Idle Ideas in 1905
 小说分类
选择字号：【大】【中】【小】
关灯
护眼
DOES THE YOUNG MAN KNOW EVERYTHING WORTH KNOWING?

关注小说网官方公众号（noveltingroom），原版名著免费领。


 I am told that American professors are “mourning the lack of ideals” at Columbia University—possibly also at other universities scattered1 through the United States.  If it be any consolation2 to these mourning American professors, I can assure them that they do not mourn alone.  I live not far from Oxford3, and enjoy the advantage of occasionally listening to the jeremiads of English University professors.  More than once a German professor has done me the honour to employ me as an object on which to sharpen his English.  He also has mourned similar lack of ideals at Heidelberg, at Bonn.  Youth is youth all the world over; it has its own ideals; they are not those of the University professor.  The explanation is tolerably simple.  Youth is young, and the University professor, generally speaking, is aged5" target="_blank">middle-aged4.
 
I can sympathise with the mourning professor.  I, in my time, have suffered like despair.  I remember the day so well; it was my twelfth birthday.  I recall the unholy joy with which I reflected that for the future my unfortunate parents would be called upon to pay for me full railway fare; it marked a decided6 step towards manhood.  I was now in my teens.  That very afternoon there came to visit us a relative of ours.  She brought with her three small children: a girl, aged six; a precious, golden-haired thing in a lace collar that called itself a boy, aged five; and a third still smaller creature, it might have been male, it might have been female; I could not have told you at the time, I cannot tell you now.  This collection of atoms was handed over to me.
 
“Now, show yourself a man,” said my dear mother, “remember you are in your teens.  Take them out for a walk and amuse them; and mind nothing happens to them.”
 
To the children themselves their own mother gave instructions that they were to do everything that I told them, and not to tear their clothes or make themselves untidy.  These directions, even to myself, at the time, appeared

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。
2 consolation WpbzC     
n.安慰，慰问
参考例句：
  • The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
  • This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。
3 Oxford Wmmz0a     
n.牛津（英国城市）
参考例句：
  • At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
  • This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。
4 middle-aged UopzSS     
adj.中年的
参考例句：
  • I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
  • The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。
5 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。
6 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
7 contradictory VpazV     
adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立
参考例句：
  • The argument is internally contradictory.论据本身自相矛盾。
  • What he said was self-contradictory.他讲话前后不符。
8 infancy F4Ey0     
n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期
参考例句：
  • He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
  • Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。
9 planks 534a8a63823ed0880db6e2c2bc03ee4a     
（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点
参考例句：
  • The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
  • We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。
10 immunity dygyQ     
n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权
参考例句：
  • The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
  • He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。
11 depressed xu8zp9     
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
  • When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
  • His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
12 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的，最年老的
参考例句：
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
13 whooping 3b8fa61ef7ccd46b156de6bf873a9395     
发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的
参考例句：
  • Whooping cough is very prevalent just now. 百日咳正在广泛流行。
  • Have you had your child vaccinated against whooping cough? 你给你的孩子打过百日咳疫苗了吗？
14 frantic Jfyzr     
adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的
参考例句：
  • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
  • He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
15 futile vfTz2     
adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的
参考例句：
  • They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
  • Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。
16 doom gsexJ     
n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定
参考例句：
  • The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
  • The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。
17 groan LfXxU     
vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音
参考例句：
  • The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
  • The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。
18 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
19 continental Zazyk     
adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的
参考例句：
  • A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
  • The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。
20 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
21 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
22 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
23 endorse rpxxK     
vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意
参考例句：
  • No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
  • I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。
24 candid SsRzS     
adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的
参考例句：
  • I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
  • He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。
25 delicacies 0a6e87ce402f44558508deee2deb0287     
n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 )；精致；精美的食物；周到
参考例句：
  • Its flesh has exceptional delicacies. 它的肉异常鲜美。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • After these delicacies, the trappers were ready for their feast. 在享用了这些美食之后，狩猎者开始其大餐。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
26 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣；享有；享用
参考例句：
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
27 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
28 materialistic 954c43f6cb5583221bd94f051078bc25     
a.唯物主义的，物质享乐主义的
参考例句：
  • She made him both soft and materialistic. 她把他变成女性化而又实际化。
  • Materialistic dialectics is an important part of constituting Marxism. 唯物辩证法是马克思主义的重要组成部分。
29 sordid PrLy9     
adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的
参考例句：
  • He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
  • They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。
30 hew t56yA     
v.砍；伐；削
参考例句：
  • Hew a path through the underbrush.在灌木丛中砍出一条小路。
  • Plant a sapling as tall as yourself and hew it off when it is two times high of you.种一棵与自己身高一样的树苗，长到比自己高两倍时砍掉它。
31 tiresome Kgty9     
adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的
参考例句：
  • His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。
32 artistic IeWyG     
adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的
参考例句：
  • The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
  • These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。
33 bouts 2abe9936190c45115a3f6a38efb27c43     
n.拳击（或摔跤）比赛( bout的名词复数 )；一段（工作）；（尤指坏事的）一通；（疾病的）发作
参考例句：
  • For much of his life he suffered from recurrent bouts of depression. 他的大半辈子反复发作抑郁症。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It was one of fistiana's most famous championship bouts. 这是拳击界最有名的冠军赛之一。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
34 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。
35 trot aKBzt     
n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧
参考例句：
  • They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
  • The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。
36 dealer GyNxT     
n.商人，贩子
参考例句：
  • The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
  • The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。
37 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
38 confidential MOKzA     
adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的
参考例句：
  • He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
  • We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。
39 hitched fc65ed4d8ef2e272cfe190bf8919d2d2     
（免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上
参考例句：
  • They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。
  • We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。
40 winked af6ada503978fa80fce7e5d109333278     
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮
参考例句：
  • He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
  • He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

分享到：


返回目录

英语听力 |  手机版  |  网页版
©英文小说网 2005-2010