MPA入学考试英语精读文章（二十七）

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2007:02:25 09:36:27
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

Unit 27
　　
Text

　　Several neighbors hope to find safety in the only bomb shelter on their street when an announcement comes over the radio that enemy missiles are approaching. Can it shelter all of them? Does its owner let them in?　Here is the story……

　　The Shelter
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　　Rod Serling

　　SYNOPSIS OF ACT ONE: On a summer evening, a birthday celebration is going on at Dr. Stocktons. Among those present are his neighbors: the Hendersons, the weisss and the Harlowes. In the midst of it comes unexpectedly over the radio the announcement of the President of the United States declaring a state of emergency of for suspected enemy missiles approaching. The party breaks up and the neighbors hurry home.
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　　However, shortly afterwards they return one after another to the stockton house for the simple reason that they want to survive —— want to share with the Stocktons the bomb shelter which is the only one on their street.

　　ACT TWO
　　(abridged)

　　OUTSIDE STOCKTON HOME来源：www.examda.com

　　HENDERSON: Itll land any minute. I just know it. Its going to land any minute——

　　MRS. HENDERSON: (grabs hold of him) What are we going to do?
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　　Throughout above and following dialogue, a portable radio carried by one of the children carries the following announcement:

　　ANNOUNCERS VOICE: This is Conelrad. This is Conelrad. We are still in a state of Yellow Alert. If you are a public official or government employee with an emergency assignment, or a civil defense worker, you should report to your post immediately. If you are a public official or government employee……

　　MRS. HARLOWE: Jerry, ask again.

　　HARLOWE: Dont waste you time. He wont let anyone in. He said he didnt have any room or supplies there and its designed for three people.

　　MRS.HENDERSON: Whatll we do?

　　HARLOWE: Maybe we ought to pick out just one basement and go to work on it. Poll all our stuff. Food, water, everything.

　　MRS.HARLOWE: It isnt fair. (she points toward Stockton house) Hes down there in a bomb shelter completely safe. And our kids have to just wait around for a bomb to 0drop and ——
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　　HENDERSON: Lets just go down into his basement and break down the door?

　　A chorus of voices greet this with assent.
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　　As HENDERSON rushes through toward the basement entrance, HARLOWE overtakes him saying:

　　HARLOWE: Wait a minute, wait a minute. All of us couldnt fit in there. That would be crazy to even try.

　　WEISS: Why dont we draw lots? Pick out one family?

　　HARLOWE: What difference would it make? He wont let us in.
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　　HENDERSON: We can all march down there and tell him hes got the whole street against him. We could do that.

　　HARLOWE: What good would that do? I keep telling you. Even if we were to break down the door, it couldnt accommodate all of us. Wed just be killing everybody and for no reason.

　　MRS. HENDERSON: If it saves even one of these kids out here——I call that a reason.

　　The voice comes up again.
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　　WEISS: Jerry, you know him better than nay of us. Youre his best friend. Why dont you go down again? Try to talk to him. Pleased with him. Tell him to pick out one family　—— Draw lots or something ——

　　HENDERSON: One family, meaning yours, Weiss, huh?

　　WEISS: (whirls around to him) Why not? Ive got a three-month-old infant——

　　MRS. HENDERSON: What difference does that make? Is your babys life any more precious than our kids?
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　　WEISS: (shouting at her) I never said that. If youre going to start trying to argue about who deserves to live more than the next one ——
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　　HENDERSON: Why dont you shut your mouth, Weiss? (with a wild, illogical anger) Thats the way it is when the foreigners come over here. Aggressive, greedy, semi-Americans——

　　WEISS: (his face goes white) Why you garbage-brained idiot you——

　　MRS. HENDERSON: It still goes, Weiss! I bet youre at the bottom of the list——

　　WEISS suddenly flings himself through the crowd toward the man and theres a brief, hand-to-hand fight between them broken up by HARLOWE who stands between them breathless.

　　HARLOWE: Keep it up, both of you. Just keep it up. We wont need a bomb. We can slaughter each other.
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　　MRS.WEISS: (pleading) Marty, go down to Bills shelter again. Ask him ——

　　WEISS: Ive already asked him. It wouldnt do any good.
　　
　　One again the siren sounds and the people seem to move closer together, staring up toward the night sky. Off in the distance we see searchlights.

　　HARLOWE: Searchlights. It must be coming closer.

　　HENDERSON: (as he suddenly pushes HARLOWE aside and heads for the steps) Im going down there and get him to open up that door. I dont care what the rest of you think. Thats the only thing left to do.
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　　MAN # 1: Hes right. Come on, lets do it.

　　INSIDE THE SHELTER

　　GRACE is holding tight to PAUL. STOCKTON stands close to the door listening to the noises from outside as they approach. Theres a pounding on the shelter door that reverberates.