《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词3500》Unit 7 千载难逢的机会

　　Unit 07
The Outside Chance
It's a funny thing about money. If you haven't got it, you think it's the most important thing in the world. That's how I used to think. I don't any more, and I learned¹ it in the hard way.
My teacher at school used to say: "When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." It means if you want something really badly, you'll probably get it. But you'll get it in a way you don't expect. Yu might have to pay a price you didn't bargain for.
It started one rainy day, when I was coming home from work. I'm a mechanic², and I liked working in a garage. But I was restless³. I'd always had this dream of owning my own business. That's why I'd left my parents in Selby, and come to London.
Dad and I had arguments about it. He didn't see why I should want to leave home when I had enough to live on. Enough for what? To live as he had, with nothing to look him, but it annoyed me to see him so content. He had nothing to show for all those years of work in that noisy factory.
All this was on my mind, as I walked home that night. I stopped and bought a newspaper outside the Tube. I didn't know when I first realized there was something wrong with the paper. As if there was a gap⁴ in the news. Then I looked at the front page, and instead of Tuesday 22nd Nov., it said Wednesday 23rd Nov. Somehow, I had bought tomorrow's paper today!
That's the moment I realized that all my prayers could be answered. The results of tomorrow's races. I looked at the winners, and chose from them carefully.
Next morning, I drew from the bank just about all I had -- $150, and laid my bets⁵. Then all I had to do is to go around and collect, and I couldn't wait to count my money. A cool $4,000.
Wait till I told Mom and Dad! They'd hardly be able to believe it. I switched on TV, but couldn't concentrate on it. I kept thinking what I'd do with the money. Then the news came on. The announcer⁶ mentioned Selby, where my parents lived. Then I began to listen. There had been an explosion⁷ up there that afternoon, followed by a factory fire. Twenty-two people were killed. I stopped listening. I must have known then that my dad was dead -- even before the telegram came.
The newspaper had fallen on the floor. I picked it up. Then I saw it -- FACTORY DISASTER IN SELBY. MANY FEARED DEAD. I hadn't seen it before. I'd been too busy picking winners. I could have saved my dad's life. There isn't much more to tell. I got my own business, and I'm doing well. Mom was paid insurance and she's better off than she was. The only thing is, she doesn't care if she's alive or dead now my Dad's gone.
When th gods wish to punish us, they make a damn⁸ good job of it.

1 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

2 mechanic   

n.技工，机(械)工，机修工

参考例句：

• The mechanic made the necessary adjustments to the engine.机械师对发动机作了必要的调整。
• He is a mechanic who buys and sells cars on the side.他是一个兼营买卖汽车的技工。

3 restless   

adj.焦躁不安的；静不下来的，运动不止的

参考例句：

• He looks like a restless man.他看上去坐立不安。
• He has been very restless all day and he awoke nearly all last night.他一整天都心神不定，昨夜几乎一整夜没有合眼。

4 gap   

n.缺口；间隔；差距；不足，缺陷

参考例句：

• We must see that there is no gap in our defence.我们必须确保我们的防御没有漏洞。
• There is a gap of five miles between towns.镇与镇之间相隔五英里。

5 bets   

v.敢说，八成儿( bet的第三人称单数 )；打赌(on,against,with)；敢断定；敢说

参考例句：

• Place your bets now—the race begins in half an hour! 现在可以下赌注——赛事于半小时后开始。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• But he did not enter all the losing bets in the accounts-book. 但输家交来的赠金，他并不全部登记入册。 来自辞典例句

6 announcer   

n.宣布者；电(视)台播音员，报幕员

参考例句：

• The radio announcer said it was nine o'clock.电台播音员报时9点整。
• The announcer tells the listeners what programme comes next.广播员告诉听众下一个是什么节目。

7 explosion   

n.爆发，发出，爆炸

参考例句：

• The police arrived right at the moment of the explosion.警察就在爆炸的那个时候赶到了。
• The shock of the explosion was felt far away.爆炸引起的震动很远都可感觉到。

8 damn   

int.该死，他妈的；vt.指责，贬斥，诅咒

参考例句：

• Damn this useless typewriter!这台破打字机真该死！
• I knew damn well what he was going to say.我非常清楚他要说什么。