读故事记单词——Love of numbers

 　　下面小编为大家准备了一则英文故事，里面包含了一些托福核心词汇并以列表的形式在文章末尾单独列出。通过读故事来记单词是一种很有效的方法，不信大家来试一试。

　　As an academician, I think Mathematics is an intriguing¹ and absorbing science. However, many of my students consider it an abstract science and they hate it because the equations are too difficult to absorb and to remember. I think my students would laugh if they knew how I became so interested in Math.

　　When I was a freshman² in college, I also believed Math was a mere³ abstraction. Studying it was like falling into a spinning abyss of numbers and symbols. Just thinking about it seemed like an abuse of my brain. However, my entire tuition was financed by an academic scholarship, so I had to maintain high marks in all of my classes, including Math.

　　My most abstruse⁴ class was Advanced Calculus⁵ Mathematics. It was taught in a large lecture hall which abutted⁷ the North access gate of the University. Unlike the many absentees in my class who often abstained⁹ from attending the boring lectures, I dared not absolve¹⁰ myself from this responsibility. Any degree of absenteeism would probably cause me to fail Math and to lose my scholarship. I was so afraid of failing that I even pledged abstinence from my abundant supply of alcohol.

　　It wasn’t until the fourth week of Math class that I met the wonderful person who would accelerate my interest and understanding of this absurd subject. She was a foreign exchange student from Beijing. She was also a brilliant mathematician¹¹. She would come to class everyday in a colorful silk scarf that accentuated¹³ her lovely smile.

　　It was so nice to meet someone from my home country. She inspired me to love Math. Although we now live and teach in different countries, I still see her smiling face between every number I write!

　　absenteeism n. 旷课，旷工

　　absentee n.缺席者

　　absolve v.1,(宗教上的)宽恕2,赦免(罪行,过失等),解除(责任等)

　　absorb vt.1、吸收(液体,知识等)2、理解,掌握

　　absorbing adj.吸引人的，引人入胜的

　　abstain⁸ v.自制,自动放弃,戒绝,有意回避

　　abstinence n. 自制,节制(禁欲,戒酒)

　　abstract n.1、抽象的2、难解的,深奥的

　　abstraction n.抽象(概念)

　　abstruse adj.难懂的,深奥的

　　absurd adj.荒谬的,可笑的

　　abundant adj.丰富的,充裕的;大量的

　　abuse n.(权利等的)滥用;(物品的)不精心使用

　　abut⁶ vi.邻接,毗邻

　　abyss n.深渊,深坑

　　academic adj.学术的;学院的;理论的

　　academician n.学会会员;院士;学者

　　accelerate v.1、加快,加速2、促进,促使…早日发生

　　accentuate¹² v.突出,强调

　　access n.1、接触,接近(的机会)2、入口,通道

1 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

3 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

4 abstruse   

adj.深奥的，难解的

参考例句：

• Einstein's theory of relativity is very abstruse.爱因斯坦的相对论非常难懂。
• The professor's lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them.该教授的课程太深奥了，学生们纷纷躲避他的课。

5 calculus   

n.微积分；结石

参考例句：

• This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
• After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。

6 abut   

v.接界，毗邻

参考例句：

• The two lots are abut together.那两块地毗连着。
• His lands abut on the motorway.他的土地毗邻高速公路。

7 abutted   

v.（与…）邻接( abut的过去式和过去分词 )；（与…）毗连；接触；倚靠

参考例句：

• Their house abutted against the hill. 他们的房子紧靠着山。 来自辞典例句
• The sidewalk abutted on the river. 人行道紧挨着河川。 来自辞典例句

8 abstain   

v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免

参考例句：

• His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.他的医生嘱咐他戒酒。
• Three Conservative MPs abstained in the vote.三位保守党下院议员投了弃权票。

9 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 absolve   

v.赦免，解除（责任等）

参考例句：

• I absolve you,on the ground of invincible ignorance.鉴于你不可救药的无知，我原谅你。
• They agree to absolve you from your obligation.他们同意免除你的责任。

11 mathematician   

n.数学家

参考例句：

• The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
• The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。

12 accentuate   

v.着重，强调

参考例句：

• She has beautiful eyes, so we should accentuate them in the makeup.她眼睛很美丽，我们在化妆时应该突出她的眼睛。
• Mrs Obamas speeches rarely accentuate the positive.奥巴马夫人的演讲很少强调美国积极的一面。

13 accentuated   

v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于

参考例句：

• The problem is accentuated by a shortage of water and electricity. 缺乏水电使问题愈加严重。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her black hair accentuated the delicateness of her skin. 她那乌黑的头发更衬托出她洁嫩的皮肤。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》