TOEFL词汇精选17天巧记
——经典生词短文大串联背诵法修正版
内容介绍：共17篇短文，是我在备考最后一次“旧托福”期间记忆单词的一点成果积累。主要参考书是张红岩的《TOEFL词汇精选》。共包含了1000多个核心词汇，并且在写作的时候根据金山词霸2005修正了语法错误。
背诵方法：先背3个Unit，然后选出其中的生词写成一篇短文，再把短文背下来，效果很好。希望对各位有帮助！
Unit OneThe Abduction
An adage says that adversity is transient. The following allegory is an example.
Long, long ago there were two couples that had no children. They adopted a boy named Terry. They were affable to Terry and Terry adored them very much. They lived an amicable life and amassed affluent affections.
One day two bad men came to the village. They found Terry and accosted him: “Are your parents at home?” “No, they went to drink in the tavern.” terry replied. “Good!” alleged one of them, “I’ve heard of an anecdote saying that, there’s a bulk of ablaze antique treasure hidden somewhere near the apex of the mountain. Do you wish to find it out with us?” Terry was a boy with agility. He was allured and acclaimed: “Wonderful! I’ll affiliate you.”
Consequently, Terry’s parents did find him when they came back. “Maybe you have alienated Terry. He finds you acrimonious and left. ” The mother said in anguish. “I do not doubt his allegiance; He may have been abducted.” replied the father.
Just then they received a mail with an annex amalgamated with the text. In the appendix there was an abridged letter: “Your son is in our hands. We’ve abated his diet and annulled his sleep. We want $10,000 for absolving him. If you are amenable to our advisable request, send the money to the allocated aperture of the sewer at the north of the village within two days; if you adjourn, you’ll never see him again!” the letter admonished without any annotation. The letter was not abstruse, but the abhorrent allusion drove them into agony. Quickly they called the police.
Several policemen were allotted to the case. They were adroit and adept in their job. Soon they rescued Terry and treated him with antiseptics. The couple felt abashed: “Thanks to the police, their affinity to spec ops amazed us. We’ll abstain drinking and accentuate the agrarian work.”
The criminal and his accomplice were accused for abduction but were acquitted although proof was against them, because the avaricious judge adopted their bribery.
(April, 2th)
Unit TwoGreed
There were two archaic countries called Albania and Croatia long ago. Albania was aridand bleak while Croatia arable. The king of Albania was an autocrat with belligerent bent who begrudged Croatia and belittled her armament, and he decided to assail Croatia.
Firstly, he sent an astuteambassador in bleached apparel to visit Croatia. The king of Croatia held a banquet and appointed him. He avowed: “We Croatians are bestowed by God the ardent aptitudes. We are ascetic as to have few assets and bequests. We’re also assiduous and keep austerity.” “Sure,” the messenger beguiled, “Your people have begotten(原形beget) great attainments, and we want to barter with your country.”
On hearing that, the Albania king said: “Good, nobody can balk us.” And he basted Croatia with his army. They bereaved Croatia’s land and beset its capital. The Croatia king was astounded and berated: “You shit belied your avid aspire for our land and blemished justice!” All Croatian officials were befuddled and began to bicker with each other. Only one minister said: “Although situation is arduous, we shall not apprehend them. I’ve appraised them and asserted that their ardor won’t last long. Everything is auspicious and will get assuaged.”
The Albania-forces’ general thought: “Our king is too bigoted. Ever since I passed his audition and became general, my allegiance has been basked in attrition. I’ve awed him, but now filled with aversion. I’ll kill him and retire. I’m apt to study barometer.” So he aspersed: “Our king is avaricious and barbarous. We shouldn’t bend to his arrogance.” Then he sent an assassin and assassinated the king.
(April,3th)
Unit ThreePrisoners of War
Thousands of war prisoners were kept in captivity in the bulkycamp. They lived in clutter and had to deal with chores. They must show categorical obedience or else receive causticchiding. The guarding officers censure them very often, as well as clamorcarnal punishments. Some captives got bruise and clots all over. Male prisoners lost their collaterals and female ones failed to keep chaste.
They wear burnished canvas, and rested in circumscribed room with small capacity and caliber. They chafe each other and brawled frequently. They were chary of moving and can hardly budge. Their situations captivated lots of reporters, who castigated the government with cogent proof. However, the government gave bombastic data and bragged about the conditions in the camps.
After the calamity of war ceased, large numbers of captives were longing for the boon of brisk andfree life. According to a clandestinebond between the two canny governments, a process of exchanging captives will soon commence. This is considered as opening a cleft in the clogged wall between the two countries.
(April,4th)
Unit FourLaden’s End
As Osama Ben Laden(奥萨马-本-拉登)’s forces failed contending with the Northern Confederate, he had to abandon the commodiouscapital city of Kabul and conceal his trail inside the contour of large mountains and caverns. His career comprises confidential conspiracy, conspicuous terrorist assaults, Islamic fundamentalist creed and contemptible crimes. But now, most of Laden’s subordinates contemplated and become contrite, while castigating him with their conscience.
Three months ago, some conciliatory connoisseurs of international affairs from UN came to Afghanistan(阿富汗) with cordialcompassion to the catastrophe occurring there, and consorted Laden. They deem it contingent to arrive at a congruity if Laden would concede. However, Laden was credulous in his counsel’s words that the constellation shows fortune to them. He was covetous and contemptuous of his enemy. Confounded by conceit, he craved for uniting the entire nation. Thus he contemned the UN commission’s advice and convened his troops for counterstrike.
Soon US corroborated that Laden was the person who contrived the new attack method of impacting skyscrapers with planes, and person who conspired the concerted serial assaults in New York. Laden cowered and constricted his mouth. He controvert that he was consecrating some food with condiment to the God in order to confine the contagious disease in Afghanistan, and had no time to organize the attack. But US ignored his construing. They said that Laden’s story was concocted and his credential was counterfeited. Then they confiscated it and attacked his troops with bombs that contaminated the whole country.
Laden confided his congenial officer with composure: “They won’t connive our terrorism, any more than condone us. We must consolidate the forces, equip them with the counterpart weapons of US army’s, and put compulsive death to those infidels.” “You’re so composed! Let’s conceive something optimistic.” The officer commended.
(April,5th)
Unit FiveFamily betrayer
Maria was a damsel in a noble family that had passed its culmination and fallen into decadence. She was little defective, for he knew decorum well and was deft at cuisine of desserts. She followed her father’s decree and deferred marriage year after year, her best ages detained.
One day, Maria’s father designated her as a deputy to dispatch a deleterious man who denounced her family and depicted its defects to others. After she saw the man, he declaimed: “You’re deluded by your culpable father’s deceit. He’s a despicable person who despoiled our property. He derided us and denoted that we should work for him. I am the delegate of all deceived people. We detest your father in cynical manners and demur to him before the deities. We live in dank cells and feel dazed frequently, but we’re dauntless. We’ll keep deprecating him until he deplore.”
What the man delineated struck Maria greatly. Her deference to father detracted, she said in a dejected mood: “I have despised you poor people but now I’m deferential. You’re right in decrying my father’s detriment to you all. He deformed the truth and defrauded me. I’ll curb my cursory task to put you into demise with this deterrent. Also, I’ll detach myself from my family.”
After some curtcompliments, the man said: “Thanks, I’ll go around that declivity and dab the bell dangling on the ceiling as a signal for us to escape.”
(April,6th)
Unit SixThe Arrogant Scholar
Alder is a scholar with many devoutdisciples. He has been disseminating doctrines that is said to be not having the most diminutive drawback. He economizes his own life and become emaciated. When he came to our city last year, our domineering boss discerned him and invited him to give us a discourse.
Alder was eloquent and began dilating with elation: “What I want to elucidate today is a problem which is long distained and has dismayed many people. It distracts them all the time and makes them downcast. That is: How to effectuate the discretion in edifying your disposition? ……” He devised lots of dispensable sentences while eluding the important things, thus digressed the topic and the lecture sounded devoid of sense. What’s more, his dialects greatly disarrayed the audience and dwindled away the effectiveness of his speech.
It was getting dusky and began to drizzle. We all became drowsy and our boss’s patience ebbed. He was discreet and didn’t want to disfigure himself by forcing Alder to stop, but he really disparage his speech very much and cannot dissemble any more. Eventually, he said in a devious way: “Your topic is discernible, but it’s so dingy now. Let’s disband the meeting and I’ll disburse your plane ticket back home with discounts.”
Alder became dismal at once. He replied: “Do not dissimulate or disclaim your real purpose. You divulged that your patience have dissipated. Well, if any of you can disprove the topic of my discourse, you can displace me and I’ll go home keep dormant. I’m so ductile.”
“Stop effusing your words filled with discord,” shouted the boss angrily, “I’ve dissected your topic and it embodies nothing. Diversify its content, or I’ll efface them. We diverge too much and I have to let you leave, otherwise you’re doing nothing but embezzling our money.”
(April,7th)
Unit SevenGreat Archaeological Discovery
An erratic instrument was exhumed from an excavation of ancient epoch. It looked like a pipe but was embroidered exquisite pictures on it, and could still engender a euphonious sound. As nobody in the country can enunciate what it is, an archaeologist with special expertise skill was enlisted from abroad.
Following the envoy, the expert came to the expedient huts encompassing the spot. During his expeditious esteeming, the expert was completely engrossed. He exclaimed: “This is an exoticflute which is the oldest extant one, and all others have been exterminated in ethnic migrations.” Then he gave an exemplary play with the pipe, followed by extemporaneous expounding to its structure. Eventually, he extolled the importance of this discovery, showing exorbitant etiquette.
The enrapturing local official held a banquette on the archaeologist’s exodus. However, the instrument’s value enticed the expert and entailed his greed. He emended his plan and wanted to encroach the flute. Thus he exerted his eloquence and equivocated: “Sorry I’ve made a mistake maybe. According to an excerpt from a book enacted by my teacher, this instrument is unworthy. Its value cannot emulate a common flute.”
The official was exasperated: “Nobody will endorse such nonsense excluding yourself. Your crime can be neither extenuated nor exempted. Expedite your steps and eschew us, foolish exponent.”
The archaeologist was enervated and ran away as soon as possible.
(April,8th)
Unit EightThe Fox and the Chicken
The frigid winter and scarce food supply famish many animals, including a ferocious fox. He is almost forlorn because he has garnered little food when the land was fertile, and the flora is extraneous to his diet. He used to be fussy and extravagant with his food but now has to fetter his stomach and be frugal. “What a formidable winter!” he gabbles.
Just then his eyes flicker due to a fortuitous discovery. After ferreting about the whole grassland fraught of snow for fishy objects, he finally found a small finch with fuzzy feather and fragrant smell. A chicken! “Aha, facile prey!” the fox was exultant, “Hmm…She looks so fatuous and feeble. But I shall not go forthright, because the feud between foxes and chickens will fluster or fret her, and foment her escape. I must make her believe her foe through frauds.”
After fitfulgarnishing, the fox comes up to the fluffyfowl with a genial smile on his face. He feigned that he is a gentry with genteel speaking genre: “Hey, my fraternal friend! I’m coming to extricate you from a disaster. It’s not facetious. Your nest is too flimsy and frail to be a fixture for living. It cannot foil great gales coming soon. However, I can help building a new nest with many fortes for you, which can forestall water exuding. I just want to show my genuinefeat and won’t extort money from you.”
“Stop your futile fraudulent figment. It’s such gauchefarce.” the chicken flouted, “Look at the frowsygash on your cheek. You’re the fickle figurehead of the fox clan who just failed in the factious fights.”
The fox cannot gainsay the chicken’s words and left in frenzy frustration.
(April,9th)
Unit Nine Generation Gap
Ted made a fortune and hiked back hisidyllic home in illustriousguises. He wore a grand hat, a pair of gilded glossy shoes and a girdle with glazed tip. All neighbors in the gorge welcomed Ted with homage instead of grudging, and he was gleeful as well as haughty.
Yet, Ted’s father, who used to be humane, criticized him bitterly: “How hideous you are! We used to be hardy and hectic. We’re gregarious and never guileless. Now you made a haphazardfortune and lost our virtues. Hearsay says that you get your money by harrying passengers and hewing trees. Somebody even imparted me that you’ve committed immensehomicide. If you’ve done those illicit things, It’s surely ignominious idiosyncrasy, and you’ll lose your imminentheirship if you go on like that.” He humiliated Ted.
Ted imbibed some tea, groped his match and ignited a cigar. “You’re too hackneyed and grumpy,” he grumbled in a grouchy voice, “I cannot gratify your obsoleteideology. You old people used to live like ignoble cattle and illegible grasses. You glean grain from fields and heave them back in gratitude to the God. You gnaw dirty food everyday, ignorance of hygiene. All my wealth hinges on my gripping many chances and it’s unreasonable for you to gibe me like that.”
The hubbub of haggling attracted many neighbors who were heedless at first. Some of them approved the son’s grievance while others took it as heresy. The quarrel’s gist was generation gap.
(April,10th)
Unit Ten Diplomatic Friction
A newly inaugurated impervious US submarine with diesel impetus was taking an imperative task near an insular navy base in Japan. As it made its way across the intrinsic flows, an inconceivable fish boat suddenly emerged in front of them. The indolent captain was so imprudent and inert that he turned the steer too late. It was a big submarine with great inertia and the fish boat was in an inept position. It was stricken hard, and the influx of water into the boat’s interior space caused the boat to sink in impotence.
The imposing accident incited incisivediplomaticfrictions after short interlude. Incensed local fishermen were indignant and impetuous. They incriminated the US navy for insulting their nation. Some of them even instigated local governors with inordinate incentive.
A group was set up to inquire the accident. After some inquisitive inquiry, they imputed the matter to the fish boat and tried to act as the intermediary to intercede between the fishermen and the US navy. However, the local fishermen were insubordinate and intrepid. Although they’re indigent and make livings on indigenous products, they decided to indict the US navy. Their action gained impassioned support and incessant invocation from the mass people. They hoped the insolent US navy could pay the indemnity.
The impassive governors, however, feared being implicated in the trouble. They intimidated the fishermen by instilling that, the US navy had innate privileges, and insinuated that their inflexible indictment was ineligible. But the fishermen were indomitable and inverted the infusing. The lawsuit began eventually.
All the crew of the submarine was interrogated. Finally all the incredulity dissipated: the intrinsic fault lay in the captain’s incipient operation error. Although almost impeccable in the past, there’s no impunity for him. When the indented judgment text was announced, the fisherman improvised an impromptu verse to mock the government’s improvident waste of time.
(April,11th)
Unit ElevenStory on the Lawn
At 40°latitude, 110°longitude there was a large area of luxuriant lawn. A river meandered through the grassland, manuring it with fresh water. A liberal girl lived there, whose merits was her matchless beauty and irreproachable ken. Her hair was lithe and her eyes limpid. Every morning she would wear her laurel and lash her sheep onto the lawn. The mediocre life elapsed in lull for many, many years.
One day an itinerant nobleman came to the lawn. He was authorized by an irrevocable legislation to levy the place. He had malady in his leg and had to limp all the time, and all people jeered at his jolting languid muscle when he came. Some children’s malicious mimicry to his walking manner greatly irritated him.
As he saw the girl, his eyes were filled with luster and his lust arose: “Aha, a menial meek girl with fine malleable skin! She reminds me of my newly-marital life.”
Full of malice, he kindled a cigar and accosted the girl: “You’re such a methodical girl with manifold talents. I’ve learned of a maxim saying that, phoenix cannot reside on a small tree, and I can liberate you from the leash of husbandry. You should lease your sheep to others and go with me to the maritime capital city whose prosperity is lauded by all.”
The girl was not at all irresolute. She replied in listless tone: “Look at the irreverent smile on your face and the ugly ledge on your leg. By meticulous observation, I loathe you. Your maneuver cannot jumble my mind and languish my alert.”
“Maligning!” shouted the nobleman.
After some liaison, many lustymalcontents came to the girl and drove the nobleman away.
(April,12th)
Unit TwelveThe General Election
The quadrennial US president election is once again muddling the multitude. Parades with partisanmotif fill the streets and obstruct the traffic.Nocturnal TV programs are monotonous due to the noxious orations. Both parties have gained tremendous patronage from the opulence of large businesses. It’s no wonder the greatest ordeal to those politicians.
The Democratic Party’s candidate, Gore, is an outspoken and overbearing man with obstinate thoughts nurtured in a needy family. He gives an offhand comment that the Republic Party’s candidate, Bush, is a moron with morbid brain. He outwitted the public that, if he wins, he would modulate the policies, popularize obligatory education and mollify the current economic depression.
Bush, although overdue for the election, is a munificent person with nimble style in his outfits. He obscures his own flaws and evades Gore’s onsets. Instead, he frequently mentioned the former president Clinton’s obscene history. “I’m not the panacea for all problems, but I can be palatable small dish for you to nibble. Oust Gore from your tickets and support me please. Our serious security conditions can be mitigated.” Bush paraphrases his ideas.
As Gore overlooks many chances and fails to mold his aspect successfully, his negligence finally causes Bush’s victory. According to the pact between them, Bush sets up his government and begins to nominate his ministers.
(April,13th)
Unit ThirteenMahatma Gandhi
Gandhi was the peerless precursor of India national independence movement as well as a provident politician with prodigious probity. Grown up in penury, he was a pious posterity of the Indian people and had no prodigal penchants.
Fighting for the perennial independence of India, Gandhi is propped by many followers. He told them to keep placid and proscribed violence which may pervert people, for he knew profoundly, if that prevails, their prestige would be profaned and the movement would fall in plight. As a result, he kept placating his followers by plotting petitions with percussions and pleaded with the British colonists with propriety to accept their plausible proposals. Local governors professed his process permissible, and his minions proliferated.
As Gandhi’s propensity to become independent protruded and his profuse methods of struggle protracted, the colonists were prodded and pensive. They fear that the poise would be broken and fights would pervade. So they prosecuted Gandhi for pilferage of poultries and plunged the plaintiff into the penal jail. The jail keeper was prone to sympathy and made special food provision for Gandhi by pecking the jail wall. Their precious proximity was not perpetuated. Soon the keeper was precluded from touching Gandhi and Gandhi lost his preference.
A prolific playwright wrote a play about Gandhi with pertinent topic recently. In the prelude of the play he premised that Gandhi was still alive. When the play was on, it precipitated and the perspective of the city’s profile became picturesque.
(April,14th)
Unit FourteenThe Lord and the Hermit
Once upon a time there was a rapacious lord. He was relentless to his tenants and quelled them by placing quotas to their living condition. Soon he collected quantitatively great revenue and lived in a radiatepalace. He was also renowned for his queer clothes.
One day the lord’s disease relapsed, so he rallied his subordinates for help. One of them said: “I’ve heard of a recluse who knows regimen well residing nearby. Why not visit his residence for help?” Another retorted: “Be prudent, maybe it is only a rumor.” But the rash lord was filled with rapture and ratified the visiting plan.
On the next Sunday, the lord purged himself, held a quaint rite and started for the hermit’s home. They passed rugged rustic passages full of paddles and the lord almost recoiled. Finally they arrived. The lord felt disappointed at the recluse’s reception, but he wouldn’t relinquish the chance and talked to the hermit with reverence.
The hermit ruminated and reverted to the main topic in a pungent voice: “I’ve heard lots of your ravenous deeds. You retract the land you’ve distributed to the farmers and order them to redeem their land. You must redress your guilt and rehabilitate their freedom. Reimburse their respective debts and build refuge for them. You can retain the residue of your property.”
The lord was reluctant to renounce his wealth and be rent from his palace. He rebuked: “Your advice is too reckless. I’m resolute not to accept it.”
“Why so repulsive? You cannot repudiate my words.” The hermit reiterated his suggestion and its resonance echoed. “Remit their taxes with rebates, or a riot is imminent.”
The lord again refuted. At last he went back in remorse.
(April,15th)
Unit FifteenWatching the Execution
It is reported that two seer criminals were to be executed in the town center today, and spontaneous spectators have gathered around the sedate square in sporadic groups fore fear of solitude. They skimmed the sardonic slogans pasted on the walls about those social slags. The air was solemn and sensuous.
Soon several policemen came from the stall as speculated, shoving two criminals saddled by shackles. As they walked around the sloppy slope, people shunned them because they’re thought to be sinister. Then the executioner began to scrutinize the criminals that had been kept in seclusion for days, his face steadfast and his rifle shined with splendor.
The first criminal was a murderer who had smothered a boy. The police was not sluggish at all and pushed him forward without scruple. As the executioner drew his sword and it slumped, the criminal’s neck snapped, and his head was severed from the body. Blood spouted from the gush and sprayed onto the ground. Some watchers’ clothes were smeared and spewed at the terrible scene. The executioner sheathed his sword and shouted: “Next one.”
The second was a sly cheater who obtained $100,000 through one solitary method. He solicited: “I fear the savor of sword. Kill me with a rifle, please.” “No, it squanders bullets.” Replied the executioner with sarcasm. “You’re too skimpy,” said the criminal in a satirical tone, “please satiate my last will.” After some squabbling he was satisfied.
The executioner fired at the criminal’s spleen. Blood spurted out, like sprouting flower. The criminal was still sober and felt seared. The bullet singed his body and killed him without much snag.
The police then gave the spectators lots of sermon but nobody listened. I collected a bullet shell and scooped some blood sediment up from the ground as a souvenir, then returned home without sojourn.
(April,16th)
Unit SixteenMisery of the Negro Slaves
400 years ago, many European colonists with supple hair went to Africa and subverted the aboriginal empires. After the subjection, local residents succumbed to the colonists. The conquerors found them stocky and submissive. They surmised that those tangible traits made them suitable for strenuous work. So they shipped those Negroes to America in order to supersede animal labor.
During the 1600s, from African plains to the summits, millions of Negroes tallying the requirements were tied together with strap. Their noses were transfixed and their faces tinted. Then they were jammed into stout ships teeming slaves thrust by sails and shipped to America. While in the ship, they fed on tepid tenuous porridge and stodgy corn. Stripped of all things, their head thumped the deck and their noses tingled while the ship waved. Such bad conditions were not tentative, so they became torpid and tranquil as well as susceptible.Surplus people were thrown into the sea and were submerged by water. As the slavers kept tantalizing them, Even the most temperate man became sullen. Their touchy temperament caused much strife and many ships strayed.
After they finally surmounted all the difficulties stunting them and subsisted until they reached America, they found themselves suffusing the slaver’s farms to which they were subsidiary. Their stingy superintendents stipulated with them that, their job was temporal and would soon be supplanted by more succinct work. It’s their tact however. Everyday they ate their sustenance when the bell tolled. It was tacit in the synopsis of the contact that they can never be free. Their thrift and tormenttranscended all that in human history.
When their deeds transpired, the colonists’ reputation got tarnished. International organizations sublimated the topic of fighting against slavery and began to tackle the problem.
(April,17th)
Unit SeventeenThe Perilous Journal
Common tourists virtually never go upstream the Amazon River too far. I’ve been venerating those valiant adventurers as well as wistful and longing to become one, until last year, I joined a group of archaeologists who were trying to unearth archaic vestiges, such as wares polished with varnish, from a site deep in the rainforests.
Several trotting mules tugged our boat. Our leader, Jimmy, was an upright, witty man with unshaken will. He wielded the steer warily and kept vigilant. The water trickling underneath our boat formed trifling waves. The uncanny scenes and unruly animals on the banks aroused our whims.
It was dawn and everything around was vague. Suddenly the boat was wagged sharply and we woke up in turmoil. There was a huge whirlpool ahead, which generated vehement vibration. As we waddled toward Jimmy, he veered the boat with not a whit of hurry until we escaped the turbulent area.
Still in trepidation, we got onto the bank and launched a campfire with twigs. We took off the wet clothes and wrung them out, then dried them on the fire through ventilation. I made a wry smile because I was wearing an unbecoming coat in vogue. We then composed a verse to praise Jimmy’s wit and valor.
As the incidentvexed us, our faith wavered and our courage waned. Somebody tried to wheedle Jimmy into aborting the adventure, but Jimmy vetoed the suggestion. “Unless unanimity, I won’t agree with such unseemly advice.” He vindicated his decision.
(April,18th)
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