胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇221

　　221. The torpor¹ of college students大学生对学业的漠然态度 torment²-tractor
U.S. college students have reported torpid⁴ feelings toward their studies lately. Why such torpor at a time in their lives when learning should be liberating⁵? The answer can be traced to the fact that a torrent⁶ of ideas are running through their heads, like a tornado⁷ making its first touchdown, and the ivory tower is not the only place in which they have an interest. For example, college is often the first place students are touched by love. Touching⁸ though it may sound, the experience can be quite tortuous⁹ and can torment students for quite some time. When asked about love on campus, many students were touchy¹⁰ about the subject. It is good to remember that young people are very tractable¹¹, and the barrage¹² of ideas they are presented with can make life seem tough. Many students are politically active, handing out tracts¹³ on issues students may have never thought about before, such as where and how to dispose of toxic¹⁴ waste or who to vote for in the next election. Such torrential ideas may only add to the apathy¹⁵ they feel toward their schoolwork. Towering social pressure is also a factor. While high school conversations may have focused on topics such as the torque associated with Kevin’s new corvette. No one in college wants to talk about these things. Students tow a lot of personal baggage from their home lives as well. Living in new topographical areas, they must accustom¹⁶ themselves to new ways of living and speaking. A farm boy from Iowa might be used to talking about the traction¹⁷ on certain tractor tires, while a young girl from Indonesia might previously¹⁸ have been occupied with averting¹⁹ disaster from seasonal²⁰ torrential rains. Sitting in the stands at a basketball tournament in New York is a new experience altogether. With new experiences awaiting them at every turn, it is no wonder they care less about academics.
torment n.痛苦 v.折磨
tornado n.旋风，龙卷风
torpid adj.懒散的，死气沉沉的，不活泼的
torpor n.迟钝，不活泼
torque n.扭矩
torrent n.连发，迸发，急流，洪流
torrential adj.奔流的，如急流的
torrential rain豪雨，大雨
tortuous adj.曲折的，拐弯抹角的
touchdown n.着地，降落
touched adj.被感动的
touching adj.动人的，令人感动的
touchy adj.敏感的，易发脾气的
tough adj.坚硬的，艰苦的
tournament n.比赛，锦标赛
tow v. 拖引，牵引n.拖，
tower n.塔，城堡
towering adj.高耸的，杰出的
toxic adj.有毒的，中毒的
trace n. 痕迹vt.跟踪，追溯
tract³ n.广阔的地面，大片（土地），道，传单
tractable adj.温顺的，易于驾驭的
traction n.牵引，附着磨擦力
tractor n.拖拉机

1 torpor   

n.迟钝；麻木；（动物的）冬眠

参考例句：

• The sick person gradually falls into a torpor.病人逐渐变得迟钝。
• He fell into a deep torpor.他一下子进入了深度麻痹状态。

2 torment   

n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠

参考例句：

• He has never suffered the torment of rejection.他从未经受过遭人拒绝的痛苦。
• Now nothing aggravates me more than when people torment each other.没有什么东西比人们的互相折磨更使我愤怒。

3 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

4 torpid   

adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的

参考例句：

• He just walked and his mind drifted slowly like a torpid stream.他只是埋头走，脑袋里思想都凝滞了，有如一汪流不动的溪水。
• Even when he was awake he was completely torpid.他醒着的时候也完全麻木不动。

5 liberating   

解放，释放( liberate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Revolution means liberating the productive forces. 革命就是为了解放生产力。
• They had already taken on their shoulders the burden of reforming society and liberating mankind. 甚至在这些集会聚谈中，他们就已经夸大地把改革社会、解放人群的责任放在自己的肩头了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

6 torrent   

n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发

参考例句：

• The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
• Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。

7 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

8 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

9 tortuous   

adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的

参考例句：

• We have travelled a tortuous road.我们走过了曲折的道路。
• They walked through the tortuous streets of the old city.他们步行穿过老城区中心弯弯曲曲的街道。

10 touchy   

adj.易怒的；棘手的

参考例句：

• Be careful what you say because he's touchy.你说话小心，因为他容易生气。
• He's a little touchy about his weight.他对自己的体重感到有点儿苦恼。

11 tractable   

adj.易驾驭的；温顺的

参考例句：

• He was always tractable and quiet.他总是温顺、恬静。
• Gold and silver are tractable metals.金和银是容易加工的金属。

12 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

13 tracts   

大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文

参考例句：

• vast tracts of forest 大片大片的森林
• There are tracts of desert in Australia. 澳大利亚有大片沙漠。

14 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

15 apathy   

n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡

参考例句：

• He was sunk in apathy after his failure.他失败后心恢意冷。
• She heard the story with apathy.她听了这个故事无动于衷。

16 accustom   

vt.使适应，使习惯

参考例句：

• It took him a while to accustom himself to the idea.他过了一段时间才习惯这个想法。
• It'shouldn't take long to accustom your students to working in groups.你的学生应该很快就会习惯分组学习的。

17 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

18 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

19 averting   

防止，避免( avert的现在分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• The margin of time for averting crisis was melting away. 可以用来消弥这一危机的些许时光正在逝去。
• These results underscore the value of rescue medications in averting psychotic relapse. 这些结果显示了救护性治疗对避免精神病复发的价值。

20 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。