【内容提示】
你是否有过迟到的体验？迟到以后你是如实讲你的不对呢还是找某种借口呢？如果你找借口的话会找些什么理由呢？也许你要说你的表不准了，或者说自行车坏了，或者说汽车出了事故，或者说你病了等等。结果呢，等你走进教室时并不像你想象的那样，而是……
【作文示范】
being late again
“my god! i＇ll be late again!”i aid to myelf on my way to chool.“how can i eplain to my teacher? i mut find a reaonable ecue.”
my clock doen＇t work properly? no, no. that＇ a common ecue for being late. many clamate have already ued it. it＇ clear that the teacher won＇t believe it.
there i omething wrong with my bike? no, no. if the bike i een by the teacher after chool, what can i ay?
i fell off the bike and hurt my ankle? then i mut pretend to walk lowly and with difficulty. no! i nearly forget it. once iao ming, a good friend of mine, did jut that, and the teacher aw through her trick very eaily.
i wa at my wit＇ end①. i would have to face the teacher＇ reproach②.i could have got to chool in time if i had got up a little earlier.
at lat i found myelf at the door of the claroom. i knew i could do nothing but admit my mitake. i puhed the door open and went in. lowering③ my head, i waited for the reproach. a minute paed but nothing happened. i heard only the ound of reading. i looked up. why, the teacher hadn＇t come at all.WWw.hAOZuowEn.com
（选自《英语画刊》高中版1996年第12期）
【词语解释】
①(be) at one＇ wit＇ end想不出办法了
②reproach [ri＇pr+utm] n．责备；指责
③lower [＇l+u+] v．放低；低下
【写法指要】
本文是通过心理描写来写人的。全文绝大部分篇幅都是在写作者的心理活动：作者想了好几种“主意”想蒙混过关，最后还是正确思想战胜了错误思想，决定如实承认错误。但是，结尾却出乎预料，也非常生动、有趣，令人哑然失笑。