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One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in
Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, they came to the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the
night.
"Could you possibly give us a room here?" the husband asked.
The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. "All of our rooms are taken", the clerk said. "But I can't send a nice couple like you
out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night."
When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. "Don't worry about me. I'll make out just fine,"
the clerk told them. So the couple agreed.
As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, "You are the kind of manager
who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe some day I'll build one for you." The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly
couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and
helpful isn't easy.
Two years passed, the clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old
man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.
The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of the Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He
then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone one, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky. "That," said the older man, "is the hotel I have just built for you to manage." "You must be
joking," the young man said. "I can assure you I am not," said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth.
The older man's name was William Waldorf Astor, and that magnificent structure was the original
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. This young
clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world's
most glamorous hotels.
1. Which of the statements about the story is NOT true?
A. The story took place at about one a.m.
B. The old couple was too poor to afford a luxurious room.
C. The clerk was willing to help those in need.
D. The clerk received an unexpected invitation from the old man.
2. The underlined word "conventions" in Para. 3 can be replaced by ___________?
A. rooms
B. buildings
C. meetings
D. hotels
3. Which of the following proverbs suits the story the best?
A. Every little thing helps.
B. Make hay while the sun shines.
C. Man proposes, God disposes.
D. One good turn deserves another
