《初中英语阅读300篇.docVIP

The most frightening words in the English language are, “Our computer is down.” You hear it more and more when you are in business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said, “I’m sorry, I can’t sell you a ticket. Our computer is down.” “If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket.” “I can’t write you out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so.” I looked down the counter and every passenger was just standing there drinking coffee and staring at the black screen. Then I asked her, “What do you do?” “We give the computer the information about your trip, and it tells us whether you can fly with us or not.” “So when it goes down, you go down with it.” “That’s right, sir.” “How long will the computer be down?” I wanted to know. “I have no idea. Sometimes it’s down for 10 minutes, sometimes for two hours. There is no way we can find out without asking the computer, and since it’s down it wont answer us.” After the girl told me they had no backup(备用的) computers. I said, “Let’s forget the computer. What about your planes? They’re still flying, aren’t they?” “I couldnt tell without asking the computer.” “Maybe I could just go to the gate and ask the pilot the he’s flying to Washington.” I suggested. “I wouldnt know what gate to sent you to. Even if the pilot was going to Washington, he couldnt take you if you didnt have a ticket.” “Is there any other flight to Washington within the next few hours?” “I wouldnt know,” she said, pointing at the dark screen. “Only IT’ knows. IT’ can tell me.” By this time there were quiet a few people standing in line. The word spread to other travelers that the computer was down. Some people left, some people started to cry and still others kicked luggage. 在英语语言中最可怕的话是：“我们的电脑出故障了。”当你在进行业务时，你听到这话越来越多了。有一天，我在机场候买去华盛顿的机票，售票处里的女孩说，“对不起，我无法给你出票。我们的电脑出故障了。” “如果您的电脑出故障了，我手写一张票吧。” “我无法手写给你。只有电脑是唯一允许这样操作的。” 我低头扫视了柜台，每个乘客只是站在那里喝着咖啡，盯着黑色屏幕。然后我问她：“那你做什么呢？” “我们把你的旅