203.The smuggler走私分子 sly-solemn
I am a smuggler. Once or twice a month, I go up river to get a load of contraband and smuggle it back across the border. I was in a water front bar once, when I met a man obviously of some social distinction. Being not too sociable and apt to sneer at those snobbish upper-crust types, I sat with a solemn look as he approached me. He smoothly tipped his hat and gave me a sly look as he introduced himself. I asked him to sit, not wanting to appear too snobbish myself. We talked for a while and had a few drinks. Then he told me what he wanted. He showed me a snippet from the newspaper detailing the solar power industry and how it would reduce smog in the cities. I told him that solar cells were completely legal and asked him why he wanted to sneak them in. He said that the import fees were smothering his porfits. He was sober enough to make me an offer, and I was drunk enough to accept. Besides, I was the sole river boat man in the area, and I was solely capable of bringing back the goods. He had no other choice, and I had no money.
There was still one snag. My boat, Snowflake, had been damaged in the last typhoon. The propeller had been smashed and the electrical wires had snapped. So I looked for a smelting shop to repair the propeller, but I could solder the wires myself. That done, once the flag lifted. I was ready to go.
sly adj.狡猾的,诡秘的
smash v.打碎,粉碎
smelting n.治炼
smog n.烟雾
smoothly adv平稳地,顺利地.
smother vt.使窒息
smuggle vt.走私
snag n.障碍,暗桩
snap vi.突然折断
sneak vi.鬼鬼祟祟而行,潜行
sneer vt.讥笑,嘲笑
snippet adj.小片,片断,摘录
snobbish adj.势利眼的,谄上傲下的
snowflake n.雪花,雪片
sober adj.清醒的,未喝醉的,审慎的,严肃的
sociable adj.好交际的,友善的
social distinction 具有明显的社会身份或地位
solar adj.太阳的
solar cell太阳能电池
solder vt.焊接,焊在一起
sole adj.单独的,惟一的n.鞋底
solely adv.独自地,单独地
solemn adj.严肃的,庄严的,隆重的 |