胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇082

Lesson 82 The Election 选举

Words:

 

election n. 选举；当选

 

elegant adj. 雅致的

 

element n. 成分，要素

 

elementary adj. 基本的，初级的

 

elevate vt. 举起；抬高；使上升

 

elevation¹ n. 高度，海拨

 

elevator n. 起重机；电梯；谷仓

 

elicit² vt. 得出，引出

 

eligible³ adj. 合格的，有资格的

 

eliminate vt. 排除，剔除

 

elixir⁴ n. 长生不老药，仙丹妙药

 

elliptical adj. 椭圆的，省略的

 

elongate⁵ vt. 延长，伸长

 

elucidate⁶ vt. 阐述，说明

 

elusive⁷ adj. 难以捕捉的；难懂的，难捉摸的

 

emaciate⁸ vt. 使憔悴，使消瘦

 

emaciated⁹ adj. 瘦弱的，憔悴的

 

emancipate¹⁰ vt. 解放，释放

 

emancipation¹¹ n. 释放，解放

 

“Do you think an election is an exciting event?” Jane asked. She was wearing an elegant dress with an elliptical pattern. We

both entered the elevator at the same time.

 

“In some ways it is,” I replied. “We’re witnessing a vital element of democracy. Unfortunately, the voting process is not as elementary as it once was.”

 

“If only we could elevate the quality of the candidates,” Jane said. “Have you noticed how hard it is to elicit a straight answer from them? Some of them sound pretty dizzy, like they’ve spent too much time at a high elevation.”

 

“Oh, that’s funny!” I said. “But not everyone can be as eloquent¹² as you are if you were eligible to run for an elected office, would you do it?”

 

“I don’t know,” Jane replied. “Would you vote for me if I told you that I could eliminate crime? What if I said I could capture that elusive terrorist, Bin¹³ Laden¹⁴?”

 

“You may as well claim that you can emancipate the slaves,” I said. “If I was that gullible¹⁵, I’d probably be willing to buy a bottle of elixir from you.”

 

“I think you should stop talking before I elongate your neck,” Jane joked. “The emancipation you’re referring to was a serious and significant issue back then. These days, we still have very serious issues, both worldwide and domestic like how to elucidate the federal budget and how to aid the emaciated children in undeveloped countries.”

 

“Figuratively speaking, my 24-27 schedule during this election has emaciated me,” I said. “Would you mind if we continued this discussion over lunch?”

 

“Not at all,” replied Jane. “It’s hard to think with a empty stomach.”

 

我和简同时进了电梯，她穿着椭圆式样的裙装，看上去很雅致。“你以为选举是件令人兴奋的事吗？”简问我。

 

“在某些方面是必须的。”我回答。“我们正目睹着民主制度最重要的组成部分——民主选举。可惜啊，选举过程不像过去那样单纯初级了。”

 

“要是我们能提高候选人的素质就好了。”简说，“你是否注意到要从他们的嘴里得到一个直接的回答有多难？其中一些人的话听起来天花乱坠，玄之又玄，似乎要炫耀他们身居高位已有多时。”

 

“噢，多滑稽啊！”我说，“但并非每个人都像你这样能言善辩。如果有资格来竞选一个政府公职，你会参加竞选吗？”

 

“不知道，”简回答说，“如果我说我能消除犯罪，你会选我吗？如果我说我能抓住难以捉到的恐怖分子本拉登，又会怎么样？”

 

“你不妨声称你能解放奴隶，”我说，“如果我那么容易上当，我真可能要买你一瓶长生不老药了。”

 

“别再说了，否则我会把你的脖子拽长的，”简开玩笑说，“你所说的解放奴隶在当时是个严肃重要的问题。目前，不论国际，还是国内，我们都面临着一些很严肃的问题，比如，如何解释联邦的预算和怎样救助欠发达国家的贫弱儿童等问题。”

 

“说得形象些，我选举期间的24-27日的日程安排已经使我衣带渐宽，身心憔悴。”我说，“如果我们边吃午饭边继续讨论，你不介意吧？”

 

“当然不，”简回答，“肚子空空，脑子懵懂。此之谓也。”

1 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

2 elicit   

v.引出,抽出,引起

参考例句：

• It was designed to elicit the best thinking within the government. 机构的设置是为了在政府内部集思广益。
• Don't try to elicit business secrets from me. I won't tell you anything. 你休想从我这里套问出我们的商业机密, 我什么都不会告诉你的。

3 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

4 elixir   

n.长生不老药，万能药

参考例句：

• There is no elixir of life in the world.世界上没有长生不老药。
• Keep your mind awake and active;that's the only youth elixir.保持头脑清醒和灵活便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹妙药。

5 elongate   

v.拉长，伸长，延长

参考例句：

• We plan to elongate the cooperation with that company in Australia.我们打算延长与澳洲那家公司的合作关系。
• Corn is treated when the stalk starts to elongate.在玉米秆开始拔节时，给玉米打药。

6 elucidate   

v.阐明，说明

参考例句：

• The note help to elucidate the most difficult parts of the text.这些注释有助于弄清文中最难懂的部分。
• This guide will elucidate these differences and how to exploit them.这篇指导将会阐述这些不同点以及如何正确利用它们。

7 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

8 emaciate   

v.使消瘦，使憔悴

参考例句：

• A long illness had emaciated the invalid.久病使这病人消瘦了。
• The lack of food emaciates her.她因为饿而变得消瘦。

9 emaciated   

adj.衰弱的，消瘦的

参考例句：

• A long time illness made him sallow and emaciated.长期患病使他面黄肌瘦。
• In the light of a single candle,she can see his emaciated face.借着烛光，她能看到他的被憔悴的面孔。

10 emancipate   

v.解放，解除

参考例句：

• This new machine will emancipate us from the hard work.这部新机器将把我们从繁重劳动中解放出来。
• To emancipate all mankind,we will balk at no sacrifice,even that of our lives.为了全人类的解放,即使牺牲生命也在所不惜。

11 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 eloquent   

adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

13 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

14 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

15 gullible   

adj.易受骗的；轻信的

参考例句：

• The swindlers had roped into a number of gullible persons.骗子们已使一些轻信的人上了当。
• The advertisement is aimed at gullible young women worried about their weight.这则广告专门针对担心自己肥胖而易受骗的年轻女士。