简单慢速英语阅读：HassleMan

      Everything's a hassle, he thought. The smallest thing is a hassle. Taking the cap off the toothpaste tube¹ is a hassle. Squeezing² the toothpaste tube is a hassle. Putting the toothpaste on the toothbrush is a hassle. Brushing his teeth is a hassle. Life is just one hassle after another. "You always exaggerate," his wife said. "Not everything is a hassle." He thought about that. Could his wife be right? Are some things not a hassle? How about eating food? That's not a hassle. How about taking a hot shower? That's not a hassle. How about reading³? How about watching a good TV program? How about sleeping? He couldn't think of anything else. Eating, showering, reading, watching TV, and sleeping aren't a hassle. "Okay, I won't exaggerate," he said to his wife. "I won't say that everything is a hassle. I'll say that everything except five things is a hassle!"

1 tube   

n.（英）地铁；管，软管，隧道；vt.把…装管，使通过管子

参考例句：

• You may get to the railway station by tube.你可以乘地铁到火车站。
• Take care not to break the test tube!当心别把试管打碎了！

2 squeezing   

挤压； 轧水

参考例句：

• We were drying our clothes by squeezing. 我们把衣服拧干。
• He had a hard time squeezing through the crowd to get up to the platform. 他好不容易才挤到台前。

3 reading   

n.阅读，知识，读物，表演，对法律条文的解释；adj.阅读的

参考例句：

• Children learn reading and writing at school.孩子们在学校学习阅读和写作。
• He finds pleasure in reading.他从阅读中得到乐趣。