【英语时差8,16】朋友「黑暗」的另一面

Dear Annie:

Seven years ago, I met "Dan" at college and we became fast friends. A semester¹ later, he moved back to his home state. Even with the distance, we've grown closer over the years, e-mailing, calling and sending small gifts for birthdays and holidays.

I recently discovered that Dan might not be who I thought he was. I looked for him on our college alumni website and he's not listed. I did an Internet search based on where he lives and found him listed under a different last name and as slightly older. I know his father ruined his credit² history by opening cards in his name and not paying them. Dan also once mentioned that he wanted to change his name. I don't know what to think and can't help wondering whether he's lied about anything else. How do I find out? — Wondering Wendy

Dear Wendy:

There may be a perfectly³ innocent⁴ reason why you are having trouble finding⁵ accurate⁶ information on Dan. Sometimes students who leave before graduation are not listed as members of that class. The person you found online at the address you checked may have been someone else altogether. So ask him directly⁷. Explain that you couldn't find him on your college website or anywhere else and see what he says.

 

1 semester   

n.一学期，半学年，六个月的时间

参考例句：

• A student will probably attend four or five courses during each semester.每个学生一学期可能要修四五门课程。
• I had an especially rough time during my first semester.我第一个学期的日子难受极了。

2 credit   

n.信用，荣誉，贷款，学分；v.归功于，赞颂，信任

参考例句：

• I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
• He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉，我们做不讨好的工作。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 innocent   

adj.无罪的，清白的；无害的；天真的，单纯的

参考例句：

• I'm not quite so innocent as to believe that.我还不至于简单到相信那种事的地步。
• I was very young,and very innocent.我那时非常年轻，幼稚无知。

5 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

6 accurate   

adj.正确无误的；准确的，精确的

参考例句：

• He has made an accurate measurement of my garden.他准确地丈量了我的花园。
• He is always accurate in what he says and does.他说的和做的总是正确无误。

7 directly   

adv.直接地，径直地；马上，立即

参考例句：

• I will telephone you directly I hear the news.我一听到消息，马上打电话给你。
• She answered me very directly and openly.她非常坦率地、开门见山地答复了我。