Awidow,thrifty1andindustrious2,hadtwoservants,whomshekeptprettyhardatwork.Theywerenotallowedtolielongabedinthemornings,buttheoldladyhadthemupanddoingassoonasthecockcreTheydislikedintenselyhavingtogetupatsuchanhour,especiallyinwinter-time:andtheythoughtthatifitwerenotforthecockwakinguptheirMistresssohorriblyearly,theycouldsleeplonger.Sotheycaughtitandwrung3itsneck.Buttheyweren'tpreparedfortheconsequences.ForwhathappenedwasthattheirMistress,nothearingthecockcrowasusual,wakedthemupearlierthanever,andsetthemtoworkinthemiddleofthenight.一个寡妇，既节俭又勤劳，她对两个仆人的要求也相当严厉。每当公鸡一打鸣，这个老女人就叫她们起来去干活，不让她们多睡一会儿。仆人们都不喜欢这么早的时间起床，尤其冬天里，她们以为，若是那只公鸡不在那么早的时候叫醒女主人，她们还能多睡一会儿。于是，她们捉住公鸡，拧断了它的脖子。但是，她们并没有预料到更严重的后果。女主人听不到公鸡的叫声了，确比往常更早地叫醒她们，在半夜里就让她们去干活。1thriftyadj.节俭的；兴旺的；健壮的参考例句：Exceptforsmokinganddrinking,heisathriftyman.除了抽烟、喝酒，他是个生活节俭的人。Shewasathriftywomanandmanagedtoputasidesomemoneyeverymonth.她是个很会持家的妇女，每月都设法存些钱。2industriousadj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的参考例句：Ifthetillerisindustrious,thefarmlandisproductive.人勤地不懒。Shewasanindustriousandwillingworker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。3wrung绞(wring的过去式和过去分词)；握紧（尤指别人的手）；把（湿衣服）拧干；绞掉（水）参考例句：Hehaswrungthewordsfromtheirtruemeaning.他曲解这些字的真正意义。Hewrungmyhandwarmly.他热情地紧握我的手。更多英语学习方法：企业英语培训wwspiikers/