胡敏读故事记托福词汇11：时间没白费 Time Not Lost
Lesson 11 Time Not Lost 时间没白费
I first met her at the university 8 years ago. My major was anthropology and her was history. We fell in love and wed, but three months later, she announced her intention to annul the marriage. She said that I never seemed interested in talking about history and that my apathy annoyed her. She moved away and I never anticipated seeing her again.
8年前的大学时代，我遇到了她。我得专业是人类学，她的专业是历史。我们相恋结婚，但是婚后三个月，她宣布想取消这场婚姻。她说我对谈论历史毫无兴趣可言，而我的冷漠令她烦恼。她搬走了，我也没指望能再见到她。
Then, I ran into her last year while attending an annual convention at the University. She had passed to me an anonymous note that simply said,"look behind you." I had no idea it would be her.
然后，去年我在参加学校年会时邂逅了她。她让人递给我一张匿名纸条，上面就写了一句：“往后看。”我压根没想到是她。
Now, she teaches an American History class at the University. She stimulates interest in history by taking her students to historic sites and having them experience antiquity in person. It thrills them to annotate their textbooks with first-hand information. Her anomalous teaching method draws a large number of students.
现在，她在这所大学里教美国历史。她实属历史教授的另类。她带领学生参观历史古迹，让学生亲自感受什么是古老，从而激发他们对历史的兴趣。学生们兴奋于有第一手资料注解他们的课本。她那不同寻常的教学方式吸引了大批学生。
Last month, I joined her class for a trip to a house that antedated the American Civil War. We were fascinated by the antiquated furniture and the post-war antiques. In one room, I found a rusty bronze music box that plays the National anthem. In the bedroom, I found a hand-sewn book containing an anthology of civil war poems. In the bathroom, I discovered a pair of hand-blown glass bottles used for storing antibiotic pills and antiseptic. Perhaps the most interesting piece was an old box-styled camera, one of the first to use an aperture. It still worked.
上个月，我参加了他们班组织的一次参观美国内战前一所老房子的活动。我们被古色古香的家具和各式战后古董所吸引。我再房间里发现一个沾满铜锈但是能唱国歌的音乐盒。在卧室里，我找到了一本用手工针线装订成册的内战诗集。在浴室里，我发现了一对装抗生素片和防腐剂的自制玻璃瓶。也许最有趣的东西是一个古老的盒式相机，这也是最早使用光圈相机之一。它还能拍照片呢!
I never realized how interesting History could be. For that, I must thank my former wife, or should I say, my present wife. They are now one and the same!
我从前从未意识到历史会如此有趣。这一点，我要感谢我的前妻，或者说我的现任妻子。她们是同一人!
英语单词注释
annotate v. 注解，注释
announce vt. 宣布，发表，通告
annoy vt. 使恼怒;打扰
annual adj. 每年的
annul v. 废除，取消
anomalous adj. 异常的，反常的，不规则的
anomaly n. 异常，不规则;异常的人或事
anonymous adj. 匿名的
antedate v. 发生于(存在于)。。。以前，(时间上)前于;提早日期
anthem n. 圣歌，赞美歌
anthology n. 诗集，文选
anthropology n. 人类学
antibiotic adj. 抗菌的，抗生的
anticipate vt. 预期，预料
antiquated adj. 陈旧的，过时的;古老的，年老的
antique n. 古董;adj. 古时的，陈旧的
antiquity n. 古迹;古物;古代，古老
antiseptic n. 杀菌剂，防腐剂
apathy n. 冷漠，无兴趣
aperture n. 开口，孔;(照相机等的)孔径，光圈
