胡敏讀故事記托福詞匯058：首次進入社交界的少女殺手 The Deadly Debutante
“We had a deal,” said the debutante in the dazzling red dress. “The interest rate on the loan was supposed to be 0.05, not 0.5 of the debt. I saw it written on the paper with my own eyes. Someday changed the position of the decimal point! This is a clear case of deception.”
“我們以前有個交易，”身穿耀眼的紅色長裙的初次參加社交活動的少女說，“貸款的利率應(yīng)該是債務(wù)的0.05(5%)，而不是債務(wù)的0.5(50%)。我親眼看見協(xié)議上這樣寫的。有人移動十進制的小數(shù)點!這是一起很明顯的詐騙案。”
“It’s your eyes that deceived you,” replied the deadly loan shark. He smirked as he decanted a bottle of wine and ate a piece of chocolate from her candy box. “The debenture you signed clearly says 0.5 of the loan. As the debtor, you have no choice but to pay the 50% interest. If you don’t pay, I will reduce your house to debris.”
“是你的眼睛欺騙了你，”惡毒的高利貸者說。他一邊倒著一瓶酒，吃著從少女的糖盒中拿出的一塊巧克力，一邊得意地笑著。“你簽的債券上清清楚楚地寫著貸款的50%。作為債務(wù)人，你別無選，只能付50%的利息。否則的話，我會把你的房子夷為廢城。”
“I will not pay a deceitful man like you,” said the stubborn debutante.
“我不會付錢給像你這樣的騙子的。”倔強的少女說。
“I’m not interested in a debate,” replied the loan shark, as he ate another piece of chocolate. “I’m a decent businessman. It’s not my fault your family has a dearth of money. Those expensive deciduous trees our front and your family’s decadent lifestyle decimated the family fortune. Maybe you shouldn’t have spent the entire loan trying to dazzle that unfortunate boy into courting you. You used deceit to make him think you were rich. You’re more deceptive than I am.”
“我對爭吵不感興趣，”高利貸者說著，又吃了一塊巧克力。“我是個體面的商人。你們家缺錢不是我的錯。你們家外面種那么昂貴的落葉樹和你們家頹廢的生活方式毀掉了大部分財產(chǎn)，也許你不該把全部貸款花在使一個不幸的男孩神魂顛倒而向你求婚上。你利用欺騙手段讓他相信你很富有。你比我更會騙人。”
“In general, I think that’s debatable,” said the debutante. “But today, it’s true.”
“通常，我認為那樣說是有爭議的。”初涉社交界的少女說，“但今天，你可以這么說。”
“What do you mean?” asked the loan shark, now feeling a bit dazed by the chocolates.
“你什麼意思?”高利貸者問。這時他吃進去的巧克力使他感到有點眩暈。
“I should have told you,” replied the debutante. “Eating too many chocolates can decay your teeth,” she whispered as he fell to the floor, “but eating poisoned ones can kill you.”
“我本該告訴你，”少女回答道，“巧克力吃多了會腐蝕牙齒。”看著他倒在地板上，少女低聲說，“可吃了有毒的巧克力會要了你的命。”
Words:
daze vt. 使發(fā)昏，是眩暈
dazzle vt. (使)眩目，(使)眼花;使(某人)贊許，稱奇
dazzling adj. 眼花繚亂的;耀眼的
deadly adv. 致命的，毒性的;有害的
deal n. 交易;分量
dearth n. 缺少，缺乏
debatable adj. 爭論中的;未決定的
debate n. 爭論，辯論
debenture n. 債券
debris n. 廢墟，殘害;碎片
debt n. 債務(wù)
debtor n. 債務(wù)人
debutante n. 初次參加社交活動的少女
decadent adj. 頹廢的
decant v. 傾注，倒出
decay v./n. (使)腐爛，腐蝕;衰落
deceit n. 欺騙，欺詐
deceitful adj. 慣于欺騙的
deceive vt. 欺騙，行騙
decent adj. 適當?shù)?，可接受?得體的，體面的
deceptive adj. 欺騙的，導(dǎo)致錯誤的
deception n. 欺騙，詭計
deciduous adj. 每年落葉的
decimal adj. 十進制的
decimate v. 毀掉大部分，大量殺死
