书城外语别样的名人风采
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第57章 圣约瑟的塑像

There is a folk belief that if you bury a statue of St.Joseph on a piece of property,it will be sold more quickly.When I was getting ready to move,I buried the St.Joseph near my front door.A few days later,a woman made an offer.Since she had to sell her property,I suggested she enlist the help of the saint as well.After a month of burying the statue all over her lawn,she had no nibbles and in disgust put the statue out in her trash.A week later she opened her local paper and read:“Town Sells Landfill to Private Developer.”

有一种民间的信念,就是如果把圣约瑟的塑像埋在一份地产里,这份地产就能较快卖掉。当我准备搬家的时候,我就把圣约瑟的塑像埋在我的门口前。几天以后就有一个妇女出了价。由于她也要出卖她的地产,我建议她也寻求这位圣徒的帮助。她在她的草坪上埋了许多声像,但一个月以后依然无人问津。一气之下,她把圣像扔进了垃圾箱。一个星期以后,她打开当地报纸,赫然登着一条消息:“市政府把垃圾场卖给私人开发商”。

1.property n.财产;性质,性能;所有权

e.g.They have no claim to this property.他们没有权利要求这份财产。

2.enlist vi.从军;应募;赞助;支持

vt.征募;使入伍;谋取……的赞助或帮助

e.g.We enlisted them to help.我们谋取他们的帮助。

to enlist men in a cause

在某项事业中谋取人们的赞助

3.nibble vi./vt.细咬;一点一点地咬;吹毛求疵 在此意为“(对诱惑、建议、交易等)显出有意接受的样子”。

e.g.It seems that he'll nibble at my trick soon.

看来,他很快就要上我的当了。

4.disgust n.厌恶,嫌恶vt.使作呕;使厌恶

e.g.The awful food at the inn disgusted us.

小饭馆的劣质菜使我们作呕。

The sheep looked at each other in disgust.

那些羊厌恶地你看看我我看看你。

5.landfill n.垃圾堆;垃圾填埋地

e.g.The stability is one primary problem of construction waste landfill site engineering.

稳定性是建筑垃圾填埋场工程的主要问题之一。