胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇233

　　233. A volunteer’s crucial vote 一位志愿者关键性的决定 void-warranty¹
The lessons I learned as a volunteer in Africa could fill volumes. Before I embarked² upon my voluntary voyage, I felt a huge void in my life. When I look back upon it, there was a certain vulgarity to my existence. I had not done anything meaningful in my twenties at all, unless you count getting a second-rate college degree an accomplishment³. As my twenties waned⁴ and my thirties approached, I began to consider life more seriously. I felt maybe as if the warranty on my life was about to expire. The vulgar life of wine, women, and food, which only left me with an expanded waist and a vulnerable ego⁶, was giving way to a voracious⁷ appetite for meaning. Sometimes it was as if my mind was a volcano erupting with a desire to figure out why I was put on this earth. This desire would sometimes calm for days at a time, but before long, the volcanic⁸ explosions in my head would begin again. It was exciting yet also frightening, the way I imagine a chemist must feel when he is experimenting with potentially volatile⁹ chemicals. I had to do something before the voltage in my brain became too high and something crazy happened. Overnight, I voted to break up with my girlfriend, quit my job, and devote my life totally to others. When I told my girlfriend, she could hardly utter even a vowel¹⁰ sound. After the initial effect wore off, I couldn’t get her to stop wagging her finger in my face. Let’s just say that she didn’t quite agree with this voter’s decision. I also had the matter of my job. I wanted to give them a two-week notice, but they reacted very unpleasantly after I told them my decision. My two-week notice became an immediate¹¹ walkout. I even waived¹² my right to my last month’s salary. I also quit drinking, hopping¹⁴ back on the wagon¹⁵ after many years as a dedicated¹⁶ beer drinker. I saw a web site advertising¹⁷ for volunteers in Africa. Two weeks later, I waddled¹⁸ off the plane and into the African heat, a bit tired and jetlagged. In the next two years, I found meaning in life and peace for my soul. In my homeland, I had been wading²⁰ through life. Now what I do is akin²¹ to Olympic swimming.
void n.空间，空旷adj.无效的
volatile adj.挥发性的
volcanic adj.火山的
volcano n.火山
voltage n.电压
volume n.体积，容积，卷，册
voluntary adj.自愿的，志愿的
volunteer n.志愿者，自愿v.自愿
voracious adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的
vote vt.投票
voter n.投票者，选举人
vowel n.元音
voyage n.旅行，航程
vulgar adj.粗鲁的，庸俗的，下流的
vulgarity n.粗俗，低级
vulnerable adj.易受攻击的，易受伤害的
waddle¹⁹ v.（像鸭子）蹒跚而行
wade²² v.涉水，费力行走
wag v.（狗尾巴等）摆动
wagon n.四轮马车
on the wagon（美俚）戒酒
waist n.腰，腰部
waive¹³ v.放弃，免除
walkout n.罢工
wane⁵ v.减少，衰落
warranty n.担保，保证，保修

1 warranty   

n.担保书，证书，保单

参考例句：

• This warranty is good for one year after the date of the purchase of the product.本保证书自购置此产品之日起有效期为一年。
• As your guarantor,we have signed a warranty to the bank.作为你们的担保人，我们已经向银行开出了担保书。

2 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

3 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

4 waned   

v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》
• The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 wane   

n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦

参考例句：

• The moon is on the wane.月亮渐亏。
• Her enthusiasm for him was beginning to wane.她对他的热情在开始减退。

6 ego   

n.自我，自己，自尊

参考例句：

• He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
• She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

7 voracious   

adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的

参考例句：

• She's a voracious reader of all kinds of love stories.什么样的爱情故事她都百看不厌。
• Joseph Smith was a voracious book collector.约瑟夫·史密斯是个如饥似渴的藏书家。

8 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

9 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

10 vowel   

n.元音；元音字母

参考例句：

• A long vowel is a long sound as in the word"shoe ".长元音即如“shoe” 一词中的长音。
• The vowel in words like 'my' and 'thigh' is not very difficult.单词my和thigh中的元音并不难发。

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 waived   

v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• He has waived all claim to the money. 他放弃了索取这笔钱的权利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I waived the discourse, and began to talk of my business. 我撇开了这个话题，开始讲我的事情。 来自辞典例句

13 waive   

vt.放弃，不坚持(规定、要求、权力等)

参考例句：

• I'll record to our habitat office waive our claim immediately.我立即写信给咱们的总公司提出放弃索赔。
• In view of the unusual circumstances,they agree to waive their requirement.鉴于特殊情况，他们同意放弃他们的要求。

14 hopping   

n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The clubs in town are really hopping. 城里的俱乐部真够热闹的。
• I'm hopping over to Paris for the weekend. 我要去巴黎度周末。

15 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

16 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

17 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

18 waddled   

v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A family of ducks waddled along the river bank. 一群鸭子沿河岸摇摇摆摆地走。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The stout old man waddled across the road. 那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

19 waddle   

vi.摇摆地走；n.摇摆的走路(样子)

参考例句：

• I am pregnant.I waddle awkwardly and my big stomach pressed against the weight of the world. 我怀孕了，我滑稽可笑地瞒珊而行，大肚子上压着全世界的重量。
• We waddle and hop and have lots of fun.我们走起路来摇摇摆摆，还一跳一跳的。我们的生活很有趣。

20 wading   

（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The man tucked up his trousers for wading. 那人卷起裤子，准备涉水。
• The children were wading in the sea. 孩子们在海水中走着。

21 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

22 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。