"Glad you reporters happened along," said Retief to the gaping4 newsmen. "Slock here had a deal with a sharp operator from the Groaci Embassy. The Groaci were to supply the necessary hardware and Slock, as foreman at the shipyards, was to see that everything was properly installed. The next step, I assume, would have been a local take-over, followed by a little interplanetary war on Flamenco or one of the other nearby worlds ... for which the Groaci would be glad to supply plenty of ammo."
Magnan found his tongue. "Are you mad, Retief?" he screeched5. "This group was vouched6 for by the Ministry7 of Youth!"
"The Ministry's overdue8 for a purge," snapped Retief. He turned back to Slock. "I wonder if you were in on the little diversion that was planned for today. When the Moss9 Rock blew, a variety of clues were to be planted where they'd be easy to find ... with SCARS written all over them. The Groaci would thus have neatly10 laid the whole affair squarely at the door of the Terrestrial Embassy ... whose sponsorship of the SCARS had received plenty of publicity11."
"The Moss Rock?" said Magnan. "But that was—Retief! This is idiotic12. Slock himself was scheduled to go on a cruise tomorrow!"
Slock roared suddenly, twisting violently. Whonk teetered, his grip loosened ... and Slock pulled free and was off the platform, butting13 his way through the milling oldsters on the dining room floor. Magnan watched, open-mouthed.
"The Groaci were playing a double game, as usual," Retief said. "They intended to dispose of this fellow Slock, once he'd served their purpose."
"Well, don't stand there," yelped14 Magnan over the uproar15. "If Slock is the ring-leader of a delinquent16 gang...!" He moved to give chase.
Retief grabbed his arm. "Don't jump down there! You'd have as much chance of getting through as a jack-rabbit through a threshing contest."
Ten minutes later the crowd had thinned slightly. "We can get through now," Whonk called. "This way." He lowered himself to the floor, bulled through to the exit. Flashbulbs popped. Retief and Magnan followed in Whonk's wake.
In the lounge Retief grabbed the phone, waited for the operator, gave a code letter. No reply. He tried another.
"No good," he said after a full minute had passed. "Wonder what's loose?" He slammed the phone back in its niche17. "Let's grab a cab."
In the street the blue sun, Alpha, peered like an arc light under a low cloud layer, casting flat shadows across the mud of the avenue. The three mounted a passing flat-car. Whonk squatted18, resting the weight of his immense shell on the heavy plank19 flooring.
"Would that I too could lose this burden, as has the false youth we bludgeoned aboard the Moss Rock," he sighed. "Soon will I be forced into retirement20. Then a mere21 keeper of a place of papers such as I will rate no more than a slab22 on the public strand23, with once-daily feedings. And even for a man of high position, retirement is no pleasure. A slab in the Park of Monuments is little better. A dismal24 outlook for one's next thousand years!"
"You two carry on to the police station," said Retief. "I want to play a hunch25. But don't take too long. I may be painfully right."
"What—?" Magnan started.
"As you wish, Retief," said Whonk.
The flat-car trundled past the gate to the shipyard and Retief jumped down, headed at a run for the VIP boat. The guard post still stood vacant. The two Youths whom he and Whonk had left trussed were gone.
"That's the trouble with a peaceful world," Retief muttered. "No police protection." He stepped down from the lighted entry and took up a position behind the sentry26 box. Alpha rose higher, shedding a glaring blue-white light without heat. Retief shivered. Maybe he'd guessed wrong....
There was a sound in the near distance, like two elephants colliding.
Retief looked toward the gate. His giant acquaintance, Whonk, had reappeared and was grappling with a hardly less massive opponent. A small figure became visible in the melee27, scuttled28 for the gate. Headed off by the battling titans, he turned and made for the opposite side of the shipyard. Retief waited, jumped out and gathered in the fleeing Groaci.
"Well, Yith," he said, "how's tricks? You should pardon the expression."
"Release me, Retief!" the pale-featured alien lisped, his throat bladder pulsating30 in agitation31. "The behemoths vie for the privilege of dismembering me out of hand!"
"I know how they feel. I'll see what I can do ... for a price."
"I appeal to you," Yith whispered hoarsely32. "As a fellow diplomat33, a fellow alien, a fellow soft-back—"
"Why don't you appeal to Slock, as a fellow skunk34?" said Retief. "Now keep quiet ... and you may get out of this alive."
The heavier of the two struggling Fustians threw the other to the ground. There was another brief flurry, and then the smaller figure was on its back, helpless.
"That's Whonk, still on his feet," said Retief. "I wonder who he's caught—and why."
Whonk came toward the Moss Rock dragging the supine Fustian, who kicked vainly. Retief thrust Yith down well out of sight behind the sentry box. "Better sit tight, Yith. Don't try to sneak35 off; I can outrun you. Stay here and I'll see what I can do." He stepped out and hailed Whonk.
Puffing36 like a steam engine Whonk pulled up before him. "Sleep, Retief!" He panted. "You followed a hunch; I did the same. I saw something strange in this one when we passed him on the avenue. I watched, followed him here. Look! It is Slock, strapped37 into a dead carapace38! Now many things become clear."
Retief whistled. "So the Youths aren't all as young as they look. Somebody's been holding out on the rest of you Fustians!"
"The Soft One," Whonk said. "You laid him by the heels, Retief. I saw. Produce him now."
"Hold on a minute, Whonk. It won't do you any good—"
Whonk winked39 broadly. "I must take my revenge!" he roared. "I shall test the texture40 of the Soft One! His pulped41 remains42 will be scoured43 up by the ramp44-washers and mailed home in bottles!"
Retief whirled at a sound, caught up with the scuttling45 Yith fifty feet away, hauled him back to Whonk.
"It's up to you, Whonk," he said. "I know how important ceremonial revenge is to you Fustians. I will not interfere46."
"No diplomat am I," rumbled50 Whonk. "Let me see; suppose I start with one of those obscenely active eyes—" He reached....
"I have an idea," said Retief brightly. "Do you suppose—just this once—you could forego the ceremonial revenge if Yith promised to arrange for a Groaci Surgical51 Mission to de-carapace you elders?"
"But," Whonk protested, "those eyes! What a pleasure to pluck them, one by one!"
"Yess," hissed Yith, "I swear it! Our most expert surgeons ... platoons of them, with the finest of equipment."
"I have dreamed of how it would be to sit on this one, to feel him squash beneath my bulk...."
"Light as a whissle feather shall you dance," Yith whispered. "Shell-less shall you spring in the joy of renewed youth—"
"Maybe just one eye," said Whonk grudgingly52. "That would leave him four."
"Be a sport," said Retief.
"Well."
"It's a deal then," said Retief. "Yith, on your word as a diplomat, an alien, a soft-back and a skunk, you'll set up the mission. Groaci surgical skill is an export that will net you more than armaments. It will be a whissle feather in your cap—if you bring it off. And in return, Whonk won't sit on you. And I won't prefer charges of interference in the internal affairs of a free world."
Behind Whonk there was a movement. Slock, wriggling53 free of the borrowed carapace, struggled to his feet ... in time for Whonk to seize him, lift him high and head for the entry to the Moss Rock.
"Hey," Retief called. "Where are you going?"
"I would not deny this one his reward," called Whonk. "He hoped to cruise in luxury. So be it."
"Hold on," said Retief. "That tub is loaded with titanite!"
Retief watched as the immense Fustian bore his giant burden up the ramp and disappeared within the ship.
"I guess Whonk means business," he said to Yith, who hung in his grasp, all five eyes goggling55. "And he's a little too big for me to stop."
Whonk reappeared, alone, climbed down.
"What did you do with him?" said Retief. "Tell him you were going to—"
"You mean—"
"The controls are set for Groaci. Long-may-he-sleep."
"It was quite a bang," said Retief. "But I guess you saw it, too."
"No, confound it," Magnan said. "When I remonstrated58 with Hulk, or Whelk—"
"Whonk."
"—the ruffian thrust me into an alley59 bound in my own cloak. I'll most certainly complain to the Minister."
"How about the surgical mission?"
"A most generous offer," said Magnan. "Frankly60, I was astonished. I think perhaps we've judged the Groaci too harshly."
"I hear the Ministry of Youth has had a rough morning of it," said Retief. "And a lot of rumors61 are flying to the effect that Youth Groups are on the way out."
Magnan cleared his throat, shuffled62 papers. "I—ah—have explained to the press that last night's—ah—"
"Fiasco."
"—affair was necessary in order to place the culprits in an untenable position. Of course, as to the destruction of the VIP vessel63 and the presumed death of, uh, Slop."
"The Fustians understand," said Retief. "Whonk wasn't kidding about ceremonial vengeance."
"The Groaci had been guilty of gross misuse64 of diplomatic privilege," said Magnan. "I think that a note—or perhaps an Aide Memoire: less formal...."
"The Moss Rock was bound for Groaci," said Retief. "She was already in her transit65 orbit when she blew. The major fragments will arrive on schedule in a month or so. It should provide quite a meteorite66 display. I think that should be all the aide the Groaci's memoires will need to keep their tentacles67 off Fust."
"But diplomatic usage—"
"Then, too, the less that's put in writing, the less they can blame you for, if anything goes wrong."
"That's true," said Magnan, lips pursed. "Now you're thinking constructively68, Retief. We may make a diplomat of you yet." He smiled expansively.
"Maybe. But I refuse to let it depress me." Retief stood up. "I'm taking a few weeks off ... if you have no objection, Mr. Ambassador. My pal29 Whonk wants to show me an island down south where the fishing is good."
"But there are some extremely important matters coming up," said Magnan. "We're planning to sponsor Senior Citizen Groups—"
"Uh-huh," Retief said.
Magnan sat quietly, mouth open, and watched as Retief stepped into the hall and closed the door gently behind him.
The End
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收听单词发音
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1
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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fustian
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| n.浮夸的；厚粗棉布 | |
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3
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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5
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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6
vouched
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| v.保证( vouch的过去式和过去分词 )；担保；确定；确定地说 | |
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7
ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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overdue
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| adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的 | |
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9
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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10
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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11
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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12
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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13
butting
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| 用头撞人（犯规动作） | |
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14
yelped
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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16
delinquent
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| adj.犯法的，有过失的；n.违法者 | |
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17
niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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18
squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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19
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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20
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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21
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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22
slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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23
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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24
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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25
hunch
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| n.预感，直觉 | |
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26
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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27
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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28
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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29
pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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30
pulsating
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| adj.搏动的，脉冲的v.有节奏地舒张及收缩( pulsate的现在分词 )；跳动；脉动；受（激情）震动 | |
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31
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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32
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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33
diplomat
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| n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人 | |
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34
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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35
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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36
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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37
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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38
carapace
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| n.（蟹或龟的）甲壳 | |
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39
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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40
texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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41
pulped
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| 水果的肉质部分( pulp的过去式和过去分词 )； 果肉； 纸浆； 低级书刊 | |
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42
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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43
scoured
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| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
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44
ramp
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| n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速 | |
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45
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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46
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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47
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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48
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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49
immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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50
rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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51
surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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52
grudgingly
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53
wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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54
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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55
goggling
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| v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的现在分词 ) | |
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56
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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57
radius
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| n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限 | |
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58
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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59
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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60
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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61
rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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62
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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63
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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64
misuse
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| n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用 | |
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65
transit
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| n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过 | |
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66
meteorite
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| n.陨石；流星 | |
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67
tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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68
constructively
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| ad.有益的，积极的 | |
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69
itch
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| n.痒，渴望，疥癣；vi.发痒，渴望 | |
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70
diplomats
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| n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人 | |
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