08年8.6第77期托福英语学习：托福词汇77

　　Lesson 77 A Dog Named Spot 小狗点点　　

　　Words:

　　doleful adj. 悲哀的，忧愁的

　　doll n. 洋娃娃，玩偶

　　dolorous adj. 忧伤的，悲痛的

　　domain n. 领域，范围

　　domestic adj. 家里的，家养的；本国的，国内的

　　domesticate vt. 驯养，驯化

　　domicile n. 住所，家（指法律上的永久性）

　　dominant adj. 支配的，占优势的

　　dominate vt. 统治，支配，控制；vi. 盛行

　　domineer v. 压制

　　domineering adj. 盛气凌人的，专权的

　　dominion n. 领土，统治权，支配

　　donate vt. 捐赠

　　donor n. 捐赠者

　　doomed adj. 命定的，注定失败的

　　dormant adj. 静止的，休眠的

　　dormitory n. 宿舍

　　dot adj. 背部的，脊背的

　　dotage n. 老年糊涂

　　“Why the doleful expression?” Tony asked the little girl. The little girl continued to walk aimlessly down the street towards our university dormitory. “Sally, did you lose your doll?”

　　Sally stopped. Then she uttered a dolorous phrase that we could all understand. “My dog is dead,” she said, as tears filled her eyes.

　　Animal abuse was not my domain, but I could guess what happened to Spot. Spot was born in the wild at the base of a dormant volcano. A family rescued him from starvation and domesticated him. He was a very friendly and loyal dog. His first owner named him Spot because of his large black dorsal dot. When Sally’s family adopted him five years ago, someone at the veterinary clinic told me, “Spot is a doomed dog.” I didn’t know what that meant.

　　What I did know was that Sally’s grandfather was a domineering man. He especially liked to dominate defenseless animals. He acted like a despot with dominion over everyone and everything within his domicile. He domineered poor Spot, often abusing him just to prove that he was in a dominant position. Neighbors called the police several times to complain. However, each time, the police told the neighbors that it was a domestic problem and that they would not intervene. Sally’s grandfather became more and more abusive as the years passed. His dotage simply made him more sadistic.

　　After Spot died, Sally’s family put Sally’s grandfather into a care home. Tony and I donated some money to help the community buy a new puppy for Sally. Fortunately, there were many donors and in the end. there was enough money to buy Sally a puppy that looked exactly like Spot.