Lesson 49 Jack-of-all-trades, Master of None
Words:
constituent n. 成分，要素
constitute vt. 建立（政府），組成，構成
constitution n. 組織，憲法
constrain n. 約束，限制
constrict vt. 約束；收縮；壓緊；堵塞
construct vt. 建造；創立
constructive adj. 建設性的，有積極效果的
construe v. 解釋，把。。。理解為
consult vt. 咨詢，請教
consultant n. 顧問，咨詢者
consume vt. 消費，消耗；大吃大喝
consumer n. 消費者
consumption n. 消耗，消費
contact vt. 使接觸，與。。。聯系
contagious adj. 傳染性的，會感染的
contain vt. 包含，容納
container n. 容器，集裝箱
contaminate vt. 弄臟，污染，感染
contemplate v. 沉思，對。。。做周密考慮
I like being a congressman because I am fond of helping people. Many citizens think that it is an easy job, but in fact, it is very different. I get many calls from people who need things or want to complain about someone. Often, I do not have the answer.
Last week, a constituent contacted me and asked me to help him construe an article contained within the constitution. I had to hire a lawyer as a consultant. After consulting the lawyer, I was able to give the constituent some constructive suggestions and to constrain him to follow the law.
Consumers often call to complain about bad products or bad services. I recall one instance where a man complained that a restaurant had contaminated his container of food. He was very angry and showed no constraint. Fortunately, he did not consume the bad food. I asked him to contemplate who might have done it. At my request, he constructed a time line of the previous day’s events. We concluded that, after he departed the restaurant, he had momentarily left his food container within the reach of some monkeys in his laboratory. He conceded that the monkeys were probably responsible for the partial consumption of his food and the soiling of his food container.
Other voters call for emergency reasons. For example, one person called to report the outbreak of a contagious disease that constricts breathing. I had no idea what he was talking about. All I could do was to notify the local police and the World Health Organization.
The position of congressman truly constitutes several different jobs.
我喜歡做個議員，因為我喜歡幫助別人。許多公民認為當議員是份簡單的差事，實則不然，議員難做啊。我接到許多人打來的要東西或是抱怨人的電話，我常常是無言以對。
上星期，一位選民跟我聯系，讓我幫他解釋一下憲法中包含的某則條款。我只好請來一位律師做顧問。向律師請教一番后，我方才為那位選民提供了一些建設性意見，并強制他依法辦事。
消費者常常打電話，抱怨劣質產品或劣質服務。我記得有一次一個男人投訴飯店弄臟了他的飯盒。他火冒三丈，一點也不克制自己的脾氣。幸好他沒有吃那些臟食。我讓他好好想想還有誰可能這么干。在我的請求下，他編制出一份羅列前一天所有活動的時間表。我們得出的結論是，他離開飯店后，曾有片刻時間將飯盒放在實驗室里一些猴子能夠得到的地方。他不情愿地承認也許是猴子偷吃了部分食物，還弄臟了他的飯盒。
其他一些選民則是為急事打來電話。例如，一個人打電話舉報一些突發的窒息性傳染病。我根本不明白他在講什么，只能通知當地警方還有世界衛生組織。
議員的職務實則由幾個不同的工作構成！
