[Daily English Reading] Excellent standards

Author: gnuhpc
Source: http://www.cnblogs.com/gnuhpc/

My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat simultaneously. It was hanging on a rack at a secondhand clothing store in

Northamton mass, crammed (adj. Packed; full) in with shoddy (adj. Fake; inferior;) trench (N. Gou, ditches) coats and

Assortment (N. Classification; mixture) of sad, woolen overcoats -- a rose among thorns.

In a store that sells second-hand clothing in Upton, Massachusetts, I and my 14-year-old son John simultaneously stared at the coat. It is mounted on a hanger, clipped in inferior military raincoats and various

It is like a rose in the bush.

While the other coats drooped, this one looked as if it were holding itself up. The thick, black wool of the double-breasted

Chesterfield (n. a long coat) was soft and unworn, as though it had been preserved in mothbils (N. Health ball; camphor ball) for years in

Dead old Uncle Henry's steamer (N. Ship; steam engine; steamer) trunk. The coat had a black velvet (adj. Velvet) collar, beautiful

Tailoring, a th Avenue label and an unbelievable price of $28. We looked at each other, saying nothing, but John's eyes gleamed.

Dark, woolen topcoats were popular just then with teenage boys, but cocould cost several hundred dollars new. This coat was even

Better, bearing that touch of classic elegance from a bygone era.

All the other coats look down, but this dress is very high. The thick black cashmere is soft and fluffy, and it looks like it's just like a camphor ball.

Uncle Henry's flat suitcase is retained for many years. Its fine workmanship: the collar is black velvet, and the trademark is fifth avenue. The price is incredible and only $28 is sold. We look at each other,

Without saying a word, John's eyes were shining with joy. Black cashmere light coat was very popular among young men at that time. It would take several hundred US dollars to buy a new one, which is better in quality and with more

There is a classic beauty of the past.

John slid his arms down into the heavy satin (adj. Smooth;) lining of the sleeves and buttoned the coat. He turned from side

Side, eyeing himself in the mirror with a serous, studied expression that soon changed into a smile. The FIT was perfect.

John put his arm into his sleeve-the lining was thick satin and tied with a button. He turned around and looked at himself in front of the mirror, and his serious face turned into a smile in a short time. Clothing

The server fits perfectly.

John wore the coat to school the next day and came home wearing a big grin. "ho. Did the kids like your coat? "I asked." They loved

It, "he said, carefully folding it over the back of a chair and smoothing it flat. I started calling him" Lord Chesterfield "and"

Great Gatsby ."

John went to school the next day wearing it. When he came back from school, he smiled. I asked him, "What do the children think about your coat ?" "They like it very much ." He said, while he was on the back of the chair.

Fold the clothes carefully and flat them. So I started calling him "Chester field Lord" and "The Great Gatsby ".

Over the next few weeks, a change came over John. Agreement replaced contrariness, quiet, reasoned discussion replaced argument. He

Became more judicious, more mannerly, more thoughtful, eager to please. "Good dinner, Mom," he wocould say every evening.

In the next few weeks, John slowly changed: he became obedient and did not mean to be right any more. He was able to discuss things calmly and not to take the words out of his grasp. He has become more sensible, polite, and considerate.

. He is also happy to welcome others. "Mom, dinner is great ."

He wowould generously loan his younger brother his tapes and lecture him on the niceties of behaviour; without a word of objection, he

Wocould carry in wood for the stove. One day when I suggested that he might start on homework before dinner, John -- a veteran (adj. Jing

Multiple examples) procrastinator (N. procrastinator)-said, "You're right. I guess I will ."

He will generously lend his tape to his younger brother and tell him how to behave well; he will bring in the firewood used for burning the stove without complaint. One day, when I suggested that he do it before dinner

During homework, John, the guy who has always been dragging, said, "You are right. I think I will do it ."

When I mentioned this incident to one of his teachers and remarked that I didn't know what caused the changes, she said laughing. "It

Must be his coat! "Another teacher told him she was giving him a good mark not only because he had earned it but because she liked

His coat. At the library, we ran into a friend who had not seen our children in a long time, "cocould this be john? "He asked, looking

Up to John's new height, assessing the cut of his coat and extending his hand, one gentleman to another.

When I mentioned this to one of his teachers and said that I don't know why, she smiled and said, "It must be because of his coat !" Another teacher told him that she would give him a good score, not only

Only because he deserves it and because she loves his coat. We met a friend in the library who hadn't seen our children for a long time. Watching John's tall man

The friend asked, "Is this John ?" At the same time, John stretched out his hand, completely a gentleman's behavior.

John and I both know we shoshould never mistake a person's clothes for the real person within them. But there is something to be said

For wearing a standard of excellence for the world to see, for practising standards of excellence in though, speech, and behaviour,

And for matching what is on the inside to what is on the outside.

John and I both know that we should not look at people by appearance. We can look at them in elegance and practice excellent standards in terms of ideology, speech, and action to achieve harmonious unity between inside and outside. This is another case.

Sometimes, watching John leave for school, I 've remembered with a keen sting what it felt like to be in the eighth grade -- a time

When it was as easy to try on different approaches to life as it was to try on a coat. The whole world, the whole future is stretched

Out ahead, a vast panorama (N. Panorama, full picture) Where all the doors are open. And if I were there right now, I wowould picture myself

Walking through those doors wearing my wonderful, magical coat.

Sometimes, when John went to school, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed and remembered how I felt when I was in my eighth grade. At that time, trying different ways of life was as easy as Trying clothes. The whole world and the future are on your side

The front is like a huge picture, where every door is open. If I can go back there at the moment, I will walk through these doors and wear that wonderful, magical coat.