When Phillip was on his way to the airport one afternoon, he asked the driver to wait outside the bank while he collected some traveler’s checks.
The plane was to leave at 5:30. From the bank there was still a long journey to the airport. Phillip merely watched the scene along the way. Shortly before arriving, he began checking the things he would need for the trip. Tickets, money, the address of his hotel, traveler’s checks—Just a moment. How about his passport? Phillip went through his pockets. He suddenly realized that he must have left his passport at the bank.
Whatever could he do? It was now five past four and there would be too little time to return to the bank. This was the first time he was representing his firm for an important meeting 。 with the manager of a French firm in Paris the following morning. Without a passport he would be unable to board the plane. At that moment, the taxi stopped outside the air terminal. Phillip got out, took his suitcase and paid the driver. He then noticed a good deal of confusion in the building. A voice could be heard over the loudspeaker.
“We very much regret that owing to a twenty-four-hour strike of airport staff, all flights for the rest of today have had to be called off.” Passengers are advised to get in touch with their travel agents or with this terminal for information on tomorrow’s flights. Phillip gave a deep sigh . He would let his firm know about this situation and, thank goodness, he would have the opportunity of calling at his bank the following morning to recover his passport.

一天下午，菲利普在去机场的路上让司机停在银行外面，他去取旅行支票。

飞机起飞时间为5:30。从银行到机场的路还很远。一路上菲利普只顾看沿途的风景。快到机场时，他开始检查旅途所需的物品。机票、钱、酒店的地址、旅行支票 － 等一下。护照呢？菲利普摸遍他所有的口袋。他忽然意识到，他一定是把护照遗忘在银行里了。

怎么办呢？现在已经是4点5分了，来不及返回银行了。这是他第一次代表他的公司第二天上午在巴黎和一家法国公司的经理开一个重要的会议。没有护照他将无法登机。就在这时，出租车停在航站楼外面。菲利普下了车，拿了他的箱子，付款给司机。然后他注意到候机楼内一片混乱。扩音器中可以听到这样的广播。

“我们非常抱歉，由于机场员工一场24小时的罢工，必须取消今天未飞的所有航班。”建议乘客和他们的旅行代理或本航站楼联系，了解明天航班的信息。菲利普长出了一口气。他会向他的公司报告这一情况，而且，谢天谢地，明天早上他有机会致电他的银行以取回他的护照。