mud is mud ^{[idiom] 实话实说、坦白的说}

• call a spade a spade  ^{[idiom] 实话实说}
• tell it like it is ^{[idiom] 实话实说}

My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study.

keep ^{v. have sth. in a particular place 在某处存放或放置某物}

• Where do you keep the cutlery?
• Always keep your driving licence in a safe place. 
• George kept a bottle of whiskey under his bed.

shaped ^{adj.形状的；和其他词放在一起构成复合形容词}

curiously-shaped: curiously shaped bits of metal

• oddly shaped forms
• She has a perfectly shaped figure.
• heart-shaped ^心形的
• pear-shaped ^梨形的
• V-shaped ^V形的

on display = on show ^{展示，陈列}

• A collection of photographs was on display in the hall.
• Even people who take no interest in art cannot have failed to notice examples of modern sculpture on display in public places.
• Her work is on temporary display at the gallery.
• The locomotive is kept on static display in the National Railway Museum.

造句：George keeps a gold medal on permanent display in his study. ^{乔治在书房里一直陈列着一枚金牌。}

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.

despite the fact that ...^(fml.) = in spite of the fact that ...  ^(fml.) = though / although / even though / while ...  ^尽管...

语法：介词 + 名词 + 同位语从句 = 普通从属连词

• Despite the fact that it was raining, they continued with the outdoor event. ^{尽管下雨，他们还是继续了户外活动。}
• In spite of the fact that he was tired, he stayed up late to finish the work. ^{尽管他很累，他还是熬夜完成了工作。}
• Although it was late, she kept working on her project. ^{虽然很晚了，她还是继续做她的项目。}

delicate / light  ^{adj. 颜色淡的，浅色的}

• Its large leaves often show a delicate purple tint.^{它的大叶子常现出一种柔和的淡紫色。}
• He is light haired with grey eyes. ^{他长着浅色的头发和灰色的眼睛。}

shade ^{n. a particular type of red, green, blue etc. 色度}

• In the mornings the sky appeared a heavy shade of mottled grey. ^{清晨，天空看上去是斑驳的深灰色调。}
• The walls were painted in two shades of green. ^{这些墙壁被涂成了两种色调不同的绿色。}

observant ^{adj. perceptive; eagle-eyed 善于观察的，敏锐的}

• That's a good description, Mrs. Drummond. You're very observant. ^{描述得很好，德拉蒙德太太。你很善于观察。}
• The husband is not usually so observant. ^{丈夫通常不那么善于观察。}

greyish ^(BrE) / grayish ^{(AmE) adj. 英文解释：slightly grey 浅灰色的，灰了吧唧的}

带有 "-ish" 后缀的形容词用于表示一种不完全是该颜色，而是带有轻微或模糊的色彩，类似于 “…了吧唧的”，带有一些随意或非正式的感觉。

• His skin had an unhealthy greyish tinge. ^{他的皮肤有些许不健康的淡灰色。}
• And a pond edged with grayish leaves. ^{还有四周灰叶的死水一池。}
• Its fur is grayish brown in the summer. ^{它的毛皮是灰棕色的夏天。}

If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud.

与未来趋势相反的虚拟

Were you to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud. ^（倒装）

perfumed ^{adj. pleasant to smell because perfume has been added or used 加香水的，有香味的}

• perfumed soap / candles

If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin.

虚拟语气if从句的虚拟

虚拟语气的倒装（只用于书面语）；if从句的虚拟语气中，出现were、had、should可用倒装；

rub sth. with sth. ^{用…的涂抹、摩擦…}

• She began rubbing her hair with a towel.
• A crowd of people gathered round him and a lady rubbed his arm with soap and butter, but George was firmly stuck.

The brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might have.

dispel doubts / fears / worries / rumors / hesitations / prejudice … ^{驱散了… 、打消了…}

• His clear explanation helped to dispel my doubts about the project. ^{他的详细解释打消了我对这个项目的疑虑。}
• The positive results from the test dispelled her fears of failure. ^{测试的积极结果打消了她对失败的恐惧。}
• The doctor's reassurance dispelled our worries about the operation. ^{医生的安慰消除了我们对手术的担忧。}
• The company issued a statement to dispel the rumors about bankruptcy. ^{公司发布声明，驱散了有关破产的谣言。}
• The opportunity to learn new skills dispelled her hesitations about the job change. ^{学习新技能的机会打消了她对换工作的犹豫。}
• Their efforts to promote diversity helped to dispel prejudice in the community. ^{他们促进多样性的努力消除了社区的偏见。}

The bottle really does contain perfumed mud.

do + do ^{强调“的确”}

• Insects do need water. ^{昆虫确实需要水分。}
• I do want to be a film director specializing in, like, thrillers, kind of horror. ^{我希望能够成为专门拍摄惊险或恐怖片的电影导演。}
• She does like to have the last word in any discussion. ^{她的确喜欢在任何讨论中发表最终意见。}
• He did love me, and I know that. ^{他的确爱我，我知道的。}

How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating.

came into (the) possession of sth.  ^(fml.) = get sth. ^{得到某个东西}

• On her father's death, she came into possession of a vast fortune.
• How did the painting come into your possession ^{(= how did you get the painting)}? 

stuff ^{n. [U] (infml.) things 东西，玩意儿}

• I've got some sticky stuff on my shoe. 
• Do you call this stuff beer?

be fond of … ^{having a great liking for … 非常喜欢…}

• I've always been very fond of you.
• John's extremely fond of pointing out other people's mistakes. 

relate sth. (to sb.)^{（向某人）讲述某事}

• We know instinctively, just as beekeepers with their bees, that misfortune might overtake us if the important events of our lives were not related to it.
• History does not relate whether his friend accepted his medical help, but in all probability he did. 

Furthermore, the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.

表达“此外、而且、还”^{（做状语）}

cure sb. ^治愈某人

• Will you be able to cure him, Doctor? ^{医生，你能把他治好吗？}
• Scientists around the world are working to discover a cure for AIDS. ^{全世界的科学家都在努力寻找治疗艾滋病的方法。}

heal a disease ×

develop / catch / acquire / form / cultivate / foster a habit ^{养成一个习惯}

• change / alter a habit ^{改变了一个习惯}
• correct a habit ^{纠正了一个习惯}
• abandon / give up / drop / discard / kick a habit ^{改掉、戒除坏习惯}