Simon 8217;s beating his brains out绞尽脑汁的西蒙
Simon was an inve
西蒙是个老练的渔夫。人们都熟知他爱吹嘘跑掉的那条鱼的尺寸。但有一天他确实抓了两条极大的比目鱼。他立刻邀请几个朋友过来吃饭，然后着力搞清楚怎样上鱼。如果两条一起上，他对妻子说，好像有点炫耀之嫌了。
Why not serve a piece of each? she suggested.
何不两条鱼各上一块呢?他妻子建议道。
No, if I cut them up, nobody will believe I caught two giant flounders. Simon racked his brain. Then he had an idea.
不行，如果把两条鱼都切碎了，就不会有人相信我抓了两条大比目鱼了。西蒙绞尽了脑汁，终于想出了一个好办法。
The guests were seated at the table when their host strode in with a platter(大盘子) , holding the biggest flounder they 8217;d ever seen. Suddenly Simon s
客人已在餐桌边就座完毕，这时主人大步地走进来，手里端着一个托盘，托盘上是一个他们所见过的最大的比目鱼。突然西蒙被什么东西绊了一下摔倒了。所有的人都惊慌地叫了起来，因为鱼在地板上摔得粉碎。但是西蒙迅速地摆脱了窘境。
Dear, he called out to his wife, bring in the other flounder!
亲爱的，他对妻子喊道，把另一条鱼端上来!
1.inveterate /ɪnˈvɛtərɪt/ If you describe someone as, for example, an inveterate liar or smoker, you mean that they have lied or smoked for a long time and are not likely to stop doing it. 根深蒂固的
例：Nominalists accordingly adopt the opinion that substance is a spurious idea due to our inveterate human trick of turning names into things.我们人类有种根深蒂固的习惯，惯于把名称变为实物，因此，唯名主义者才主张说，实体是一个虚假的概念。
2.exaggerate /ɪɡˈzædʒəˌreɪt/ CET4 If you exaggerate, you indicate that something is, for example, worse or more important than it really is. 夸大
例:He thinks I 8217;m exaggerating.他认为我在夸大其词。
3.figure outIf you figure out a solution to a problem or the reason for something, you succeed in solving it or understanding it. 想出; 弄明白 [非正式]
例：It took them about one month to figure out how to start the equipment.他们用了大约一个月的时间才弄明白如何启动这台设备。
4.ostentatious /ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃəs/ If you describe something as ostentatious, you disapprove of it because it is expensive and is intended to impress people. 铺张的 [表不满]
例：Obviously he had plenty of money and was generous in its use without being ostentatious.显而易见，他有很多钱，花钱虽大方却不摆阔。
5.stumble /ˈstʌmbəl/ CET6 If you stumble, you put your foot down awkwardly while you are walking or running and nearly fall over. 踉跄; 绊脚
例：He stumbled and almost fell.他绊了一下，差点儿摔倒。
（编辑：何莹莹）