“Hillton! Hillton!”
The brakeman winked1 solemnly at the group of boys in the end seats, withdrew his head, slammed the door and crossed the swaying platforms to make a similar announcement to the occupants of the car ahead. From the left side of the train passengers caught a glimpse of a broad expanse of meadow upon which tiny flecks2 of red flared3 dully in the winter sunshine; of a distant grand stand, bleak4 and desolate5, against whose northern shoulder a drift of snow snuggled as though seeking protection from its enemy the sun; of two pairs of goal-posts gravely watching each other from opposite ends of a long field; of a bit of country road, a slowly rising hill, a little army of leafless elms, and, last of all, crowning a promontory6 below which the frozen Hudson sparkled, a group of old red brick buildings, elbowing each other with friendly rivalry7 in an endeavor to gain the post of honor and to be first seen of[2] the outside world that traveled by train. That was Hillton Academy.
There was a long warning shriek8 from the engine, echoed back by the wooded slope of Mount Adam; a momentary9 reverberating10 roar as the train crossed the little viaduct; the whistle of air brakes; and then, as the train came to a stop, a babel of boys’ voices. Some twenty youths of assorted11 ages and sizes, laden12 with every description of luggage, from golf bags and valises down to boxes of figs13 and caramels purchased from the train-boy and still uneaten, pushed and scrambled15 their way to the station platform. The last trunk was slid from the baggage car, and the conductor, portly and jovial16, sang “All aboard!” and waved a smiling good-by to the boys.
“Good-by, Pop! See you later!” “Don’t forget that anti-fat, Pop!” And then, when the train had gained speed, a slim junior danced along the platform waving a bit of pasteboard exultingly17 under the conductor’s nose and just out of his reach: “Hey, Pop! You didn’t get my ticket! Stop the train! Stop the train!” An old joke this, that never failed of applause. The conductor shook his fist in simulated wrath18, and the next instant, with a farewell shriek of the whistle, the train was lost to sight.
Beside the platform waited the coach, from the box of which “Old Joe,” the driver, smiled a toothless welcome. Each year held three red-letter days for “Old Joe,”[3] namely, the days preceding the commencement of the three school terms, when the students, refreshed by recess19 or vacation, returned in merry troops to Hillton—noisy, mischievous20, vexing21, but ever admirable to the old stage-driver—and taxed the capacity of the coach to the utmost, and “Old Joe’s” patience to the limit. This was the first of the red-letter days of the present year, which was as yet but forty-eight hours old, and all day long the boys who had been so fortunate as to return to their homes for the Christmas recess had been piling from the trains to the stage and from the stage to the steps of Academy Building. And “Old Joe,” who loved the excitement of it all, and worshiped everything, animate22 or inanimate, that belonged to Hillton, was in his glory.
“Now, then, you young terrors, get aboard here. Can’t wait all afternoon for you. This ain’t no ’commodating train, and——”
“Hello, Joe, old chap; how’s your appetite?” “Still able to sit up and take your meals, Joe?” “Say, fellows, Old Joe’s looking younger every day.” “Give me a hand up, Joe, and I’ll show you how to drive those old plugs of yours.” “Please, Joe, you said I could sit on the box with you this trip, don’t you remember?”
“Have to be next time, youngster; seat’s full a’ready. How do, Mister Hope? Scramble14 out o’ here, sir, an’ give Mister Hope your seat. Oh, is that you, Mister Nesbitt? Well——”
[4]
“No, I’ll sit back here,” answered the boy addressed as Hope. “I can jump off quicker when we upset.”
“Hark to that,” growled23 the driver in pretended anger; “an’ me forty-two years on this road an’ never no accident yet. All aboard there! No, ye don’t, sir; no more room atop. Trunks’ll go up next trip, sir. All right now. Tlk! Get ap!”
The two stout24 grays, known popularly as “Spring Halt” and “Spavin,” settled into their collars, and the big stage, swaying comfortably on its leather springs, lumbered25 around the corner into Station Road. From the interior of the coach, where twelve youths had managed to pack themselves into a space designed to hold but nine, floated out a wild medley26 of shouts and laughter. On top, two boys had secured the much-coveted places beside the driver, while on the seat behind three others were perched. When the little stone station had been left the boy who occupied the other end of the driver’s seat, and whom “Old Joe” had called “Mister Nesbitt,” leaned across the intervening youth and addressed the driver:
“Now, Joe, let’s have the lines, old chap, and I’ll show you a bit of fancy driving that’ll open your eyes. Come now, like a nice old Joe.”
“Now, don’t be askin’ for the reins27, Mister Nesbitt, sir. You know it’s agin the rules for the boys to drive.”
“What! Oh, rot, Joe! I never heard of such a rule. Did you, Williams?”
[5]
“Never,” replied the third occupant of the box. “Joe dreamed it.”
“Of course you did, Joe. Come on, now; just let me have them to the corner there. Don’t be a duffer, man. Why, I can drive a pair bang up.” “Old Joe” cast a deeply suspicious glance at the youth—and was lost. Trevor Nesbitt assumed a look of angelic innocence28 and sweetness and pleaded so eloquently29 with his blue eyes that the driver grudgingly30 relinquished31 the lines.
“Mind ye now, Mister Nesbitt, just to the corner you said.”
“Meaning around it, Joe, of course,” replied Nesbitt as he adjusted the lines knowingly between his gloved fingers. “Come, Spavin, cheer up, old laddie!” Williams, who had been holding the long-lashed whip, now handed it to Nesbitt, who sent the lash32 swirling33 over his head, and with a quick movement snapped it loudly a few inches from Spavin’s head. The result was instantaneous. The off horse snorted loudly and leaped forward, and the other followed suit. “Old Joe” snatched at the reins, but Nesbitt held them out of reach.
“Don’t whip ’em, sir,” cried the old man, “please don’t whip ’em; they ain’t used to it, sir.” Nesbitt laughed gaily34.
“Don’t you worry, Joe, I’ll not hurt them. But we can’t put on side, old chap, unless we just touch them up a bit.”
[6]
Crack went the long lash again.
For several years the grays had traveled the road from station to school and thence to the Eagle Tavern35 without other persuasion36 than a cheery chirp37 or a sharp whistle from “Old Joe,” or, upon rare occasions, a half-hearted snap of the whip in no startling proximity38 to their ears. To-day there was plainly something wrong, and so, after a moment of bewildered consideration, they broke into a long ungainly gallop39, to the joy of the boy with the reins and to the terror of “Old Joe.”
“By Jove, Williams, this is something like, eh?” Nesbitt sat up straight on the seat, tightened40 the lines and grinned delightedly at his companion. “Old Joe” was pleading excitedly for the whip.
“Please, sir, give me the whip now. I’m afeared for you to have it. You might hit ’em, sir, accidental, an’ there’s no telling what they’d do. Mister Williams, sir, just you hand it to me. Stop him!” But he had spoken too late. Nesbitt brought the lash down smartly on the broad back of the off horse, and the gallop changed to a plunging41 run, the coach swaying awkwardly from side to side. “Old Joe” reached forward desperately42 to wrest43 the lines from the boy, but Williams interfered44.
“Hands off, Joe,” cried Nesbitt, “or you’ll have us over. Keep him quiet, Williams.”
From inside the stage came a babel of shouts, the exclamations46 of alarm half drowned by the noise of the beating[7] hoofs47 and the protesting creaks of the leather springs. The horses with heads down, frightened at length by the unwonted use of the whip, galloped48 madly. Nesbitt, smiling and cool, sat straight and handled the lines with skill, which at any other time would have won loud commendation from “Old Joe.” But just at present that worthy49 was too terrorized to appreciate aught but the fact that the grays were apparently50 running away. He had a frightful51 vision of an overturned coach, of mangled52 bodies, and of everlasting53 disgrace. Yet he recognized the fact that to take the lines away from Nesbitt by force, even had such a thing been possible, would be the surest way to bring about the very catastrophe54 he dreaded55. And then he glanced ahead down the frozen road and saw the sharp turn but a short distance away.
The three youths on the seat behind had been watching affairs at first with amusement and now with apprehension56. The boy in the center frowned and turned to one of his companions.
“Who is that chap?” he asked in a low voice.
“What! don’t you know ‘’Is ’Ighness’?”
“‘His Highness’? No, I don’t. Who is he; one of our class?”
“No; he’s an upper middle chap; Trevor Nesbitt’s his real name. The fellows call him ‘’Is ’Ighness’ because he’s English. He’s a good sort, all right, but I wish he’d let driving alone.”
[8]
“So do I,” responded the boy at the other end of the seat, “but”—a note of admiration57 creeping into his dubious58 tones—“he knows how, all right!”
“But, I say, Hope,” cried the previous speaker, “look there; we’ve got to go around that corner! Let’s say our prayers.” Hope’s brows contracted as he glanced ahead; then he slid from the seat, rested himself on his knee, clinging tightly the while, and leaned over the back of the seat ahead.
“Look here, can you get them around that turn?”
“Who’s that, Williams?” asked Nesbitt without looking around.
“Dick Hope; he wants to know——”
“Tell him to shut up and sit down, Williams,” interrupted Nesbitt calmly. Hope flushed angrily, but said no more, crouching59 in his place between the seats with an idea of lending a hand in case of disaster, although in just what way he could be of use was far from clear. Nesbitt raised to his feet, propping60 himself firmly, the reins tight wrapped about his hands.
“Hold tight all,” he warned, “and bear to the right!”
With the turn but a few yards away he brought his weight to bear on the lines, swaying from side to side with the lurching coach, settling farther and farther back as the horses lowered their heads to the command of the tugging61 bits. Hope thought of “Old Joe” at that moment, and glanced across at him. The stage-driver was silent now, his[9] cheeks white, his face drawn62. Williams, too, was pale, and his rigid63 attitude told more plainly than words that the fun had ceased for him. Nesbitt alone of the three occupants of the box appeared at ease. Hope could see the warm color playing on his cheek, and——
“Easy, boys, easy!” Nesbitt called slowly, soothingly64 to the horses, and then— Well, Hope was clutching desperately at the boards in the grating; he saw the backs of the straining animals turn at an angle to the stage, heard the great wheels slur-r-r across the frozen ground, felt the body of the coach sway far to the left, as though it were on its way across the fence at that side, and opened his eyes again to find a straight road ahead of them, and to see Nesbitt settle himself into his seat once more. “Old Joe” muttered an exclamation45 of relief. Hope again leaned across Nesbitt’s shoulder.
“I think you’ve shown off enough for to-day,” he said. “Now pull those horses down—if you can.”
Nesbitt glanced back into the other’s face, an angry light in his blue eyes.
“Will you kindly65 attend to your own affairs?” he asked with suspicious sweetness. Hope smiled in spite of his anger.
“If you don’t think it’s my affair,” he replied, “maybe you’ll acknowledge that the gentlemen ahead have something to say about it.” Nesbitt looked up the road and whistled.
[10]
“Just my bally luck!” he murmured. “Professors!” With straining arms he bore back on the lines. Little by little the horses slackened speed, and at last dropped into a trot66, but not before the coach had swept by two very serious-faced Hillton professors out for a walk, whose sharp glances presaged67 trouble. Nesbitt handed over the lines and whip to “Old Joe.”
“My luck again,” he sighed.
“An’ serves you right,” grunted68 the driver.
Hope crawled into his seat again. His companions were busy explaining the course of events to the inhabitants of the interior of the coach, or as many of them as could get their heads out the doors, and ere the latter had run out of questions the stage turned into the academy grounds and crawled sedately69 up to the steps of Academy Building.
Hope leaped from the coach and hurried off to his room, while the other boys, laughing and joking, clustered about Nesbitt. “Wheels won’t do a thing to you,” one lad assured him with a grin.
“Well, don’t let it trouble you, Tommy,” he answered gaily. “But, I say, Williams, who was that meddlesome70 chap on the back seat?”
It was Williams’s turn to grin.
“The fellow you told to shut up, you mean?” Nesbitt nodded.
“Oh, no one much; just Dick Hope, captain of the crew.”
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收听单词发音
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1
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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2
flecks
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| n.斑点，小点( fleck的名词复数 )；癍 | |
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3
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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4
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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5
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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6
promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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7
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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8
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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9
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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10
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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11
assorted
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| adj.各种各样的，各色俱备的 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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13
figs
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| figures 数字，图形，外形 | |
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14
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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15
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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16
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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17
exultingly
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| 兴高采烈地，得意地 | |
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18
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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19
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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20
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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21
vexing
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| adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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22
animate
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| v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的 | |
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23
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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25
lumbered
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| 砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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26
medley
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| n.混合 | |
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27
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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28
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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29
eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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30
grudgingly
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31
relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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32
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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33
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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34
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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35
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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36
persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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37
chirp
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| v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫 | |
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38
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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39
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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40
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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41
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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42
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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43
wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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44
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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45
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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46
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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47
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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49
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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50
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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51
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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52
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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53
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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54
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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55
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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56
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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57
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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58
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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59
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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60
propping
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| 支撑 | |
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61
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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62
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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63
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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64
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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65
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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66
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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67
presaged
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| v.预示，预兆( presage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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69
sedately
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| adv.镇静地，安详地 | |
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70
meddlesome
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| adj.爱管闲事的 | |
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