08年7.19第59期托福英语学习：托福词汇59

　　Lesson 59 Tom’s Demise 汤姆的死

　　Words:

　　deck n. 一副（纸牌）

　　declaim v. 高谈阔论，慷慨陈词

　　declaration n. 宣布，宣言

　　declare vt. 宣布，声明

　　decline vi./n. 衰退，下降，减退；vt. 婉言谢绝

　　decompose v. 分解，（使）腐烂

　　decomposition n. 腐烂，分解

　　decorate vt. 装饰，装潢，修饰

　　decoration n. 装饰，装饰品

　　decorative adj. 装饰的，可作装饰的

　　decorous adj. 端庄得体的

　　decorum n. 正派得体，稳重大方

　　decoy n. 诱饵，引诱物

　　decrease v. 减少

　　decry v. 非难，谴责

　　deduce v. 演绎，推断

　　deface v. 损坏外表

　　defame v. 诽谤，损坏名誉

　　defecate vi. 排粪；通大便

　　defect n. 缺点，瑕疵

　　defection n. 缺陷；脱党，变节

　　defective adj. 有缺陷的

　　defend vt. 防护；辩护

　　defense n. 防卫，防卫物

　　defensive adj. 自卫的

　　By the time the police found Tom in the warehouse, his body was decomposed beyond recognition. His clothing had the decorous appearance of someone who was going to attend a card game. The coroner said he was obviously in the advanced stages of decomposition. The coroner said that Tom defecated in his pants before dying. Tom also had defensive wounds on his hands. His body was covered with a deck of cards. The police deduced that a card game was used as a decoy to lure Tom to the warehouse. There, he was assaulted then stabbed to death with a knife.

　　The decorations at Tom’s funeral were beautiful. His family had decorated the church. A decorative wood podium was placed behind Tom’s coffin.

　　I was hoping that everyone at the funeral would behave with decorum. However, Tom was despised by many of his relatives. Their trust in Tom had declined over the years. His defection from the church also decreased his popularity. Everyone decried his life of gambling. Some declaimed that Tom’s death was, in fact, a relief and a good lesson for everyone. One relative defamed Tom by claiming that he stole money from his own family. Someone even defaced Tom’s headstone. Nobody dared to defend him. I felt compelled to say something in his defense. I nervously inched my way to the podium and began to speak.

　　“Tom wasn’t perfect,” I said. “He had his share of defects. Nevertheless, a defective soul is the kind of soul who is most in need of our prayers. So let us pray for Tom.”