胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇002

Lesson 2 Love of Numbers

Words:

absenteeism n. 旷课，旷工

absentee n. 缺席者

 

absolve¹ v. 宽恕；赦免（罪行、过失等），解除（责任等）

 

absorb vt. 吸引（液体、知识等）；理解，掌握

 

absorbing adj. 吸引人的，引人入胜的

 

abstain² v. 自制，自动放弃；戒绝，有意回避

 

abstinence n. 自制，节制（禁欲、戒酒等）

 

abstract adj. 抽象的；难解的 ，深奥的

 

abstraction n. 抽象概念

 

abstruse³ 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；（物品等的）不精心使用

 

abut⁴ 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. 加快，加速；促进，促进。。。早日发生

 

accentuate⁵ v. 突出，强调

access n. 接触，接近（的机会）；入口，通道

As an academician, I think Mathematics is an intriguing⁶ and absorbing science. How ever, 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 interest in Math.

 

When I was a freshman⁷ in college, I also believe Math was a mere⁸ abstraction. Study it was like falling into a spinning abyss of numbers and symbols. Just thinking about it seems like an abuse of my brain. However, my entire tuition was financed by an academic scholarship, so I have to maintain high marks in all of my classes, including Math.

 

My most abstruse class was Advanced Calculus⁹ Mathematics. It was taught in a large lecture hall which abutted¹⁰ the North access gate of the University. Unlike many absentees in my class who often abstained¹¹ from attending the boring lectures, I dare not absolve myself from this responsibility. Any degree of absenteeism would 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 when 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 mathematician¹². She would come to the class everday in a coulorful silk scraf that accentuated¹³ 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!

 

作为一名学者，我认为数学是一门既有趣又引人入胜的科学。然而，我的许多学生却认为这是一门抽象科学，他们憎恨数学，因为数学公式太难理解又太难记住。我想如果我的学生知道我是如何对数学产生兴趣的，一定会哄堂大笑。

 

上大一时，我也觉得数学无非就是一种抽象，学数学就好像掉进了数字和符号那令人眩晕的深渊。仅仅是思考数学问题似乎都在浪费大脑。但由于我的学费全靠学习奖学金，因此我不得不每门功课都拿高分，这自然也包括数学。

 

最深奥难懂的课非微积分莫属。当时在一个大讲堂上课，这个课堂紧靠学习北门的入口。班里诸多缺席者常常是刻意回避那些无聊的讲座，我却不敢自作主张的免除听课的责任。旷课次数无论多少都可能导致我数学的不及格，甚至还发誓要对自己充裕的酒类供应加以节制。

 

数学课上到第四周，我才遇到那位促使为对这门荒谬的学科产生兴趣继而理解它的好人。她是从北京来的交换生，也是一位卓越的数学家。每天她都会系着一条色彩鲜艳的围巾来上课，那条围巾更衬托出她的笑脸。

 

能遇到同胞真是太好了。她激起了我对数学的热爱。尽管我们现在在不同的国家生活和教学，我仍能在我写下的各个数字间看到她微笑的脸庞！

1 absolve   

v.赦免，解除（责任等）

参考例句：

• I absolve you,on the ground of invincible ignorance.鉴于你不可救药的无知，我原谅你。
• They agree to absolve you from your obligation.他们同意免除你的责任。

2 abstain   

v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免

参考例句：

• His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.他的医生嘱咐他戒酒。
• Three Conservative MPs abstained in the vote.三位保守党下院议员投了弃权票。

3 abstruse   

adj.深奥的，难解的

参考例句：

• Einstein's theory of relativity is very abstruse.爱因斯坦的相对论非常难懂。
• The professor's lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them.该教授的课程太深奥了，学生们纷纷躲避他的课。

4 abut   

v.接界，毗邻

参考例句：

• The two lots are abut together.那两块地毗连着。
• His lands abut on the motorway.他的土地毗邻高速公路。

5 accentuate   

v.着重，强调

参考例句：

• She has beautiful eyes, so we should accentuate them in the makeup.她眼睛很美丽，我们在化妆时应该突出她的眼睛。
• Mrs Obamas speeches rarely accentuate the positive.奥巴马夫人的演讲很少强调美国积极的一面。

6 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

8 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

9 calculus   

n.微积分；结石

参考例句：

• This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
• After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。

10 abutted   

v.（与…）邻接( abut的过去式和过去分词 )；（与…）毗连；接触；倚靠

参考例句：

• Their house abutted against the hill. 他们的房子紧靠着山。 来自辞典例句
• The sidewalk abutted on the river. 人行道紧挨着河川。 来自辞典例句

11 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 mathematician   

n.数学家

参考例句：

• The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
• The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。

13 accentuated   

v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于

参考例句：

• The problem is accentuated by a shortage of water and electricity. 缺乏水电使问题愈加严重。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her black hair accentuated the delicateness of her skin. 她那乌黑的头发更衬托出她洁嫩的皮肤。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》