52 · 实事求是
Mud is Mud
读懂长句与段落衔接，分清事实、推断和观点，再连贯复述或说明。
课文精读整篇课文
点选一句，句末即可听读；连起意思，大声读一遍。
My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study. Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant visitor 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 it 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 acquisition 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 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 told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out. He loved to be told 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 asked 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 explain 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 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.
本课原文与译文
展开完整文本 · 便于查阅与检索
整篇课文
My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study. Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant visitor 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 it 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 acquisition 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 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 told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out. He loved to be told 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 asked 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 explain 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 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.
我的表兄哈里，常年在书房里摆着一个形状古怪的大瓶子。虽然瓶身带着淡雅的绿色，细心的客人仍很快就能看出，里面装着一种黏稠、灰乎乎的东西。要问哈里那是什么，他会告诉你，是香泥。如果你表示怀疑或惊讶，他会立刻请你闻一闻，再抹一点在皮肤上。只需这么一试，你就不会再怀疑了：瓶里确实是带香味的泥。至于他是怎样得到这古怪玩意儿的，那是一个他很爱讲的有趣故事。不仅如此，买下这瓶东西，还治好了他多年来逐渐养成的一个坏习惯。
哈里过去觉得，去高档化妆品店索要根本不存在的商品，是件极有趣的事。他会当场编出天花乱坠的名字，一进店便要买一种叫“香影”的新香水，或者“遇水不溶的沐浴块”。店员若说没听过，他就装得十分不悦。他最喜欢听对方说，某种凭空捏造的商品只是暂时缺货，还会郑重保证，改天一定再来，当然，他从没真的回来过。演这些戏时，哈里竟能一本正经、不露笑意，我实在想不通他是怎么做到的。
说起自己怎样买下那瓶宝贵的香泥，哈里用不着别人提醒，就会主动讲开。有一天，他走进伦敦一家高档商店，开口要买“密罗莱特”。女店员满脸困惑，他便慢慢重复这个词，把每个音节都咬得很清楚。对方还是茫然摇头，他就继续解释：“密罗莱特”是一种坚硬、像琥珀一样的物质，可以用来去雀斑。这番解释显然让店员想到了什么，她一架接一架地找，拿出各种稀奇古怪的调制品，可没有一样符合哈里的要求。他又装出有点不高兴的样子，店员便答应替他订货。哈里正为自己的“成功”陶醉，接着又索要香泥，原以为对方会目瞪口呆地看着自己。没想到，这回轮到他吃惊了：店员顿时眼睛一亮，拿来好几瓶，放在柜台上供他挑选。哈里这一次只得认输。他挑了一瓶看起来最小的，小心翼翼地问价。最后只花二十英镑便能脱身，他已经暗自庆幸，赶紧把这宝贵的瓶子夹在腋下，匆匆撤退。从此，他认定自己发明的这种小游戏，玩起来可能代价不菲。如今装点书房书柜的这个古怪瓶子，就是他第一次、也是最后一次购买的稀奇化妆品。
学完这一课
用 filled with what looks like… 描述尚不确定的物质，区分外观与成分。
译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时、何景霖整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第184—187页，2022年2月第3版。