【生詞預(yù)覽】

matron主婦，antique古董，shade色度／色調(diào)，eccentric古怪的

【笑話原文】

I Painted the Vase

A wealthy matron was so proud of a valuable antique vase that she decided to have her bedroom painted the same color as the vase. Several painters tried to match the shade, but none came close enough to satisfy the eccentric woman.

Eventually, a painter approached who was confident that he could mix the proper color. The woman was pleased with the result, and the painter became famous.

Years later, he retired and turned the business over to his son. "Dad," said the son, "there's something I've got to know. How did you get those walls to match the vase so perfectly?"
"

Son," the father replied, "I painted the vase."

【中文譯文】

我給花瓶上了色

一個(gè)有錢的主婦很驕傲自己有一個(gè)價(jià)值連城的古董花瓶，所以她決定把她的臥室也油漆成花瓶的顏色。
好幾個(gè)油漆匠試著調(diào)色，可是沒(méi)一個(gè)人能把顏色調(diào)得足夠接近花瓶的,來(lái)滿足這個(gè)奇怪的女人的要求。

終于，一個(gè)油漆匠找到一個(gè)自信能調(diào)好顏色的人。主婦對(duì)結(jié)果非常滿意，那個(gè)調(diào)色的人也出名了。

多年后，他退休了并把家業(yè)移交給了兒子。
“爸爸，”兒子問(wèn)，“有件事我必須得知道。您是如何那么完美地使墻壁的顏色貼合花瓶呢？”

“兒子，”爸爸回答，“我給花瓶上了色。”

【詞匯講解】

1.proud驕傲的。與proud有關(guān)的慣用語(yǔ)除了文中的be proud of，還有do sb. Proud， 是“給某人增光”之意：His honesty did him proud.他的正直為他增光。

2.valuable價(jià)值連城的，它的對(duì)義詞是valueless，而不是invaluable。Invaluable 是valuable的同義詞，是“非常珍貴的”、“無(wú)法估價(jià)的”的意思。

3.antique，形容詞“古老的／過(guò)時(shí)的”，名詞“古董、古玩”

4.have her bedroom painted，這里有一個(gè)句型“have sth. done”讓某人做某事，比如：He had his hair cut.他（請(qǐng)人）給他理頭發(fā)了。

5.eccentric，形容詞“古怪的”，名詞“怪人”。

6.turn over，移交，也有“仔細(xì)考慮” 的意思： He turned over the problem for hours.他對(duì)這個(gè)問(wèn)題思考了好幾個(gè)小時(shí)。