08年8.7第78期托福英语学习：托福词汇78

　　Lesson The Life of a Playwright 一个剧作家的生活　　

　　Words:

　　doting adj. 溺爱的

　　doubtful adj. 可疑的，疑心的

　　downcast adj. 意志消沉的，沮丧的

　　downhearted adj. 情绪低落的，无精打采的

　　downtown adj. 在市区的，往市区的

　　draft n. 草图，草稿；vt. 起草

　　draft animal (horse) 役用动物，耕畜

　　drag vt. 拖动

　　dragonfly n. 蜻蜓

　　drain v. (使)流走，（使）排光；n. 排水沟；排水，消耗

　　drainage n. 排水，排出物；排水系统

　　drama n. 戏剧

　　dramatic adj. 戏剧性的，生动的

　　dramatically adv. 戏剧性地；引人注目的

　　dramatize vt. 改编成为戏剧，编写剧本

　　drastic adj. 激烈的，迅猛的

　　drastically adv. 大大地

　　draw vt. 吸引；画，描绘

　　drawback n. 弊端，缺点，障碍

　　dread n. 畏惧，恐怖

　　dreadful adj. 可怜的；（口）糟透了

　　“She’s such a doting mother,” I thought, looking at the woman and her newborn passing me by in the park. I was feeling a bit doubtful about my ability to write a drama in less than a week. I didn’t even have a draft. I was desperate for fresh ideas. That is why I’m sitting here in this downtown park. As they often say, “desperate times call for drastic measures.”

　　I scanned the area around me for ideas. what about that downcast man on the park bench? He looks so downhearted. Could there be an interesting story behind his sad eyes? No, I’d better not bother him. It looks like he hasn’t slept for days.

　　Perhaps I can write a story about the life of that draft animal. No, that would be rather dreary. All he does is drag things around. I need a more dramatic subject.

　　Could that dragonfly flying above that drain be the answer to my prayers? It is a good thing that this park has excellent drainage. Oh, no, the drain just swallowed him. “Did he suffer from a dread of drain?” I murmured in disgust.

　　“This is a dreadful situation,” I said dramatically. Writing plays for a living was drastically different from writing them in school. Maybe I should try drawing pictures for a living? No, I was sure that would not be the situation. It probably would have just as many drawbacks. So, what I am going to do? I felt dispirited. Then suddenly, it came to me.

　　“I’ve got it!” I exclaimed. “I just dramatize the life of a playwright!”