179. The prospectors and rocket propellant采矿者和火箭推进器 proof-protest
There were a couple of prospectors, Clem and Jake, sitting around a fire at their camp after a hard days’ prospecting, just shooting the breeze.
“Clem, did you hear about the proposal for the new rocket our government is going to develop?”
“Yeah, Jake. One of the chief proponents is J.G. Beezwax, the proprietor of our mine and the surrounding property, and he is a politician in the federal government.”
“He sure knows how to prosper, doesn’t he? He’s got some kind of propensity for prosperity if you ask me, a big wig like that.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know if it’s such a good idea to be a protagonist of that prospective rocket project. They were protesting it out in front of City Hall the other day. If something goes wrong, a man could get prosecuted or something. Then the news gets propagated around and all that. It doesn’t matter if they have any proof or not.”
“Don’t worry about old J.G., Clem. He’s got money running out his ears. If he gets into any trouble, he’s got the money to get out of it. Besides, he’s got a sense of propriety. He doesn’t ever get into any trouble. He’s a smooth talker, too. Everything he says sounds like prose.”
“Well, I guess it pays to be prosperous. Hey, what do you think propels those rockets, anyway?”
“I guess they’ve got some kind of propellant. Maybe something like that moonshine we make.” They both laugh. “They have to keep it in proportion to the weight of the rocket, though, or it won’t have enough propulsion to get off the ground.” Jake looks up at the stars. “What do you propose we do now, Clem?”
“I need to go proofread my latest manuscript.”
“I think we ought to go drink some of that moonshine. After all, we’ve got to prospect again tomorrow.”
proof n.证据
proofread vt.校正,校对
propagate vt.繁殖,散布,传播
propel vt.推进,促进
propellant n.推进器
propensity n.倾向,癖好
property n.财产,所有物,性质,特性,(小)道具
proponent n.支持者,拥护者
proportion n.比例,比率
proposal n.提案,建议
propose vt.提出,提议
proprietor n.所有者,业主
propriety n.(行为\举止等)适当得体
propulsion n.推进,推进力
prose n.散文
prosecute vt.对…起诉,告发
prospect n.前景,期望vt.勘探,采矿
prospecting n.探矿
prospector n.探勘者,采矿者
prospective adj.预期的,期望中的
prosper vi.繁荣,成功
prosperity n.兴旺,繁荣
prosperous adj.成功的,繁荣的
protagonist n.领导者,主角
protest n./v.抗议 |