胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇088

Lesson 88 The Funeral 葬礼

Words:

err¹ vt. 做错，出差错

erratic² adj. 古怪的，不稳定的

erupt vi. 喷出，爆发

escalate³ vi. 升级，逐步增强

escalator n. 电动扶梯

eschew⁴ vi. 避开，危害

escort v. 护送，伴随

essential adj. 绝对必要的，基础的

estate n. 财产，庄园

estimable adj. 可估计的，值得尊敬的

estimate vt. 估计

eternal adj. 永恒的，永远的

ethics⁵ n. 伦理学

etiquette⁶ n. 礼仪，礼节

eulogy⁷ n. 颂词，颂文；悼文，悼词

euphonious⁸ adj. 悦耳的

evade⁹ vt. 躲避，逃避

evaluate vt. 评价，估价

“Do you want me to escort you to the funeral?” Laura asked.

“It might violate the rules of etiquette,” replied Kathy. “Perhaps I had better err on the side of caution. Why don’t we meet later at the new ethnic¹⁰ restaurant downstairs? Say, about 6 p.m.?”

“Okay.’ Laura said.

Kathy took the escalator down to the lobby where she found a taxi waiting. “Take me to the Smith estate,” she told the driver. Kathy eschewed¹¹ funerals, but she had no choice. Attending this one was essential to her job as the family’s estate lawyer. The deceased, John Smith, was an estimable man in the community. He was a famous professor of ethics at the local university. His behavior was a bit erratic in the final years of his life but he as careful not to evade his responsibilities. Before he died, he hired Kathy to evaluate his estate holdings and to draft an indisputable will. He did not want any differences of opinion between his heirs to escalate into a family feud¹². The will required Kathy to estimate the value of Mr. Smith’s assets, to sell them for a reasonable price, and then to distribute the proceeds.

The eulogy was the standard speech. The priest talked about eternal life as reward for living a good life. At the end of the speech, applause erupted from the audience. In Kathy’s opinion, the eruption¹³ was loud enough to wake to dead.

“Was it that bad?” Laura asked.

“The music wasn’t bad,” Kathy replied. “I thought the violin and the piano produced a euphonious combination.”

“你要我陪你参加史密斯先生的葬礼吗？” 劳拉问。

“那可能不合礼仪规定，”凯西说，“我还是多多谨慎不出错为好。我们晚一点，比如下午6点，在那家新开的民族饭店楼梯处见面好吗？”

“好吧。”劳拉说。

凯西乘自动扶梯来到中央大厅，一辆出租车正等在门外。“到史密斯庄园。”她对司机说。凯西向来回避葬礼，但她别无选择。作为史密斯的财产律师，她必须参加这个葬礼。史密斯再当地是个受人尊敬的人，他是当地大学著名的伦理学教授。虽然他晚年行为有写古怪，但他谨慎小心，从不逃避责任。去世前，他委托凯西对他的全部财产进行评估，而后草拟了一份无可争议的遗嘱。他不愿意财产继承人之间的意见分歧扩大而升级为家庭不和。遗嘱要求凯西对史密斯先生的资产进行评估，并以合理的价格出售，然后把所得收入分给继承人。

悼词采用标准的哀悼语言。牧师谈论着人一生积德，作为回报，死后才能永生。悼词结束的时候，人群中突然爆发出一阵掌声，在凯西听起来，这掌声爆发得足以可以把死去的人惊醒。

“葬礼就那么糟糕吗？”劳拉问。

“音乐还不错，”凯西回答，“我觉得小提琴和钢琴演奏出了悦耳的合音。”

1 err   

vi.犯错误，出差错

参考例句：

• He did not err by a hair's breadth in his calculation.他的计算结果一丝不差。
• The arrows err not from their aim.箭无虚发。

2 erratic   

adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
• The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

3 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

4 eschew   

v.避开，戒绝

参考例句：

• Eschew fattening foods if you want to lose weight.你如想减肥，就不要吃致肥的食物。
• Good kid should eschew bad company.好孩子应避免交坏朋友。

5 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

6 etiquette   

n.礼仪，礼节；规矩

参考例句：

• The rules of etiquette are not so strict nowadays.如今的礼仪规则已不那么严格了。
• According to etiquette,you should stand up to meet a guest.按照礼节你应该站起来接待客人。

7 eulogy   

n.颂词；颂扬

参考例句：

• He needs no eulogy from me or from any other man. 他不需要我或者任何一个人来称颂。
• Mr.Garth gave a long eulogy about their achievements in the research.加思先生对他们的研究成果大大地颂扬了一番。

8 euphonious   

adj.好听的，悦耳的，和谐的

参考例句：

• He was enchanted with the euphonious music.他陶醉在那悦耳的音乐中。
• The euphonious sound of Carrie's cello playing always puts me at ease.嘉莉悦耳的大提琴演奏总让我心旷神怡。

9 evade   

vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避

参考例句：

• He tried to evade the embarrassing question.他企图回避这令人难堪的问题。
• You are in charge of the job.How could you evade the issue?你是负责人，你怎么能对这个问题不置可否？

10 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

11 eschewed   

v.（尤指为道德或实际理由而）习惯性避开，回避( eschew的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I eschewed upbraiding, I curtailed remonstrance. 我避免责备，少作规劝。 来自辞典例句
• Moreover, she has a business plan, an accessory eschewed by cavalier counterparts. 此外，她还有商业计划，这是彬彬有礼的男设计师们回避的一点。 来自互联网

12 feud   

n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇

参考例句：

• How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？
• The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

13 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。