胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇161

　　LESSON 161 AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK ON LIFE
As a child, Tom was very much oriented towards botanical studies. Anything organic, and particularly plant life, was of enormous interest to him, from the smallest to the largest organisms. When he was not frolicking in his grandparents’ orchard¹, he would go out into the woods, looking for wild orchids³. This curiosity never quite left him, even though he changed his orientation⁴ when he entered university. He opted⁵ foe⁶ a major in oriental studies, of all things, while choosing film-making as his optional subject. In his free time, he played the trumpet⁷ in the university orchestra.
Tom always had an optimistic outlook on life. Depression, to Tom, was definitely not an option. While others would consult an oracle⁸ from time to time, in order to learn what they could do about their future, this was not Tom’s at all.
His studies, combined with his extramural activities, gradually brought him into quite a different social orbit from the one he grew up in, which led to quite an enrichment of his life experience. Unlike many of his classmates who struggled to keep up with the program of studies, university was no ordeal⁹ to Tom at all. He felt in no way restricted by the increasing number of ordinances¹¹ that were being issued by various authorities, either. Rather, he felt as though, his oral prowess increased by leaps and bounds during his time at university, as a result of which he was asked to give the oration¹² on graduation. To tell you the truth, he was exhilarated, almost as if he was orbiting the earth. And that was what he had always wanted: an orbital experience!
WORDS:
oracle n.神谕，先知
oral adj.口头的
oration n.正式演说
orbit n.轨道 v.绕…轨道而行
orbital adj.轨道的
orchard n.果园
orchard n.管弦乐队
orchid² n.兰花
ordeal n.严峻考验，痛苦的经历
ordinance¹⁰ n.法令，条例
ore n.矿石
organic adj.有机的
organism n.生物，有机物
orientation n.定向，熟悉情况
orient v.使适应，确定方向
oriental adj.亚洲的，东方的

1 orchard   

n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场

参考例句：

• My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
• Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。

2 orchid   

n.兰花，淡紫色

参考例句：

• The orchid is a class of plant which I have never tried to grow.兰花这类植物我从来没种过。
• There are over 35 000 species of orchid distributed throughout the world.有35,000多种兰花分布在世界各地。

3 orchids   

n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wild flowers such as orchids and primroses are becoming rare. 兰花和报春花这类野花越来越稀少了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She breeds orchids in her greenhouse. 她在温室里培育兰花。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

5 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。

6 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

7 trumpet   

n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

参考例句：

• He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。
• The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

8 oracle   

n.神谕，神谕处，预言

参考例句：

• In times of difficulty,she pray for an oracle to guide her.在困难的时候，她祈祷神谕来指引她。
• It is a kind of oracle that often foretells things most important.它是一种内生性神谕，常常能预言最重要的事情。

9 ordeal   

n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验

参考例句：

• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
• Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

10 ordinance   

n.法令；条令；条例

参考例句：

• The Ordinance of 1785 provided the first land grants for educational purposes.1785年法案为教育目的提供了第一批土地。
• The city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9.00 PM.该市通过一条法令强令晚上九点关闭一切室外照明。

11 ordinances   

n.条例，法令( ordinance的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These points of view, however, had not been generally accepted in building ordinances. 然而，这些观点仍未普遍地为其他的建筑条例而接受。 来自辞典例句
• Great are Your mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your ordinances. 诗119:156耶和华阿、你的慈悲本为大．求你照你的典章将我救活。 来自互联网

12 oration   

n.演说，致辞，叙述法

参考例句：

• He delivered an oration on the decline of family values.他发表了有关家庭价值观的衰退的演说。
• He was asked to deliver an oration at the meeting.他被邀请在会议上发表演说。