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                   They say  that blood is  thicker  than water, that
                 our relatiees are more important to us than others.Ev-
                 eryone was so kind  to the old  lady  on her birthday.
                 Surely her daughter would make an even bigger effort
                 to please her?                                              

                             THE PRESENT

       It was the old lady's birthday.
          She got up early to be  ready for the  post.  from  the  second floor flat
     she could see the postman when he came down the street,and the little boy
     from the  ground  floor brought up her letters on  the  rare occasions when
  5 anything came.
         Today she was sure  there  would be something.  Myra wouldn't  forget
    her mother's  birthday,  even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course
    Myra was busy. Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had 
    got a medal for her work f or the aged.
10     The  old  lady  was  proud  of  Myra,  but  Enid  was the  daughter  she 
    loved.  Enid  had  never  married,  but  had seemed content to live with her 
    mother, and teach in a primary school round the corner.
        One evening,  however,  Enid said,  "I've  arranged  for  Mrs.  Morrison 
     to look after you for a few days, Mother. Tomorrow I have to go into hos-
15 pital--just a minor operation. I'll soon be home. "
         In the morning she went,  but  never  came back--she died on  the oper-
     ating table. Myra came to the funeral, and in her efficient way arranged for
     Mrs.  Morrison to come  in and  light the fire and give the  old  her  break-
     fast. 
20     Two  years  ago  that was,  and  since  then  Myra had  been  to see her 
    mother three times, but her husband never.
        The old  lady was  eighty  today.   She had  put on  her best  dress.  Per
    haps-perhaps Myra  might  come.  After all,  eighty  was a special birthday,
    another decade lived or endured just as you chose to look at it.
25     Even  if Myra did not  come,  she  would  send  a present.  The old lady 
    was sure of that. Two spots of colour  brightened  her cheeks. She was ex- 
    cited-like a child. She would enjoy her day.
       Yesterday  Mrs.  Morrison  had  given  the  flat an extra clean, and today 
    she had brought a card and a bunch of marigolds when she came to do the
30 breakfast. Mrs.  Grant  downstairs had  made a cake,  and in the afternoon
    she was going down there to tea. The little boy, Johnnie,  had been up with 
    a packet of mints,  and  said  he wouldn't  go out to pIay until the post had
    come. 
        "I guess you'll  get lots and  lots of presents,  "he said."  I did last week 
35 when I was six. "
        What would she  like?  A pair of slippers  perhaps.  Or a  new cardigan.
    A cardigan would  be lovely.  Blue's such a pretty colour.  Jim had always 
    liked her in blue. Or a table lamp. Or a book, a travel book,  with pictures,
    or a little clock, with clear black numbers. So many lovely things.
40     She stood by  the window,  watching. The postman  turned  round  the 
    corner on his bicycle.Her heart beat fast.Johnnie had seen him too and ran 
    to the gate.
       Then  clatter,  clatter up  the stairs.  Johnnie  knocked at her door. 
       "Granny, granny, "he shouted, "I've got your post: "
45    He  gave  her  four  envelopes.  Three  were  unsealed  cards  from  old 
    friends. The fourth was sealed,in Myra's  writing.  The old lady felt a pang
    of disappointment.
        "No parcel, Johnnie?"  
         "No granny."
50     Maybe  the parcel was  too Iarge to come by letter post. That was it. It
    would come, later by parcel post. She must be patient.
        Almost reluctantly,  she tore the envelope open.  Folded in the card was 
    a piece of paper.Written on the card was a message under the printed Hap-
    py Birthday-- Buy  yourself  something  nice  with the  cheque,  Myra  and
55 Harold.
       The cheque  fluttered  to  the  floor like a bird  with a broken wing.Slow-
    ly the old lady stooped to pick it up.  Her present,  her lovely present.With 
    treiinling fingers she tore it into little bits.

                                          New Words    
                                                           
relative/n.                           亲属，亲戚
present / n                          gift 礼物，赠品   
postman / n.                       邮递员
rare / a.                              not happening often 罕见的；不常发生的
occasion / n.                      special time; time when sth. happens 时刻，
                            时机；场合
mayor / n.                          chief official of a city or town 市长
medal / n.                           奖章
aged / a.                             old
content / a.                         satisfied; pleased  满意的；高兴的             
primary / a.                        first; earliest 首要的；最初的
arrange / vi.                        make preparations; plan 作安排，筹划
minor / a.                           not serious or important 较小的；次要的
operate / vi.                        cut the body in order to set right or remove a 
                                             diseased part 开刀，动手术
    operating table n.         a special table in a hospital, where operations are
                                              done 手术台  
funeral / n.                          葬礼 
efficient / a.                        able to plan and work well 效率高的
decade / n.                         ten years
endure /vt.                          bear (pain, suffering, etc.) 忍受,忍耐 
spot n.                               a round area that is different from the main sur-
                                              face 点,斑点
brighten / vt.                       make bright or brighter 使发光;使发亮 
cheek / n.                           either side of the face below the eye 面颊
extra / a.                             additional 额外的,外加的确
clean n.                              cleaning
bunch /n.                            things of the same kind that are tied together 
                                              (一)束,(一)串
marigold / n.                      万寿菊(花)
packet / n .                         small parcel or boX 小包(裹) 
mint / n.                             薄荷糖
slipper / n.                          拖鞋
cardigan / n.                       (羊毛) 开衫
clatter / n.                           a number of rapid short knocking sounds 咔嗒声
granny / n.                          (colloq. for) grandmother
envelope / n.                       a paper cover for a letter 信封
unsealed /a.                        未密封的       
  seal vt.                                   
sealed / a.                           密封的
writing / n.                          handwriting 书法;笔迹
pang / n.                             sudden, sharp pain 剧痛
disappointment/                  sadness because one does not get what one hopes
   n.                                       for 失望
  disappoint vt.                                  
parcel / n.                           包裹
reluctantly / ad.                   unwillingly 不情愿地,勉强地
  reluctant a.                                      
fold / vt.                             bend into two or more parts 折叠
cheque / n.                         支票
flutter / vt.                           move quickly to and fro in the air 飘动
stoop / vi.                           bend the body forwards and downwards 弯腰
tremble vi.                          shake uncontrollably with quick short move-
                                             ments 颤抖                   
  

                             Phrases & ExPressions 

at other times                         on other occasions 在别的时候;平时
round/around the coroer          very near in distance or time 在附近;即将来临
after all                                   in spite of everything;it must be remembered 毕
                                                  竟,终究                                   
be sure of                               对...有把握,确信
pick up                                   take hold of and lift up from a surface 拿起,捡起