胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇040

Lesson 40 Bob 鲍勃

Words:

colonel n. 陆军上校

colonial adj. 殖民的，殖民地的

colonize¹ vt. 建立殖民地，拓殖；（生物群体）定居，居于

colony n. 殖民地；群体

colossal² adj. 巨大的

combination n. 化合，组合

combine v. 联合，结合

combustible³ adj. 易燃的

combustion⁴ n. 燃烧

comet n. 彗星

comic adj. 滑稽的，好笑的；喜剧的

comical adj. 好笑的，滑稽的

commander n. 司令官，指挥官

commence v. 开始，着手

commend v. 称赞，颂扬

commemorate⁵ vt. 纪念

commensurate adj. 相应的，相称的

comment n. 注释，评论；vi. 谈及；注释，评论

commentary n. 注释，解说词；评论

commentator⁶ n. 评论员，讲解员

Long ago, it wasn’t unusual for colossal countries to establish colonies in distant lands. They were often successful at colonizing⁷ weaker kingdoms. However, some small nations were able to resist colonial rule. This brings to mind a rather comical case involving a man named Bob.

Bob was a colonel in a large country. Although he held the title of commander, he wasn’t a very good one. The men didn’t like him because of his comic ways and because he had obtained his position through influence rather than hard work. This was a bad combination for a leader. Nevertheless, Bob’s supervising officer commended him and recommended that Bob be sent to lead the colonization⁸ of a far-away country. Some believed that Bob was given this job because it was commensurate with his abilities. Others commented that the military just wanted to send Bob far away.

Bob commenced his assignment and reached the distant country by boat. It wasn’t long before Bob found himself facing the native resistance. By then, all of Bob’s men had combined to desert him. So Bob tried to hold off the natives with the only weapon he knew how to use-fire. He planned to scare the natives at night by creating a huge wall of fire in their village.

At midnight, he started pouring combustible liquids around the village. Unfortunately, he got some on the seat of his pants. Lighting⁹ a match to see, he achieved combustion. The natives said that Bob looked like a comet as he ran around the village trying to find water.

Back at home, radio commentators¹⁰ laughed and newspapers published humorous commentaries about the event. But the natives liked Bob. In fact, they commemorate Bob every year on the anniversary of his arrival.

很久以前，一个庞大的国家在海外建立殖民地是司空见惯的事。这些大国常常能在弱国成功拓殖。然而，一些小国却能抵制殖民统治。这让我想起一件非常滑稽的事，事关一个名叫鲍勃的人。

鲍勃是某大国的陆军上校。他虽说拥有统帅的头衔，但还算不上一个好统帅。将士们不喜欢他，因为他举止滑稽可笑，而且他是通过关系而不是刻苦努力才获得这一要职的。对一名领导者而言，这可不是一个好的组合。尽管如此，鲍勃的上司仍对他称赞有加，并推荐鲍勃到一个遥远的国家去领导拓殖行动。一些人认为鲍勃有相称的能力胜任这一职务，其他人则议论说军方只不过想把鲍勃赶得远远的。

鲍勃走马上任，坐船来到这个遥远的国家。鲍勃很快就遭到当地人的反抗。那时，鲍勃手下的所有将士早已联合起来叛离了他。于是，鲍勃只好用他唯一会使的武器——火来抵挡当地人。他打算在晚上围着村子点一圈大火，吓唬吓唬当地人。

半夜时分，他开始围着村子倒易燃液体。不幸的是，他臀部的裤子上也沾了点液体。他点了根火柴想看个究竟，却见他自己也惹火烧身了。当地人说鲍勃满村跑着找水时，看起来就像一颗彗星。

在他的家乡，广播评论员捧腹大笑，报纸上登出各种关于此事的搞笑评论。但是家乡人喜欢鲍勃。事实上，每逢一年一度的鲍勃返乡纪念日，他们都会纪念鲍勃。

1 colonize   

v.建立殖民地，拓殖；定居，居于

参考例句：

• Around 700 Arabs began to colonize East Africa.公元700年阿拉伯人开始把东非变为殖民地。
• Japan used to colonize many countries in Asia.日本曾经殖民过许多亚洲国家。

2 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

3 combustible   

a. 易燃的,可燃的; n. 易燃物,可燃物

参考例句：

• Don't smoke near combustible materials. 别在易燃的材料附近吸烟。
• We mustn't take combustible goods aboard. 我们不可带易燃品上车。

4 combustion   

n.燃烧；氧化；骚动

参考例句：

• We might be tempted to think of combustion.我们也许会联想到氧化。
• The smoke formed by their combustion is negligible.由它燃烧所生成的烟是可忽略的。

5 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

6 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

7 colonizing   

v.开拓殖民地，移民于殖民地( colonize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The art of colonizing is no exception to the rule. 殖民的芸术是� 有特例的。 来自互联网
• A Lesson for Other Colonizing Nations. 其它殖民国家学习的教训。 来自互联网

8 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

9 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

10 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》