AladyinanoldcottondressandherhusbanddressedinanoldsuitsteppedoffthetraininBostonandwalkedintothepresidentofHarvard’souteroffice.ThesecretarycouldtellinamomentthatsuchcountrypeoplehadnobusinessatHarvard.Shefrowned.“Wewanttoseethepresident”themansaidsoftly. “He’llbebusyallday”thesecretarysaidcoldly.“We’llwait”theladyreplied.
Forhoursthesecretarydidn’ttalktothemhopingthatthecouplewouldfinallybecometiredandgoaway.Theydidn’t.Andthesecretaryfinallydecidedtodisturbthepresident.“Maybeiftheyjustseeyouforafewminutesthey’llleave”shetoldhim.Hefrownedtoo.Someoneofhisimportancedidn’thavethetimetospendwithnobodies.
Thepresidentwalkedtowardthemunwillingly.Theladytoldhim“WehadasonthatattendedHarvardforoneyear.HelovedHarvardandwasveryhappyhere.Buthewasaccidentallykilled.AndmyhusbandandIwouldliketosetupamemorial(纪念碑)tohimsomewhereoncampus.”Thepresidentwassosurprisedthatheshoutedsharply“Wecan’tputupastatue(塑像)foreverypersonwhoattendedHarvardanddiedthisplacewouldlooklikeacemetery.
“Ohno”theladyexplained“Wedon’twanttobuildastatue.WethoughtwewouldgiveabuildingtoHarvard.”Thepresidentrolledhiseyes.Heglancedattheirplainclothesandsaidwithsurprise“Abuilding!Doyouhaveanyideahowmuchabuildingcosts?ThephysicalbuildingatHarvardcostsevenmillionandahalf.”
Foramomenttheladywassilent.Thepresidentwaspleased.Hecouldgetridofthemnow.Theladyturnedtoherhusbandandsaidquietly.“Isthatallitcoststostartauniversity?”Herhusbandnodded(点头).Mr.andMrs.LelandStanfordwalkedawaytravelingtoPaloAltoCaliforniawheretheysetuptheuniversitywiththeirname-------amemorialtoasonthatHarvardnolongercaredabout.
Youcaneasilyjudge(判断)othersbyhowtheytreatthosewhocandonothingforthemortothem.
46.WhatdidtheoldcouplegotoHarvardfor?
A.Theywantedtoseetheirson.
B.Theyhadanimportantmeeting
C.TheywenttoHarvardjusttoseestartauniversity
D.TheywantedtomeetthepresidentofHarvard.
47.Whydidn’tthepresidentcomeouttomeetthecouple?
A.Hewasreallyb