# 第三册 Lesson 52 Mud is mud 实事求是

## 一、课文原文

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.

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.

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.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| tint | /tɪnt/ | v. | 染色 | tinted a delicate shade of green 染成淡绿色 |
| observant | /əbˈzɜːvənt/ | adj. | 观察力敏锐的 | an observant visitor 留心的访客 |
| dispel | /dɪˈspel/ | v. | 消除，驱散 | dispel doubts 消除疑虑 |
| outlandish | /aʊtˈlændɪʃ/ | adj. | 稀奇古怪的 | outlandish stuff 奇怪的东西 |
| cosmetic | /kɒzˈmetɪk/ | n./adj. | 化妆品；化妆的 | cosmetic shops 化妆品店 |
| outrageous | /aʊtˈreɪdʒəs/ | adj. | 荒唐的，令人震惊的 | outrageous requests 荒唐的要求 |
| fanciful | /ˈfænsɪfl/ | adj. | 想象的，花哨的 | fanciful names 虚构的名字 |
| insoluble | /ɪnˈsɒljʊbl/ | adj. | 不可溶解的 | insoluble bath cubes 不溶解的浴块 |
| put out | /pʊt aʊt/ | phr.v. | 不高兴，烦恼 | pretend to be put out 假装不高兴 |
| bewilderment | /bɪˈwɪldəmənt/ | n. | 困惑 | shook her head in bewilderment 困惑地摇头 |
| concoction | /kənˈkɒkʃən/ | n. | 调制品 | weird concoctions 奇怪的混合物 |
| freckle | /ˈfrekl/ | n. | 雀斑 | remove freckles 去除雀斑 |
| intoxicate | /ɪnˈtɒksɪkeɪt/ | v. | 使陶醉 | intoxicated by his success 被成功所陶醉 |
| discreetly | /dɪˈskriːtli/ | adv. | 谨慎地 | discreetly asked the price 谨慎地问价 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. 虚拟语气（与现在/将来事实相反）

> **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...

were to do / 过去式 + would + 动词原形，表示假设情况。

### 2. what引导的名词性从句

> ...it is filled with **what looks like** a thick, greyish substance.

what = the thing that，在从句中作主语。

### 3. despite the fact that 让步状语

> **Despite the fact that** the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green...

= although the bottle is tinted...

### 4. How引导的主语从句

> **How Harry came into the possession of** this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story.

How引导的从句作主语，谓语用单数makes。

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. on the spot 当场，立即
> He would invent fanciful names **on the spot**.

### 2. keep a straight face 板着脸不笑
> How Harry managed to **keep a straight face** during these performances is quite beyond me.

### 3. beat a hasty retreat 匆忙撤退
> He **beat a hasty retreat**, clutching the precious bottle under his arm.

### 4. 长难句分析
> Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud.

Intoxicated为过去分词作原因状语；此句是全课的转折点——哈利本以为这次也会如愿以偿，没想到店员竟然真的拿出了"香水泥"。

## 五、课文翻译

我的表兄哈里在书房里永久陈列着一个形状奇特的大瓶子。尽管瓶子被染成了淡绿色，一个细心的访客很快就会注意到里面装着一种看起来像浓稠的灰色物质的东西。如果你问哈里瓶子里装的是什么，他会告诉你里面装的是香水泥。如果你表示怀疑或惊讶，他会立刻请你闻一闻，然后擦一点在皮肤上。这个简短的实验会消除你可能还有的任何疑虑。瓶子里确实装着香水泥。哈里是如何得到这种稀奇古怪的东西的，有一个他喜欢讲述的有趣故事。而且，得到这个瓶子治好了他多年来养成的一个坏习惯。

哈里过去常常认为去昂贵的化妆品店提出荒唐的要求是一件很有趣的事。他会当场编造出花哨的名字。一进店，他就会要一种叫"香影"的新香水，或者要"不溶解浴块"。如果店员说没听说过，他就假装很不高兴。他最喜欢听到他想象的产品暂时缺货，然后他会忠实地答应改天再来，当然他从来没来过。哈里在这些表演中是怎么忍住不笑的，我实在想不通。

哈里不需要别人催促就会解释他是如何买到那瓶珍贵的泥的。一天，他去伦敦一家高级商店要"Myrolite"。店员看起来很困惑，哈里重复了这个词，慢慢加重每个音节。当那个女人困惑地摇头时，哈里继续解释说"myrolite"是一种硬的、琥珀色的物质，可以用来去除雀斑。这个解释显然对那个女人有所启发，她在货架上一个接一个地寻找。她拿出各种奇怪的调制品，但没有一个符合哈里的要求。当哈里装出有点恼火的样子时，店员答应为他订购。被成功陶醉的哈里接着要了香水泥。他以为店员会目瞪口呆地看着他。然而，这次轮到他惊讶了，因为那个女人的眼睛立刻亮了起来，她拿来几个瓶子放在柜台上让哈里检查。这一次，哈里不得不认输了。他拿起看起来最小的一瓶，谨慎地问了价钱。他庆幸只花了二十英镑就脱身了，夹着那个珍贵的瓶子匆匆离去。从那以后，哈里决定他发明的这个小游戏可能会变得很昂贵。这个奇特的瓶子现在装饰着他书房的书架，是他第一次也是最后一次购买稀有化妆品。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 写作手法
1. **因果反转**：恶作剧者反被捉弄，因果倒转
2. **层层推进**：从一般恶作剧→具体故事→意外结局
3. **幽默讽刺**：哈里被自己的游戏反噬，讽刺意味十足

### 文化背景
- 英国高档百货商店的店员通常以服务周到著称
- "Myrolite"是哈里编造的名称，听起来像某种矿物
- "perfumed mud"（香水泥）实际上是一种美容产品

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **虚拟语气**：if + were to / 过去式 + would
2. **名词性从句**：what, how引导的主语从句
3. **词汇搭配**：on the spot, keep a straight face, beat a retreat
4. **写作练习**：写一个恶作剧者反被捉弄的故事

## 八、本课小结

本课讲述了哈里在化妆品店恶作剧反而买到香水泥的有趣故事。语法重点是虚拟语气（与现在/将来相反）、what/how引导的名词性从句。词汇方面掌握outlandish、concoction、intoxicate、discreetly等核心词。写作上学习因果反转和幽默讽刺手法。