2015-10-16
3596
Albert Foreman had been a verger1 at St. Peter's church in Neville Square for sixteen years. Albert Edward was very proud of his job and his church. But there was one special feature about Albert: he couldn't read or write. When one day a new vicar discovered this, he told him that unless he learnt to read and write within three months, he would lose his job. Albert refused and that evening he sadly locked the church and began to walk home.
As he walked along the street he looked for a shop to buy a packet of Gold Flake2. It was a long street but there was not a single shop where he could buy cigarettes.
«That's strange,» Albert said to himself. «That's an idea!»
Next day he went along the street and by good luck found a little shop to let. Twenty-four hours later he had taken it, and a month after that set up in business as a tobacconist and newsagent. He did so well that in ten years he had acquired no less than ten shops and he was making money hand over fist. One morning when he was at the bank the cashier told him that the manager would like to see him.
«Mr. Foreman,» said the manager, «I wanted to have a talk with you about the money you've got with us. It's a very large sum and I think you would do better to invest it.»
A troubled look appeared on Mr. Foreman's face. «I've never had anything to do with investments,» he said.
«We'll do everything. All you'll have to do is just sign some forms.»
«But how should I know what I was signing?»
«I suppose you can read,» said the manager a little sharply.
«Well, sir, that's just it. I can't. I can't read or write, only my name, and I only learnt to do that when I went into business.»
The manager was so surprised that he jumped up from his chair. «That's the most extraordinary thing I've ever heard. And do you mean to say that you made a fortune of thirty thousand pounds without being able to read or write? Good God, man, what would you now be if you had been able to?»
|
|
|
«I'd be a verger of St. Peter's, Neville Square.»
' a verger — someone who looks after a church 2 Gold Flake — a once-popular brand of cigarette
Test № 4
I. Определите, верны (True) или неверны (False) следующие утверждения.
1. Albert Foreman had been satisfied with his position at St. Peter's.
2. Albert left the church as soon as he found a little shop to buy.
3. Albert learned to sign his name after he had left the church.
4. Albert would not have become rich if he had done what the new vicar demanded of him.
