08年8.7第78期托福英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí):托福詞匯78(1)

字號(hào):

Lesson The Life of a Playwright 一個(gè)劇作家的生活  
    Words:
    doting adj. 溺愛(ài)的
    doubtful adj. 可疑的,疑心的
    downcast adj. 意志消沉的,沮喪的
    downhearted adj. 情緒低落的,無(wú)精打采的
    downtown adj. 在市區(qū)的,往市區(qū)的
    draft n. 草圖,草稿;vt. 起草
    draft animal (horse) 役用動(dòng)物,耕畜
    drag vt. 拖動(dòng)
    dragonfly n. 蜻蜓
    drain v. (使)流走,(使)排光;n. 排水溝;排水,消耗
    drainage n. 排水,排出物;排水系統(tǒng)
    drama n. 戲劇
    dramatic adj. 戲劇性的,生動(dòng)的
    dramatically adv. 戲劇性地;引人注目的
    dramatize vt. 改編成為戲劇,編寫劇本
    drastic adj. 激烈的,迅猛的
    drastically adv. 大大地
    draw vt. 吸引;畫,描繪
    drawback n. 弊端,缺點(diǎn),障礙
    dread n. 畏懼,恐怖
    dreadful adj. 可憐的;(口)糟透了
    “She’s such a doting mother,” I thought, looking at the woman and her newborn passing me by in the park. I was feeling a bit doubtful about my ability to write a drama in less than a week. I didn’t even have a draft. I was desperate for fresh ideas. That is why I’m sitting here in this downtown park. As they often say, “desperate times call for drastic measures.”
    I scanned the area around me for ideas. what about that downcast man on the park bench? He looks so downhearted. Could there be an interesting story behind his sad eyes? No, I’d better not bother him. It looks like he hasn’t slept for days.
    Perhaps I can write a story about the life of that draft animal. No, that would be rather dreary. All he does is drag things around. I need a more dramatic subject.
    Could that dragonfly flying above that drain be the answer to my prayers? It is a good thing that this park has excellent drainage. Oh, no, the drain just swallowed him. “Did he suffer from a dread of drain?” I murmured in disgust.
    “This is a dreadful situation,” I said dramatically. Writing plays for a living was drastically different from writing them in school. Maybe I should try drawing pictures for a living? No, I was sure that would not be the situation. It probably would have just as many drawbacks. So, what I am going to do? I felt dispirited. Then suddenly, it came to me.
    “I’ve got it!” I exclaimed. “I just dramatize the life of a playwright!”