At 4:30 p.m. his alarm wristwatch notified him that he'd better go home. Two years before, his wife had given him the watch before that he was always late for dinner. The professor got up from the bench in the park and started home.

When he reached the house, his wife opened the door for him. 'Where have you been?' she asked, 'and what have you been up to?' She seemed slightly annoyed. The president of the Philosophical Society telephoned. 'The meeting tonight has been cancelled. I tried to reach you at the university, but you had already left'.

'I had? Oh! Yes. Now I remember. It was such a fine afternoon that I went to the park'.

His wife's attitude suddenly changed. 'You did? I'm very glad, Herbert. The fresh air and sunshine do you good. You should go to the park every afternoon that the weather is nice'.

'I can't go that often'.

'Then go every other afternoon. You're too hard on yourself always studying. Did you see anything interesting in the park?'

Professor Alien smiled. Today he would have lots of things to tell his wife.

'I know, I know,' Mrs. Alien went on before he could speak. 'As usual, you didn't see anything. Sometimes, Herbert, I wish you'd take your nose out of your books long enough to look at the world around you. Frankly, it's a lot more interesting'.

Her husband nodded quietly, then went into the living room and sat down. He didn't feel up to arguing with her. And besides, maybe his wife was right. She almost always was. Maybe nothing really had happened in the park that afternoon. Perhaps he had gone to sleep and really just dreamed it all. Yet it had been so exciting that he'd just as soon believe it was true. He felt rather regretful. He was so absentminded that he couldn't trust his own ability to remember anything, not even something that happened an hour before!

Herbert was about to remove his coat when he saw a spot on his sleeve. Chocolate ice cream! He smiled. It hadn't been a dream after all. Everything had really happened. He got up from his chair and hurried into the kitchen to tell his wife.

Questions about the reading

1.Why did Professor Alien go to the park?

2.Who was the first person he met in the park?

3.What was his experience with Alien Herbert?

4.Why did he give the poor man fifty cents?

5.What made Professor Alien go home at 4:30?

6.What message did his wife give him when he got home?

7.What did he answer when his wife asked what had happened in the park?

8.What helped the professor remember his afternoon in the park?

9.Are you ever absentminded?

10.Do you think Professor Alien went to the park again? Why?

Drill 6

Dialogue

A:Friday is a holiday. Let's take advantage of the long weekend. Do you want to go to New York? We could leave Thursday night.

B:Okay. But I'd rather go on Friday. I have to get my car fixed.

A:All right. We can take turns driving.

B:Fine. We won't get so tired that way.

A: I'm looking forward to seeing New York. I've never been there.