读故事

  When Jack's car ran out of gas in the desert, a myriad of thoughts ran through his head. First, he didn't even have a loaf of bread. Second, nor did he have any water. Third, he was a long way off from anything. And without his cell phone, it didn't matter that he could have been just a phone call away from help. It was only a matter of time before he would die.
  And so he began walking down the road. After only a quarter of an hour walking under the hot desert sun, he began dreaming of large amounts of water. And when a million other things could have been on his mind as well, he thought back to his wife. They had just separated over a number of irreconcilable differences.   And she had always been too much of a live wire for him. It had always been only a question of time before their marriage would fail. But now, about to die, he began to think that he had been a lucky dog to have such an interesting wife.
She had told him a million times that she was good for him. Now he knew that she had been so. If only they were still together!
  As he continued walking, Jack noticed an odd pile of stones. He stopped. They could be covering a multitude of things, but Jack knew that it was a must for him to see if it was water. In a matter of minutes he had removed the rocks from what looked like an old bag. As he opened it, Jack shouted in relief. It was water: enough to last the rest of the day. Now he could safely get back to town.
Back in town, Jack called his wife.

记短语

a large amount of许多，大量
（或large amounts of）
a live wire载电线，火线；活跃分子，富有进取心的人
a loaf of bread一个（或一块）面包
a long way off还有好长一段距离，还早着呢
a lucky dog幸运儿
a matter of time时间问题
a matter of…问题；（表示数量）近似量
a million things一百万件事情，很多事情（通常想说某人很忙）
a million times一百万次，很多次
a multitude of一大批，大量，许多
a must必要条件，必不可少的事物
a myriad of大量的，无数的
a number of若干，许多
a pile of一堆，一叠；一大堆，大量
a quarter of an hour一刻钟
a question（或matter）of time迟早的事

    当杰克的车在沙漠中汽油用完时，他的脑子里冒出了许多问题。首先，他甚至连一块面包都没有了。其次，水也用完了。再其次，他离目的地还早着呢。由于没有带移动电话，他就是离救援只差打一个电话也无济于事。他的死只是个时间问题。
    因此他开始沿路前行。在沙漠的骄阳下只走了一刻钟，他就开始梦想着有大量的水。尽管心中可能有许多其他的事情，他还是想起了妻子。由于许多不可调和的矛盾，他们刚刚分居了。对他来说，她总是太活跃。他们的婚姻破裂一直就是迟早的事。可是现在，死之将至，他开始认为有这么个有意思的妻子，他真是个幸运儿。
    她告诉过他许多次她对他挺有用。现在他知道她的确如此。要是他们还在一起就好了！
    继续往前走的时候，杰克注意到了一堆奇怪的石头。他停下脚步。这些石头可能覆盖着许多东西，但杰克知道他必须弄清楚那是不是水。大约几分钟之后，他把石头搬走了，里面看起来像是个旧袋子。打开一看，杰克如释重负地叫了起来。原来是水：足够应付那天剩下的时间。现在他可以安全地回到城里啦！
    回到城里，杰克给妻子打了个电话。

本文选自新航道精品图书《读故事记短语》