08年7.24第64期托福英语学习：托福词汇64

　　Words:

　　depute v. 派。。。为代表或代理

　　deputy n. 代理人，代表；副手

　　derange vt. 扰乱，使精神错乱

　　deranged adj. 精神错乱的

　　derelict adj. 荒废的，被弃置的

　　deride v. 讥讽，嘲笑

　　derision n. 嘲笑

　　derivative n. 派生的事物，派生词

　　derive vt. 得到，获取；源于

　　derogatory adj. 不敬的，诽谤的

　　desalination n. 脱盐，去盐作用

　　descend v. 传下，遗传；下降

　　descendant n. 子孙，后裔

　　descent n. 下降；血统，世袭

　　desecrate v. 污染，亵渎

　　desert n. 沙漠; vt. 遗弃

　　deserted adj. 荒芜的，荒废的

　　deserve vt. 应得

　　desiccate v. （使）干涸，脱水

　　designate vt. 指定，任命

　　“I hereby depute you to handle my affairs during my absence,” announced my boss, as he handed me the keys. “I know that with you at the helm, I won’t need to worry about returning to a derelict business. Whatever you do, don’t let the stress derange your mind.”

　　“I’m already deranged, are you sure you want to designate me as your deputy?” I asked, deriding myself.

　　“Your attempt at derision will not deter me,” he replied with a laugh. “You deserve the promotion.” He gave me a par on the back and descended he stairs.

　　“Wow, ”I said to myself. “I can’t believe he left me in control of this desalination plant.”

　　We use a special process in this plant to derive fresh water from salt water. The derivative is good enough to drink, although I have heard some derogatory comments about the taste.

　　I have been told that I am a descendant of the person who came up with the idea for this process. He was of British descent. The story is that he ran out of water just after crossing a desert. At the edge of the desert, he came across a deserted church. There was no fresh water to be found, only a small well of salty desert water. Desperate for drinking water, he used holy objects to make a simple desalination device. The device was able to desiccate the salty water and to condense the moisture into drinkable water.

　　People say that God must have forgiven him for desecrating the holy objects. I think so too.

“我特派你代理我出门期间的一切事物。”我的老板一边递给我钥匙，一边宣布。“我确信由你在这里掌舵，我就不用担心在此期间业务被荒废。但无乱如何，不能让压力使得你精神错乱。”

　　“我已经精神错乱了。你真的想任命我为你的代理人吗？”我带着自嘲的口气问。

　　“尽管你企图自嘲自谦，但这也阻挡不了我做出以上决定。”他回答时大笑起来，“你应该得到提升。”说完拍拍我的背，下楼梯去了。

　　“哇！”我自言自语，“真难以相信他让我掌管这个脱盐厂。”

　　我们厂利用特殊工艺从盐水中提取淡水。尽管我听到有人对提纯水的味道颇有微词，但它喝起来还相当不错。

　　有人告诉我，我就是那个发明这个提取工艺的人的后裔，他有英国血统，故事是这样的：一次他在快要穿过沙漠的时候发现自己没水了。在沙漠的边缘地带，他碰巧发现了一个被遗弃的教堂。那里没有淡水，只有一口小井，还是含盐的沙漠之水。他拼命地想喝到水，情急之下，就用供神用的东西做了一个简易的脱盐装置。这个装置能先把盐水蒸干，再让水蒸气冷凝成可饮用的水。

　　他亵渎了圣物，但人们说上帝想必一定已经原谅他了。我也这样认为。