小故事

Forgotten Pillowcases
忘了拿的枕套
A stingy old lawyer who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness was determined to prove wrong the saying, "You can't take it with you."
一个吝啬的老律师被诊断出得了不治之症。于是他决定要证明“生不带来，死不带去”这句老话说错了。
After much thought and consideration, the old ambulance chaser finally figured out how to take at least some of his money with him when he died.
经过深思熟虑，这个怂恿事故受伤者起诉的律师终于想出了让自己在死的时候至少能带走一部分钱的方法。
He instructed his wife to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to fill two pillowcases. He then directed her to take the bags of money to the attic and leave them directly above his bed.
他要妻子去银行取出能塞满两只枕套的现金。然后又让她把装满钱的枕套放在阁楼上正对着他的床的位置上。
His plan: When he passed away, he would reach out and grab the bags on his way to heaven.
他的如意算盘是：他死了的时候，就能在去往天堂的路上抓起那两只钱袋。
Several weeks after the funeral, the deceased lawyer's wife, up in the attic cleaning, came upon the two forgotten pillowcases stuffed with cash.
葬礼过后几个星期，律师的妻子在打扫阁楼的时候发现了那两只装满了钱的枕套。
"Oh, that darned old fool," she exclaimed, "I knew he should have had me put the money in the basement."
“噢，这个下地狱的老笨蛋，”她大叫道：“我就知道他本该让我把钱放在地下室里的。”

重点讲解

重点讲解：
1. be diagnosed with
被诊断出；被诊断为；
eg. Susan had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
苏珊精神崩溃，被诊断为得了精神分裂症。
eg. Aidan was diagnosed with the illness when he was five months old.
艾当五个月大的时候，被诊断得了这种病。
2. be determined to do sth.
下定决心的；决意的；坚定的做某事；
eg. His enemies are determined to ruin him.
他的敌人决意要毁了他。
eg. She's determined to win, by fair means or foul.
她决心要赢，那怕是不择手段。
3. instruct sb. to do sth.
指示；吩咐；命令某人做某事；
eg. The family has instructed solicitors to sue Thomson for compensation.
那家人已经指示律师起诉汤姆森，要求赔偿。
eg. The installer will instruct you to shut down your browser.
安装将会提示你将要关闭你的浏览器。
4. irect sb. to do sth.
指示；命令某人做某事；
eg. They have been directed to give special attention to the problem of poverty...
他们得到指示要特别关注贫困问题。
eg. The Bishop directed the faithful to stay at home.
主教要求信徒们呆在家中。
5. pass away
去世；逝世；谢世；
eg. He unfortunately passed away last year.
他去年不幸逝世。
eg. We were shocked to learn of his passing away.
我们惊悉他不幸逝世。
6. come upon
偶然碰到（或发现）；
eg. I came upon an irresistible item at a yard sale.
在一次庭院拍卖会上，我偶然发现了一个忍不住想买的东西。
eg. I may come upon something that'll throw some extra light on this.
说不定我会发现什么新线索，把这件案子的眉目弄得更清楚些。
7. be stuffed with
填满；装满；塞满；
eg. My daughter asked me to buy her a pillow stuffed with feathers.
我女儿请求我给她买一个羽绒枕头。
eg. His head is stuffed with silly romantic ideas.
他满脑子天真的想法。