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Unit 3
Leisure Activities
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE 1 Fatal Attraction[1]
The "Queen" of British murder mystery writing is, without doubt, Agatha Christie. Although the writer herself died over 20 years ago, her 78 "Whodunit" novels continue to sell in huge numbers. They have been translated into more than a hundred languages and they have sold over two billion copies.
The appeal of Agatha Christie's books, both in Britain and abroad, is not hard to understand. Each book is cleverly constructed. She uses characters that are easily recognizable and her plots develop almost like clockwork. But most importantly, all her stories set a puzzle for the reader.
Nearly all of Christie's books start with a murder, forcing the reader to ask the question, "whodunit?", and all of them end with a solution. The fun for the reader is in following the clues hidden in the story and trying to reach the correct solution before the author reveals it. This formula appeals to the strongest of human instincts curiosity and its popularity shows no sign of going away[2].
Many of the mysteries are solved by one of the Christie's regular investigators, like the very confident Belgian, Hercule Poirot, or the apparently harmless little old lady, Miss Marple. She also created a special setting for her stories which has become as familiar as some of her characters. It is England between the two World Wars, where close-knit communities live in quiet villages or rich city folk assemble for weekends at grand country houses.
This world is ruled by a rigid social hierarchy. The owners of the country houses, probably members of the aristocracy, are at the top, then there are the professional classes: doctors, lawyers and businessmen. At the bottom are the common people, who normally appear in the books as servants, cooks and gardeners. When a murder is committed, there's no shortage of suspects to be investigated.
Agatha Christie's world is not quite a real world, which is one of the reasons why her books have not become dated. This is a world which is safe and predictable until a murder shatters people's lives. The crime must be solved so that the murderer can be arrested, but also, so that calm can be restored.[3]
During most of Agatha Christie's life, England had the death penalty for murder. So, once the crime in her books is solved and the murderer identified, that is the end for him or her. There are no loose ends and the reader can sleep peacefully in his or her bed.
In the real world, of course, things don't happen quite like that. Criminals go unpunished, people are wrongly convicted and there are miscarriages of justice. In short, the real world is not a safe place. It is for this reason that so many readers like to bury their heads in[4] an old-fashioned detective story with a safe and predictable ending.
The kind of whodunit Agatha Christie wrote is certainly old-fashioned. Few contemporary crime writers are producing this kind of book. The modern crime novel is more morally and psychologically complex, often adding to "whodunit?", another question: "whydunit?". Modern writers are more interested in understanding the criminal's mind and what drives a person to kill. They explore a world of crime that is much darker than anything imagined by Agatha Christie. Instead of being comforting, most contemporary crime novels unsettle their readers.
But Britain's affection for what the Americans call the "cosy" school of crime fiction has not died.[5] Murder is still considered to be entertainment and the television schedules are full of detective dramas which end with a murderer safely under arrest.
Another sign of how popular whodunits have become are "Murder Mystery Weekends", offered by hotels. Guests take on the characters of classic whodunit suspects and spend a weekend trying to find out who among them is the "murderer". Or there are murder dinner parties, at which groups of friends get together to solve a crime over the dinner table, using specially prepared information about their character and their whereabouts. If murder with your meal doesn't appeal, there are a range of popular board games and computer games to test your powers of detection.
But for some people it can become an obsession. Letters still get sent to "221b Baker Street, London[6]", home of Sherlock Holmes, perhaps the most famous fictional detective of all, asking for his help in solving a variety of mysteries. So many letters arrive for the great detective, that the company which now occupies that address employs someone with the special job of answering them.
So long as human beings remain curious, there seems no doubt that the whodunit, in all its various forms, will continue to exert its fatal attraction. (792 words)
Proper Names
Marseilles
（地名）马赛（法国第二大城市）
Mediterranean
（地名）地中海
Michel Redolfi
（男子名）米歇尔.雷朵夫
New Words
attach
v. join or fasten something (to something else) 将某物系在、附在、固定在（另一物）上
e.g. I ) We attach labels to things before we put them away.
II ) Heavy thread attached the buttons firmly to my winter coat.
avant-garde
adj. favoring new and progressive ideas, especially in art and literature （尤指文学、艺术方面）先锋派的，前卫派的
clarity
n. the state or quality of being clear 清澈，清晰
e.g. The teacher praised the clarity of expression in the student's essay.
concertgoer*
n. someone who often goes to concerts 经常去听音乐会的人
crisp
adj.
1) sharp and clear 脆的；清脆的
e.g. The pianist made each note sound crisp and distinct.
2) firm and fresh, as if recently made or grown 新鲜而爽口的
e.g. Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes, till they are nice and crisp.
eardrum*
n. 耳膜
environment
n. the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates 环境
e.g. I don't feel safe in this dangerous environment.
flesh
n. the soft part of the body of a person or animal that is between the skin and the bones 肉；肉体
e.g. The smell of burned flesh came from the smoking debris (瓦砾) of the nearby buildings.
flute
n. a musical instrument that is shaped like a long, thin pipe 笛
folklore*
n. the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth 民间信仰，民间传说，民俗
forehead
n. the part of the face between the eyebrows and the hairline 前额
e.g. I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
futuristic
adj. having or involving very modern technology or design 未来的，未来派（艺术）的，未来主义的
gravity
n. the force that pulls things toward the center of planets, suns, moons, etc. 重力，引力
e.g. The moon has very little gravity as compared with Earth.
harp
n. a musical instrument having strings attached to a frame of wood 竖琴
illusion
n. a vision of something that is not really there; a false image 错觉，幻觉，假象
e. g. The magician created the illusion that his assistant had been cut in half.
inspire
v.
1) fill somebody with the ability or urge to do, feel, etc. something beyond his usual ability 使产生灵感，启示
e.g. The Lake District scenery inspired Wordsworth to write his greatest poetry.
2) encourage someone to do something, usually something new or unusual 鼓励，激励
e.g. I was inspired to work harder by her example.
jellyfish
n. sea animal with a jelly-like body and stinging tentacles水母，海蜇
microphone
n. an instrument for receiving sound waves and changing them into electrical waves, used in broadcasting or recording sound or for making sound louder 麦克风，话筒，传声器
e.g. Her voice won't be heard unless she uses a microphone.
opera
n. a musical play in which all of the words are sung 歌剧
e.g. It is a one-act opera about contemporary women in America.
optional
adj. which may be freely chosen or not chosen 可选择的，非强制的
e.g. Sociology is an optional subject in our school.
radical
adj.
1) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something, far reaching or thorough 基本的，彻底的
e.g. Our firm underwent radical changes to prevent bankruptcy.
2) advocating thorough or complete political or social reform 主张彻底改革的，激进的
e.g. There existed political tension between radical and conservative politicians.
revolutionize*
v. cause great changes in the way that something is done 使发生革命性剧变，使彻底变革
sensory*
adj. of the senses or of sensation 感官的，感觉上的
shrimp
n. a small sea creature with an outer shell, ten legs and a tail （小虾）
siren
n.
1) (in Ancient Greek literature) one of the creatures who were half woman and half bird, whose beautiful singing tempted sailors to sail into dangerous waters where they died 赛壬（希腊神话中的半人半鸟海妖，常用美妙的歌声诱惑航海者触礁毁来）
2) a warning device which makes a long, loud, wailing noise 汽笛，警报器
skull
n. bony framework of the head under the skin 头骨
e.g. The driver's skull was cracked when his head hit the windshield in the crash.
snap
v. (snapped, snapping)
1) move quickly with a sharp sound 啪地移动
e.g. He snapped the cap on his ballpoint pen.
2) (cause to) break suddenly and sharply off or in two parts （使）突然断开，断开（成两截）
e.g. She snapped off a piece of chocolate.
snorkel
n. a piece of equipment that allows a swimmer to breathe air under water （潜游者使用的）水下呼吸管
speaker
n. (informal) loudspeaker, that part of a radio, record player, etc. from which sound comes out 扬声器，喇叭
e.g. John balanced the sound between the two speakers.
submerge
v. go under the surface of water, or put something under water （使）潜入（没入）水中，（使）浸没，淹没
e.g. The tunnel entrance was submerged by rising sea water.
synthesize*
v. combine (parts) into a whole 合成
e.g. The two elements are synthesized by a chemical process.
underwater*
adj. & adv. situated or used or done below the surface of the water 水面下的（地）
upside down
adv. with the top at the bottom and the bottom at the top 颠倒地
e.g. You've hung that picture upside down!
vague
adj. not clearly expressed or perceived 含糊的，模糊的
e.g. The confusing movie had a rather vague ending.
vision
n. unusual discernment or foresight 洞察力，远见
e.g. Because of the owner's vision, the company remained competitive.
weightlessness*
n. a state of having no weight, especially when there is no gravity, as in space 失重
e.g. Astronauts quite often find that weightlessness makes them feel sick.
Phrases and Expressions
attach to
fix on or to 系于，贴于，固定于
e.g. I attached a photo to my application form.
complete (adj.) with
fully or additionally supplied 齐备的，备有……的，具有
e.g. She bought a lovely Beverly Hills mansion, complete with a swimming pool.
hold one's breath
1) stop breathing for a short time 暂时屏住呼吸
e.g. How long can you hold your breath?
2) wait anxiously for something 紧张地等待
e.g. All Europe held its breath to see who would win the election.
in contact with
1) in the state of touching or coming together 接触
e.g. Have the children been in contact with the disease?
2) in the state of having a connection or exchanging information or ideas with someone else 联系，交往
e.g. We stay in contact with each other by telephone.
PASSAGE II Fatal Attraction[1]
The "Queen" of British murder mystery writing is, without doubt, Agatha Christie. Although the writer herself died over 20 years ago, her 78 "Whodunit" novels continue to sell in huge numbers. They have been translated into more than a hundred languages and they have sold over two billion copies.
The appeal of Agatha Christie's books, both in Britain and abroad, is not hard to understand. Each book is cleverly constructed. She uses characters that are easily recognizable and her plots develop almost like clockwork. But most importantly, all her stories set a puzzle for the reader.
Nearly all of Christie's books start with a murder, forcing the reader to ask the question, "whodunit?", and all of them end with a solution. The fun for the reader is in following the clues hidden in the story and trying to reach the correct solution before the author reveals it. This formula appeals to the strongest of human instincts curiosity and its popularity shows no sign of going away[2].
Many of the mysteries are solved by one of the Christie's regular investigators, like the very confident Belgian, Hercule Poirot, or the apparently harmless little old lady, Miss Marple. She also created a special setting for her stories which has become as familiar as some of her characters. It is England between the two World Wars, where close-knit communities live in quiet villages or rich city folk assemble for weekends at grand country houses.
This world is ruled by a rigid social hierarchy. The owners of the country houses, probably members of the aristocracy, are at the top, then there are the professional classes: doctors, lawyers and businessmen. At the bottom are the common people, who normally appear in the books as servants, cooks and gardeners. When a murder is committed, there's no shortage of suspects to be investigated.
Agatha Christie's world is not quite a real world, which is one of the reasons why her books have not become dated. This is a world which is safe and predictable until a murder shatters people's lives. The crime must be solved so that the murderer can be arrested, but also, so that calm can be restored.[3]
During most of Agatha Christie's life, England had the death penalty for murder. So, once the crime in her books is solved and the murderer identified, that is the end for him or her. There are no loose ends and the reader can sleep peacefully in his or her bed.
In the real world, of course, things don't happen quite like that. Criminals go unpunished, people are wrongly convicted and there are miscarriages of justice. In short, the real world is not a safe place. It is for this reason that so many readers like to bury their heads in[4] an old-fashioned detective story with a safe and predictable ending.
The kind of whodunit Agatha Christie wrote is certainly old-fashioned. Few contemporary crime writers are producing this kind of book. The modern crime novel is more morally and psychologically complex, often adding to "whodunit?", another question: "whydunit?". Modern writers are more interested in understanding the criminal's mind and what drives a person to kill. They explore a world of crime that is much darker than anything imagined by Agatha Christie. Instead of being comforting, most contemporary crime novels unsettle their readers.
But Britain's affection for what the Americans call the "cosy" school of crime fiction has not died.[5] Murder is still considered to be entertainment and the television schedules are full of detective dramas which end with a murderer safely under arrest.
Another sign of how popular whodunits have become are "Murder Mystery Weekends", offered by hotels. Guests take on the characters of classic whodunit suspects and spend a weekend trying to find out who among them is the "murderer". Or there are murder dinner parties, at which groups of friends get together to solve a crime over the dinner table, using specially prepared information about their character and their whereabouts. If murder with your meal doesn't appeal, there are a range of popular board games and computer games to test your powers of detection.
But for some people it can become an obsession. Letters still get sent to "221b Baker Street, London[6]", home of Sherlock Holmes, perhaps the most famous fictional detective of all, asking for his help in solving a variety of mysteries. So many letters arrive for the great detective, that the company which now occupies that address employs someone with the special job of answering them.
So long as human beings remain curious, there seems no doubt that the whodunit, in all its various forms, will continue to exert its fatal attraction. (792 words)
Proper Names
Agatha Christie
（女子名）阿加莎.克里斯蒂（英国著名侦探小说家）
Belgian
比利时人
Hercule Poirot
（男子名）埃居尔.波洛探长（阿加莎.克里斯蒂系列侦探小说中的主人公）
Miss Marple
（女子名）马普尔小姐（阿加莎.克里斯蒂系列侦探小说中的主人公)
Sherlock Holmes
（男子名）夏洛克.福尔摩斯（英国作家Sit Arthur Conan Doyle所著系列侦探小说中的主人公）
New Words
arrest
v. seize someone with the authority of the law 逮捕
e.g. The chief ordered his officers to arrest the suspect for possession of explosives.
n. the act or an example of arresting 逮捕
e.g. The criminal lived for eight years under an assumed name before his arrest.
clockwork *
n. mechanism with wheels and springs, like that of a clock 发条装置，类似钟表机械的装置
convict
v. prove or officially announce that someone is guilty of a crime after a trial 证明……有罪；宣判……有罪
e.g. The defendant was convicted of murder.
cosy
adj. (cozy AmE) comfortable and warm 温暖舒适的
e.g. I ) Wall lights and table lamps give a cosy feel to this carefully planned room.
II ) They were beginning to miss the cosy flat in St John's Wood.
dated *
adj. clearly belonging to a former time, old-fashioned, outmoded 过时的，老式的
e.g. It was a good film when it came out, but it looks rather dated now.
detection
n. the act of noticing, sensing or discovering something 发现，察觉
e.g. Other studies have been concerned with the early detection of diabetes by looking at the slightest of eye problems.
drama
n. a play for the theatre, television, radio, etc. 剧；戏剧
e.g. The drama was so depressing that the whole audience was crying.
fiction
n. stories and novels about imaginary people and events 小说
e.g. Happy marriage may be more common in fiction than in real life.
fictional*
adj. of or relating to fiction; imaginary 小说的；虚构的
e.g. The author based his fictional characters on the four sisters living next door to himself.
gardener
n. someone whose job is to work in gardens 园丁
e.g. Five gardeners were hired to take care of the palace garden.
investigate
v. try to find out what happened or what is the truth 调查，查明，探究
e.g. I ) The two officers were being investigated by the director.
II) Gas officials are investigating the cause of an explosion which damaged a house.
investigator*
n. a person who investigates 调查者
loose
adj.
1) not exact or thoroughly done 不严谨的
e.g. This is only a loose translation of the original paper.
2) not firmly or tightly fixed in place 未固定住的，松开（动）的
e.g. There were some loose wires hanging out of the wall.
miscarriage
n.
1) an unsuccessful outcome of something planned 失败，未达到预期的结果
2) a case of accidentally giving birth to a child too early for it to live 流产
obsession
n. an unreasonably strong and continuous interest in something, or worry about something 着魔，困扰人的想法
penalty
n. a punishment imposed for breaking a law, rule or contract 刑罚，惩罚，处罚
e.g. The charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years' imprisonment.
predictable*
adj. that can be predicted 可预料的，可预言的
e.g. The outcome of these experiments is not always entirely predictable.
puzzle
n.
1) something that is difficult to understand or explain 难题，令人费解的事
e.g. Reducing crime was a real puzzle for the mayor.
2) a game, toy or problem designed to amuse or exercise the mind （益智的）拼字游戏，拼图玩具
e.g. I'll never finish doing the jigsaw puzzle （拼图游戏）
reader
n. someone who reads a particular book, newspaper, etc. 读者
e.g. At this point in the novel, the reader still does not know the hero's true identity.
shatter
v. break suddenly into very small pieces, or make something break in this way （使）粉碎，（使）破碎
e.g. The plate hit the floor, and shattered into tiny pieces.
shortage
n. a condition of having less than is needed 缺少，缺乏，不足
e.g. Due to the shortage of funds, the library closed.
suspect
n. someone who is thought to have committed a crime 嫌疑犯
e.g. The police questioned five suspects in connection with the crime.
unsettle *
v. disturb the normal calm state of something or someone; upset 使不安
whereabouts
n. the place or area where someone or something is 行踪
whodun(n)it
n. (informal) a book, film, etc. about a murder in which the identity of the murderer is not revealed until the end 侦探小说（或剧本，影片等）[from "who done it?", non-standard form of "who did it?"]
whydun(n)it
n. (informal) a book or a film that appeals to people who are interested in understanding why a crime is committed, in other words, the motives for a crime （以侦查或探讨犯罪动机为主题的）犯罪动机小说（或戏剧、电影）[仿whodun(n) it]
Phrases and Expressions
end with
have something as its last part 以……结束
e.g. Her performance ended with a song from her first album.
like clockwork
with perfect regularity and precision; smoothly 极有规律性和准确性地；顺利地
e.g. The operation went like clockwork.
loose end(s)
an unsettled or unfinished detail 未好好完成的细节
e.g. It's a good report, but there are still a few loose ends to be tied up. 报告不错，但还有一些细节需要完善。
miscarriage of justice
failure to act justly in a court of law, especially one which results in the conviction of an innocent person 审判不公，误判
e.g. This failure contributed to the miscarriage of justice, the judges said.
take on
begin to have a particular quality, appearance, etc. 开始具有或呈现（某种品质），以……面貌出现
e.g. These insects can take on the color of their surroundings.
without doubt
certainly 无疑地，确实地
e.g. He is without doubt someone who has reached the very top in his profession.
under arrest
kept by the police 被捕；在押
e.g. A drug dealer who controlled a gang of 16 people was under arrest last night.
PASSAGE III Wow, Would I Love to Do That[1]
I was 16 years old when I became interested in juggling. I saw a television commercial in which two guys began tossing cans of frozen orange juice back and forth in a juggling pattern.
Wow, would I love to do that! I imagined myself performing before a clapping audience.
Fat chance[2]. Even if I knew how to juggle, I was scared to death of standing in front of an audience. But then a strange coincidence occurred, the kind of thing that makes you think it's an answer to prayer, even when you haven't actually prayed.[3] A few days later, my older brother, Jeff, and I were visiting some friends when a boy of my age said, "Hey, you should see what my brother learned to do." He took me to his brother's room, where the older boy was showing Jeff how to juggle golf balls.
"I want to learn too," I said.
In no time I was hooked. Even though I dropped a lot of balls at first, I was amazed how easily I caught on. First, I just tossed a single ball up in the air from one hand to the other. Then I tried two balls, one from each hand, letting them pass in the air.
Finally I was ready for three balls. The pattern was simple: I held two golf balls in my right hand and one in the left. Tossing one of the balls from my right hand into the air, I waited till it reached the top of its arc. Then I tossed up the ball from my left hand, so that the two balls passed each other. And before that one came down, I sent up the ball that had remained in my right hand. I caught and tossed the balls, back and forth, back and forth. When I dropped one, I started over. By the end of the evening I could make 10 tosses before dropping a ball.
It was a challenge; I had to perfect this skill. The next day I got three tennis balls and practiced in the garage until I could make 20 tosses before dropping a ball. I practiced with a vengeance. I wanted to be as good as those guys on TV.
As I got better, I began to add tricks, tossing the balls so that one went over the top of the others, or under the others, or I bounced one off my head or elbow and still kept the pattern going.
Funny thing is, I thought I was making up all those tricks. But one day at the library I discovered a book on juggling, and there were all the tricks I was doing! The basic three-ball pattern was a cascade, juggling the balls in a circle was a shower, and throwing one ball over the top was a half-shower.[4]
I bought a set of juggling clubs, and my parents bought me a set of juggling rings. I performed for my family and a few friends, but I never thought of myself as an entertainer. Entertaining meant getting up in front of an audience. Impossible! I couldn't do that.
Then five years later, when I was 21, my mother called me aside one day during the Christmas season and said, "Dan, how would you like to juggle for the Salvation Army dinner this year?" For the past two years Mom and her boss had helped at the annual dinner.
"There will be other entertainment," she hastened to add. "All you need to do is stand at one side of the auditorium and juggle during dinner.[5]"
Two days before Christmas, as people streamed into the auditorium, there I was, juggling on a small stage at one side of the hall. I was nervous, but somehow the tension gave me courage. I began doing my tricks, including one I'd recently mastered: juggling behind my back. Then I juggled the clubs, and finally a bowling ball and two small balls. Kids crowded around the stage, laughing. People applauded.
Suddenly I felt an elation I had never experienced before. I was performing for an audience, and they loved it!
At home I kept practicing. I began juggling cigar boxes, knives and torches. And when an uncle gave me his unicycle, I learned to ride it and juggle at the same time.
I began to think about becoming a professional. I knew I'd have to do more than just tricks; I'd have to speak, make jokes and so on. That's what the books said. So I prayed about it. When I next juggled in front of my family, I added some jokes. I hoped that trying them out on my family would help me feel more comfortable doing the same thing in public.
My chance soon came. I was asked to juggle torches at a fashion show with a Polynesian theme. I went barefoot and bare-chested, dressed in silly-looking shorts, with black stripes across my face. As I was about to go on, I was handed a list of announcements. "Please read these when you finish your act," the mistress of ceremonies[6] said. It was too late to back out.
Was I ever nervous![7] I dropped the torches-three times! But not wanting the audience to know how nervous I was, I tried to make my mistakes look like part of the act. I danced over the torches crazily, making jungle sounds, until I could pick them up and resume my juggling. The people applauded. They liked my act. And somehow I got through reading the announcements.
The following month I received a phone call from the principal of a local elementary school. An old performer had asked for a sick leave. Could I fill in? And include a message?[8] "Sure," I said.
Three weeks later I was standing before a couple of hundred eager children. Using my juggling practice as an example, I began my message. When I started to juggle, I let the balls drop. I picked them up, started, and dropped them again.
"That's what it's like when you start," I said. But then, as the program progressed, I began to do more and more tricks, juggling while riding a unicycle and while lying on my back, getting back up to my feet without dropping a ball.
Forty-five minutes later I ended the performance with my final word of advice to the children: "If you want to succeed, at juggling or anything else, you have to keep trying. You can do it. Just never give up." (1105 words)
Proper Names
Jeff
（男子名）杰夫
Polynesian
adj. 波利尼西亚的
Salvation Army
救世军（国际基督教派组织，为帮助穷人和不幸的人而成立）
New Words
announcement*
n. statement in spoken or written form that makes something known 宣布，宣告
e.g. I ) The announcement didn't say what sort of accident it was.
II) He made the announcement that he was to retire the following month.
applaud
v. show approval of someone or something by clapping the hands 鼓掌
e.g. The comedian was not funny, and no one applauded.
auditorium
n. a large room for an audience in a theater, school, etc. 礼堂
bare
adj. without clothing or usual covering 赤裸的，裸露的
e.g. I ) The foolish woman had bare arms in the middle of winter.
II) We were beaten and forced to kneel on broken glass with our bare knees.
barefoot *
adj. not wearing anything on one's feet 赤脚的
e.g. Alan came running barefoot through the house.
bounce
v. spring back or up again after hitting a surface 弹回，反弹，跳起
e.g. The rubber ball bounced on the floor many times before it stopped moving.
bowling
n. an indoor game in which players roll a large heavy ball along a wooden track in order to knock down a group of pins 保龄球
cascade
n. waterfall especially one of a series forming a large waterfall 小瀑布
elation
n. a feeling of extreme happiness and excitement 兴高采烈，洋洋得意
entertainer *
n. someone who tells jokes, sings, etc. to amuse people （娱乐节目的）表演者
hasten *
v. make something happen faster or sooner 加快
e.g. Two factors hastened the formation of the new party.
hooked *
adj. (informal) having a great liking for and very frequently using, doing, eating, etc. 对……着迷，被……迷住
juggle
v. keep three or more objects moving through the air by throwing and catching them very quickly 玩杂耍，连续抛接若干物体
mom
n. (AmE, informal) mother 妈妈
performer *
n. a person who performs in front of an audience 表演者
resume
v. start doing something again after a pause or interruption 继续，重新开始
e.g. Mary resumed her search for her missing dog after a day of rest.
scared *
adj. frightened of or nervous about something 害怕
shorts *
n. short trousers ending at or above the knees, as worn by children, or by adults playing sports or in hot weather 短裤
stripe
n. a line of color, especially one of several lines of color all close together 线条，条纹
e.g. The city worker painted yellow stripes down the middle of the road.
torch
n. a long stick with burning material at one end that produces light 火炬，火把
e.g. The villagers carried flaming torches through the dark forest.
unicycle*
n. a vehicle that is like a bicycle but has only one wheel 独轮（脚踏）车
vengeance
n. punishment given to someone in return for harm he or she has done 报复，报仇，复仇
wow
int. ( informal ) used when one feels impressed, pleased or surprised （表示钦佩，欢乐，惊奇等）哇
Phrases and Expressions
back out
fail to fulfil (a promise, contract, etc.) 不履行，打退堂鼓，食言
e.g. I hope I can depend on you not to back out at the last moment.
catch on
begin to understand or master something 懂得，理解
e.g. I am afraid it will be a long time before the newcomer catches on to the new system.
fill in for someone
do someone's job or work because he or she is unable to do it 替代某人的工作
e.g. Sally is off sick. Can you fill in for her for a few days?
get through
finish or complete something especially when it is difficult 干完，完成
e.g. Let's start; there is a lot of work to get through.
start over
start doing something again from the beginning, in order to do it better 从头开始
e.g. After the fire, we had to start over and build the business again from the beginning.
try something out
test it in order to see how useful or effective it is or what it is like 试用，试验，考验
e.g. Have the advertisers tried out the new soap on real people yet?
with a vengeance ( informal)
used to emphasize that something happens to a much greater extent than is expected 激烈地，猛烈地
e.g. Once she had left the office, her doubts returned with a vengeance.
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