《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词3500》Unit 10 美丽的裙子

　　Unit 10
A Beautiful Dress
My neighbor's eight-year-old daughter used to stay in the countryside, her native place. Recently her parents brought her to town to live with them. Wild and uneducated, she would swear or use dirty words when she was displeased¹. Sometimes she went so far as to roll on the ground, to the shock of all people around. Her parents tried to tame² her by beating and kicking, only to result in more violent³ outbursts. Finally they became thoroughly⁴ disappointed⁵ with her.
One day their next-door neighbor, a retired⁶ woman teacher, gave the girl a snow-white dress, which was very beautiful. It immediately caught the girl's eyes and made them shine brightly.
The girl put on the dress and became quite another person. She no longer abused⁷ or hit others, even less rolled on the floor. She knew running wild was beneath her in such a beautiful dress. Since then the girl had been gentle, neat, and lovely.
The story set me thinking a lot. Perhaps everyone has a beautiful dress hidden somewhere in his or her heart. Only some people are not aware of it, forget it or abandon⁸ it. Beauty is a power force or weapon -- that's something unrealized by many of us. it can arouse⁹ fine qualities that humans are born with but have so far hidden somewhere. It has a soul-shaking influence that is indeed unmatched.

1 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

2 tame   

adj.驯服的，柔顺的，乏味的；v.驯养，使...驯服

参考例句：

• His job is to tame lions.他的工作是驯狮。
• He is so tame that he agrees with everybody.他很随和，总是顺从他人的意见。

3 violent   

adj.暴力的，猛烈的，激烈的，极端的，凶暴的，歪曲的

参考例句：

• The madman was violent and had to be locked up.这个精神病患者很凶暴，不得不把他锁起来。
• They caught him and gave him a violent beating.他们抓住了他，把他狠狠打了一顿。

4 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

5 disappointed   

adj.失望的，不满意的，不如意的

参考例句：

• He seemed disappointed when the man refused his request.当那个人拒绝了他的要求时他看起来很失望。
• He was disappointed so often that he became hopeless.他屡次失望，以致变为了绝望。

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 abused   

v.妄用( abuse的过去式和过去分词 )；虐待；辱骂

参考例句：

• All the children had been physically and emotionally abused. 所有这些儿童的身心都受到了摧残。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This rule was brought into being because the old law was abused. 由于旧的法律遭到滥用，这条规则便应运而生。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 abandon   

vt.抛弃，离弃，遗弃；放弃

参考例句：

• We had no option but to abandon the meeting.我们别无选择，只有放弃这次会面。
• They abandon themselves to drinking.他们沉湎于饮酒。

9 arouse   

vt.唤醒，叫醒；唤起，激起

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight with enemies.我们必须唤起他们同敌人斗争。
• He fell into a sound sleep, don't arouse him.他睡熟了，别唤醒他。