讀故事記單詞——Adaptation is the key

　　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 toadapt 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)適應，調(diào)整;改編

　　adaptable adj. 能適應的，適應性強的

　　adaptation n. 改編，改寫;適應環(huán)境

　　addict vt. 使沉溺，使上癮

　　addictive adj. 加法的; n. 添加劑

　　adept adj. 熟練的，擅長的，拿手的，有一手的

　　adhere vi. 黏附，粘牢;追隨，堅持，遵守

　　adhesive n. 粘著物; adj. 粘著的

　　adjacent adj. 接近的，毗連的，臨近的

　　adjoin vt. 相鄰，毗鄰

　　adjourn v. 延期，休會

　　adjunct n. 附件，附屬，附庸

　　adjust vt. 調(diào)整，使適應于

　　administer vt. 管理

　　administration n. 管理，經(jīng)營;當局，政府

　　admirable adj. 值得稱贊的，令人欽佩的

　　admire vt. 欽佩，崇拜;欣賞

　　admit vt. 準許進入;承認

　　admittedly adv. 公認地;誠然地，無可否認地

　　adobe n. 泥磚，土坯房