365个英语简短小故事-326. A Practical Joke

On craigslist.com, a “Sheldon” wrote that he was moving. “I’m starting a new life, and I don’t want anything that reminds me of my old life,” Sheldon announced on the website. Giving his address, he invited everyone to visit his apartment on April 19 from 8 to noon: “Take whatever you want; it’s all free.”

When the real Sheldon returned from his morning shift¹ at the hospital that day, he was surprised to find his apartment door unlocked². He was shocked to find his apartment stripped³ clean. I’ve been robbed, he thought. He knocked on his neighbor’s door.

Virgil told Sheldon that he had seen strangers coming and going that morning. When Virgil asked them what was going on, one said that Sheldon was giving all his belongings⁴ away. “I wish you had told me,” Virgil said. “When I went into your apartment, there was nothing good left.”

Sheldon explained that he hadn’t told Virgil about the giveaway because he hadn’t known about it himself. Virgil said that he saw Pamela inside the apartment; she seemed to be in charge of things. “My ex-girlfriend Pamela?” Sheldon asked. “My angry ex-girlfriend Pamela?”

“Ex? When did you two break up?” Virgil asked.

They had dated for two years. Pamela had left him just recently. She had seen Sheldon standing⁵ with a woman in the parking lot. Sheldon had told her it was only his coworker. “Your coworker? Is it normal for coworkers to kiss in the parking lot?” Pamela asked. Sheldon said that he wasn’t kissing his coworker. She had simply asked him to smell her breath to be sure her breath smelled okay. She had eaten garlic bread at lunch.

As Pamela stormed away, Sheldon heard her say something about getting even.

 

1 shift   

n.交换，变化，移动，接班者；vt.更替，移转，变声；vi.改变，定责，更衣

参考例句：

• Lend me a hand to shift this box,will you?来帮一下忙，把这箱子搬开，好吗？
• A sudden shift in the wind warned of the coming storm.风向的突然改变预示暴风雨来临。

2 unlocked   

v.开锁( unlock的过去式和过去分词 )；开启；揭开；开着，解开

参考例句：

• Don't leave your desk unlocked. 请不要忘记锁好办公桌。
• On no account should you leave the door unlocked. 你无论如何也不应该不锁门。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 stripped   

adj. 剥夺的, 拆除的 动词strip的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• I stripped and washed myself all over. 我脱掉衣服，把全身洗了洗。
• a stripped-down version of the song 这首歌的精简版

4 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。