One day, Kathleen and Mark were standing in their building waiting for the elevator. "This is taking too long," Kathleen said. "Let's just take the stairs."
"All five floors?" Mark asked. "I'm not sure I can make it."
"Don't be lazy, Mark. Let's go!" answered Kathleen.
When they were on the third floor, Kathleen noticed that Mark was breathing very heavily.
"Mark, you seem really out of shape. We're going to have to start exercising more often," Kathleen said firmly.
"No! I'm fine. Look," Mark said as he ran the rest of the way up the stairs just to show that he was in shape after all.
But the next day, Kathleen brought Mark to the bottom of a hill, where there was a trail they could follow all the way up.
"Just think how pretty the city will look from the top of the hill!" Kathleen said, trying to encourage him.
"Yeah, but if all we want is a beautiful view, we can just go to a tall building. That way, there would be air conditioning -- AND elevators!" Mark answered.
But Kathleen had already started climbing the path that led up the hill. She was walking fast and shouting to Mark to keep up with her.
"Hey! Wait up!" said Mark. (Kayleen Hartman, staff writer)
一天，凱薩琳和馬克站在他們大樓裡等電梯。「好久喔！我們走樓梯吧！」凱薩琳說。
「爬整整五層樓嗎？」馬克問，「我不確定我能辦到。」
「別偷懶！馬克，我們上！」凱薩琳回答。
他們走到三樓時，凱薩琳注意到馬克氣喘呼呼。
凱薩琳堅定地說：「馬克，你的身材看來已走樣了，我們得開始多運動。」
「不！我很好，你看！」馬克說著，為了證明他依舊苗條，就開始往上跑完剩下的樓梯。
但是隔天，凱薩琳帶著馬克來到山坡下，那裡有一條小徑直達山坡上。
凱薩琳試圖鼓勵馬克說：「想想看從山坡上瞭望城市的景色有多美。」
「是啊，不過，如果我們只是想看美麗的風景，去高樓大廈就好啦！這樣不僅可以吹冷氣，還可以搭電梯！」馬克回答。
但是凱薩琳已經開始沿著小徑往山坡上走去，她健步如飛，並且叫馬克跟上。
「嘿！等一下！」馬克說。 （翻譯：鄭湘儀）
1. floor n.
樓層（lou2 ceng2）
My classroom is on the third floor, so I have to walk up two flights of stairs every day.
我的教室在三樓，所以每天都要爬兩層樓梯。
2. out of shape adj. phr.
身材走樣（sheng1 cai2 zou3 yang4）
If you don't exercise, you'll be out of shape.
你如果不運動，身材就會走樣。
3. trail n.
痕跡（hen2 ji1）
I knew Oliver had been eating cookies because of the trail of crumbs that led into his room.
我知道奧立佛在吃餅乾，因為麵包屑的痕跡一路連到他的房間。
4. encourage v.t
鼓勵（gu3 li4）
It's important for parents to encourage their children more than they criticize them.
父母對小孩多鼓勵少責備是很重要的。
1. Where does Kathleen take Mark to exercise?
a. A park.
b. A hill.
c. The beach.
d. A stairway.
2. What DOESN'T a tall building have?
a. Stairs.
b. Air conditioning.
c. A beautiful view.
d. Fresh air.
Ans: 1.b 2.d
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