原版英文小故事 5. Looking for Mr. Right

Because Debra had just bought a new laptop computer, she decided¹ that she must start cutting back on some expenses if she could. Her long distance phone bill was one expense that sprang to mind. She was paying almost $30 a month to Horizon, her local phone company. That $30 covered her residence line and various taxes, surcharges, funds, fees, and services. It also covered her local phone calls—those to locations within 12 miles.

But she was paying another $40-$80 a month talking to her best friend and to her boyfriend, both of whom lived more than 12 miles away from her. But how could she not talk to her best friend and to her boyfriend? Could she tell them she was having budget problems, so could they please call her in the future? Could she just call them less often—a lot less often?

Fortunately for Debra, she found the solution a month later, when she tearfully discovered that her boyfriend and her best friend were seeing each other behind Debra’s back. Debra saw them kissing in his car outside of a restaurant that all three of them liked to visit occasionally. Debra immediately called Horizon to cancel her long distance service. The female customer service representative asked if she was sure she wanted to do this. Debra said, “Yes, I’m sure. All men are jerks².” The representative agreed enthusiastically with her.

Debra was only on her new computer for a week before she discovered Computer Dating, a service that promised: “Ladies, you will get to choose from hundreds of men in your own ZIP code area. New selections³ every day. Only $29.95 a month!” As much as she hated her boyfriend, Debra knew that not all men were alike. Maybe Mr. Right was waiting for her on her computer screen. Maybe he was living only a block away. And she did happen to have $30 available.

 

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 jerks   

猛拉( jerk的第三人称单数 )； （使…）猝然一动[颤动]

参考例句：

• The Physical Jerks would begin in three minutes. 再有三分钟，体操就要开始啦。 来自英汉文学
• The absence of knee jerks should suggest the diagnosis. 膝反射消失应说明此诊断。

3 selections   

n.选择，挑选( selection的名词复数 )；被挑选的人[事物]；选萃，选集；可供选择的东西

参考例句：

• These are selections from ten thousand. 这些是从一万个里挑选出来的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The band played selections. 乐队演奏一些选曲。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》