胡敏读故事记托福词汇043：购物当职业 Shopping for a Career
“I think I want to study chemistry,” John said to Mary. “It’s a complicated subject but I want to learn how to compose new compounds out of chemical components. I’ve read that scientists are now using air pressure to compress and create Mary, what about you? An intelligent girl like you would make a good chemist.”
“我想我要学化学，”约翰对玛丽说，“这是一门复杂的学科，但我想学会用各种化学成分配制新化合物的方法。我读过有关科学家使用气压浓缩的方法从而获得特殊的化合物的文章。未来的药物将由这些特殊化合物构成。玛丽，你呢?像你这么聪明的女孩能做个优秀的化学家。”
“Thanks for the compliment but chemistry is not a comprehensible subject for me” Mary replied. “Dealing with dangerous chemicals is a further complication. Musical compositions is what I want to study. I’m fascinated by the fact that most compositions are comprised of over a dozen different musical pieces. Also, I find that musical arrangements are easy for me to comprehend.”
“多谢夸奖，化学对我来说可不好懂。”玛丽回答道，“折腾那些危险的化学物质更是复杂。我想学音乐创作。大多音乐作品常常是由几十个不同的乐曲组成，这一点让我着迷。而且。我发现我能很快理解音乐编排的来龙去脉。”
“Won’t you have difficulty earning a good salary?” asked John. “A compulsive shopper like you, Mary, will need a lot of money.”
“那你要挣到高薪不是很难吗?”约翰问道，“像你这样购物成癖的人，玛丽，你将需要很多钱。”“也许是这样，”简插上一句，“你总是在花父母的钱买些昂贵的衣服，玛丽。”
“That’s not a complimentary statement, John!” Mary shouted, trying to regain her composure. “And Jane, you are guilty of complicity!” Mary tearfully added. “However, you’re both right. I’ve had the hardest time trying to reach a compromise with my parents over this issue. They’ve done a comprehensive review of my spending habits. They won’t give me any more money unless I comply with their request to study a more practical subject, like finance.”
“这可不是什么恭维的话，约翰!”玛丽叫道，一面努力镇静下来。“而且，简，你是同谋!”玛丽眼泪汪汪地说道。“不过，你们都说对了。在这一问题上我已是尽力艰辛，竭尽全力与父母达成妥协。他们全面审查了我的花钱习惯。除非我顺从他们学一门更实用的学科，比如金融，他们就不会再给我一分钱。”
John smiled back at Mary. “I guess a compulsive shopped needs a compulsory education!”
约翰冲玛丽笑了笑，“我猜一个购物癖者需要接受点强制性教育。”
Words:
complicated adj. 费解的，棘手的;结构复杂的
complication n. (医)并发症;复杂，复杂性
complicity n. 共谋，串通
compliment n. 恭维，称赞
complimentary adj. 赞美的
comply vi. 遵从，符合
component n. 成分，组成部分
compose vt. 组成，构成;创作;作曲
be composed of 由……组成
composition n. 构成，组成;写作，作文;作曲，创作
composure n. 镇静，沉着，自若
compound n. 化合物
comprehend vt. 理解，领悟
comprehensible adj. 可理解的，易于了解的
comprehensive adj. 全面的，综合的
compress vt. 压缩，浓缩
comprise vt. 包含;由……组成
compromise n. 妥协，折衷
compulsive adj. 强迫的
compulsory adj. 必须做的，被强制的
