56. Baby Trouble p.383

Betty is talking to her husband Dan
B: Don't you think it's time that we had a baby?
D: We're much better off without children. Think of all the trouble raising them.
B: But it's only natural that married couples have babies.
D: I don't want any brats² who'll run around the house breaking things.
B: Then I'll have a baby by myself.
D: Don't be ridiculous. That's not possible.
B: Yes, it is. I can adopt or go to the sperm³ bank or…
D: Stop! Are you crazy? I forbid it.
B: Then, can we have a baby together?
D: Ok. You win.

Baby is a term of endearment⁴.    The baby is so cute.
It's (about,high) time that he went asleep. 从句用虚拟
much better off 好多了   从well off引出,日子过的好
grocery store 杂货店
Many students have trouble/difficulty (in可省略) writing English.
toad  癞蛤蟆
brat¹ 顽皮的小孩   kid(口语)   naughty,mischievous⁵      Nobody likes mischievous children.
ridiculous = nonsensical 无意义的，荒谬的     
ridicule⁶ = tease v.嘲笑，奚落    The scientists ridiculed⁷ the professor's theory.

1 brat   

n.孩子；顽童

参考例句：

• He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
• The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。

2 brats   

n.调皮捣蛋的孩子( brat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I've been waiting to get my hands on you brats. 我等着干你们这些小毛头已经很久了。 来自电影对白
• The charming family had turned into a parcel of brats. 那个可爱的家庭一下子变成了一窝臭小子。 来自互联网

3 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

4 endearment   

n.表示亲爱的行为

参考例句：

• This endearment indicated the highest degree of delight in the old cooper.这个称呼是老箍桶匠快乐到了极点的表示。
• To every endearment and attention he continued listless.对于每一种亲爱的表示和每一种的照顾，他一直漫不在意。

5 mischievous   

adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的

参考例句：

• He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。
• A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。

6 ridicule   

v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄

参考例句：

• You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。
• Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

7 ridiculed   

v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Biosphere 2 was ultimately ridiculed as a research debade, as exfravagant pseudoscience. 生物圈2号最终被讥讽为科研上的大失败，代价是昂贵的伪科学。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She ridiculed his insatiable greed. 她嘲笑他的贪得无厌。 来自《简明英汉词典》