3. The crowded store

It was the day of the big sale. Rumors1 of the sale (and some advertising2 in the local paper) were the main reason for the long line that formed by 8:30, the store's opening time, in front of the store.

A small man pushed his way to3 the front of the line, only to be pushed back, amid4loud and colorful curses5. On the man's second attempt6, he was punched7 square8 in the jaw, and knocked around a bit, and then thrown at the end of the line again.

As he got up, he said to the person at the end of the line, "That does it! If they hit me one more time, I won't open the store!"

Notes:

1. rumors 谣言

2. advertising 广告

3. push one's way to 往某处挤过去

4. amid 在……中

5. curse 诅咒

6. attempt 试图

7. punch 以拳重击

8. square 正好，笔直

拥挤的商店

一天，一个商店降价大甩卖。有关降价的谣传（以及报纸上的广告）使人们在八点半开店之前就排在了商店门前，队伍很长。

一个身材矮小的人推挤着想到队伍的前面，但被推了回来，而且因为插队而被大声咒骂。那个人又一次努力地往前挤，但是又被挤到了最后面，而且下巴被重重地碰了几下。

从地上爬起来，他对排在队伍最后的那个人说：“如果他们再次这样对我，我就不去开商店门了！”

Useful link:

美国的折扣商店通常设在房租低廉的地区，商品价格要比其他地方低20％—25％。主要出售家用电器产品，顾客可以从商品目录中选择商品，然后填表、付款，等服务员叫到名字时前去领货。

除折扣商店外，服务性宗教组织“救世军”也有便宜物品可买。家中如有废弃不用的大件物品，他们会免费上门收取。物品消毒后低价出售，价钱之低几乎是象征性收费。卖得的钱捐给慈善事业。