As they cuddled together in the shadowy hole they could hear the queerest sounds. They cocked their heads curiously1 at the rustling2 and whispering of the wind among the leaves. They heard chirping3 and singing, and a silvery tinkle4, tinkle from the brook5.
Once a bee flew buzzing right over their heads, and made them clutch one another in terror.
One morning, when the old mother squirrel was away hunting for birds’ eggs to eat, the smallest baby crept to the mouth of the hole and peeped out with his round bright eyes.
All around and above him there were wonderful green things flickering6 and fluttering. Twinkles of sunlight danced through the leaves and dazzled him. Something soft and cool blew back the new bristles7 on his lips and ruffled8 his satiny red fur.
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He was so much interested that he sat there, staring and staring, till the other little ones began to squeak9 and scold him for shutting out the light.
squirrels peeking10 out of tree trunk
After he crept down again to the nest the others climbed up, one by one, and looked out. They blinked and winked11 at each wonderful sight; they sniffed12 the strange odors, and twitched13 their eager little heads at every new sound.
The scream of a blue jay in the tree-top above them sent them scampering14 inside again, to cuddle closedecoration168decoration together in the darkest corner. It was fun to see something new and exciting, even if it did make them shiver all over.
Soon the mother squirrel came springing from branch to branch to reach the hollow.
How the babies squeaked15 and chattered16 in welcome! Very likely they told her about the wonderful sights and sounds in the strange world outside the hole.
The smallest one clasped his fore17 paws around her neck, and coaxed19 her to let them all go out to find more interesting things. It was stupid there in the dark nest, with nothing to watch except the patch of light across the opening above them.
The old squirrel knew that the little ones were not strong enough yet to leave the nest.
To be sure, they had grown and changed very much since the first days. Then they had been ugly little creatures, like tiny pug dogs, with big heads, no fur, and their eyes tight shut.
Now they were half as big as she was herself. Theirdecoration169decoration eyes were like jewels, and their red fur was smooth as satin.
But their tails, with only fringes of hair along the sides, were not nearly so fluffy20 as the mother’s. Her tail was long and plumy. It curved so gracefully21 over her back that she seemed to be sitting in its shadow. One name of the squirrel is “shadow-tail.”
For a few weeks longer the four babies scrambled22 about the doorway23 and looked longingly24 out at the wonderful green tree-world. They did not dare to step out upon the slender branches, for fear of falling off.
It made them feel dizzy to look away down to the ground below. They did not know how to cling to the limbs with their feet while they balanced themselves with their tails.
When the young squirrels were almost strong enough to learn to run and climb in the tree, the mother began to build another home higher up the trunk. The old nest was growing too warm for comfort, as summer brought the long sunny hours.
The squirrel father was not there to help his mate.
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The mother squirrel thought the tree belonged to her, and that she needed all the room in the hollow for her little ones. She chased him off to live in the woods with all the other squirrel fathers till the babies were big enough to take care of themselves.
The mother squirrel worked on the new nest in the early morning. She bit off leafy twigs25 and carried them to the top of the tree. There, where two branches forked, she packed the sticks and leaves together in a loose ball.
Then she pushed a doorway through, at one side or another, just as she happened to be standing27.
This was not such a neat home as one in the next tree. That other mother squirrel built her new nest of strips of bark tied together with ribbons of soft fibre. Over the doorway she hung a curtain of bark, and lifted it up carefully whenever she went inside.
At last the new home was ready. The old mother hurried down to the hollow and called the babies to come out and follow her. They stepped out, one after another, just as carefully as they could.
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The smallest baby came last. He dug his claws into the bark and hung on. The branch seemed so narrow that he trembled from fear of falling.
The tree swayed in the wind. The branch bounced up and down, and a leaf blew in his face. The poor little fellow shut his eyes, because everything seemed to be whirling round and round.
When he opened his eyes again he saw the three other little ones climbing up the trunk above him. They clutched the bark with their claws, and moved forward, one paw at a time.
The mother was running on ahead of them. Every few steps she turned around to coax18 them on faster.
Finally they reached a narrow branch which led over to the new nest. They crawled out on it, lifting one foot and then setting it down before lifting another.
The farther they crept the narrower the branch grew under them. Their little paws began to slip over the smoother bark. The one in front tried to turndecoration172decoration around, but he was afraid of falling. So they all three scrambled backwards28 to the safe trunk.
squirrel on branch
The mother ran back to them, and chattered and scolded. Again and again they started out over the branch, and then went scrambling29 back.
When at last the mother had coaxed them across to the nest she looked around for the smallest baby. There he was, away down at the door of the old nest.
The old squirrel was tired out. Her fur was ruffled and her ears drooped30. She ran down to the nest anddecoration173decoration began to scold the little fellow. He sat up and put his paws around her to let him stay there.
But she started him up the trunk and pushed him along to the branch. Then she took hold of him by the neck and carried him across to the new home.
After that the little ones were taken out every morning to practise climbing. Little by little they learned to balance themselves on the branches. Their tails were fluffy enough by this time to be of use in balancing.
First to one side, then to the other, each baby tilted31 his tail as he crept along, step by step. Every day they could move a little faster. Finally they were able to chase one another up and down, from branch to branch.
They went running around the trunks, skipping and leaping from twig26 to twig, and jumping from one tree to another, even through the air.
Sometimes one or another missed his footing after a reckless jump. Often he caught hold of a branchdecoration174decoration below by a single toe and lifted himself up to a firmer foothold.
Or, if there was no branch within reach, he spread out his fur, and flattened32 his tail, and went sailing down to the ground, almost as if he could fly. They never seemed to get hurt.
The little squirrels seemed to be always doing something. They turned somersaults in the grass, or swung by one paw from the tip of a tough branch.
There was always something to do or to see. Now they chattered at a blue jay, or chased a toad33 for the fun of watching him hop34. Now they caught beetles35 or scolded at a fox slinking along through the woods. And every day there was the excitement of finding something to eat.
The babies lived on milk till they were almost as heavy as their mother. Then she began to feed them with fruit and buds and grubs, which she first chewed for them.
Like the beavers36 and the hares and rabbits, each had four chisel37 teeth in the front of its mouth. Theydecoration175decoration needed to gnaw38 hard nuts or bark every day to keep these teeth from growing too long.
The young squirrels were three months old in July and were then big enough to take care of themselves. Away they scampered39 from the old home tree and found new homes in stumps40 and hollows. The smallest one used to curl up in an old robin’s nest to sleep at night.
All day long they were as busy as they could be. There were cones41 to be gathered from the evergreens42. The little squirrels ran up the trees in a hurry, and, cutting off the cones with their sharp teeth, tossed them over their shoulders to the ground. Every few minutes they scurried43 down to bury the cones under the pine needles for the winter.
Sometimes a drop of sticky pitch from the cut stems was rubbed against their fur. That made them so uncomfortable that they had to stop and lick it off.
The squirrels loved to be clean. Ever since they were tiny babies, with their new red fur, they alwaysdecoration176decoration helped one another with washing their faces and combing their tails with their claws.
They were careful to run along logs over a muddy spot. If one happened to get wet he dried himself with his fluffy tail.
When they were tired of eating seeds and twigs they hunted for grubs. Clinging to the bark of a dead tree, they listened till they heard something gnawing44 beneath the surface. Then, tearing off the bark in ragged45 pieces, they pounced46 upon the flat whitish grub beneath and ate him up.
But the best time of all came in the autumn when nuts were ripe. Then what fun the little squirrels had! Early every morning out popped the little heads from the hollow stumps and logs. The big round eyes twinkled eagerly in every direction. Then, whisk! they were out, with a bark and a squeak!
Scampering to the top of a tree, each one took a flying leap to the next tree. Up and down they followed the squirrel-paths through the woods till they reached the grove47, where the nuts were ripening48.
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It was a busy place, with little wings fluttering and little feet pattering, and yellow leaves drifting down in the sunshine. All the squirrels scurried to and fro, picking one nut here, and another there.
They sat on the branches, with their bushy tails curving over their backs, and held the nuts in their fore paws to nibble49. The smallest baby could open the hardest walnut50 and clean it out in less than a minute.
All the while the blue jays and the thrifty51 chipmunks52 were gathering53 nuts and corn, and hiding their stores for the winter. That seemed so interesting that the squirrels gathered some, too.
Autumn passed away, and the days grew colder. In the woods the leaves were all fallen and the branches were stripped bare of nuts.
Every morning when the squirrels poked54 out their heads the air nipped their noses. Frost sparkled on the dead grass. The chipmunks had crept into their holes for the winter, and most of the birds had flown away south.
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The squirrels were not quite so gay now as in the autumn days, when they danced upon the branches and whistled and chuckled55 over the good things to eat and the curious sights to see. They slept with their warm tails wrapped over their noses.
squirrel on ground in snow
They still ran busily through the tree-tops, except when snow or icy rain kept them shut within their holes. They ate all the nuts they could find, and dug up the buried pine cones. They climbed the hemlock56 trees and ate the seeds.
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Once the smallest squirrel happened to dig up a heap of nuts from between two stones under the snow. He could not remember whether he had hidden them himself or not. How he squealed57 when he saw them!
Late in the winter the squirrels had eaten all the nuts and cones within reach. They were so hungry on many a day that they tried to creep into a chipmunk’s hole and steal his store of food. But he was smaller than they were, and he had wisely made one bend in his tunnel too small for them to pass.
Then they had to live on bark and seeds till spring started the tender green plants to growing.
The squirrels gnawed58 the bark of the maple59 trees and drank the sweet sap that came oozing60 out. Later there were elm buds to nibble and birds’ eggs to suck. The woods were once more green with juicy leaves.
All the squirrels went to housekeeping. Soon in almost every tree there was a family of squirrels peeping out with their round, bright eyes.
—Julia A. Schwartz.
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1
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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3
chirping
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 ) | |
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tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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5
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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bristles
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| 短而硬的毛发，刷子毛( bristle的名词复数 ) | |
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8
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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9
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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10
peeking
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| v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出 | |
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11
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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12
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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13
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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14
scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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15
squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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16
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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17
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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18
coax
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| v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取 | |
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19
coaxed
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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20
fluffy
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| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
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21
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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22
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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23
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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24
longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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25
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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26
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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27
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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28
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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29
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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30
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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32
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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33
toad
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| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆 | |
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34
hop
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| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
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35
beetles
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| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
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36
beavers
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| 海狸( beaver的名词复数 )； 海狸皮毛； 棕灰色； 拼命工作的人 | |
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37
chisel
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| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
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38
gnaw
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| v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨 | |
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39
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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41
cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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42
evergreens
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| n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 ) | |
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43
scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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45
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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46
pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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47
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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48
ripening
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的现在分词 )；熟化；熟成 | |
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49
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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50
walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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51
thrifty
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| adj.节俭的；兴旺的；健壮的 | |
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52
chipmunks
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| n.金花鼠( chipmunk的名词复数 ) | |
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53
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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54
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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55
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
hemlock
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| n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉 | |
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57
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
gnawed
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| 咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物 | |
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59
maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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60
oozing
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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