Weird Butterfly Ceremony

課文：

In his lab late at night, Harry examined the medicine he was developing. He decided it needed to be watered down. Harry’s job was interesting but intense. There was so much to do that he could barely keep his head above water.

Suddenly the floor in front of Harry exploded, throwing him backward against some shelves. An open bottle fell on his head, and the medicine in it poured all over him. Harry winced, but soon his head stopped hurting.

lab：實驗室（= laboratory）
examine：檢查
water down：減弱、稀釋、淡化
intense：激烈的、耗費心力的、強烈的、緊張的、熱烈的
barely：僅僅、勉強
keep one’s head above water：趕上進度、維持生計
explode：爆炸、分解
shelf：架子、擱板
pour：倒、灌、注
wince：猛然一顫、因疼痛畏縮、縮手、趕緊退開、皺眉、皺起來

Fire was spreading across the room toward him. Startled, Harry threw his hand up to protect himself. Water shot out of his palm, putting out the fire. This super power was new to Harry, but he took to it like a duck to water.

A tile broke off and fell toward Harry. He blasted it aside with water.

Harry thought the building might cave in, so he ran outside. There he saw his friend Iris. The first time they had met, Iris had stolen medicine from his lab. But that was now water under the bridge.

spread：伸展、延伸
startle：使驚嚇、使嚇一跳、震驚、大吃一驚
startled：嚇壞的
startled look：吃驚的表情
palm：手掌
put out：撲滅
take to like a duck to water：得心應手、天生就會做
tile：瓷磚
cave in：塌落
water under the bridge：陳年往事、往者已矣

文法：
… was … across … toward …（…從…往…）

特別補充：
intensive：密集的、集中的
in hot water：陷入困境、惹上麻煩（= in trouble）
lavatory：盥洗室、廁所
lab rat：實驗室裡的白老鼠、一整天泡在實驗室裡研究的人