胡敏读故事记单词（托福词汇）
1. Having faith信任(Abandon-abrupt)
You can call me A.J., which is an abbreviation of my full name, Alexander Justice. I like to abbreviate my name because it’s easier for people to remember. I work for a museum that collects aboriginal artifacts.
I would like to tell you why I have an abiding faith in the legal system. The story you’re about to read has been abridged to reduce its length.
I used to live in an area where criminals abounded and where the legal system seemed powerless. One day, my daughter was abducted. Although I abided by the kidnapper’s monetary demands, they refused to release her. I had no choice but to put my faith in the legal authorities. The Police responded immediately and searched the area. Despite their lack of success, they refused to abandon their search or to call an abort to their mission. They knew any abortive action would surely result in my daughter’s death.
The investigation eventually led the police to conduct an abrupt search at the home of a local official who was abashed when he learned of the search. My daughter was found in his basement. She had abrasions to her wrists where the abrasive rope had scraped her. The official was arrested along with his bodyguard who abetted him in the kidnapping.
The official was forced to abdicate his position and was sent to prison for life. The judge told him that he was lucky that capital punishment had been abolished and that it was only due to this abolition that he would not be executed. The swift apprehension and strict punishment of these criminals helped to abate my lack of faith in the legal system. These days, I truly believe in “justice”, and it’s not just because of my name!
abandon vt. 抛弃;放弃
n. 放纵,沉溺于
abash vt. 使羞愧
abate v.（数量,程度等）减少,减轻,缓解abbreviate vt. 1,缩短2,缩写
abbreviation n.缩写,缩写词
abdicate v.1,让位,辞职2,放弃（权利或责任）abduct vt.绑架,拐走
abet vt.帮助;教唆,唆使;煽动,怂恿
abide vi. 遵守vt.忍受
abiding adj. 持久的abolish vt. 废除,取消
abolition n. 废除,革除
aboriginal adj.土著的,原来的,土著居民的abort n.中止计划(任务)
abortive adj.失败的,无结果的
abound vi.充满;富于
abrasion n.表面磨损
abrasive adj.研磨的
abridge v.缩短,删节
abrupt adj.突然的，意外的
2. Love of numbers热爱数字absenteeism-access
As an academician, I think Mathematics is an intriguing and absorbing science. However, many of my students consider it an abstract science and they hate it because the equations are too difficult to absorb and to remember. I think my students would laugh if they knew how I became so interested in Math.
When I was a freshman in college, I also believed Math was a mere abstraction. Studying it was like falling into a spinning abyss of numbers and symbols. Just thinking about it seemed like an abuse of my brain. However, my entire tuition was financed by an academic scholarship, so I had to maintain high marks in all of my classes, including Math.
My most abstruse class was Advanced Calculus Mathematics. It was taught in a large lecture hall which abutted the North access gate of the University. Unlike the many absentees in my class who often abstained from attending the boring lectures, I dared not absolve myself from this responsibility. Any degree of absenteeism would probably cause me to fail Math and to lose my scholarship. I was so afraid of failing that I even pledged abstinence from my abundant supply of alcohol.
It wasn’t until the fourth week of Math class that I met the wonderful person who would accelerate my interest and understanding of this absurd subject. She was a foreign exchange student from Beijing. She was also a brilliant mathematician. She would come to class everyday in a colorful silk scarf that accentuated her lovely smile.
It was so nice to meet someone from my home country. She inspired me to love Math. Although we now live and teach in different countries, I still see her smiling face between every number I write!
absenteeism n. 旷课，旷工
absentee n.缺席者
absolve v.1,(宗教上的)宽恕2,赦免(罪行,过失等),解除(责任等) absorb vt.1、吸收（液体,知识等）2、理解,掌握absorbing adj.吸引人的，引人入胜的
abstain v.自制,自动放弃,戒绝,有意回避
abstinence n. 自制,节制（禁欲,戒酒）
abstract n.1、抽象的2、难解的,深奥的abstraction n.抽象（概念）
abstruse adj.难懂的,深奥的
absurd adj.荒谬的,可笑的
abundant adj.丰富的,充裕的;大量的
abuse n.（权利等的）滥用；（物品的）不精心使用abut vi.邻接,毗邻
abyss n.深渊,深坑
academic adj.学术的;学院的;理论的academician n.学会会员;院士;学者
accelerate v.1、加快,加速2、促进,促使…早日发生accentuate v.突出,强调
access n.1、接触,接近（的机会）2、入口,通道
3. A writer’s method一位作家的法子accessible-accumulate
For the last ten years, I have written novels for a living. Through my work, I have been able to accumulate a fair amount of wealth. I have been lucky because many of my books have received acclaim from literary critics.
My latest accomplishment is a mystery novel. It is a fictional account of how a clever and accomplished thief, posing as an accountant, gains access to the computer system of a large bank. Having extensive knowledge of accounting, he and a woman accomplice use the bank’s computer system to accomplish the biggest theft in history.
To be a good writer, I think you must find a quiet environment where you can think, preferably one with limited accessibility. Some of my most acclaimed work was written at an isolated island hotel off the coast of China. I highly recommend this place.
The island is accessible only by boat and the hotel is accredited by the Asian Resort Association as a five-star accommodation. Upon arrival, the manager will accompany you to your room and show you how everything works. The staff is trained to accommodate your every need. Any errors in service are purely accidental. The security is excellent and there’s little chance of being accosted by strangers. Each room has a balcony with a view of the ocean. On the balcony you will find a large leather chair and a sturdy writing desk. The bathroom is very modern and contains many unique accessories. The most useful bathtub accessory is their mini-desk, which allows you to write while soaking in a tub of hot water.
To continue being a good writer, you must find a way to relax your mind after a long day of writing. What’ my secret method of relaxation? Playing the accordion!
accessible adj. 可接近的,可接触的;可得到的accessibility n. 易接近;可到达
accessory n. 附件,零件;小摆设
accidental adj. 意外的,偶然的
acclaim n. 赞誉,赞许；vt. 喝彩,欢呼;称赞acclaimed adj. 受赞誉的
accommodate vt. 容纳,包含;供应(住宿);使适应;迁就,满足accommodation n. 住处,膳宿
accompany vt. 陪伴,陪同;伴奏
accomplice n. 同谋者,帮凶
accomplish vt. 完成,达到,实现accomplished adj. 精通的，熟练的
accomplishment n. 成就
accordion n. 手风琴
accost v. 向人搭话
account n.记述,描述;报道,报告;说明,解释;户头,账目;理由,根据;考虑
accounting n. 会计学
accountant n. 会计员，会计师
accredit vt. 委派官员到国外，授权；鉴定....为合格，确认......达到标准
accumulate vi. 堆积,积累;积聚
4. The accused被告accusation-adamant
Bob is an excellent trial lawyer with a superior legal acumen. Unlike many other lawyers that need to use acronyms to remember certain legal principles, Bob simply uses his photographic memory. What makes Bob even more special is his acute sense for reading people’s emotions, especially those of jurors.
Due to his reputation, he is able to acquire the most interesting cases. His jealous competitors often accuse him of being too acquisitive and of taking away their business. But I respect Bob for his many achievements. I remember the first trial he ever did.
Bob was hired by an acquaintance named Jim to defend him against a criminal charge. Jim was accused of intentionally throwing acid on another man’s arm in a laboratory where they were both activating chemicals. Jim was adamant that the accusation was false. He claimed it was an accident that occurred during an argument. Being a contract lawyer, Bob was not accustomed to handling trials in front of a jury. However, he agreed to the acquisition of Jim’s case because he strongly believed in Jim’s innocence. The thought of an innocent man being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit actuated Bob’s hidden trial skills.
At the trial, Bob proved that the other man caused his own injury by pushing Jim while Jim was working with dangerous chemicals. Bob
also proved that the man’s claim of an acute injury was false. The actual injury was minor. Bob asked the jury to acquit Jim of all criminal charges. Amazingly, Bob achieved an acquittal for Jim.
I’ll never forget what Bob did for Jim, because I was there. I am Jim. In fact, I still remember the adage Bob used to explain why he took my case for free. He said, “In doing, we learn.”
accusation n. 谴责，控告
accuse vt. 指责，归咎accustomed adj. 习惯了的
achieve vt. 完成，实现；赢得achievement n. 成就，功绩
acid n. 酸adj. 尖酸的，刻薄的acquaintance n. 熟人
acquire vt. 获得，学到acquisition n. 获得；收购；接受acquisitive adj. 想获得的，贪得无厌的acquit v. 宣告无罪
acquittal n. 宣判无罪
acronym n. 用大写字母表示的缩写词
activate vt. 刺激，使激活
actual adj. 实际的，现行的
actuate vt. 开动，促使
acumen n. 敏锐，聪明，才智
acute adj. 灵敏的，敏锐的；（事情）剧烈的，严重的adage n. 格言，谚语
adamant adj. 固执的，坚定不移的
5. Adaptation is the key适应是关键adapt-adobe
I must admit, I didn’t like Tom in the beginning. He lived in the house that was adjacent to mine, and I knew he was addicted to painkillers. He had injured his back while building adobe houses in the countryside for the local government administration. The painkillers numbed his back pain and allowed him to continue performing his heavy construction work. However, it wasn’t long before he got caught for failing to adhere to the drug laws.
I still recall what the judge told him shortly before he adjourned the court. “You’ll either have to adapt to a life without drugs or adjust to living in the prison that adjoins this courthouse.”
I was admittedly upset when the judge asked me to help administer Tom’s probation. I felt that the judge was making me an unwilling and unnecessary adjunct to the court system. But I had no choice. I thought to myself, “Adaptation is the key.” So I changed my attitude towards Tom and I soon learned that Tom was just as adaptable.
Tom heeded the judge’s warning. He quit his construction job and stopped using painkillers. He put all of his time and effort into inventing a new adhesive for constructing brick houses. His dedication was admirable. He became quite adept at chemistry and before long, he discovered a key additive that made his glue superior to all other adhesives.
Now, I greatly admire Tom and he has become a good friend. I guess adaptation really is the key!
adapt v. (使）适应，调整；改编
adaptable adj. 能适应的，适应性强的
adaptation n. 改编，改写；适应环境
addict vt. 使沉溺，使上瘾
addictive adj. 加法的；n. 添加剂
adept adj. 熟练的，擅长的，拿手的，有一手的adhere vi. 黏附，粘牢；追随，坚持，遵守adhesive n. 粘着物；adj. 粘着的
adjacent adj. 接近的，毗连的，临近的
adjoin vt. 相邻，毗邻adjourn v. 延期，休会
adjunct n. 附件，附属，附庸
adjust vt. 调整，使适应于
administer vt. 管理
administration n. 管理，经营；当局，政府admirable adj. 值得称赞的，令人钦佩的admire vt. 钦佩，崇拜；欣赏
admit vt. 准许进入；承认
admittedly adv. 公认地；诚然地，无可否认地adobe n. 泥砖，土坯房
6. Christmas圣诞节adopt-affirm
I’m a big advocate of Christmas celebrations. It’s still my favorite time of year. Although China hasn’t adopted this special holiday, there’s still hope. With the advent of China’s membership in the WTO, Chinese people will be exposed to a number of Western holidays. My guess is that they will adore Christmas.
My strong affinity for Christmas comes from my childhood days. In my hometown, we would prepare for Christmas by buying a big Christmas tree. If we were feeling bit more adventurous, we would hike up the mountain and find one on our own. Adorning the tree is the next step. We’d use all kinds of adornment to decorate the tree, from pinecones and candy coated angels to colorful Christmas balls and fake icicles. My dad was especially adroit at making small hand-painted ornaments. Since my dad’s company was affiliated with a light bulb company, he was also able to bring home the most beautiful and colorful Christmas lights.
After decorating the tree, we would make small Gingerbread houses out of bread and candy. These houses were aesthetic but not edible. It was always advisable to keep these appetizing houses out of reach of young children.
There’s no adversity on Christmas day. Even the soldiers are adverse to fighting. Everyone is affable. Lovers are especially affectionate and they often show their affection by giving each other romantic gifts. Children usually receive toys as gifts. But my most memorable gift was not a toy. It was an aquarium, complete with an air pump to aerate the water. Raising all those fish was such an adventure for me.
What is my favorite holiday? All of these wonderful thoughts lead me to affirm that Christmas is without doubt the best time of year.
adopt vt. 采用，采纳；收养
adore v. 崇拜，崇敬；极喜爱
adorn vt. 装
adornment n. 装饰，装饰品
adroit adj. 熟练的，灵巧的
advent n. (尤指不寻常的人或事）出现，到来adventure n. 冒险经历
adventurous adj. 喜欢冒险的，敢做敢为的adverse adj. 负面的，不利的；敌对的adversity n. 不幸，灾难advisable adj. 可取的，明智的
advocate n. 提倡者，主张者；vt. 拥护，主张
aerate v. 充气，让空气进入，（水、饮料等）加气aesthetic adj. 审美的，美学的
affable adj. 易接近的，和蔼可亲的；亲切友善的，慈祥的affection n. 友爱，挚爱，情爱
affectionate adj. 亲爱的，挚爱的
affiliate vt. 使隶属于；使接纳成为成员
affinity n. 密切关系；吸引，喜爱
affirm vt. 断言；证实
7. Another day, another dollar多上一天班，就多挣一美元afflict-alienate
Life as a newspaper reporter can be aggravating. Every morning at 5:00 a.m., there’s a staff meeting where the managing editor goes through his agenda for the day. He’s not at all agreeable in the morning. In fact, he’s akin to a grouchy bear. Oh dose he love to agitate us! I drink coffee to calm my nerves but sometimes it just aggravates my stomach.
“Jim, you’ll be covering the recent acts of aggression in the middle east. We can’t afford to ignore this important development. You need to be airborne and on your way to the Middle East within the hour.”
“Jane, come in here, you’re late. Don’t leave the door ajar, this is a private meeting. I need you to get a copy of that new alien alert from the Immigration Department. The aggregate number of aliens in this country is growing, but it seems to me that such an alert will only serve to alienate our own minority groups.”
“Sam, you’re the most agile of us all. Use your agility to catch up with the world-class runners who are in town for the marathon. Come on Sam, don’t agonize over your assignment, just do it.”
“Mary, the children in Central Africa are afflicted with an unknown disease. It’s not just an ailment. It’s something far more serious. Hey, stop looking so aghast, you don’t need to go there. Just find out the source of the affliction and write a report on it by this afternoon. By the way, I think you should quit drinking coffee, it does nothing to calm your nerves!”
On well, I guess I better get going. Can I afford to quit this wonderful job? Not today.
afflict vt. 折磨；使苦恼
affliction n. 痛苦，苦恼
afford vt. 买得起；担负的起（损失、后果等）；足以提供
agenda n. 日程，议程
aggravate vt. 使恶化，使加重
aggravating adj. 恼人的，讨厌的
aggregate n. 聚集体，聚集物
aggression n. 进攻，侵略
aghast adj. 惊骇的，吓呆的
agile adj. 敏捷的，活泼轻快的
agility n. 敏捷，活泼
agitate v. 鼓动，煽动；使激动，使恼怒；使狂躁不安；使焦虑
agonize vt. 使受苦（身体上）；使苦闷（精神上）agreeable adj. （指计划等）使人愉快的，合意的；容易相处的
ailment n. 疾病（尤指小病，轻病）
airborne adj. 空气传播的；空运的；空降的；搭乘飞机的ajar adj. (门窗等）微开的
akin adj. 同类的，近似的，有密切关系的，相近的alert adj. 机敏的；vt. 警报；使随时掌握，了解；n. 警戒，警报
alien adj. 奇怪的；陌生的；外国的，外侨的；n. 外国人，外侨
alienate v. 使疏远，离间
8. Funny things happen趣事环生alignment-alumnus
Yesterday, I decided to get my pants altered. I had $200 in my wallet, which was more than enough for the alteration. Foolishly however,
I got lost taking an alternate route to the tailor shop. Fortunately, I had aspirin to alleviate my headache.
Walking further, I noticed a red balloon aloft, rising to a higher altitude. It distracted me, causing me to bump into two young brothers. They looked alike but seemed opposite in personality. One was clearly aloof but the other appeared to be an altruistic individual. He could sense I was lost and happily gave me directions. Such altruism is so rare these days. What an ally he can be to a lost person! The contrast in their personalities reminded me of the biblical allegory of Cain and Abel. But it would be too hasty to allege such a contrast given that I didn’t really know them.
I continued on my way but was allured into a bike shop by a window photo of a lovely girl on a mountain bike. Below the photo, it said, “ride rough, ride real,” a clever alliteration. I felt there was no alternative but to enter the shop.
The owner was an alumnus from my university. He alluded that the best bike for me would be the $200 bike that was displayed in the window photo. It was made out of a special lightweight alloy. He also offered to adjust my tire alignment for free.
Well, I didn’t make it to the tailor that day. But I did ride home on a new bike. As for my pants? Well, the bike shop owner cut the pant legs off for free. Now I have a cool pair of shorts for riding!
alignment n. 成一条直线；直线排列；队列；联合，联盟alike adj. 相同的，相似的
allege v. 宣称，主张，断言
allegory n. 寓言
alleviate v. 缓和，减轻
alliteration n. 头韵
alloy n. 合金；vt. 使成合金
allude v. 间接提到，暗指
allure v. 引诱n. 诱惑，吸引
ally n. 联盟，同盟者
aloft adv. 在高处；在空中aloof adj. 远离的，冷淡的，漠不关心的
alter vt. 改变，修改
alteration n. 变更，改造
alternate adj. 交替的，轮流的；替代的，另选的；vi. 轮流，交替
alternative adj. （两种或以上的东西中）另一可选的，另外的；n. 可选事物，另一选择
altitude n. (海拔）高度
altruism n. 利他主义
altruistic adj. 利他的，无私的
alumnus n. 男校友
9. The speech and the vote演讲与表决amalgamate-ample
Good morning everyone. I’d like to make a few remarks. Let me start by saying, I think the merger is a good idea. If we amalgamate our two small businesses, we can create a more powerful one. With our increased size and financial power, we can amass new investors and raise ample funds to renovate the old hotel. We can attract more guests by adding amenities, like a swimming pool, and planting more greenery to create a peaceful ambience. To make it even more special, we can build a special walkway that will allow people to amble amid the trees. The results of our ambitious project will amaze the community.
After we finish the renovations, we can take photos and post them on our Internet site. My brother is an amateur photographer and a very amenable individual. I’m sure he won’t charge us for taking photos, as long as we keep the amount of photos down to a reasonable number.
Then, before opening the new hotel, we’ll need to hire and train a new staff of amicable people. We don’t want anyone who is ambivalent towards the concept of “personal service.” Such ambivalence is bad for business. We want people who are hardworking and amiable. We’ll also need a manager who has enough ambition to keep the hotel running efficiently.
Okay. For those of you suffering from temporary amnesia, recall that we must vote to amend the company’s by-laws before we can initiate the merger of our two companies. So let’s vote. Everyone in favor of the amendment, say “aye!”
amalgamate v. 混合，合并
amass vt. 收集，积聚
amateur adj. 业余的n. 业余爱好者
amaze vt. 使吃惊，使惊叹
ambience n. 周围环境，气氛
ambition n. 雄心，抱负
ambitious adj. 有雄心的，渴望成功的ambivalence n. 矛盾心理
ambivalent adj. 有矛盾情绪的
amble vi. 漫步，缓行
amenable adj. 经得起检验的；顺从，应服从的amend vt. 修正，改正
amendment n. 修正，改正
amenity n. amenities (常做复数）生活福利设施，文娱康乐场所，方便设施
amenity （不可数名词），愉快，惬意
amiable adj. 亲切的，和蔼可亲的
amicable adj. 友善的，和平的，和睦的
amid prep. 在。。。。中
amnesia n. 健忘症
amount n. 量，总和；vi. 总计，等于
ample adj. 富足的，充足的
10. A search back in time搜寻历史amplify-annihilate
I often wondered about my ancestry. I know that my angular face and large eyes came from my father’s Spanish ancestors. But what did they do for a living?
My father, who is very animated, would try to satisfy my curiosity by telling me funny anecdotes about his father and grandfather. His stories were often intriguing, but the information I wanted had to be more than anecdotal. So one day, I went to the library and searched through the annals of Spanish history.
I found a good book that thoroughly analyzed the relevant time period and amplified its analysis with charts and illustrations. In it, I discovered several interesting historical figures who shared my surname, Sierra.
One was an anarchist. He wrote books in which he expressed his belief that society in the rural areas should be allowed to exist without a government. He believed that the government was purposely creating a fear of anarchy merely to justify its heavy taxes on rural area farmers.
Another Sierra was a Doctor of anatomy. He was credited for inventing the first anesthetic. The anesthesia allowed him to operate on his patients without causing pain.
The most interesting Sierra was a former high-ranking official who worked in an ancillary department of the central Spanish government. He spent most of his life protesting the Spanish military’s efforts to annihilate and annex smaller and weaker countries overseas. From the government’s point of view, his protests were analogous to treason, and they sentenced him to a life of anguish in prison.
From this research, I was able to see many analogies between the characteristics of my ancestors and my own personality. It made me feel very proud to be a Sierra!
amplify vt. 放大；扩大；增强；详述analogous adj 类似的
analogy n. 类比，类推；类似物
analysis n. 分析；分析报告
analyze vt. 分析，分解
anarchist n. 无政府主义者
anarchy n. 无政府，混乱
anatomy n. 解剖；解剖学
ancestor n. 祖先，祖宗
ancestry n. （总称）祖先，列祖列宗；家族，血统ancillary adj. 辅助的anecdotal adj. 趣闻的，多轶事趣闻的；具有轶事形式（风格）的
anecdote n. 短故事，轶事
anesthesia n. 麻醉
anesthetic n. 麻醉剂，麻药
anguish n. 极度的痛苦，苦闷
angular adj. 有角的，尖角的
animated adj. 活泼的，有生气的
annals n. 编年史；历史记载，历史
annex vt. 兼并，附加
annihilate vt. 消灭，消减
11. Time not lost时间没有白费annotate-aperture
I first met her at the university 8 years ago. My major was anthropology and hers was history. We fell in love and wedded, but three months later, she announced her intention to annul the marriage. She said that I never seemed interested in talking about history and that my apathy annoyed her. She moved away and I never anticipated seeing her again.
Then, I ran into her last year while attending an annual convention at the University. She had passed to me an anonymous note that simply said, “Look behind you.” I had no idea it would be her.
Now, she teaches an American History class at the University. She is truly an anomaly among history professors. She stimulates interest in history by taking her students to historic sites and having them experience antiquity in person. It thrills them to annotate their textbooks with first-hand information. Her anomalous teaching method draws a large number of students.
Last month, I joined her class for a trip to a house that antedated the American Civil War. We were fascinated by the antiquated furniture and the post-war antiques. In one room, I found a rusty bronze music box that plays the National anthem. In the bedroom, I found a hand-sewn book containing an anthology of civil war poems. In the bathroom, I discovered a pair of hand-blown glass bottles used for storing antibiotic pills and antiseptic. Perhaps the most interesting piece was an old box-styled camera, one of the first to use an aperture. It still worked.
I never realized how interesting History could be. For that, I must thank my former wife, or should I say, my present wife. They are now one and the same!
annotate v. 注解，注释announce vt. 宣布，发表，通告annoy vt. 使恼怒；打扰annual adj. 每年的
annul v. 废除，取消
anomalous adj. 异常的，反常的，不规则的
anomaly n. 异常，不规则；异常的人或事
anonymous adj. 匿名的
antedate v. 发生于（存在于）…以前，（时间上）前于；提早日期
anthem n. 圣歌，赞美歌
anthology n. 诗集，文选
anthropology n. 人类学antibiotic adj. 抗菌的，抗生的
anticipate vt. 预期，预料
antiquated adj. 陈旧的，过时的；古老的，年老的antique n. 古董；adj. 古时的，陈旧的
antiquity n. 古迹；古物；古代，古老
antiseptic n. 杀菌剂，防腐剂
apathy n. 冷漠，无兴趣
aperture n. 开口，孔；（照相机等的）孔径，光圈
12. What job do I want?我想做什么工作？aphorism-apprehend
Have you heard of the aphorism, “Procrastination is the thief of time”? I think it applies to me. I need to start thinking about a job for which I have apposite skills. I think it would appease my parents if I do so this summer. Otherwise, I’ll have to make an apology to them for borrowing money again.
Should I be a chef? It would be fun to appease the appetites of hungry people. But I don’t even know how to operate the simple appliances in my kitchen!
Maybe I can appraise property for a real estate company. How hard can it be to make an appraisal? But I’d have to be good at observing the appreciable differences between various properties.
Perhaps I should be a criminal lawyer. I could use my big sad eyes to appeal to the judge for mercy. However, I don’t think my parents would appreciate my choice. Defending murderers and thieves would appall them.
What about being a policeman! I could apprehend criminals and put them in prison. I can imagine the warm feeling of appreciation I would get for saving someone’s life. On second thought, I don’t think I can be an applicant for a position that involves guns.
I could be a politician. I’d have the power to appoint people to positions of importance. But then I’d have to make really difficult decisions like how to apportion our limited water supply.
What I’d really like to be is an NBA basketball player like Michael Jordan. He’s the apotheosis of athletes. Everyone applauds his amazing skills. But I should be more realistic, shouldn’t I?
I think I better start with a simpler job. This summer, I’ll submit an application to McDonalds!
aphorism n. 警句，格言
apology n. 道歉，歉意
apotheosis n. 神化，典范
appall vt. 使惊骇，使恐怖
appeal n. 吸引力；vi. 呼吁，恳求；上诉，申诉appease vt. 使平静，满足
appetite n. 胃口，食欲
applaud vi. 喝彩，欢呼；称赞，赞成appliance vt. 用具，器具
applicant n. 申请人
application n. 申请；施用，运用
apply vt. 应用，适用；vi. 申请appoint vt. 任命，选派
apportion vt. (按比例或计划）分配
apposite adj. 适当的，恰当的
appraisal n. 评估，评价
appraise v. 估计，评价
appreciable adj. (数量或变化等）很大的，足以感受到或产生影响的，值得重视的
appreciate vt. 赏识，鉴赏；感激；（充分）意识到；领会，体会，觉察；充分理解
appreciation n. 欣赏；口味，兴趣
apprehend v. 逮捕；领会，理解；忧虑，畏惧
13. A tough case棘棘手的个案apprehension-arduous
For the last 20 years, I’ve worked as an arbitrator of disputes involving land. Arbitration is an arduous process that requires patience. Both parties in a dispute are typically ardent about their opinions. It’s this state of ardor that makes it difficult to approach a satisfactory solution. Fortunately, I have the aptitude for understanding people’s needs and finding an appropriate solution that satisfies the approximate requirements of both sides.
The parties who approve me to judge their case know that I’m apt to make a fair and reasonable decision, not an arbitrary one. This knowledge tends to lower the apprehension of both parties. I find that if the parties are less apprehensive, they are more cooperative.
But no case is easy. There’s always a sticking point.
Presently, I’m working on a dispute between an old farmer and the government. The old farmer owns a piece of arable land on which he has grown fruit trees for 25 years. He wants to keep his land just as it is, not only because of his trees, but also due to the arboreal life it supports. The government believes that the old man’s farming methods are archaic and not a productive use of the land. They want approval to use the farmer’s land to build a huge high-tech public aquarium. They want to display unique aquatic creatures to help educate the public. The government plans to make this project the archetype for all future public aquariums.
Well, it’s going to be a tough case. In fact, it may be my toughest case yet.
apprehension n. 担心，害怕；理解
apprehensive adj. 恐惧的，忧虑的，担心的
approach n. 方法；vt. 接近，靠近；探讨appropriate adj. 适当的，恰当的；vt. 拨款
approve vt. 批准；vi. 赞成，同意
approval n. 赞成，正式批准
approximate v. 接近，近似；adj. 大约的，估计的
apt adj. (习性）易于…的，有…倾向的，善于的；恰当的，贴切的
aptitude n. 才能；自然倾向
aquatic adj. 水生的，水栖的，水中或水上的aquarium n. 水族馆
arable adj. 适于耕作的，可耕的
arbitrary adj. 专横的，专制的，武断的arbitrator n. 仲裁者
arbitration n. 调停，仲裁
arboreal adj. 树栖的；树的；乔木的
archaic adj. 古代的，古老的，陈旧的，过时的archetype adj. 原型，典型
ardent adj. 热烈投入的，极热心的
ardor n. 激情，狂热
arduous adj. 费力的，艰难的
14. The way home回家的路aria-asceticism
It seemed like a long ascent to the top. The mountain appeared barren, as though it had suffered through many years of arid climate. I had no idea why I was climbing this mountain. All I could recall was that I had been reading a fascinating article about climbing. But with my arthritis, how could I possibly make it to the top?
Despite my confusion, I ascended the mountain. After what seemed like an hour, I stumbled across a small artificial structure. It was hidden behind large rocks. I was shocked to discover that it was an arsenal containing an array of antiquated armor and armament. All of it appeared to be hand-made, probably by a 17th century artisan. It was a bit scary, so I left quickly and continued my ascent.
Further up, I ran into a man dressed like an aristocrat. He was articulating some kind of ancient arithmetic. His presence aroused my curiosity. I asked him what he was doing on the mountain. He rudely responded, “Don’t you know where you are?” what an arrogant man, I thought to myself.
After what felt like another hour, I spotted a small cave. I found an old monk living inside. Foolishly, I offered him some wine. I should have known that monks practice asceticism. But he wasn’t offended. He simply smiled and said, “I am indeed an ascetic person.”
I told the monk that I was tired and missed my home. “Open your eyes” he whispered. “You are already home.”
Suddenly, I began to hear the sound of my favorite aria. I could sense the aroma of a familiar aromatic substance. It was followed by a familiar voice.
“Wake up” my wife said. “Here’s your coffee! You’re late for work.”
aria n. 独唱曲，咏唱调
arid adj. 干旱的
aristocrat n. 贵族
arithmetic n. 算术
armament n. 军备，武器
armor n. 装甲；装甲车
aroma n. 香气，芬芳，芳香
aromatic adj. 芬芳的
arouse vt. 刺激，激起；唤醒
array n. 展示，陈列；一系列an array of 一系列arrogant adj. 傲慢的，自大的arsenal n. 兵工厂，军械库
arthritis n. 关节炎
article n. 论文，文章；物品，条款
articulate vt. 清楚的讲话，清晰的发音
artificial adj. 人造的，人工的；虚假的，矫揉造作的artisan n. 手工业工人，手艺人
ascend vi. (渐渐的)升高，上升
ascent n. 攀登，上升
ascetic n. 苦行者，禁欲者；adj. 禁欲的，苦行的asceticism n. 禁欲主义
15. Aspirations gone astray走入歧途的理想ascribe-assistant
I work on an assembly line in a car factory. Most days, I just assemble car parts. Occasionally, they’ll ask me to assay an unknown drug substance. On ce in a while, I’ll be asked to assist with breaking up a fight. Assault is not common here. But now and then, a frustrated worker will assail his assistant by casting aspersions on some aspect of the other’s work. I’m considered an asset in my company. But 20 years ago, I was a different kind of asset to an entirely different type of company.
They called it “the company” but it was really a secret government group trained to assassinate political leaders. I never aspired to be an assassin. In fact, I was an aspiring chemist and a regular soldier in the army. All I really wanted was to do something great or important for my country. But sometimes, having too great an aspiration can lead you astray.
I still recall the day of the assembly. It was a small gathering of highly skilled people like me. “The company” was assessing our abilities in the areas of weaponry and chemistry. I was a top chemist and a natural marksman, probably the best in my group. They ascribed my success to my steady hands and sharp eyes, the same tools I used for chemistry.
After the assembly, they gave us our assignments. I was assigned to assimilate into the mainstream society of a Latin American country. It wasn’t long before I was doing things that I will forever be ashamed to admit.
It’s been over for about 15 years. But I’ll never feel clean and I’ll never be able to assert that I have been a good man all my life.
ascribe vt. 把….归于
aspect n. （问题等的）方面；（事物等的）一部分aspersion n. 诽谤，中伤
aspire vi. 渴望
aspiring adj. 有抱负的，有理想的，积极向上的aspiration n. 雄心，抱负
assail v. （身体上）攻击，（言语上）攻击，批评assassin n. 刺客
assassinate vt. 暗杀，行刺
assault n. (武力上的)袭击；（口头上的）攻击assay v. 化验
assemble vt. 集合，装配；vi. 聚集assembly n. 集会；参加集会的人们（译成：。。。大会，。。。议会）；装配，安装
assembly line 装配线，流水线
assert vt. 声称，坚持，斩钉截铁地说
assess vt. 估计，分析，评估
asset n. assests 财产，资产；优势，重要的品质；宝贵（或有益）的人（或东西）
assignment n. 任务，作业；分配
assimilate vt. 学习，吸收（知识）；吃，吸收（食品或营养）assist vt. 援助，帮助
assistant n. 助手，助教；adj. 辅助的，助理的
16. The world of teachers教师的世界associate-atone
I love to associate with my fellow teachers. We meet at least twice each week at the Faculty association meetings. At these meetings, we often talk about our classes over a wonderful snack of assorted fruits. We're a close-knit group, although we're quite different in character. Jane is one of my most astute colleagues. She teaches a course in astronomical phenomenon. Her students are often astonished when she talks about "black holes" and her theory of the shrinking universe. But she is careful to assuage their concerns. She assures them that her theory is based on a number of assumptions that may turn out to be untrue.
My friend Bob teaches nuclear physics. He says it's all about atoms, atomic particles and atomization. I assume he knows what he's talking about. He must know, given how assuredly he speaks about the subject.
Mary teaches religion. However, she is an atheist. She has an excellent sense of humor. She often jokes about how she may end up having to atone for not believing in God.
Jim is our school's physical education teacher. He's natural athlete and he loves basketball. He never fails to astound us with his ability to dunk a basketball backwards without looking.
Lastly, there's Sally, our teacher of geometry. She likes to talk about symmetrical and asymmetrical triangles. Frankly, it drives me crazy to think about those things. But I like her stimulating personality. She probably knows how to turn a boring subject into a fascinating one. As for me, I teach art. It brings out my creative side.
associate v. 交往（with)；关联，联合；n. 伙伴；adj. 准的（比正式的低一级）
association n. 关联，联合；协会
assorted adj. 各式各样的，多样混合的
assuage v. 缓和，减轻（痛苦等）
assume vt. 假定，设想，（想当然地）认为；承担（责任）；采用（....的形式或姿势）
assumption n. 假设；就职assure vt. 巩固，确保；想...保证，使确信assuredly adv. 确实地，确信地；自信地，有把握地astonish vt. 使惊讶
astound vt. 使惊异
astronomical adj. 天文学的
astute adj. 机敏的，精明的
asymmetrical adj. 不均匀的，不对称的
atheist n. 无神论者
athlete n. 运动员
atmosphere n. 大气，大气层；（某一地的）空气atom n. 原子atomic adj. 原子的；微子的atomization n. 原子化；雾化atone v. 赎罪，补偿
17. Life beyond injury走出伤痛的生活atrophy-aurora
I still recall the accident. I had an audacious attitude back then. I remember being very upset at my brother and telling him, "you have the audacity to call me a coward when you won't even try." Neither of us knew how unstable and heavy that auger bit was.
Then I felt the numbing pain of the auger bit crushing my back. I can still see the ambulance attendants, in their clean white attire, attending to my injury. I think my voice was barely audible. The doctors were able to attach supporting metal pins to my spine, but I've yet to walk. My whole body seems to be in a state of atrophy. But I've never given up hope. One of my strongest attributes is patience. Someday, I'll attain the use of my legs again.
Fortunately, my attorney helped me to obtain compensation for my injuries. The extra money helps to augment my monthly income. I still work as an accountant, auditing the books of small companies. But I only work part-time, and later this year, I plan to retire. It looks like my company will reduce its staff through attrition.
I'd like to spend more time with my family now. I have a strong attachment to my wonderful and energetic daughter. Everyone loves her. It's as though she emits an aura. This afternoon, I'll be taking her to the school auditorium so that she can attend an audition for a part in the school play. Next winter, we'll be taking a trip to Alaska to see the aurora borealis!
atrophy n. 萎缩, 萎缩症
attach vt. 系，缚
attachment n. 依恋，喜欢；连接物；附件
attain vt. 到达，获得
attend vt. 参加；入学；照顾
attendant n. 侍者，护理人员；adj. 伴随的attire n. 穿着，装饰（正规服装总称) attorney n. 代理人，辩护律师
attribute n. 属性，品质；vt. 把....归于，归因于attrition n. （逐渐的）损耗，磨损；减员audacious adj. 大胆的，鲁莽的
audacity n. 大胆，鲁莽
audible adj. 听得见的
audit vt. 查账；旁听
audition n.(对艺人的）面试（指试唱、试戏等）auditorium n. 大礼堂
auger n. 螺丝钻，钻孔机
augment vt. 增加，增大
aura n. 气味，气氛；光轮，光环
aurora n. 极光（南北极的）
18. A change of pace改变步调auspice-average
Joining the Peace Corps is an auspicious start to a career in the Foreign Service. Peace Corps volunteers perform charitable functions in developing countries under the auspices of the U.S. Government. They primarily serve as auxiliary advisers or teachers. Most volunteers are average citizens just looking for a change of pace.
Every volunteer receives a uniform. It's clean but far from avant-garde. You also receive a handbook. It's an authoritative manual for survival in your host country.
The handbook contains some useful tips for staying out of trouble in a foreign country:
1. Always respect the authorities in your host country.
2. Don't authorize anyone to use your identification card.
3. When crossing a mountain pass in the winter, beware of avalanche conditions.
4. Be alert for possible attacks by terrorists trying to avenge a loss.
5. Make certain that anything valuable you buy is authentic.
6. Always authenticate large bills before accepting them.
Some assignments are dangerous. You might be sent to a country with an autocrat for a ruler. You may need to work near an area where rebels are fighting to obtain autonomy. Some regions are already autonomous but are fighting to retain control.
Most assignments are not dangerous. In my first assignment, I was sent to a small Latin American country to help build an automated water supply system. The only difficulty I had in that country was cooking for myself. It's too bad they haven't invented an automaton that can make breakfast in the morning.
If you're available for at least a full year of service, you can apply to join the Peace Corps. Acceptance is not automatic. Perhaps at the end of your service, you will be able to write an autobiography of your adventures abroad.
auspice n. 前兆；（~s）赞助，支持
auspicious adj. 预示成功的，有利的，幸运的
authentic adj. 真迹的，真的；可靠的，确实的authenticate vt. 证明（某物）为真
authoritative adj. 权威性的，可信的；（有）权威的，官方的authority n. 权力，极限；（某领域的）权威人士；authorities 当局
authorize vt. 授权，批准
autobiography n. 自传
autocrat n. 独裁者
automated adj. 自动化的
automatic adj. （尤指机器）自动（化)的；（人）无意识的，机械的
automaton n. 机器人
autonomous adj. 自治的，独立的
autonomy n. 自治权，自治
auxiliary adj. 辅助的；补充的
available adj. 自由的，有空的；可利用的，可得到的；有资格干某事的；愿意感某事的
avalanche n. 雪崩
avant-garde n. 先锋派（艺术流派之一）；先锋，前卫avenge vt. 复仇，报复
average adj. 一般的，通常的；平庸的；n. 平均水平；平均数；vt. 平均为
19. Facing your fear直面你的恐惧averse-balance
I'm averse to flying. It's not that I don't have a backbone. In fact, I am otherwise very brave. I wear a police badge everyday and I arrest dangerous criminals. My aversion to aviation dates back to when I was a child.
When I was 8 years old, my baby-sitter took me on a short flight to visit my mom. We flew in a small plane. The weather conditions were very bad that day. Halfway to our destination, we hit a terrible storm. The aviator lost control of the plane. The powerful wind made the plane do several barrel rolls. It was like we were in a ball that was spinning on an axis. After a few seconds, the aviator regained control and averted a disaster.
I avowed never to fly in a small plane again. That story should serve as a sufficient backdrop for my fear of flying.
However, I'm an avid fisherman. In fact, fishing is my avocation. To me, there's nothing like putting bait on your hook and casting it in a peaceful stream. No phones to ring, no supervisors to badger you. I'm still a bachelor so I have plenty of time for fishing. The problem is that now, the best fishing spots are accessible only by small planes.
Thus, I find myself looking rather awkward today as I stumble and stagger towards the small plane that awaits me. Why am I flying when I know how dangerous it is? Is this fishing spot really so great? My awareness of the danger is suppressed only by my thoughts of fabulous fishing. But I can hardly keep my balance as I struggle forward with my baggage.
Just like any other fear, you have to face it one step at a time.
averse adj. 反对的，不愿意的aversion n. 厌恶，憎恨
avert vt. 避免，规避aviation n. 航空，航空学aviator n. 飞行家
avid adj. 渴望的，热心的avocation n. 副业，嗜好
avow v. 公开承认，公开宣称awareness n. 意识
awkward adj. 笨拙的，不灵活的axis n. 轴，轴心
baby-sitter n. 担任临时保姆，代人照顾婴儿者
bachelor n. （文、理）学士；单身汉
backbone n. 骨干，支柱；脊椎，中枢；骨气；坚毅，毅力backdrop n. 舞台背景，背景
badge n. 徽章，证章（以示身份）
badger v. 一再烦扰，一再要求；n. 獾（一种动物）baggage n. 行李
bait v. 以饵引诱（动物），把饵装上；n. 诱饵，引诱物balance n. 平衡；vt. 使....平衡，使....均衡
20. V oting Day in San Rico 圣黎各的投票日bald-barb
Initially, I balked at my editor’s request that I cover the presidential elections in San Rico. San Rico was known for its bandits. Just one year ago, we had been banned from traveling there because of the danger. This year, the government promised political reforms and crime control.
Could things have changed so much in only one year? Not in my mind. I imagined the worst. I anticipated burly bald men wearing bandannas, riding around on motorcycles and harassing voters. I pictured a bankrupt candidate, making a banal speech to a bored crowd, and claiming that his bankruptcy would not interfere with his governmental duties. I even expected the ballot box to be wrapped in barbed wire, with blood dripping from some of the barbs. What I didn’t expect was a bandmaster and the bang of a drum!
When our foreign press plane arrived in San Rico, we were greeted by a cheering crowd and a marching band. There was even a bald eagle. The bandleader led us from the plane, through the throngs of smiling people, and into the packed center of the city. There were big
red banners hanging from every building, encouraging people to vote. Secure voting booths stood on every corner with people standing in long lines to cast their ballot. I had never seen so much enthusiasm for an election.
It was a new and exciting beginning for the people of San Rico. I reported it all in my story and faxed it back to my editor. After attending a wonderful banquet, I found myself sitting at a bar, listening to the banter about the election.
bald adj. 秃头的，光秃的
bald eagle 秃头鹰（美国国鸟）
balk vi. 阻碍；犹豫，不愿做
ballot n. 选票
ban vt. 禁止；查禁
banal adj. 陈腐的
band n. 乐队；队；（光或颜色的）带；vi. 联合，集合bandanna n. 大手帕
bandit n. 强盗
bandleader n. 乐队指挥bandmaster n. 乐队指挥
bang n. 发出砰的一声，重击
bankrupt adj. 破产了的
bankruptcy n. 破产
banner n. 旗帜，标语
banquet n. 宴会，盛会
banter n. (善意的)取消，逗弄；v. 善意地与人开玩笑bar n. 酒吧；snack bar 快餐店；条，棒；栅
barb n. (鱼钩等的)倒钩；倒刺
21 Escape 逃避barbarian-batter
I live an isolated life in a small basin between two mountain ridges at the edge of an ocean. Due to the bad soil, the land is barren. However, I have a barn full of animals that supply me with all the food I need. There’s nothing more satisfying than basting pig meat over a barbecue. The weather is pretty good. There is always enough rain to fill my water barrel. But sometimes, a fierce storm will batter the barn all right.
The rough life I lead has made me look and feel like a barbarian. The heat from the sun has baked my bare skin brown. I haven’t been to the barber for two years. As a result, I think I would be bashful if anyone found me. I don’t have any money but I don’t need it. You can’t buy anything here. You can’t even barter. However, I’m not completely out of touch with civilization. Every few months, I can hear the sound of an ocean barge passing in the dis tance. I always run to the ocean side to see it. It reminds me that I’m still human.
You might think that I’m barely surviving but the opposite is true. This is the only place where I can escape the horrible war in the city. In my mind, I can still hear the barrage of gunfire smashing through our wooden barriers. I can still remember spending months, helplessly barricaded in the basement of one of our many, once beautiful, baroque style buildings. My life is more peaceful now. Perhaps after the war, I’ll fi nd my way back home.
What’s that I hear? It’s the bark of my dog. I’ve got to run. Another barge is passing by.
barbarian n. 野蛮人
barbecue n. 吃烤肉的野餐；烧烤
barber n. 理发师
bare adj. 无遮蔽的，赤裸的，光（秃）的；仅有的，勉强的
barely adv. 仅仅，几乎不能
barge n. 驳船
bark n. 树皮；vi./n. 狗叫，咆哮
barn n. 谷仓；牲口棚
baroque adj. （艺术、建筑等）高度装饰的，过分雕琢的barrage n. 火力网，弹幕；（言语等）猛烈攻击
barrel n. 桶barren adj. 贫瘠的（不结果实的）；荒凉的（无人烟的）barricade v. 设栅栏挡；使躲在路障（或挡墙）后面；n. 栅栏，障碍物
barrier n. 屏障，障碍；栅栏
barter n. 物品交换，易货贸易；vt. 物品交换，交换basement n. 地下室
bashful adj. 害羞的，难为情的
basin n. 盆地
baste vt. （烤肉时）涂油，把油涂在（肉上）；殴打，公开责骂
batter v. 打坏，猛击；n. 击球手
22 Killing with Kindness以柔克刚bead-belligerent
Sometimes, it’s difficult t o behave like a gentleman. It’s e specially hard when the person talking to you is belligerent and trying to belittle you in front of others. You might feel like beating him and burying him as deep as bedrock, but don’t. Remember, violence begets more violence. Of course, it’s easier said than done.
My cousin Tom comes drunk to our family reunions every year and always manages to insult my family members. “Your nose is loo king
more and more like the beak of a bird,” he would tell my daughter. “Those red beads don’t look becoming on you,” he would say to my wife. “Is that your beard or a bird’s nest,” he would ask me.
I think, deep in his heart, Tom has always begrudged me. His occasional smile belies his true feelings of envy. I wish that someone would shine a beam of light in his eyes and ask him why he feels this way.
In any event, because I must act as the host of the reunion on behalf of my parents, I have to be on my best behavior. As my mother keeps reminding me, I must bear the responsibility of keeping things friendly. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have agreed to be the host if I had known it was going to be like this beforehand.
Well, this year, I decided to change my strategy with Tom. Instead of reacting to his insults with anger, I tried to befuddle him with kind words. Strangely enough, when he becomes befuddled, he can’t speak and he just walks away. The kindness just kills him. It’s truly a sight to behold.
bead n. 珠子；（液体）小滴
beak n. 鸟嘴
beam n. 大梁；（光线的）束，柱
bear vt. 负担，支撑；生产，生育；n. 熊beard n. 胡须
beat v. 打击，敲击；打败；adj. 疲倦的，拍子becoming adj. 合适的，相称的；好看的，有吸引力的bedrock n. 基础，基石
beforehand adv. 事先地
befuddle vt. 使酒醉昏迷；使迷惑，使迷糊befuddled adj. 酒醉的，迷路的，困惑的
beget vt. 引起，产生
begrudge vt. 嫉妒；吝啬，舍不得给，勉强给behalf n. on behalf of…..代表，作为。。。的代表behave vi. 举止，表现
behavior n. 举止，行为
behold v. 目睹，看见
belie vt. 给人错觉，掩饰
belittle vt. 轻视，贬低
belligerent adj. 交战的，好斗的，好战的
23. Man’s Best Friend 人类最好的朋友beneath-bicker
Mr. Rich was a wealthy man and a great benefactor to the community. During his lifetime, he bestowed many gifts upon the poor and the disabled. His sudden death bereaved us all of his unique wisdom and benign sense of humor. He would always be remembered for being a kind and benevolent man. Besides that, he would also be remembered for trying to keep peace among his many relatives. However, it wasn’t long before Mr. Rich’s relatives began to bicker over who should inherit his money. The fighting was not beneficial to anyone. They berated each other for being selfish and beseeched the court to grant a reading of the will. The bicameral court assigned the reading of the will to its superior branch and scheduled the reading for Monday. On Monday morning, the horde of people besieged the superior courthouse. The relatives who believed they would be beneficiaries gathered in front of the judge’s bench. They were anxious to hear what benefits or bequest they would receive. Beverages were served to keep everyone cool and comfortable.
Finally, the judge entered the room and sat down. The will, which had been sealed, lay beneath him. Reaching down, he picked up the will and unsealed it. The he read it aloud.
“Greeting s to everyone. I know that all of you are probably arguing over how much money you should receive from me. Please don’t feel betrayed when I say, among you, there isn’t a single selfless person without a bias. For this reason, I have decided to bequeath my entire fortune to the only loyal friend that I have, Ralph. Ralph, you’re the finest friend and pet dog a man could ever have!”
beneath prep./adv. 在……之下
benefactor n. 行善者，捐助者
beneficial adj. 有益的，有利的
beneficiary n. （礼物、馈赠等的）受益者，（遗产的）受益人
benefit n. 利益，好处；vt. 得意，得到好处benevolent adj. 慈善的，仁义的
benign adj. （人）亲切和蔼的；（病）良性的
bequeath n. 遗赠，遗留
bequest n. 遗产，遗物
berate v. 猛烈责骂bereave v. 剥夺，夺去
beseech v. 恳求，祈求
besides adv. 除了…..还有
besiege vt. 围攻；拥在…周围；围住；困扰bestow vt. 给予，赐赠（祝福、奖励、荣誉等）betray vt. 背叛；（非故意地）暴露，显露beverage n. (除水之外的)饮料
bias n. 偏见，偏好
bicameral adj. 两院制的，有两个议院的
bicker vi. 口角，斗嘴
24 The assignment 任务bidding-blazing
His eyes blazed with excitement. “I’ve got an important assignment for you,” he said, as he glanced back down at a newspaper. “The
leaders of our nation have just signed a bilateral travel treaty with the isolated country of Bandu on the African continent, and I want you to go down there right away to do research for a biography.”
The research my boss wanted was for a biography about Bob Boon. Boon was a brilliant biologist who was somewhat bigoted when it came to discussing politics or religion. He was known for making blasphemous statements. He spent most of his adult years studying animals in the country of Bandu. He was one of the first scientists to successfully track the migratory patterns of the bison. Boon was also a strong advocate for maintaining biological diversity.
My boss pays me quite well to do his bidding. He owns a billion-dollar publishing company, and when he sets his mind on doing a story, he doesn’t care about the bill.
So here I am in Bandu, surrounded by bizarre animals and bitter food. Frankly, I’d rather eat bland food. It’s freezing here at night and my blanket doesn’t keep me warm. During the day, it is as hot as a blast furnace. Last week, the blazing sun caused a fire that blazed out of control for several days.
I hate these assignments to remote areas. But I always end up accepting the job. It’s not as though I was blackmailed into coming here. I have no one to blame but myself. I just hope that my next assignment doesn’t require that I blast off to the moon!
bidding n. 投标；命令，要求
bigoted adj. 固执己见的，偏执的，顽固的
bilateral adj. 两边的，双边的
bill n. 账单，发票；（细长或扁平的）鸟嘴；议案，法案；钞票，钱币
billion n./adj. 10亿（的）
biography n. 传记
biological diversity 生物多样性
biologist n. 生物学家
bison n. 美洲或欧洲的野牛
bitter adj. 令人痛苦的；尖酸、刻薄的bizarre adj. 指（态度、容貌、款式等）奇异的，古怪的blackmail vt. 勒索，讹诈
blame vt. 谴责，责备；n. 过失，责备
bland adj. 淡味的，无味的
blanket n. 毯子；厚的覆盖物
blasphemous adj. 亵渎神灵的，不敬神的
blast furnace 鼓风炉
blast off (火箭、航天飞机等)发火起飞，发射上天
blaze vi. 燃烧，照耀
blazing adj. 炽烧的，闪耀的
25 Winter Surprise 惊喜在冬季bleach-boast
I live in a boarding-house during the school year. My room is rather large, but I share it with another boarder.
It’s already November, but the autumn flowers are still in bloom. Just yesterday, I saw some lovely red blossoms along the roadside. These blessed flowers were perfect. They didn’t have a single blemish. Seeing these flowers in the fall created a feeling of bliss. I had no idea that it would be the last I’d see of them.
Yesterday, my roommate had told me that there would be a blizzard today. He’s always boasting that he knows the weather. I though it was just a bluff to get me to stay home from school. I was rather blunt in my reply.
However, I blushed when I looked out of the window this morning and saw that he was right. I had to blink my eyes several times just to be sure. An overnight storm had bleached the ground with seventeen inches of snow. Because the roads were blocked by the snowfall, I wouldn’t be able to board my usual bus to school. My outlook seemed rather bleak.
Then my roommate said, “Hey, you really need to take a break from your studies. Why don’t you just rest your brain, blend some fruit drinks, and listen to blues music?”
“It’s true, I’m probably in need of a rest,” I replied.
Well, it turned out to be the most relaxing day I’ve had all year. I guess the sudden storm was really a blessing in disguise!
bleach vt. 去色，漂泊
bleak adj. 荒凉的，凄凉的
blemish n. 缺点，污点；vt 玷污
blend vt. 混合，掺混；n. 混合（物）
blessed adj. 神圣的；降福的，幸运的；带来愉快的，使人舒服的
blessing n. 祝福，恩赐
blink v. 眨眼
bliss n. 幸福，极乐
blizzard n. 暴风雪block n. 一块（木或石等）；街区；vt. 障碍，阻止bloom n./vi. 花/开花
blossom n./vi. 花/开花
blues n. 抑郁，沮丧；忧郁布鲁斯歌曲（蓝调音乐）bluff n. 陡峭的悬崖绝壁；虚张声势，吓唬
blunt adj. (说话)直言不讳；（刀、铅笔等）钝的，不尖的blush vi. 脸红，羞愧
board n. (薄而平的)木板；委员会；膳食费用；vt. 上（船、飞机等）
boarder n. 寄宿人；搭伙人
boarding-house n. 寄宿公寓boast v./n. 自夸，以有…而自豪
26 Tom’s Search 汤姆的探索boiling point-boundless
Tom was a product of the baby boom generation. He had a bold personality. His passion for adventure seemed boundless.
He worked as a supervisor at a mining company, boring holes in boulders to extract mineral samples. To measure the mineral content, the samples were heated to a temperature that was nearly 100 times the boiling point of water. A certain percentage of gold content would indicate the presence of a new gold mine. Although the long hours sometimes made Tom feel like he was in bondage, Tom was bound to his job. Mining was not at all boring to him. The prospect of finding a bonanza was exciting and he felt a special bond with his workers. They bolstered his confidence that he would someday find gold.
In the early years, the mining company’s stock had boomed in value. However, it had recently decreased in worth. The company desperately needed to find a new source of gold to boost its profits and to bounce back from its losses. Tom knew this. So he spent most of his time collecting mineral samples from the western boundary line of the new frontier. It was a dangerous area, but he knew that finding gold there would save the company and could earn him a bonus. It would also be a boon to his future with the company.
Tom was right. He found a huge gold source that year. The company promoted him to general manager, doubled his salary and held a grand celebration. Tom’s increase in importance did not lead him to make bombastic speeches at the party. Tom was not like that and it certainly would have created boredom at the gathering. Instead, he praised his men and yelled, “Let’s get boisterous tonight!”
boiling point 沸点
boisterous adj. 喧闹的，欢闹的
bold adj. 大胆的；放肆无礼的
bolster n. 垫子，枕垫；vt. 支持
bombastic adj. 夸大的，言过其实的
bonanza n. 富矿带；兴旺发达；带来好运之事bond n. 联结，联系；粘连；化学键；公债bondage n. 奴役，束缚
bonus n. 红利，奖金
boom n. 繁荣；vi. 急速发展
boon n. 恩惠，恩赐；神益，非常有用的东西boost vt. 增加，提高，促进
bore vt. 钻孔
boredom n. 烦恼，无聊
boring adj. 令人厌烦的
boulder n. 巨石
bounce vi. 跳起，弹回
bound adj. 被束缚的；负有义务的；深切的爱；注定的，必然的；n.范围，限定
boundary n. 分界线，边界
boundless adj. 无限的，无边无际的
27 Where’s the Groom? 新郎在哪里？Bouquet-brilliantly
It was Sunday, at 12:00 p.m. The bride waited patiently at the church door with her bouquet of flowers. Her lovely black hair, braided by her mother, blew gently about her shoulders in the breeze. Three violinists, with their bows in the air, stood ready to play the wedding song. The bowlegged priest was already at the wedding altar with his opened Bible. Some guests had already grabbed a handful of uncooked rice from a bowl and were prepared to shower the blessed couple. It was a breathtaking sight. The wedding had been brilliantly planned. But where was the groom?
The bride’s father was getting angry. His breathing was becoming more intense. He started to argue with groom’s father. “This is a clear breach of our wedding agreement”, he yelled. It looked like there might be a brawl. The guests were beginning to gossip. “Did the couple have a breakup?” some asked. It looked like the bride was going to faint. Her brother rushed up and braced her with his body so she wouldn’t fall. “Breathe,” he whispered to her. “I brewed a pot of coffee to calm everyone down.”
Suddenly, a loud piercing scream filled the air. It was the bride. Something had caused her face to brighten. It was the sight of her groom, racing towards the church on a strange-looking skateboard. In a matter of seconds, he arrived. He was breathless. He took her in his arms and side, “I’m so sorry bab e, my car suffered a breakdown 5 kilometers away near that new barn where they breed cattle. I made a skateboard out of an old box with wheels and got here as soon as I could.”
“Don’t worry,” she laughed, looking down at his feet, “Your brilliance saved the day.”
bouquet n. 花束
bow n. (小提琴等的)弓子；弓形
bowl n. 碗，碗状物
bowlegged adj. 弓形腿的，膝内翻的
brace n. 支柱，撑子；vt. 支撑，撑牢，振作braid vt. 编织，编成辫子brawl n. 争吵
breach vt. 造成缺口，打破，突破；n. 违背，破坏breakdown / break down n. 失败；鼓掌；分解；细目分类breakup n. 分离，分裂
breathe v. 呼吸，发出
breathing n. 呼吸
breathless adj. 无声息的，喘不过气来的
breathtaking adj. 惊人的；令人兴奋的；激动人心的；惊险的，令人毛骨悚然的；令人穿不过气来的
breed vt. 养育，繁殖
breeze n. 微风
brew vt. 酿造，调制；泡茶；煮（咖啡等）；调制饮料；图谋
brighten vt. 使愉快；使乐观；vi. 使发亮，发光；生色；开颜，活跃
brilliance n. (人)聪明；（物体）辉煌
brilliantly adv. 辉煌地，灿烂地；卓越地，杰出地，英明地；才华横溢地
28 Starting Small 从小事做起brim-bulky
They say it’s best to start with something small when you’re trying to build a business. So I started with belt buckles. It’s a good building block for a clothing business. Fortunately, I had a buddy already in the business so he helped me to set up a store.
The buckles I sell are made out of bronze. Bronze is a brownish colored metal that matches every color of clothing including brown garments. They’re not at all brittle. In fact, they are strong and long lasting. My buckles are made in Spain by the best craftsmen alive since the Bronze Age. I save a lot of money by exporting them in bulky containers that are filled to the brim.
The clothing business is very competitive and it can be brutal at times. I suppose it’s better than selling light bulbs. Some customers are rather brusque and don’t seem to like conversation. It doesn’t bother me. I try to run a brisk business by selling most of my products in bulk at a discount. As long as I keep to my budget, I can make a profit.
My goal is to broaden my business by the end of the year by adding belts and hats to my product line. I also want to publish a brochure of my goods. If I succeed at making a good profit, maybe I can buy that house by the brook that I’ve always wanted.
Every time I feel exhausted by the demands of my business, I close my eyes and dream of that house. I think of the cool water coming from the nearby brook. I imagine the sweet smell of flower buds in the garden. And I picture myself sitting in a big bathtub full of bubbles.
brim n. 边；边缘；n. 满溢
brisk adj. 活泼的，轻快的；兴隆的，繁忙活跃的brittle adj. 易碎的
broaden vt. 放宽，变阔，扩大
brochure n. 小册子
bronze n. 青铜，铜像；古铜
Bronze Age 青铜器时代
brook n. 小河
brown n./adj. 褐色的，棕色的；vt. （使）成褐色，晒黑brownish adj. 呈褐色的
brusque adj. (指人及人的举止等)粗暴和唐突，无礼的brutal adj. 野蛮的，残忍的，冷酷无情的bubble n. 气泡，水泡
buckle n. 带扣；v. （使）变弯曲
bud n. 芽，蓓蕾；vi. 发芽
buddy n. 密友，伙伴
budget n. 预算
building block 积木；基础材料
bulb n. (花)球茎，球形物
bulk n. 大批；大部分；大小，体积bulky adj. 庞大的；笨重的
29 A Bump in the Night 夜晚一击bump-calamity
I don’t care to live in a burgeoning city. When a city burgeons too rapidly, it creates two unfortunate by-products, crime and pollution. That’s why I live in a cabin in the woods. It’s miles away from the nearest bypass. It’s the perfect place for a retired cabinetmaker. It’s relatively quiet except for the buzz of the bees and the occasional cadence of horses galloping in the distance. Nobody comes to visit me, although a mouse did burrow into my cabin once. You can’t even get a cab here. The isolation has left me with plenty of time for hobbies. I’ve eve n had time to sculpt a bust of my father and to burnish it.
I don’t need to travel very far. The furthest I need to go is t hrough the trees and bushes to collect a bundle of firewood and a bunch of fruit. I do wish I had some animals. Perhaps a cow for milk and some chickens for eggs. It would be interesting to make butter with the milk.
The woods are a relative safe place, so calamities are rare. The closest misfortune I came to was the time a burglar broke into my cabin and tried to steal some food. It was late at night. Fortunately, the buzzer of my homemade burglar alarm woke me up. I bumped him on the head with my broom and he went running out the door.
I didn’t get a clear look at his face because of his black mask. Although I was angry, I didn’t call the police. You don’t bo ther the police with these kinds of things in the woods, especially if your burglar is just a raccoon.
bump n. 肿块；突起；v. 碰（伤），撞（破）；猛击；冲撞bunch n. 串，束；群；vi. 捆成一束；聚焦bundle n. 捆，束，包；vt. 捆burgeon vi. 迅速成长，发展
burgeoning adj. 迅速成长的，发展的burglar n. 夜盗，窃贼
burnish v. 磨光，使光滑，擦亮burrow n. 洞穴；vi. 挖地洞
bush n. 矮树丛
bust n. 半身（雕）像
butter n. 奶油
buzz n. 嗡嗡声
buzzer n. 蜂鸣器bypass vt. 绕过，迂回；n. 旁道，旁路
by-product n. 副产品；附带产生的结果
cab n. 出租马车，出租汽车
cabin n. 小屋，船舱
cabinetmaker n. 家具师，细工木匠
cadence n. (音乐、舞蹈动作步伐等的)节律，节拍，节奏；（说话时语调的）抑扬顿挫
calamity n. 灾难，不幸事件
30. The Dinner Guest 晚餐时的来客calculate-captivity
My new employer told me that they needed someone with my capabilities to lead their unpopular forest clearing campaign. They said I was the best candidate for the job. I was a canny negotiator and a very capable speaker. To me, it was just a matter of being candid with the resident natives. I would captivate them with money before telling them that we needed to deforest their land. Then, I could easily calculate and negotiate a reasonable price.
I got the job, rather easily I thought. The company directed me to travel into the wilderness by boat to canvass the resident natives. The night before the trip, I weighed myself. “Could the calibration on this scale b e correct?” I said to myself. “I guess I better cancel my dinner plans. Otherwise, the boat might sink.” But I knew that such a cancellation would make me too sad to travel, so I ate my usual meal.
The boat was capacious. The boat’s large canopy was made of green and brown canvas. It served as a nice camouflage for the boat. We floated down through the canyon for hours until we finally stopped. “You’ll travel by foot now, alone!” the boat captain said. He filled my water bottle to capacity and pointed the way with a strange smile.
Not long after, I ran into a resident nativ e. He led me deep into the forest where I met their chief. He smiled and said, “You’ve had a long trip. My family would love to have you for dinner.” Expection a feast, I replied, “I’d be honored.”
Well, I’ve been in captivity for several hours now, awaiting the feast. What a pity. I was prepared for everything but cannibalism.
calculate vt. 计算，估计
calibration n. 校准；规定；刻度
camouflage n./v. 伪装
campaign n. (政治或商业性)活动，竞选活动；vi.竞选；作战cancel vt. 取消
cancellation n. 取消
candid adj. 率直，坦白而诚实的
candidate n. 候选人
cannibalism n. 同类相食
canny adj. 精明的，节约的canopy n. 天蓬，遮蓬
canvas n. 帆布，画布canvass v. 征求意见，游说拉票canyon n. 峡谷
capability n. 能力
capable adj. 有能力的capacious adj. 容量大的capacity n. 容量，能力captivate vt. 迷惑，迷住captivity n. 囚禁，拘留
31 The Carnival 狂欢节carapace-catalyze
I can’t wait until the next carnival comes to town. I love the casual atmosphere and the tasty foods. There’s nothing like watching a cascade of popcorn flowing out of the machine. In fact, I eat so much of it that my friends call me “the cast-iron stomach!”
I especially enjoy the wide variety of entertainment, including the animal shows. The lions are the most exciting because they’re carnivorous. Imagine the carnage if they ever escaped their cages. I would suffer a cardiac arrest. I’d probably be the first casualty since I’m so fat and slow. That’s why I also like the tortoise. He’s sluggish, just like me, although I don’t have a huge carapace on my back to slow me down. It looks like he’s carrying cargo in that big shell of his. However, the cardinal rule is not to bring too much money.
You can buy lots of things at a carnival. You can shop for 24 carat gold jewelry. You can ask an artist to draw you a caricature of a famous person. You can watch someone carve your name into a piece of wood. You can even buy a type of superglue that comes in two parts. After you use the catalyst to catalyze the glue, it takes only five minutes to form a solid bond.
There are a lot of unusual attractions too. Often there will be a fortuneteller who will seem pretty skilled at predicting cataclysms. Sometimes, they will have a wizard who pretends to cast spells.
Occasionally, there will be a show that appeals solely to carnal desires. I always stay away from these shows. The last thing I need is to be castigated by my parents, again!
carapace n. （蟹或龟等的）甲壳
carat n. (宝石重量单位)克拉
cardiac adj. 心脏的
cardinal adj. 首要的，主要的；红衣风头鸟（一种美洲鸟，雄性有深红色羽毛）
cargo n. 船货，货物
caricature n. （滑稽模仿的）讽刺画
carnage n. 大屠杀，残杀
carnival n. 狂欢节
carnivorous adj. 食肉的carve vt. 切开，雕刻
cascade n. 小瀑布；一连串，连续大量涌出（或落下）的东西cast vt. 浇铸；投、抛
castigate v. 谴责，训斥
cast-iron adj. 铸铁的
casual adj. 非正式的，随便的；漫不经心的
casualty n. 伤亡人员，意外事故
cataclysm n. 大灾难，大变动（常指大洪水或地震）catalyst n. 催化剂；促使事情发展的因素
catalyze vt. 促使；激励；（化）催化
32 Music Can Motivate 音乐的激励作用catastrophe-cello
We all went to the cathedral to hear her play the cello. After all, it was free of charge. In the classical music category, she was considered a celebrity. Her music catered to people from all walks of life. She was, perhaps, the most celebrated cellist of our time. It was probably her celestial qualities that appealed to the diocese.
It was a wonderful and memorable show. At the end, there was ceaseless applause. When the clapping finally ceased, she spoke. Everyone in the cathedral was silent. It was quiet enough to hear a caterpillar crawl.
In her speech, she encouraged everyone to become more involved in the church and it’s worldwide charities. She talked about t he recent catastrophe in South America where flash floods have caused thousands of people to lose their homes. She described how certain diseases in Africa are so catching, that in some towns, they have infected practically every child. She mentioned the plight of the homeless in Mexico, where some people have resorted to living in caverns and other cavities in the mountains. Finally, she talked about the victims of chemical warfare in the Middle East and how the caustic chemicals have caused the poor people a multitude of health problems.
She cautioned us against ignorance. She said we can no longer categorize these problems as separate from our own. She ended with a categorical statement, “It’s time to stop being cautious about the amount of money you contribute to the church charities.”
Practically everyone opened his or her wallet that day. I did too.
catastrophe n. 异常的灾祸
catching adj. 传染性的；有感染力的
categorical adj. 无条件的，绝对的；明确的，直截了当的categorize vt. 分类；标示…的特点；为…取名描述category n. 种类，类目；范畴
cater vi. 满足（需要），迎合；cater to 迎合
caterpillar n. 毛虫
cathedral n. 总教堂，大教堂
cause vt. 引起，导致；n. 事业；原因
caustic adj. 腐蚀性的；刻薄的
caution vt. 警告cautious adj. 小心的，谨慎的
cavern n. 大山洞，大洞穴
cavity n. 洞，腔
cease v. 停止，终止
ceaseless adj. 不停的
celebrated adj. 有名的，大名鼎鼎的
celebrity n. 名人
celestial adj. 天体的，天上的；精妙的，极美的cellist n. 大提琴家
cello n. 大提琴
33 A Golf Announcer’s Script 一位高尔夫解说员的广播稿censor-characterize
It’s 25 degrees centigrade and it’s a beautiful day for golf! Welcome to the centennial celebration of the Golden Golf Tournament in Bend, Oregon. One hundred years ago, the population of this town was under 10,000. Today, the census tells us that the population is over 1,000,000.
The golf course has grown too. It’s no longer just a small country golf course with unique character. Now, it’s a multi-million dollar resort with characteristic charm. The course grounds now include a new hotel with a chapel. In each sleeping chamber, you can hear the pleasant sounds of chamber music as it was played 100 years ago.
Last year’s champion has returned to defend his title. Three other previous champions will also be playing. Perhaps this championship will determine who is the best Golden Golfer this decade.
The start of the match is often chaotic. Throngs of spectators try to get themselves in the best position to see the action. There’s a lot of pushing going on out there. Although I wouldn’t characterize it as chaos, it’s getting pretty wild. I can see a dense crowd of people pushing their way towards the front to get a better view of the opening ceremony.
Minutes from now, the tournament master will ring the ceremonial bell with his gold hammer. As usual, the players are formally dressed for this ceremonious occasion.
While we’re waiting, let’s talk a little more about golf. We’ve seen some unusual tough matches this year. Our network censors have had a difficult time screening our some of the rough language. Some of the players were censured for swearing. Nothing causes more chagrin than being officially reprimanded. It’s almost as bad as being chafed by a brand new pair of golf shoes!
And there’s the sound of the bell!
censor v. 检查，审查；n. 检查员censure v. 责难，非难
census n. 人口调查，人口普查centennial n. 百年纪念
centigrade adj. 摄氏（温度）的ceremonial n. 仪式；adj. 正式的ceremonious adj. 讲究仪式的，隆重的ceremony n. 典礼，仪式；礼节chafe vt. 擦热，擦破
chagrin n. 懊恼，失望chamber n. 室；房间
chamber music 室内音乐
champion n. 冠军；拥护者；vt. 支持；主张
championship n. 锦标赛
chaos n. 混乱
chaotic adj. 混乱的
chapel n. 小礼拜堂
character n. 角色；性格
characteristic adj. 典型的，表现
characterize vt. 描绘，叙述；表现…的特色，刻画。。。的性格
34 Undercover 密探charcoal-chirp
The smell of roasted chillis filled the air as the chef moved the large chunks of charcoal around in the fire. He chilled a bottle of red wine as he waited for the fire to build. I’m at a chateau in France. By the way, French chefs love to chat, and they usually have a fair amount of charisma. However, they will chide you if you try to speak French. Fortunately, I do not speak French.
Did I mention that I’m a well-trained secret agent? I keep my edge by remaining chaste. I’m also chary. I never work without a disguise that matches my assignment. I’m also an expert at using chicanery to accomplish my mission.
By the way, I’m working undercover at this moment. My job is to investigate Joe Banana who is the head of a big charity. I followed him to this island chateau where he’s holding a party. It was pretty tough getting here. I had to charter a private boat and even the captain had problems charting his course. It was a pretty chilly night to be on a boat.
Gaining entry to the chateau was just as difficult. They always check you at the door for weapons. Also, you have to make a charitable contribution to gain e ntry to these types of parties. I used my disguise to sneak in through the kitchen. I wish that noisy bird hadn’t chirped.
I really cherish these successful infiltrations. Now, all I need to do is to charm my way into a seat at Joe Banana’s table so that I can hear everything he says. I probably should have used a different disguise but this was the only one that seemed to match the assignment. I hope he likes chimpanzees!
charcoal n. 炭；木炭
charisma n. （大众爱戴的）的领袖气质，魅力
charitable adj. 慈善的，慈善事业的；仁慈的；施舍慷慨的charity n. 施舍，慈善（事业、机构）
chart n. 海图，图表；vt. 制图
charter vt. 准许（某人或某物）包租。。。；特许；n.宪章，章程chary adj. 小心的，谨慎的
chaste adj. 贞洁的；纯洁的，正派的，高雅的；（思想、言论）朴素的
chat vi. 闲谈
chateau n. 城堡，高级宾馆check vt. 检查，核对；阻止，加以控制；n. 支票chef n. 厨师
cherish vt. 怀抱（希望等）；珍爱
chicanery n. 诡计，诈骗
chide vt. 斥责
chill vt. 使变冷；冷却；n. 寒意，寒战
chilli n. 红辣椒
chilly adj. 寒冷的
chimpanzee n. 黑猩猩
chirp vi. 喳喳（虫和鸟的叫声）
35 Choreography 舞蹈编排chisel-cipher
Dancing is a chore sometimes. My choreographer keeps chiseling away at me, hoping to shape me into perfection. B ut she can’t expect
chunks to just fall off. I know the rules of chivalry forbid it, but sometimes I feel like choking that chubby woman. When I hold that thought, I have to chuckle. It certainly wouldn’t be the Christian thing to do.
Today, choreography i s an essential component of many performing arts. Unless you’re just part of a chorus, there’s probably some dancing involved in your performance. A brief choreographic presentation can add beauty and excitement to any show.
I’ve tried to make it as a dancer but it’s hard to do when you have chronic injuries. These injuries can easily turn smooth movements into choppy actions. I’ve been chopped by my share of bad reviews. However, it’s not completely my fault.
If you put my injury and work history into chronological order, you’ll see that most of my major injuries occurred while I was dancing hurt. In other words, the chronology shows that dancing while you have a minor injury could be a very foolish mistake. Yet, many choreographers will insist that you dance with your injury. I have therefore developed a special cipher. It allows you to communicate your displeasure by using nothing but the fingers of your dominant hand.
What I would really like to do is to choreograph other people. It would be an exciting c areer. But I shouldn’t think too far into the future. For the moment, I need to rest. Perhaps after a few ciders, I’ll be able to think again.
chisel n. 凿子；v. 坎凿，雕，刻
chivalry n. 骑士精神，骑士制度
choke vt. 使窒息；掐住。。。的脖子；梗塞。。。的咽喉；呛chop vt. 砍
choppy adj. (水面)波浪起伏的，（指风）不断改变方向的chore n. 零工，杂务；困难的工作；令人讨厌的工作choreograph vt. 设计舞蹈动作
choreographer n. 舞蹈指导
choreographic adj. 舞蹈术的，舞蹈的
choreography n. 舞蹈编排
chorus n. 合唱团Christian n. 基督教徒；adj. 基督教的；文明的；正派的；宽宏大量的；人道的；友好的
chronic adj. 长期的；慢性的
chronological adj. 按年代顺序排列的
chronology n. 年代学，年表
chubby adj. 丰满的，圆胖的
chuckle vi. 咯咯地笑
chunk n. 大块；矮胖的人或物
cider n. 苹果酒，苹果汁
cipher n. 密码
36 My Job at the Newspaper Company 我在一家报业公司的工作circle-Civil War
I work as the editor of a small newspaper. Our offices and printing presses are located on the grounds of an old citadel that has been standing since the days of the Civil War. The rent here is relatively cheap. However, the facilities are rather old and we’re constantly making repairs to the electrical circuits in our building. According to our circulation desk, we circulate about 10,000 papers each day. If I were to draw a circle around our circulation area, the circumference would be about 15 miles.
Ours is a civilian company. However, due to our location, the military has the right to circumscribe the content of our newspaper. For that reason, I’m a bit circumspect about the articles that we publish. I try to print the news without being too critical of the government, the military or the people in power.
Today, I’m thinking about running a s tory about lawyers. Lawyers have been around since the start of civilization. They are credited for writing the first civil code and the bill of civil rights. However, they are disliked for their circuitous manner of speaking and their ability to circumvent the law by citing obscure legal doctrines. Lawyers who are involved in politics are especially adept at circumlocution. They always make circular arguments to avoid the issue. Some lawyers are kind and helpful. Others are known for their lack of civility.
A lot depends on the circumstances and how much money you have.
Perhaps a story about lawyers might be too controversial. I’d better think of a more agreeable subject.
circle n. 圆周，圆形物；（具有共同兴趣、利益的人们所组成的）圈子；集团；vt. 包围，环绕
circuit n. 电路
circuitous adj. 迂回的，绕圈子的
circular adj. 循环的；圆的
circulate v. （使）循环；传阅，流传；发行，销售circulation desk 图书借还台；发行处
circumference n. 圆周；周长
circumlocution n. 迂回累赘的陈述，拐弯抹角地讲话；遁词circumscribe vt. 划界限；限制
circumspect adj. 慎重的，仔细的circumstance n. 环境，情况
circumvent v. 用计谋战胜，规避
citadel n. 堡垒，要塞
cite vt. 引用；举例
civil adj. 公民的；市民的；国内的
civilian adj. 市民的，平民的；民间的
civility n. 礼貌，客气，谦恭；（常用作civilities）礼仪；客套；寒暄
civilization n. 文明，文化
civil rights 公民权
Civil War 内战