A man went to an insurance1 office to have his life insured. The manager of the office asked him how old his parents were when they died.
“Mother had a bad heart and died at the age of thirty. Father died of tuberculosis2 when he was thirty-five.” “I am very sorry,” said the manager, “we cannot insure your life as your parents were not healthy.”
As the man was leaving the office, sad, he met a clerk who had heard the conversation.
“You must not be so frank and tell the truth,” said the clerk, “no office will insure you if you speak like that. Use your imagination a little.”
The man went to another office and was shown into3 the manager's room. “Well, young man, how old were your parents when they died?”
“Mother was ninety-three, and she died from a fall off her bicycle. Father was ninety-eight and he died while he was playing football.”
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1. insurance n． 保险
insure v． 给……保险
2． tuberculosis n． 肺结核
3． show into 领进(客人等)