《新概念英语》（美音）III-52

Lesson 52 Mud is mud 实事求是

Listen to the tape then answer the question below.

Why did Harry decide to give up this little game?

My cousin,Harry,keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study.Despit the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green,an observant vistor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick,greyish substance.If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle,he would tell you that is contained perfumed mud.If you expressed doubt or surprise,he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin.This brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might have.The bottle really does contain perfumed mud.How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating.Furthermore,the acqusition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.

Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into a expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist.He would invent fanciful names on the spot.On entering a shop,he would ask for a new perfume called 'Scented Shadow' or for 'insoluble bath cubes'. If a shop assistant tole him she had not heard of it ,he would pretend to be considerably put out.He loved to be tole that one of his imaginary products was temporarily out of stock and he would faithfully promise to call again at some future date,but of course he never did.How Harry managed to keep a straight face during these performances is quite beyond me.

Harry does not need to be prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of mud.One day ,he went to an exclusive shop in London and ask for 'Myrolite'. The shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word,slowly stressing each syllable. When the woman shook her head in bewilderment, Harry went on to expain that 'myrolite' was a hard,amber-like substance which could be used to remove freckles.This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf .She produced all sorts of weird concoctions,but none of them met with Harry's requirements. When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed,the assistant promised to order some for him.Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud.He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment.However , it was his turn to be be surprised,for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect.For once,Harry had to admit defeat.He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle and discreetly asked the price. He was glad to get away with a mere twenty pounds and he beat a hasty retreat,clutching the precious bottle under his arm.From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive.The curious bottle,which now adorns the bookcase in his study,was his first and last purchase of rare cosmetics.

New words and expressions 生词和短语

permanent adj.永久的 prompt v.敦促，激励

tint v.给...染色 exclusive adj.专售高档商品的

delicate adj.淡色的 syllable n..音节

shade n.色度 bewilderment n.迷惑，糊涂

observant adj.观察力敏锐的 freckle n.雀斑

greyish adj.浅灰色的 evidently adv.显然地，明显地

dispel v.驱散，消除 weird adj.奇异的，古怪的

outlandish adj.稀奇古怪的 concoction n.调制品

acquisition n.获得 intoxicate v.陶醉，得意忘形

cosmetic n.化妆品 blank adj.无表情的，茫然的

outrageous adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 discreetly adv.谨慎地

fanciful adj.想像出来的 clutch v.抓住

insoluble adj.不可溶解的 adorn v.装饰，打扮

Notes on the text 课文注释

1，a delicate shade of green, 淡绿色。

2，If you were to ask,这里用was/were 加动词不定式来表示过去预计发生并且发生了的事情。

3，come into the possession of ， 占有，得到。

4，cure someone of .....,治好某人的......。

5，on the spot,当场。

6，put out,烦恼，不安，不高兴。

7，out of stock,脱销。

8，keep a straight face,板着面孔，一本正经。