胡敏讀故事記托福詞匯096：永不太忙 Never Too Busy
“It would be a major feat if I can make it through today,” Ruth said. “I have to wake up early to feed my dog. He’s been looking feeble, but I think he’s just feigning for attention. Then I have to submit my report on feminism. I have to ferret out my original research. I’m not a feminist, so it has been very difficult for me to write about it. At 8:00 a.m., I have fencing class. Then I have wine making class. We’re learning about the fermentation process. I think we’ll be fermenting red grapes.”
“如果我能完成今天所有的任務(wù)，那該是一大壯舉。”魯思說。“我必須要早起喂狗。他看上去很衰弱，不過我想他是為了讓我關(guān)心他而假裝的。然后，我得交關(guān)于女權(quán)運動的報告，還得搜出研究論文的原稿。我不是女權(quán)主義者，所以寫著方面的文章很不容易。上午八點我要上擊劍課，然后是釀酒工藝課。目前我們在學(xué)發(fā)酵過程。我想我們就要會釀制紅葡萄酒了。”
“Don’t you have any breaks?” Lydia asked.
“沒有休息一下嗎?”利迪婭問。
“No,” replied Ruth. “I’ll be riding the ferry across the river to the zoo. I’ll be visiting a pair of panda bears. The female has reached a fertile age. The zoo is hoping that the male will fertilize her. After that, I’ll be viewing the fertilized egg of an ostrich.”
“沒有，”魯思說，“我要開渡船過河去動物園，去看一對熊貓。那只雌熊貓已經(jīng)到了繁殖年齡，動物園希望雄熊貓能使她受精。然后我還要去察看鴕鳥的受精卵。”
“What’s next?” Lydia asked.
“接下來呢?”利迪婭問。
“I need to spread fertilizer on the grass in the front yard,” Ruth replied, “Then I need to check the wound on my dog’s paw. I’m afraid it might fester if I don’t get medicine for it.”
“我要給前院的草地施肥，”魯思回答，“然后要檢查一下小狗爪子的傷口，我擔(dān)心如果不給它上點藥，傷口會化膿的。”
“Do you feel fettered by your dog?” asked Lydia.
“你覺得小狗拖累你嗎?”利迪婭問。
“No, I am a fervent animal lover,” replied Ruth. “Any of my dog’s sad eyes always stirs the fervor in my heart.”
“不，我對小動物有著強烈的愛。”魯思回答。“愛犬悲傷的眼神總會激起我心中的熱情。”
“What will you be doing in the afternoon?” Lydia asked.
“那下午做什么?”利迪婭問。
“I have to finish my report on the feudal warlords of the 19th century,” Ruth said. “What is a feud, anyway?”
“必須寫完一份關(guān)于19世紀(jì)封建軍閥的報告，”魯思說，“到底什么是不共戴天之仇?”
“It’s what you and I are going to have if you don’t save some time for me,” replied Lydia. “It’s my birthday and I’m feeling a bit sad.”
“就是指如果你不再留些時間給我，我們之間就回產(chǎn)生的東西。”利迪婭回答。“今天是我的生日，我感到 有些悲哀。”
“How about a festive drink at 8:00 p.m.?” Ruth asked.
“那晚上八點來一次節(jié)日酒宴怎么樣?”魯思問。
Words:
feat n. 功績，壯舉
feeble adj. 微弱的，衰弱的
feed vt. 喂養(yǎng)，飼養(yǎng);吃草，靠…為生;n. 飼料，飼養(yǎng)
feign v. 假裝，偽裝
feminism n. 女權(quán)運動
feminist n. 女權(quán)主義者
fencing n. 圍墻，柵欄;擊劍術(shù)
ferment vt. 使發(fā)酵
fermentation n. 發(fā)酵
ferret v. 搜索，查獲
ferry n. 渡口，渡船
fertile adj. 肥沃的，富饒的;能繁殖的;主意多的，有創(chuàng)造力的
fertilize vt. 施肥，使豐饒;使受精
fertilized egg 受精卵
fertilizer n. 肥料(尤指化學(xué)肥料)
fervent adj. 熱情的，強烈的，熱烈的
fervor n. 熱情，熱烈
fester v. 潰爛，化膿
festive adj. 歡宴的，歡慶的;節(jié)日的，歡樂的
fetter vt. 帶腳鐐，束縛
feud n. 世仇
feudal adj. 封建制度的
