prospective a.预期的，未来的，可能的

prosper vi.兴旺，繁荣，成功

Protestant n.新教徒 a.新教徒的

prototype n.原型

proverb n.谚语，俗语，格言

provocative a.1.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的 2.挑逗的

proximity n.接近，邻近

prudent a.审慎的，小心谨慎的

prune n.1.洋李，李子 2.修剪，修整 3.删除，削减

pry vi.窥探，刺探，打听 vt.1.撬动，撬开，撬起 2.费力地得到，使劲分开

psychiatrist n.精神科医生，精神病专家

pudding n.布丁

puddle n.（雨）水坑，泥潭

puff vi.1.喘气，喘息 2.一口一口地抽烟（或喷烟） 3.喷着烟（或蒸汽）移动 vt.1.边喷边吸（烟），抽（烟） 2.喷出，使一阵阵吹（或喷）

n.1.（抽）一口烟，（空气、烟雾等的）一股

2.喘气，喘息

puff out 使膨胀，使肿胀

puff up 肿起，肿胀，傲慢，自负，趾高气扬，盛气凌人

pulp n.1.果泥，菜泥，酱 2.果肉，瓜瓤，植物的肉质部分 3.纸浆 4.低级书刊？ a.低级的 vt.使成浆状

pumpkin n.南瓜

puppet n.1.木偶 2.傀儡，受人操纵的人（或集团）

puppy n.小狗，幼犬

purge vt.清洗，清除，使净化 n.1.清洗，清除异己 2.泻药

purify vt.1.使纯净，提纯 2.使纯洁

To Be a Protestant

Dr. Hill was a psychiatrist who was puffed up with his own ideas. He was sure that there was something provocative about Protestants and their desire to purge themselves of their sin. What he would never know， however， was that they were as harmless as puppies and only interested in purifying their own hearts so that they could worship God. They believed that they would only prosper with a pure heart and that their prototype was Jesus Christ.

Dr. Hill didn’t believe any of that. He believed that the proverbs they all foolowed were pulp and that they were all the puppets of their leaders. And as Dr. Hill’s proximity to these people increased， he was sure that his prying to expose the truth was the most prudent thing he had ever done in his life.

Finally he decided that he would pretend he was a prospective believer and attend one of the Protestant’s most frequent rituals： a potluck*. Dr. Hill puffed， however， when he saw all of the food present. There was turkey， hot dogs， spaghetti， vegetable dishes， prune and pumpkin pies， and cake and pudding. He would surely puff out if he ate everything he wanted. And， as he ate the food and was overcome with the friendliness of the Protestants a puddle of tears formed at his feet. He didn’t care what or who they believed in， he was going to become a Protestant just because of their potlucks！ *potluck 便饭，便餐，此处指参加聚餐的人每个人各带一味菜肴供共享的百乐餐。

当个新教徒

希尔博士是个精神病专家，他很为自己的观点感到得意。他认为新教徒以及他们净化灵魂、不做坏事的想法颇具煽动性。但是，他永远都不知道的是，他们像小狗一样不会伤害人，他们只对纯洁他们的心灵感兴趣以便他们能够崇拜上帝，他们相信只有心灵纯洁才能兴旺发达，他们的原型是耶稣基督。

希尔博士可不信这些东西。他认为他们都遵循的那些格言其实很低级，他们都是些领导者手下的木偶。随着希尔博士越来越接近这些人，他相信他费尽心思揭开真相是他一生当中做得最小心谨慎的一件事。

最后他决定化装成一个可能会信教的人参加一次新教徒最常举行的意识：百乐餐。但是当他看到所有食物时，希尔博士喘了一口气：有火鸡、热狗、意大利面条、蔬菜、李子南瓜饼、蛋糕和布丁。如果他想吃什么就吃什么，他肯定会膨胀起来。他吃着东西，感到自己被新教徒们的友情所包围，脚下的泪水形成了水坑。他才不在乎他们信仰什么或者信仰谁，他准备当个新教徒，就因为他们的百乐餐！