胡敏讀故事記托福詞匯081：切不開、嚼不爛的牛排 A Rubbery Steak
“I can’t really detect the elation in your facial expression,” Bob said. He sneered as he cut his streak with the edge if his knife. He wondered whether the tough meat was actually edible. It seemed to have more elasticity than taste.
“從你的臉上我的確能看出你的得意洋洋。”鮑勃說。他一邊用刀刃切著牛排，一邊輕蔑地笑著。他懷疑這么老的牛排是否真的可以吃。牛排看上去有彈性而不是有滋味。
“I’m in ecstasy.” Tom said, “The news media is calling the stadium I built a modern edifice. They say that it is energy efficient and that it meets the city’s tough new effluent wastewater standard. The mayor awarded me a plaque for being the most effective builder of the year. He is still shocked by the fact that only nine months have elapsed since we started this project, and now it is finished. Hoe many builders in this city can effectuate such progress in that short period of time? The answer is none.”
“我太高興了。”湯姆說，“新聞媒體把我建的露天體育場叫做宏偉建筑物。他們說它有效地利用了能源，而且它符合城市嚴格的排放廢水的新標準。由于我是本年度最有效的建筑商，市長獎勵給我一塊金匾。從開始動工到現(xiàn)在竣工，僅僅過去了九個月，市長為此更為震驚。這個城市還有多少建筑商能在如此短的時間內實現(xiàn)這么快的進度呢?答案是：一個都沒有。”
“There’s no need to elaborate,” Bob said. “I’m well aware that your project was the model of efficiency. I just wish you wouldn’t act like such an egoist all the time.”
“你沒必要詳細闡述你的業(yè)績了，”鮑勃說，“我十分清楚你的工程是個講求效率的范例。我只希望你不要總是表現(xiàn)得像個自我主義者。”
“I think you mean egotist,” Tom said. “If you study my project, it might edify your mind. That assumes that you’re still educable.”
“我想是你把我看成自我主義者了。”湯姆說，“如果你研究一下我的工程，你的思想會受到啟發(fā)。由此可以設想你還是可教育的。”
“Please stop before I eject my lunch on you,” Bob said. “You make me want to efface your name from that shiny award plaque.”
“請你停下來吧，不然我要把午飯噴到你身上了。”鮑勃說，“你煩的我真想把你的名字從閃閃的獲獎金匾上擦去。”
“Why are you showing such effrontery?” Tom asked. “You’re my best friend.”
“你為什么表現(xiàn)的如此放肆?”湯姆說，“你可是我最好的朋友。”
“Yes, I am,” relied Bob. “That’s why I’m going to advise you not to effuse so much pride. It’s just as irritating as this rubbery steak.”
“是的，”鮑勃說，“這就是為什么我要建議你別表現(xiàn)的那么傲氣十足。那就跟這塊切不斷、嚼不爛的牛排一樣令人不快。”
Words:
ecstasy n. 狂喜
edge n. 邊緣
edible adj. 可食用的
edifice n. 宏偉的建筑物，大廈
edify v. 開導，啟發(fā)
educable adj. 可教育的，可培養(yǎng)的
efface v. 擦掉，抹去
effective adj. 有效的，有力的
effectuate vt. 實行，完成
efficiency n. 效率，功效
efficient adj. 生效的，能干的，有效率的
effluent adj. 流出的
effrontery n. 厚顏無恥，放肆(的行為)
effuse vt. 流出，散布
egoist n. 自我主義者
eject vt. 噴出，噴射
elaborate adj. 精細的，精心的;詳盡的;vt. 詳細闡述
elapse vt. (光陰)流逝
elasticity n. 彈力，彈性
elation n. 得意洋洋，興高采烈
