182. The raft漂流筏 quiver-rationing
I left the small village on my way to my destination, and I quivered at the thought that my next step was to take a raft down the raging rapids of a river. The sun was radiant, and the people about me, some with ghetto blasters listening to rap music as they walked by, radiated with the happiness that comes from doing their daily activities.
I located a ragged looking rancher, who gave me a very high quotation, which rankled me a bit, on a ragged looking raft. “I am being held ransom,” I thought, “but I know that due to the recent floods and the subsequent rationing of rafts, rafts have been rarefied. Besides, extortion is rampant in this country.” So I rallied my gumption and bought it at the extortionate price he asked for and headed, along with my rare raft, for the river. As I left, I thought, “It is certainly a rapacious age we live in. I wonder if he has his quota for the day.”
It is difficult to describe the rapture one receives as one goes down the rapids. It ranks up there with beautiful music or riding a bull. You may think it is radical, but it is a ration of the senses as your senses are taken to the brink. As the raft rocks and the water sprays, you never know if that next big rock has your name on it. It is the danger, the not knowing that makes it exciting.
I did not rashly decide to take the rapids, nor was it a rational decision. There was no need to have it ratified by a governing body, for there was no other choice if I wanted to get where I was going. I simply got in and rode the rapids as best I could.
quiver vt.振动,颤抖
quota n.配额,限额
quotation n.引用语,报价单
radiant adj.(向四面八方)发光的,光芒四射的
radiate v.放射,辐射
radical adj.根本的,激进的
raft n.筏,救生艇
rage n.时尚,风靡一时的事物;狂暴,狂怒
ragged adj.槛褛的,破烂的
rally v.召集,集合;恢复
rampant adj.蔓生的,猖獗的
rancher n.大农场经营者
rank vt.排列,归类n.等级
rankle vt.激怒,使怨恨
ransom n.赎金v.敲诈
rap vt.敲,拍,斥责
rap music说唱音乐
rapacious adj.强夺的,贪婪的
rapture n.狂喜,极高兴
rare adj.稀有的
rarefy vt.使稀少,使稀薄
rashly adv.轻率地,卤莽地
ratify vt.批准
ration n.定量,配给量;(配给量的)一份vt. 定量配给
rational adj.理性的,合理的
rationing n.(食物等的)配给 |