胡敏讀故事記單詞——大學英語四級詞匯（A字頭）

第11頁
alarm ~ amid

   Michael is flying back to Australia after visiting his aunt in New York. He is an amateur clown and his ambition is to become a full-time performer. Before he boards the airplane, Michael goes into the airport store for a gift for his wife. With his small allowance, he has the two alternatives of a teddy bear or an alarm clock made of aluminum. He takes the clock, as he always needs to make allowances for her never being on time. Fifteen minutes later, Michael is sitting comfortably in his seat. He says hello to the man sitting alongside, asks for some alcohol, and dozes off. Suddenly, a tap on the shoulder awakens him. He looks around and finds that the plane hasn't gained any altitude; it's still on the ground. What amazes him is that two policemen then force him to get off the plane and into a police car. Michael also notices that the police take a suitcase into an ambulance. The suitcase and his own look very alike. This alerts Michael that something has happened. When they arrive at the police station, Michael is very surprised to see the Australian Ambassador there, talking to an officer from the office of Alliance of Allies against Terrorism, who keeps looking at Michael with alert eyes. Michael's suitcase is lying on one of the tables, with everything thrown out: some clothes, a key ring with the alphabet on it, a bottle of sine and the clock. The policemen seem to be on the alert against something and their expressions alter when they see the clock--the crew thought it was a bomb and alerted the police!

   邁克爾去紐約看望了他姑媽，現在正要飛回澳大利亞。他是一個業余小丑，他最大的雄心就是成為一名專業演員。上飛機之前，邁克爾到機場商店給他妻子買禮物。他的零用錢很少，只有兩個選擇的余地：玩具熊和鋁制鬧鐘。他買了鐘，因為他經常要原諒她的不守時。15分鐘以后，邁克爾舒舒服服地坐在座位上了，他向旁邊的人打了個招呼，要了一杯含酒精的飲料，然后打起了瞌睡。突然，他的肩頭被人拍了一下，他醒來一看，飛機并沒有上升到任何高度，還在地上趴著。使他驚愕的是，兩名警察過來押著他下了飛機，然后又上了一輛警車。邁克爾還注意到另外一些警察拎著一只箱子上了救護車，而這只箱子看起來很像是他的。邁克爾這才意識到一定出了什么事。到警局的時候，邁克爾驚奇地發現澳大利亞大使也在場，正和反恐怖活動同盟國聯盟辦公室的一名官員談話，他不斷地用警覺的眼神看著邁克爾。邁克爾的箱子擱在一張桌子上，東西全被掏了出來：一些衣服、一個帶字母表的鑰匙扣、一瓶酒和那只鬧鐘。警察好像隨時準備著應付什么，看到是只鬧鐘時他們的表情改變了--原來機組人員把鬧鐘當成了炸彈，并且向警察報了警！