Important people often like to show how important they are.
  They usually have the largest cars. They live in the biggest
houses. They wear the most expensive clothes. They eat in the
best restaurants.
  Mr. Mammoth, the president of Acme Inc., was an important
man. Acme Inc. was an important company, one of the biggest
in the country. Thousands of men and women worked for it.
  The offices of Acme Inc. were in the Acme Building. This
was one of the tallest buildings in the city. It had fifty floors.
  Mr. Mammoth, the president, had his office on the top floor.
  One day a man came to see him. He walked up to Mr Mammoth’s secretary.

She was, of course, the most beautiful secretary in the company.
  “My name is John Watkins,” he told her. “I am coming to
see Mr. Mammoth. My appointment is at 10 o’clock.”
  The most beautiful secretary in the building looked at the
clock on the wall. It was the largest clock in the company.
  “It is 10 o’clock now,” she said. “You are on time for
your appointment. However, I am afraid you cannot see Mr.
Mammoth.”
  John Watkins was surprised.
  “Oh? Why is that?” he asked.
  “Mr. Mammoth is playing golf.”
  “Oh,” John Watkins said. “Then he won’t be coming to his
office today.”
  The most beautiful secretary in the company smiled at him.
  “Mr. Mammoth’s already here,” she said. “He has the
largest office in the world.”

          大　人　物
  大人物通常喜欢炫耀自己有多重要。
  他们一般都有最豪华的车，住最大的房子，穿最贵的衣服，去最好的餐
厅吃饭。
  阿克姆公司总裁蒙玛先生就是位重要人物。阿克姆公司也是这个国家最
大的公司之一，非常有地位。公司有几千名员工。
  阿克姆公司的办公楼在阿克姆大厦，是这座城市最高的楼之一，共五十
层。
  总裁蒙玛先生的办公室在最顶层。
  一天，有人来拜访蒙玛先生。他走到蒙玛先生的秘书面前——当然，秘
书也是全公司最漂亮的秘书。
  “我叫约翰·瓦特金斯，”他告诉她，“我是来拜访蒙玛先生的，预约
在十点。”
  这位最漂亮的秘书看了看墙上的表——公司最大的表。
  “现在是十点，”她说，“你非常准时，但你恐怕见不着蒙玛先生了。”
  约翰·瓦特金斯非常惊讶。
  “为什么呢？”他问。
  “蒙玛先生正在打高尔夫球。”
  “哦，”约翰·瓦特金斯说，“那他今天不会来办公室了吧？”
  最漂亮的秘书微笑地看着他。
  “蒙玛先生已经来了，”她说，“他的办公室是世界上最大的。”