新概念美音版第三冊 Lesson 52 Mud is mud 實事求是

 
Lesson 52 Mud is mud 實事求是
           
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.

聽錄音，然後回答以下問題。

Why did Harry decide to give up his little game?

    My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study. Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick, grayish substance. If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud. If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin. This brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might have. The bottle really does contain perfumed mud. How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating. Furthermore, the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.

    Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist. He would invent fanciful names on the spot. On entering a shop, he would ask for a new perfume called 'Scented Shadow' or for 'insoluble bath cubes'. If a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out. He loved to be told that one of his imaginary products was temporarily out of stock and he would faithfully promise to call again at some future date, but of course he never did. How Harry managed to keep a straight face during these performances is quite beyond me. 

    Harry does not need to be prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of mud. One day, he went to an exclusive shop in London and asked for 'Myrolite', the shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word, slowly stressing each syllable. When the woman shook her head in bewilderment, Harry went on to explain that 'myrolite' was a hard, amber-like substance which could be used to remove freckles. This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf. She produced all sorts of weird concoctions, but none of them met with Harry's requirements. When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed, the assistant promised to order some for him. Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud. He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment. However, it was his turn to be surprised, for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect. For once, Harry had to admit defeat. He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle and discreetly asked the price. He was glad to get away with a mere twenty pounds and he beat a hasty retreat, clutching the precious bottle under his arm. From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive. The curious bottle, which now adorns the bookcase in his study, was his first and last purchase of rare cosmetics.

New words and expressions 生詞和短語

     permanent
adj. 永久的

     tint
v.   給……染色

     delicate
adj. 淡色的

     shade
n.   色度

     observant
adj. 觀察力敏銳的

     dispel
v.   驅散，消除

     outlandish
adj. 稀奇古怪的

     acquisition
n.   獲得

     cosmetic
n.   化妝品

     outrageous
adj. 無理的，令人不能容忍的

     fanciful
adj. 想像出來的

     insoluble
adj. 不可溶解的

     prompt
v.   敦促，激勵

     exclusive
adj. 專售高檔商品的

     syllable
n.   音節

     bewilderment
n.   迷惑，糊塗

     freckle
n.   雀斑

     evidently
adv. 顯然的，明顯地

     weird
adj. 奇異的，古怪的

     concoction
n.   調製品

     intoxicate
v.   陶醉，得意忘形

     blank
adj. 無表情的，茫然的

     discreetly
adv. 謹慎地

     clutch
v.   抓住

     adorn
v.   裝飾，打扮

參考譯文

    我的堂兄哈裏在他的書房裏一直擺著一隻形狀古怪的大瓶子。盡管那隻瓶子呈淡綠色，但細心的客人很快就會發現瓶裏裝的是一種看上去黏稠，顏色發灰的東西。要是你問哈裏瓶裏裝著什麽，他會告訴你是香水泥。如果你表示懷疑或驚奇，他會立即請你聞一聞，然後取出一些抹在你的皮膚上。這一簡單的試驗會消除你可能存有的一切疑慮。瓶裏裝的的確是香水泥。哈裏如何得到這種稀奇古怪的東西的，這裏有個有趣的故事，而且他挺愛把它講給別人聽。此外，得到這瓶香水泥還治好了他多年的一個壞習慣。

    哈裏曾認為走進一家名貴化妝品商店，荒唐地提出要買一種根本不存在的商品是件開心的事兒。他會當場編造出一些稀奇古怪的貨名。他走進商店後，會提出要一種名叫“香影”的新型香水或什麽“不溶浴皂”。要是女售貨員告訴他從未聽說過這些東西，他會裝出十分遺憾和不安的樣子。他愛聽售貨員說他想像出來的那種東西暫時脫銷，於是他就煞有介事地許諾改天再來光顧。當然，他再也不會來了。我實在想像不出哈裏在這些表演中是怎樣裝出一本正經的樣子的。

    毋須暗示哈裏就會向你講起他買下那瓶珍貴香水泥的經過。一天，他去倫敦一家高級商店要買一種叫“密諾萊特”的東西，店員露出詫異的神色。哈裏又慢慢地，一字一頓說了一遍這個詞，那個女售貨員還是迷惑不解地搖了搖頭。哈裏便進一步解釋“密諾萊特”是一種質地堅硬、狀似琥珀的東西，可以用來除去雀斑。他的解釋顯然對女售貨員有些啟示。她一個貨架接著一個貨架地尋找，拿出各種各樣稀奇古怪的化妝品，但沒有一樣能夠符合哈裏的要求。哈裏裝出不高興的樣子時，女售貨員答應為他定貨。哈裏為他的騙術而感到洋洋得意，又提出要買香水泥。他原想女售貨員會驚奇地望著他，不知所措，沒料到這回該輪到他自己吃驚了。因為那女售貨員聽完哈裏的話後，馬上眼睛一亮，拿出幾瓶東西放在櫃台上讓哈裏挑選。哈裏隻好認輸。他挑出一個看上去最小的瓶子，謹慎地問了價。他慶幸自己隻破費了20英鎊便得以脫身。他把那寶貴的瓶子放在腋下夾著，溜之大吉。從那以後，他認識到自己發明的小小惡作劇是要付出很大的代價的。在他書房的書櫃裏擺著那瓶形狀古怪的香水泥就是他第一次也是最後一次購買的稀有化妝品。