胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇020

Lesson 20 Voting Day in San Rico 圣黎各的投票日

bald adj. 秃头的，光秃的

bald eagle 秃头鹰（美国国鸟）

balk¹ vi. 阻碍；犹豫，不愿做

ballot² n. 选票

ban vt. 禁止；查禁

banal³ adj. 陈腐的

band n. 乐队；队；（光或颜色的）带；vi. 联合，集合

bandanna⁴ n. 大手帕

bandit n. 强盗

bandleader n. 乐队指挥

bandmaster n. 乐队指挥

bang n. 发出砰的一声，重击

bankrupt adj. 破产了的

bankruptcy⁵ n. 破产

banner n. 旗帜，标语

banquet n. 宴会，盛会

banter⁶ n. (善意的)取消，逗弄；v. 善意地与人开玩笑

bar n. 酒吧；snack bar 快餐店；条，棒；栅

barb⁷ n. (鱼钩等的)倒钩；倒刺

Initially⁸, I balked⁹ at my editor’s request that I cover the presidential elections in San Rico. San Rico was known for its bandits. Just one year ago, we had been banned from traveling there because of the danger. This year, the government promised political reforms and crime control.

 

Could thing have changed so much in only one year? Not in my mind. I imagined the worst. I anticipated burly bald man wearing bandannas¹⁰, riding around on motorcycles and harassing¹¹ voters. I pictured a bankrupt candidate, making a banal speech to a bored crowd, and claiming that his bankruptcy would not interfere¹² with his government duties. I even expected the ballot box to be wrapped in barbed wire, with blood dripping from some of the barbs¹³. What I didn’t expect was a bandmaster and the bang of a drum!

 

When our foreign press plane arrived in San Rico, we were greeted by a cheering crowd and a marching band. There was even a bald eagle. The bandleader led us from the plane, through the throngs¹⁴ of smiling people, and into the packed center of the city. There was big red banners hanging from every building, encouraging people to vote. Secure voting booths stood on every corner with people standing¹⁵ in long lines to cast their ballot. I had never seen so much enthusiasm for an election.

 

It was a new and exciting beginning for the people of San Rico. I reported it all in my story and faxed it back to my editor. After attending a wonderful banquet, I found myself sitting at a bar, listening to the banter about the election.

 

一开始主编让我报道圣黎各举行的总统选举时，我犹豫不决。圣黎各以其土匪之多闻名。一年前，当地政府就是因为太危险才禁止人们来圣黎各旅游的。今年，政府承诺进行政治改革同时打击犯罪。

 

仅一年的时间情况就会有所改观吗？我看未必。我做了最坏的打算：我指望看到些戴大手帕的高大秃顶男人，他们骑着摩托车四处骚扰投票者；我想象着一个破产的候选人的样子，人们不耐烦的听着他乏味的演说，他还一面声明破产不会影响他执政；我甚至能看到裹着钢丝网的投票箱，血液正从倒钩上一滴滴落下来。但我万万没想到会有乐队指挥和击鼓声！

 

当外报记者搭乘的飞机到达圣黎各时，迎接我们的是欢呼的人群和行进中的乐队，甚至还有一直秃头鹰。乐队指挥领着我们走下飞机，穿过面带微笑的人们，来到人山人海的市中心。每座建筑物上都挂有鼓励人们投票的红色大标语。每一条街道拐角处都有安全的投票亭，在那里，人们排着长队等候投票。我还从未见过对选举这般热衷的场面。

 

对圣黎各人民而言，这是一个崭新而又令人兴奋的开端。我全面报道了这一切，然后将稿子传真给主编。参加完一个丰盛的晚宴后，我在一家酒吧坐了下来，听人们戏说今天的选举。

1 balk   

n.大方木料；v.妨碍；不愿前进或从事某事

参考例句：

• We get strong indications that his agent would balk at that request.我们得到的强烈暗示是他的经纪人会回避那个要求。
• He shored up the wall with a thick balk of wood.他用一根粗大的木头把墙撑住。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 banal   

adj.陈腐的，平庸的

参考例句：

• Making banal remarks was one of his bad habits.他的坏习惯之一就是喜欢说些陈词滥调。
• The allegations ranged from the banal to the bizarre.从平淡无奇到离奇百怪的各种说法都有。

4 bandanna   

n.大手帕

参考例句：

• He knotted the bandanna around his neck.他在脖子上系了一条印花大围巾。
• He wiped his forehead with a blue bandanna and smiled again.他用一条蓝色的大手帕擦擦前额，又笑了笑。

5 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

6 banter   

n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑

参考例句：

• The actress exchanged banter with reporters.女演员与记者相互开玩笑。
• She engages in friendly banter with her customers.她常和顾客逗乐。

7 barb   

n.（鱼钩等的）倒钩，倒刺

参考例句：

• The barb of his wit made us wince.他那锋芒毕露的机智使我们退避三舍。
• A fish hook has a barb to prevent the fish from escaping after being hooked.鱼钩上都有一个倒钩以防上了钩的鱼逃走。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 balked   

v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑

参考例句：

• He balked in his speech. 他忽然中断讲演。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They balked the robber's plan. 他们使强盗的计划受到挫败。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 bandannas   

n.印花大手帕( bandanna的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Long hair, overalls, bandannas, a Jesus beard on Dad. 长发，工作裤，大手帕，还有父亲的耶稣式胡子。 来自互联网
• They had standard-issue bandannas over their faces. 脸上蒙普通的大花巾。 来自互联网

11 harassing   

v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人）

参考例句：

• The court ordered him to stop harassing his ex-wife. 法庭命令他不得再骚扰前妻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was too close to be merely harassing fire. 打得这么近，不能完全是扰乱射击。 来自辞典例句

12 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

13 barbs   

n.（箭头、鱼钩等的）倒钩( barb的名词复数 )；带刺的话；毕露的锋芒；钩状毛

参考例句：

• She slung barbs at me. 她说了些讥刺我的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I would no longer uncomplainingly accept their barbs or allow their unaccountable power to go unchallenged. 我不会再毫无怨言地洗耳恭听他们带刺的话，或让他们的不负责任的权力不受到挑战。 来自辞典例句

14 throngs   

n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群，拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
• Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过，慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句

15 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。