Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: Why did Harry decide to give up his little game?
Vocabulary:
permanent adj. 永久的
tint v. 给 ……染色
delicate adj. 淡色的
shade n. 色度
observant adj. 观察力敏锐的
greyish adj. 浅灰色的
dispel v. 驱散，消除
outlandish adj. 稀奇古怪的
acquisition n. 获得
cosmetic n. 化妆品
outrageous adj. 无理的，令人不能容忍的
fanciful adj. 想像出来的
insoluble adj. 不可溶解的
prompt v. 敦促，激励
exclusive adj. 专售高档商品的
syllable n. 音节
bewilderment n. 迷惑，糊涂
freckle n. 雀斑
evidently adv. 显然地，明显地
weird adj. 奇异的，古怪的
concoction n. 调制品
intoxicate v. 陶醉，得意忘形
blank adj. 无表情的，茫然的
discreetly adv. 谨慎地
clutch v. 抓住
adorn v. 装饰，打扮
Passage:
My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his
study. Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant
visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick, greyish
substance. If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it
contained perfumed mud. If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately
invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin. This brief experiment
would dispel any further doubts you might have. The bottle really does contain
perfumed mud. How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an
interesting story which he is fond of relating. Furthermore, the acquisition of this
bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.
我的堂兄哈里在他的书房里一直摆着一只形状古怪的大瓶子。尽管那只瓶子呈淡
绿色，但细心的客人很快就会发现瓶里装的是一种看上去黏稠、颜色发灰的东西。
要是你问哈里瓶里装着什么，他会告诉你是香水泥。如果你表示怀疑或惊奇，他
会立即请你闻一闻，然后取出一些抹在你的皮肤上。这一简单的试验会消除你可
能存有的一切疑虑。瓶里装的的确是香水泥。哈里是如何得到这种稀奇古怪的东
西的，这里有个有趣的故事，而且他挺爱把它讲给别人听。此外，得到这瓶香水
泥还治好了他多年的一个坏习惯。
Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make
outrageous requests for goods that do not exist. He would invent fanciful names on
the spot. On entering a shop, he would ask for a new perfume called ‘Scented Shadow’
or for ‘insoluble bath cubes’. If a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it, he
would pretend to be considerably put out. He loved to be told that one of his
imaginary products was temporarily out of stock and he would faithfully promise to
call again at some future date, but of course he never did. How Harry managed to
keep a straight face during these performances is quite beyond me.
哈里曾认为走进一家名贵化妆品商店，荒唐地提出要买一种根本不存在的商品是
件很开心的事儿。他会当场编造出一些稀奇古怪的货名。他走进商店后，会提出
要一种名叫“香影”的新型香水或者什么“不溶浴皂”。要是女售货员告诉他从未听
说过这些东西，他会装出十分遗憾和不安的样子。他爱听售货员说他想像出来的
那种东西暂时脱销，于是他就煞有介事地许诺改天再来光顾。当然，他再也不会
来了。我实在想像不出哈里在这些表演中是怎样装出一本正经的样子的。
Notes:
1 a delicate shade of green，淡绿色。
2 If you were to ask ，这里用 was/were 加动词不定式来表示虚拟语气
3 come into the possession of， 占有，得到。
4 cure someone of…，治好某人的……。
5 on the spot，当场。
6 put out ，烦恼，不安，不高兴。
7 out of stock，脱销。
8 keep a straight face ，板着面孔，一本正经。
Harry does not need to be prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of
mud. One day, he went to an exclusive shop in London and asked for ‘Myrolite’. The
shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word, slowly stressing each
syllable. When the woman shook her head in bewilderment, Harry went on to explain
that ‘myrolite’ was a hard, amber-like substance which could be used to remove
freckles. This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched
shelf after shelf. She produced all sorts of weird concoctions, but none of them met
with Harry's requirements. When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed, the
assistant promised to order some for him. Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked
for perfumed mud. He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment.
However, it was his turn to be surprised, for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and
she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect. For
once, Harry had to admit defeat. He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle
and discreetly asked the price. He was glad to get away with a mere twenty pounds
and he beat a hasty retreat, clutching the precious bottle under his arm. From then on,
Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive. The
curious bottle, which now adorns the bookcase in his study, was his first and last
purchase of rare cosmetics.
无须暗示，哈里就会向你讲起他买下那瓶珍贵香水泥的经过。一天，他去伦敦一
家高级商店要买一种叫“密诺莱特”的东西，店员露出诧异的神色。哈里又慢慢地、
一字一顿地说了一遍这个词，那个女售货员还是迷惑不解地摇了摇头。哈里便进
一步解释“密诺莱特”是一种质地坚硬、状似琥珀的东西，可以用来除去雀斑。他
的解释显然对女售货员有些启示。她一个货架接着一个货架地寻找，拿出各种各
样稀奇古怪的化妆品，但没有一样能够符合哈里的要求。哈里装出不高兴的样子
时，女售货员答应为他定货。哈里为他的骗术而感到洋洋得意，又提出要买香水
泥。他原想女售货员会惊奇地望着他，不知所措，没料到这回该轮到他自己吃惊
了。因为那女售货员听完哈里的话后，马上眼睛一亮，拿出几瓶东西放在柜台上
让哈里挑选。哈里只好认输。他挑出一个看上去最小的瓶子，谨慎地问了价。他
庆幸自己只破费了 20 英镑便得以脱身。他把那只宝贵的瓶子放在腋下夹着，溜
之大吉。从那以后，他认识到自己发明的小小恶作剧是要付出很大代价的。在他
书房的书柜里摆着的那瓶形状古怪的香水泥就是他第一次也是最后一次购买的
稀有化妆品。
52.2【阅读理解】Mud is mud
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
1 Who is Harry? (The writer's cousin.)
2 What does he keep on permanent display in his study? (A large curiously-shaped
bottle.)
3 What colour is the bottle? (A delicate shade of green.)
4 What is it filled with? (A thick, greyish substance.)
5 If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, what would he tell you? (He would
tell you it contained perfumed mud.)
6 Would he invite you to smell it or rub some into your skin? (Yes, he would.)
7 Does the bottle really contain perfumed mud? (Yes, it does.)
8 Did Harry use to be a practical joker? (Yes, he did.)
9 What did he use to ask for in expensive cosmetic shops? ([ He used to ask for]
goods that do not exist.)
10 Can you give me two examples of the kinds of things he would ask for? (A new
perfume called “Scented Shadow’or “insoluble bath cubes')
11 How did he react if a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it (He would
pretend to be put out/upset/annoyed.)
12 One day Harry went to an exclusive shop. Where? (In London.)
13 What did he ask for? (‘Myrolite’)
14 The shop assistant didn't understand, did she? (No, she didn't.)
15 How did he explain what it was? (He explained that it was a [hard amber-like]
substance that could be used to remove freckles.)
16 Eventually, the assistant promised to do something. What? (She promised to order
some ‘Myrolite’for him.)
17 What did Harry ask for next? (Perfumed mud.)
18 Was the assistant surprised? (No, she wasn’t.)
19 What did she do? (She fetched several bottles for Harry to inspect.)
20 Harry picked up the smallest bottle and paid. How much? (Twenty pounds)
52.3【拓展写作】Mud is mud
Step 3: Composition
Write a composition in about 300 words on the following:
• A day's shopping.
Key to composition
Plan and ideas for composition
Title: A day's shopping
Introduction：Looking forward to day out—wanted to get new clothes—last Friday
Development: Got up usual time —caught bus to centre of town — a list of purchases
— something to wear to friend's wedding —pair of shoes to go with new clothes —
within an hour had most important things on list
Then most difficult part of day—‘Birthday present for Pat’—a book
Spent 2 hours in one large book shop— failed — bought three for self!
Conclusion: How I felt when I got home
Composition
For me, a day's shopping is the best way I think of to pass a day away from
college or work. I have been looking forward to a day out shopping for weeks because
I have wanted to get some new clothes for ages, so last Friday I took a day off.
I got up at the usual time (as if I were going to work or college) because for me
shopping is as serious as work. Before I left the house I made sure I put on a good pair
of walking shoes and then caught the bus into the centre of the town.
Some people visit all the shops in the hope that they will find what they want at
the prices they want to pay. Not me: I’m one of those shoppers who has a list of
purchases—and with a fairly good idea of how much I want to pay.
The first thing I wanted was something to wear to a friend's wedding next month
— and I didn't want to pay very much. I found just what I wanted in the second shop I
visited. And in the second shoe shop I visited, I found a pair of shoes that would go
with the new clothes and which I could wear to work afterwards. Within an hour I had
bought the most important things on my shopping list. I was so pleased!
But then came the most difficult part of the day. The third thing on my shopping
list was ‘Birthday present for Pat’. I like to give her a present but it is always so
difficult. This year, I decided, I would buy her a book. Do you know how long I spent
in one large book shop? Two hours! And even then I didn't get her a book—although
I bought three for myself!
By the time I got home, it was six o'clock. I was absolutely exhausted, but
pleased that I had managed to buy two things on my list.
(337 words)
课外练习：
1 The essence of the joke, from Harry's point of view, was that .
(a) he would take up the shop assistants ' time without having to buy anything
(b) he enjoyed inventing fanciful names for outlandish products
(c) the shop assistants usually tried very hard not to disappoint him
(d) he was amused at the idea that he knew something the shop assistants didn't
2 On Harry's visits to expensive cosmetics shops, he .
(a) always thought up a name for some nonexistent item before going into the shop
(b) would walk out angrily if the assistant did not entertain his request
(c) was delighted if the shop assistant believed the product actually existed
(d) seldom bought the products he asked for as they were out of stock
3 When Harry was presented with several bottles of perfumed mud, he
____________.
(a) was surprised, as he had only expected one such bottle to be produced
(b) told the shop assistant he was defeated
(c) felt obliged to offer twenty pounds for the smallest bottle
(d) picked up the smallest bottle, hoping it wouldn't be too expensive
4 The bottle is filled with what a thick, greyish substance.
(a) must be
(b) seems to be
(c) would be
(d) would appear
5 He thought funny to ask for goods that do not exist.
(a) that was
(b) it being
(c) it
(d) they were
6 He requested goods that do not exist, he would invent names on the
spot.
(a) when
(b) to which
(c) for what
(d) for which
7 He loved that the product was out of stock.
(a) when he was told
(b) it when he was told
(c) it to be told
(d) that he was told
8 It was then that Harry decided the game he had invented might prove expensive and
__________ since.
(a) he has not played it
(b) had not played it
(c) he does not play it
(d) did not play it
9 He likes to relate how he came into possession of this stuff.
(a) foreign
(b) rural
(c) weird
(d) unlikely
10 This explanation evidently something to the woman ...
(a) sensed
(b) reminded
(c) informed
(d) meant
11 Harry put on his act of being annoyed ...
(a) slightly
(b) little
(c) barely
(d) grossly
12 He felt that for a mere twenty pounds, he had .
(a) got a real bargain
(b) made a fortunate choice
(c) little to lose
(d) had a lucky escape
答案：1a 2c 3d 4b 5c 6d 7b 8a 9c 10d 11a 12d