Conservative constituents
It was noconsolationto Miss Elizabeth that she was losing weight. Theconstituentsof her company were veryconservativeand they hadconstrictedher to aconsistentandconstraineddiet. She hadconsiderablepower herself, but they hadconsolidatedtogether in order to keep her weight at aconstantlevel of decline so as to best increase sales of the clothing line they sold.
Her thinness was becomingconspicuous, however, and televisionconsultantswere beginning to tell her toconsumemore food, for God' s sake! They were forming a sort of looseconsortiumofconsideratepeople willing toconsoleher and give her positive consultation. Thisconstituteda mutiny to her company, however, and they were planning to lock her in aconservatoryto control her before any one else could.
That was when Miss Elizabeth began to slip more and more into depression each day. Theconsistencyof her public appearances declined and people began toconstructall kinds of theories as to what was happening. Soon she disappeared altogether. All of theconsultativepeople had not helped. Her constituents had won.
When Miss Elizabeth passed away in her conservatoire and company sales declined drastically, even the mostconservativeconstituents acknowledged that they might have made a mistake. As Miss Elizabeth's younger sister, Miss Delphine, stepped in to take over her sister's share in the company, however, the constituents convinced her as well that she needed to lose weight in order to boost sales. Miss Delphine sadly began the same slide that had takenher sister. No one had learned anything.

保守的公司成员
体重正在减轻对伊丽莎白小姐而言并非是一种安慰。公司成员是些非常保守的家伙，他们约束她，让她坚持强制节食。她自己当然有相当大的权力，可是为了最大限度地增加他们公司的服装销售，他们却联合起来让她的体重保持不断下降的水平。
然而，她的消瘦变得很引人注目，电视顾问开始要她看在上帝的份上多消费点儿食物!他们正在建立一个松散的关心他人者协会，他们愿意安慰伊丽莎白并且给她一些积极的咨询。但这对她的公司构成了反叛，所以他们打算在别人之前把她关进一家音乐学院控制起来。
就是从那时起，伊丽莎白小姐的心情开始一天天滑向抑郁的深渊。她在公众面前的形象越来越没有了一致性，人们开始编造各种各样的说法，猜测她发生了什么事情。很快她就完全不露面了。所有那些给她提供咨询意见的人没有帮到什么忙，公司成员们赢了。
当伊丽莎白小姐在音乐学院去世、公司销售额急剧下降时，就连最保守的成员也不得不承认他们或许犯了个错误。然而，当伊丽莎白小姐的妹妹黛尔芬小姐前来继承姐姐在公司里的股份时，成员们也给她劝导了一番，让她相信为了提高公司的销售额，她需要减肥。黛尔芬小姐惨兮兮地开始重蹈姐姐的覆辙，体重日益下降。没有人吸取任何教训。

单词详解:

conservative a.1.保守的,守旧的;传统的
2.谨慎的;稳当的,保险的
conservatory n.1=conservatoire2温室,(玻璃)暖房
considerable a.1.值得考虑的,重要的2相当大(或多)的,很大(或多)的
considerate a.关切的,体谅的,考虑周到的
consistency n.协调,一致,前后一致,言行一致,连惯
consistent a.坚持的,一致的,符合的
consolation n.安慰,慰问
console v.安慰,慰问
consolidate v.1巩固,加强;加强对...的控制
2把...合成一体,合并,统一
consortium n.合伙.联合,会社;(国际性)财团,联营企业
conspicuous a.明显的,引人注目的
constant a.不断的,一再重复的;始终如一的,持久不变的
constitute v.构成,组成,形成
constrain v.强迫,迫使;限制,约束;压制,克制,抑制
constrict v.抑制;约束;阻塞
construct v.建造,构筑,构成;(人为地)制造,编造
consultant n.顾问
consultation n.1征求意见,咨询,磋商2.(磋商)会议,会诊
consultative a.咨询的,磋商的;顾问的
consume v.1消耗,花费,消费
2(常用被动语态)使全神贯注,使着迷