胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇038

Lesson 38 Losing Control 失控

Words：

clinic n. 门诊所

clinical adj. 临床的

clip vt. 修剪

clockwise adj. 顺时针方向的

clog¹ vt. 阻碍；堵塞，阻塞

clumsy adj. 笨拙的，愚笨的

cluster n. 簇，串，群；vt. 丛生；聚焦

clutch n./v. 抓紧，紧握

clutter² n. 混乱；v. 使混乱；乱堆在，塞满

coalesce³ vi. 联合，合并

coalescence⁴ n. 合并，联合

coalition⁵ n. 联合，同盟

coarse adj. 粗糙的

coax⁶ vt. 哄诱，巧言诱哄

coddle v. 娇生惯养的，溺爱；悉心照料

code of laws 法典

codify⁷ vt. 编成法典，编辑成书

coexist vi. 同时存在，共存

cogent⁸ adj. （辩论等）有说服力的

cognitive⁹ adj. 认知的，感知的

I love to coddle babies. I have a little one of my own. That’s why I was protesting against the opening of an abortion¹⁰ clinic in our neighborhood. I still recollect¹¹ how we clustered in front of the clinic and tried to clog the front entrance. We would march in a clockwise way to get our message across.

I also remember how we tried to form a coalition in the legislature to enact¹² a code of laws that would limit abortions¹³. We made a lot of cogent arguments. We tried to coax legislators into voting our way. Although several proposed laws were accepted for consideration, none were passed or codified¹⁴. Eventually, our group began to coalesce with other anti-abortion groups. The coalescence gave us a stronger voice, but we also lost an element of control over the group’s activities.

I never believed in using violence to achieve our cause. However, somebody in out group did and I’ll never forget that day. He shot and killed a clinical psychologist who was entering the abortion clinic. It was a cognitive act of brutality¹⁵ and it happened right in front of my eyes. I quickly ran to give aid to the wounded psychologist. She grabbed my arm to hold herself up, but her clutch loosened as she lost consciousness.

Since then, I’ve never taken part in any protest activities. Why can’t people with opposing opinions peacefully coexist in the same environment?

我喜欢悉心照料宝宝，我自己就有个小宝贝。所以，我非常反对在附近开一家专门堕胎的诊所。我还记得我们聚集在诊所门口、试图堵住诊所正门的场面。我们几乎一整天都在诊所前以顺时针方向徘徊。我们在那里胡乱堆些宣传册和事先剪下的婴儿照片。我们传达信息的方式相当粗野笨拙。

我还记得，当时为了制定有关限制堕胎的法典，我们曾力图在立法机关里形成一个联盟。我们提出许多有说服力的论点，并试图以巧言诱哄立法委员会为我们投赞成票。尽管有几个法律议案被接受并予以考虑，没有一个议案被通过或形成法律条文。后来，我们的组织开始联合其他反堕胎组织，这一联合使我们的呼声更具威力，但组织活动还缺少些许控制。

我从不相信使用暴力能实现我们的目标。但我们组织中有人相信，我永远忘不了那一天。他开枪打死了一位正往诊所里走的临床心理医生。我认为这是极其残忍的行为，而这一暴行就发生在我眼前。我忙跑过去帮助那位受伤的心理医生。她抓住我的手臂想站起来，但她紧握的手松开了，她已不省人事。

此后，我再也没参加任何抗议活动。为什么意见相左的人就不能在同一屋檐下和平共处呢？

1 clog   

vt.塞满，阻塞；n.[常pl.]木屐

参考例句：

• In cotton and wool processing,short length fibers may clog sewers.在棉毛生产中，短纤维可能堵塞下水管道。
• These streets often clog during the rush hour.这几条大街在交通高峰时间常常发生交通堵塞。

2 clutter   

n.零乱，杂乱；vt.弄乱，把…弄得杂乱

参考例句：

• The garage is in such a clutter that we can't find anything.车库如此凌乱，我们什么也找不到。
• We'll have to clear up all this clutter.我们得把这一切凌乱的东西整理清楚。

3 coalesce   

v.联合，结合，合并

参考例句：

• And these rings of gas would then eventually coalesce and form the planets.这些气体环最后终于凝结形成行星。
• They will probably collide again and again until they coalesce.他们可能会一次又一次地发生碰撞，直到他们合并。

4 coalescence   

n.合并，联合

参考例句：

• It is formed by the coalescence of the first three neuromeres in the embryo .它是由胚胎时的前三个神经原节愈合而成的。
• The other process of droplet growth is by collision and coalescence.云滴增长的另一个过程是各云滴间的碰撞和并合。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 coax   

v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取

参考例句：

• I had to coax the information out of him.我得用好话套出他掌握的情况。
• He tried to coax the secret from me.他试图哄骗我说出秘方。

7 codify   

v.将法律、法规等编成法典

参考例句：

• The noble,Dracon,was asked to codify the laws.贵族德拉古被选为立法者。
• The new government promised to codify the laws.新政府应允要编纂法典。

8 cogent   

adj.强有力的，有说服力的

参考例句：

• The result is a cogent explanation of inflation.结果令人信服地解释了通货膨胀问题。
• He produced cogent reasons for the change of policy.他对改变政策提出了充分的理由。

9 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

10 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

11 recollect   

v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得

参考例句：

• He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。
• She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。

12 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

13 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

14 codified   

v.把（法律）编成法典( codify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the meantime, however, Kennecott had been codified elsewhere in the Act. 然而，“肯尼考特”一案已被编人法案。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Congress has since codified this holding. 从那时以来，国会编纂整理了最高法院的这一裁定。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

15 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军