players. The regular athletes returned in late April but there was a feeling that the strike could happen again.
Bible Zoo One of the most popular tales of the Bible depicts the great flood that destroyed every mortal except Noah and his family and the animals on his ark. Should there be a repetition of that disaster, there is one place where all the biblical animals are already gathered. The man to be commended for this novel collection is Professor Aharon Shulov, a zoologist at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. Professor Shulov appointed himself a committee of one to search out the 130 creatures mentioned in the Old Testament. Among the occupants of this zoo are crocodiles, camels, apes, peacocks, deer, foxes, and sheep, some of whom had to be imported from other lands. They are settled in suitable quarters on a twenty-five acre site in Jerusalem. Visitors to the zoo not only get to view and feed the animals, but they are also treated to quotes from Bible verses that encourage the study of the Good Book and teach morality amidst the waddling of the ducks and the wailing of the wolves. Not surprisingly, the children have the final word at a special corner of the zoo, called the Garden of Eden, where animal cubs roam freely, attracting the attention of hundreds of youngsters who visit daily.
love and Marriage The famous architect Melville Fenton grew tired of matrimony and devised a scheme to free himself of his spouse. He told her he had been engaged by an American company to design its new office building in Paris. Packing his baggage, he left his home and proceeded to cut all his ties with his former life. He changed his name, secured a new job, and quickly forgot his faithful wife. Not having any responsibilities, he began to squander his money and energy. He married another woman, believing he was safe from the law. But his first wife had grown suspicious and resentful. She learned from his employer that he had not gone abroad, that in fact he had left the firm altogether. With a little detective work, she soon discovered her husband's whereabouts. He had become a fugitive from justice and one calamity after another overtook him. He lost his job, became a pauper and was no longer the envy of his acquaintances. Then his second wife grew ill and died. After the collapse of his plans, there was only one logical step for Melville to take. He embraced his wife and asked for her forgiveness. Much to his relief, she decided not to prosecute him for bigamy.

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