上外版大学英语写作精选第六册(7)

    John Monahan moved in circles where the work of the Zeritskys was well known. Not only did he see an opportunity of being still only 37 when his darling reached 21， but he foresaw a painless way of passing the years which he must endure without her. Accordingly， he presented himself for the deep-freeze， paid his $3000 and the $500 storage charge in advance， and left， he claimed， "written instructions to let me out in five years， so there'd he no mistakes."

    Nobody knows how the slip happened， but somehow John A. Monahan， or rather the number assigned to him， was entered on the books for 25 years instead of five years. Upon being defrosted， and discovering that a quarter of a century had elapsed， his rage was awesome. Along with everything else， his love for his sweetheart had been perfectly preserved， but she had given up waiting for him and was a happy mother of two boys and six girls.

    Monahan's accusation that the Zeritskys had "ruined his life" may be taken with a grain of salt. He was still a young man， and the rumor that he got a hundred thousand for the magazine rights to his story was true.

    As most readers are aware， what has come to be known as "Zeritsky's law" was passed by Congress and signed by the President three days after Monahan's story broke.

    Seventy-five years after Mrs. Graham's cat feel into the freezer， it became he law of the land that the mandatory penalty for anyone applying quick-freezing methods to any living thing， human or animal， was death. Also， all quick-frozen people were to be defrosted immediately.

    Los Angeles papers reported that beginning on the day Monahan's story appeared， men by the thousands poured into the city. They continued to come， choking every available means of transport， for the next two days —— until， that is， Zerisky's Law went through.

    When we consider the date， and remember that due to the gravity of the international situation， a bill had just been passed drafting all men from 16 to 60， we realize why Congress had to act.

    The Zeritskys， of course， were among the first to be taken. Because of their experience， they were put in charge of a military warehouse for dehydrated foods， and warned not to get any ideas for a new business.

    Phrases & Expressions

    in brief in short； to sum up

    as far as to the distance， point or degree that

    for one as the first of several possible examples

    dry off make or become dry

    stop dead in one's tracks stop very quickly or with great force

    be bound up with be closely connected with or related to

    first and last always and chiefly

    put away put in the right place or out of sight

    die down come slowly to an end； grow slowly less or weaker

    on the track of looking for， trying to find

    earn/make a living support oneself

    at that in addition； also

    be caught in be involved in

    to the point where to the extent that

    play around spend time playing， fooling or joking instead of being serious or working

    settle down marry； begin to live a stable life

    take with a grain of salt accept or believe only in part

    go through be approved or accepted

    Proper Names Zeritsky齐里斯基

    Ann Griffith安。格里菲斯

    Los Angeles洛杉机

    Fred C. Graham弗雷德。C.格雷厄姆

    John A. Monahan约翰。A. 莫纳汉