"I believe we'd just better train up for all we're worth," she said at the committee meeting. "It'll take ages to lick an eleven into shape. What we want is to get a cricket atmosphere into the school. You can't develop these things all in a few weeks. You've got to catch your kids young and teach them, before you get a school with a reputation. I feel with all the games that we're simply building foundations at present at the Seaton High. This term especially is spade-work. I'll do all I can to get things going, but it will be the Games Captain who comes after me who'll reap the reward."
"Can't you stay on another year?" suggested Patricia.[Pg 131]
"Wish I could for some things, but it's impossible. No, I'll do my bit this term, and then hand over the job to my successor. As I said before, what we want now is a good start."
Kirsty was a capital organizer. She soon recognized a girl's capacities, and she had a knack2 of inspiring enthusiasm even in apparent slackers. She worked thoroughly3 hard herself, and insisted that everybody else did the same. Her motto for the term was the athletic4 education of the rank and file. It was really very self-sacrificing of her, for she might have gained far more credit by concentrating her energies on a few, but for the ultimate good of the school it was undoubtedly5 far and away the best policy to pursue. The training of a number of recruits may not be as interesting as the polishing up of champions, but in time recruits become veterans, and a school in which the standard of the ordinary play is very high has a better general chance than one that depends on an occasional solitary6 star. So even the little girls were strictly7 supervised in their practices, and both cricket and tennis showed healthy development.
The Governors and the head mistress were anxious that the games department should prosper8, and gave every encouragement. There were a larger number of tennis courts provided than fall to the share of most schools, and each form had its allotted9 times for play. Athletics10 were indeed compulsory11, every girl being required to take her due part, unless she were excused by a medical certificate.
Winona worked with the utmost enthusiasm. As[Pg 132] a Fifth Form girl she had, of course, to be rather humble12 towards the Sixth, but she felt that Kirsty approved of her. It was never Kirsty's way to praise, and she could be scathing13 in her remarks sometimes, but Winona did not mind criticism from her captain, and acted so well on all the advice given that she was making rapid strides. In pursuance of Kirsty's all-round training policy, she was not allowed to specialize in either tennis or cricket this summer, but to give equal energy to both. So she practiced bowling14 under Hester King's careful supervision15, and played exciting sets while Clarice Nixon stood by to watch and score.
The games appealed to Winona more than any other part of the school curriculum. She did fairly well now in her Form work, but she knew she could never be clever like Garnet, and that it was extremely unlikely that she would win laurels16 on her books. She had promised Miss Bishop17 that she would try to do credit to the school in return for her scholarship, and to help to raise its athletic reputation seemed her most feasible method of success.
"I could never get a College Scholarship, however I tried," she thought, "but—I won't say it's probable, but it's just possible that I might do something some day in the way of winning matches. Miss Bishop would be pleased at that!"
The early summer was delightful18 at Seaton. The park opposite the school was full of tulips and hyacinths, and the long avenue of trees in the Abbey Close had burst into tender green foliage19. Winona[Pg 133] studied her home lessons sitting by her open bedroom window with a leafy bower20 outside, and an accompaniment of jackdaws cawing in the old towers of the Minster. She loved this window and the prospect21 from it. There was a romantic, old-world flavor about the gray pile opposite, its carvings22 and cloisters23 and chiming bells seemed so peaceful and so far removed from modern trouble. Sometimes indeed the whirr of a biplane would disturb the quiet as an airman flittered like a great dragon-fly over the city, reminding her that medieval times were past; while a bugle24 call from the neighboring barracks emphasized the fact that the world was at war. Not that Winona was likely to forget that! Every day in school the Peace Bell prayer was read at noon, and she might see regiments25 of recruits marching up or down the High Street on their way to their training grounds. Nearly every girl in V.a. had some relation at the front, and though Winona could not boast of anybody nearer than a third cousin serving "somewhere in France," she looked for news as eagerly as the rest.
"It must be glorious to get letters from the trenches26," she said half wistfully one day to Beatrice Howell, who was exulting27 over a pencil scrawl28 written by her brother in a dug-out. "I half wish——"
"No, you don't!" snapped Beatrice. "It's a nightmare to have them in the firing line! Be thankful your brother's still safe at school."
On the subject of Percy, Winona was far from easy. He had let fall one or two hints during the[Pg 134] Easter holidays which confirmed her previous suspicion that he had got into a wrong set at Longworth College. He had written to her twice already this term, wanting to borrow money, and suggesting that, without mentioning his name, she should ask Miss Beach to lend it to her. With such a request, however, Winona had utterly29 refused to comply.
"Aunt Harriet has been so decent to us I can't begin to sponge on her," she wrote back. "Besides, she'd want to know what I wanted such a lot for, and then all the mischief30 would be out!"
Apparently31 Percy was offended, for his usual weekly letter did not appear. Winona only laughed, expecting he would soon get over his fit of sulks. She was utterly unprepared for the sequel. One day she received a note from him written on Y.M.C.A. paper and headed "Horminster." It ran thus:
"Dear Win,—I'd got into such an altogether grizzly32 hole that there was only one way out, and I've taken it. I am at present a member of His Majesty's Forces, and if you want to write to me address: Private P. D. Woodward, 17th Battalion33, Royal Rytonshire Fusiliers, Horminster.
"Your affectionate brother,
"Percy."
"P.S.—You can tell the mater if you like."
Winona, in a great state of excitement, showed the note to Aunt Harriet, who telegraphed the information to Mrs. Woodward. The latter had just[Pg 135] heard from Percy's housemaster of his disappearance34, and was greatly relieved to have news of his whereabouts. The runaway35 was below military age, and his mother's first impulse was to apply for his immediate36 discharge. But from this course her best friends dissuaded37 her. The headmaster of Longworth College and Mr. Joynson, her trustee, were unanimous in counseling her to leave the boy alone, and Aunt Harriet cordially agreed with them.
"Let the lad serve his country!" she wrote to her niece. "He is tall for his age, and if the Military Authorities have accepted him, well and good. It seems to me the one thing in the world that is likely to steady him and give him that sense of responsibility that hitherto he has so signally lacked. You will make the mistake of your life if you keep him back now."
It seemed funny to Winona to imagine Percy, so young and boyish, actually in His Majesty's uniform. He had not yet got his khaki, but he promised to have a photo taken as soon as ever he was in military garb38, and she looked forward to showing the portrait of her soldier brother to the girls in her Form. She began a pair of socks for him at once. I regret to say that Winona's patriotic39 knitting had languished40 very much during the last two terms, but this personal stimulus41 revived her ardor42. She even took her sock to the tennis court, and, emulating43 the example of Patricia Marshall and several other enthusiasts44, got quite good pieces done between the sets. She would have taken it to cricket also, but Kirsty had sternly made a by-law prohib[Pg 136]iting all knitting on the pitch since Ellinor Cooper, when supposed to be fielding, had surreptitiously taken her work from her pocket and missed the best catch of the afternoon, to her everlasting45 disgrace and the scorn of the indignant Games Captain.
Kirsty was keen at present upon each Form having its own Eleven, and had arranged some school matches as trials of skill. The first of these, Sixth v. Fifth, was fixed46 for the following Saturday afternoon. Winona, to her ecstatic and delirious47 delight, had been elected captain of the combined V.a. and V.b. Eleven, and she was looking forward to the contest as one of the events of her life. She was aware that on its success or failure might hang much of her future athletic career at school, and she was determined48 to show of what stuff she was made. She urged her team to make heroic efforts, and got all the practice in that was available. On the Thursday afternoon she gave everybody a final drilling. On Friday the pitch would be the property of the Lower School, so this was the last opportunity of play before the match.
"If any of you muff the ball or do anything stupid, I'll never forgive you!" she assured her Eleven. "The Sixth are A1 at fielding, so for goodness' sake don't disgrace our Form. Beware of Patricia's bowling. It looks simple, but it's the nastiest I know. I'd rather have Kirsty's any day, because at least you know what to expect from her, and you're on your guard. Don't try to be clever too soon; it's better not to score at all during the first[Pg 137] over than to run any risks. Evelyn, you were a mascot49 to-day! I hope you'll play up equally well on Saturday. By the by, Joyce, I really can't compliment you on your innings. What were you thinking of to make that idiotic50 blind swipe?"
"I don't know!" returned Joyce dolefully. (She was sitting on the fence looking decidedly crestfallen51.) "I'm afraid I'm rather rocky to-day, somehow."
"Got nerves? Girl alive! Do brace52 up!"
"No, it's not nerves. My head's been aching all the week, and I've a pain across my chest, and I keep shivering. I suppose I must have caught cold. It'll be a grizzly nuisance if I can't play on Saturday!"
"You must play!" urged Winona. "We've got to beat the Sixth or perish in the attempt! You go home at once, and get some hot tea, and go to bed afterwards if you don't feel better. You may stop in bed all to-morrow if it'll do you good!"
"Thank you, Grannie! Perhaps I will go home now. I really am feeling rather queer."
"She looks queer, too," said Bessie Kirk to Winona, as they stood watching Joyce's retreating figure. "I thought she was going to faint a while ago. It'll be a hideous53 nuisance if she has to be out of it."
"Our best bowler54! It's unthinkable!" groaned55 Winona.
"It's hard luck, but I'm certain Joyce won't play on Saturday," said Mary Payne.[Pg 138]
The team was feeling rather down at the prospect.
"We may throw up the sponge if Joyce is off!" mourned Olave Parry.
"Shut up, you bluebottle!" snapped Winona, decidedly out of temper. "Joyce may be absolutely well again by Saturday, and if she isn't Marjorie Kemp must take her place. Do be sporting! You'll never win if you make up your mind beforehand that you're going to lose!"
When Winona walked into V.a. on the following morning she looked anxiously in the direction of Joyce's desk, but the familiar check dress and amber56 pigtail were not to be seen. Little groups of girls were standing57 in clusters, talking in apparent consternation58.
"Well! Have you heard the news?" asked Garnet, stepping forward to meet her friend.
"No. What's the damage? You're looking very down in the dumps!"
"Joyce Newton has developed small-pox!"
"Nonsense!" exploded Winona.
"It's perfectly59 true," said Garnet, with severe dignity in her voice. "One only wishes for Joyce's sake that it wasn't! The news has only just come. Helena Maitland knows about it. She lives next door, and saw the doctor's car at the Newtons' gate this morning."
"I told you Joyce looked queer yesterday!" said Bessie Kirk.
"Suppose we all catch it!" shuddered60 Freda Long.
"Don't! It's too horrible!"
There was a feeling of utter consternation among[Pg 139] the girls as the bad news was discussed. They wondered what was going to happen.
"Miss Bishop is telephoning to the Medical Officer of Health," volunteered Olave Parry, who had been downstairs to seek fresh information.
Just then Miss Huntley came into the room, though it was not yet nine o'clock. She went at once to her desk and took the call over.
"What's going to happen about Joyce?" one or two of the girls ventured to ask her.
"I don't know yet. I expect we shall all be put into quarantine. Miss Bishop is making arrangements. In the meantime we will go on with our work."
It was wise of Miss Huntley to begin the English Language lesson, for though every one was of course very abstracted, it gave some ostensible61 occupation. Before the hour was over Miss Bishop sailed into the room. She looked pale and anxious, but spoke62 with her usual calm dignity.
"Girls," she announced, "you have heard of the very difficult situation in which the school is placed. I have rung up Dr. Barnes, the Medical Officer of Health, and he tells me that the whole of V.a. must be regarded as 'contact cases.' That means that as Joyce has been amongst you, it is possible for any of you to develop the disease. In order to avoid the spread of infection throughout the city, you will have to be most carefully kept apart. I have sent all the other girls home, and you will stay at the school during to-day. Dr. Barnes is coming this morning to re-vaccinate you, and this afternoon you[Pg 140] are to be taken to the Camp at Dunheath, where you will stay until the period of quarantine is over. Go home? Most certainly not! No girl is to leave the school on any pretext63 whatever. I am communicating with your home people and requesting that they send you a few necessary things to take to the camp, but no personal interviews can be allowed. Dr. Barnes' orders are most emphatic64. You need not be alarmed, for if you are all re-vaccinated it is highly improbable that you will be infected, and I think you will all enjoy yourselves at Dunheath."
When the Principal had gone the girls clustered round Miss Huntley to discuss the situation.
"Yes, of course I'm going with you," said the mistress. "I'm a contact case as much as anybody else! Miss Bishop tells me that Dr. Barnes will send a hospital nurse with us. It's a nuisance to be in quarantine, but it will be beautiful out in the country just now, and we'll manage to enjoy ourselves."
The girls took the matter in various fashions according to their respective temperaments65. Some were nervous, while others regarded it as a joke. The latter rallied their more timorous66 companions with scant67 mercy.
"Oh, buck68 up, you sillies!" said Marjorie Kemp, to the tearful plaints of Agatha James and Irene Mills. "Vaccination69 doesn't hurt! It's nothing but a scratch. You might be going to have your arms cut off. For goodness' sake show some pluck! Suppose you were in the trenches? The Camp will be just topping. We'll have the time of our lives!"[Pg 141]
"If we don't break out in spots!" wailed70 Irene.
"Well, wait till you do before you make a fuss. You're far more likely to catch a thing if you're afraid of it."
"Oh, I say!" said Winona, suddenly remembering Saturday's event. "The match to-morrow will be all off!"
"Hold me up! So it will! What a grizzly nuisance! Oh, the hard luck of it!"
"Well, it can't be helped! We must play the Sixth later on."
"Kirsty'll be as savage71 as we are!"
"Poor old Joyce, she's responsible for a good deal of damage!"
The rest of the day passed in an extraordinary fashion. V.a. had the whole of the school premises72 absolutely and entirely73 to itself. The Fourth Form room was turned into a temporary surgery, and Dr. Barnes installed himself there with tubes of vaccine74 and packets of new darning needles. Each girl in turn went first to Miss Bishop and had her arm thoroughly sterilized75 with boiled water and boracic lotion76, and was then passed on to the medical officer for vaccination. The scratch with the needle really did not hurt, and the little operations were soon over. Sixteen maidens77 walking about waiting for their arms to dry before re-donning their blouses made a rather comical sight. The giggles78 that ensued raised the spirits of even Agatha and Irene.
"Glad it was done on our left arms! I expect we sha'n't be in much form for cricket after this, unless we play one-handed!" laughed Winona. "By[Pg 142] the by, will there be any field we can practice on out at the camp?"
"I expect so," returned Miss Huntley. "You had better make a collection of bats, balls and stumps79 and a few tennis rackets, and also your school books. Put them all together, and Miss Bishop will have them sent to us."
The girls hastened to sort out the necessary impedimenta for cricket and tennis, but arranged piles of books with less enthusiasm, the general opinion being that it was rather stiff to be expected to do work at the Camp. They were each allowed to take a book from the school library, and Miss Huntley added a pile of foolscap paper, pens and a big bottle of ink, which the girls devoutly80 hoped might get broken on the way and thus save them the labor81 of writing exercises. They had dinner and a four o'clock tea at school, after which meal Miss Bishop, who seemed to have spent most of the day at the telephone, announced that arrangements were now completed, and that they must get ready to start. Great was the excitement when at five o'clock a motor char-à-banc made its appearance. The sixteen "contacts" and Miss Huntley took their places, their hand-bags, which had been sent from their respective homes during the course of the day, were stowed away with the rest of their luggage inside a motor 'bus, and the company, feeling much more like a picnic party than possibly infected cases, drove merrily away for their period of quarantine.
点击收听单词发音
1 fixtures | |
(房屋等的)固定装置( fixture的名词复数 ); 如(浴盆、抽水马桶); 固定在某位置的人或物; (定期定点举行的)体育活动 | |
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2 knack | |
n.诀窍,做事情的灵巧的,便利的方法 | |
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3 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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4 athletic | |
adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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5 undoubtedly | |
adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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6 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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7 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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8 prosper | |
v.成功,兴隆,昌盛;使成功,使昌隆,繁荣 | |
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9 allotted | |
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 athletics | |
n.运动,体育,田径运动 | |
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11 compulsory | |
n.强制的,必修的;规定的,义务的 | |
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12 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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13 scathing | |
adj.(言词、文章)严厉的,尖刻的;不留情的adv.严厉地,尖刻地v.伤害,损害(尤指使之枯萎)( scathe的现在分词) | |
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14 bowling | |
n.保龄球运动 | |
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15 supervision | |
n.监督,管理 | |
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16 laurels | |
n.桂冠,荣誉 | |
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17 bishop | |
n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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18 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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19 foliage | |
n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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20 bower | |
n.凉亭,树荫下凉快之处;闺房;v.荫蔽 | |
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21 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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22 carvings | |
n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 );雕刻术;雕刻品;雕刻物 | |
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23 cloisters | |
n.(学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的)走廊( cloister的名词复数 );回廊;修道院的生活;隐居v.隐退,使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24 bugle | |
n.军号,号角,喇叭;v.吹号,吹号召集 | |
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25 regiments | |
(军队的)团( regiment的名词复数 ); 大量的人或物 | |
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26 trenches | |
深沟,地沟( trench的名词复数 ); 战壕 | |
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27 exulting | |
vi. 欢欣鼓舞,狂喜 | |
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28 scrawl | |
vt.潦草地书写;n.潦草的笔记,涂写 | |
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29 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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30 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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31 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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32 grizzly | |
adj.略为灰色的,呈灰色的;n.灰色大熊 | |
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33 battalion | |
n.营;部队;大队(的人) | |
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34 disappearance | |
n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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35 runaway | |
n.逃走的人,逃亡,亡命者;adj.逃亡的,逃走的 | |
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36 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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37 dissuaded | |
劝(某人)勿做某事,劝阻( dissuade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38 garb | |
n.服装,装束 | |
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39 patriotic | |
adj.爱国的,有爱国心的 | |
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40 languished | |
长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 ); 受折磨; 变得(越来越)衰弱; 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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41 stimulus | |
n.刺激,刺激物,促进因素,引起兴奋的事物 | |
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42 ardor | |
n.热情,狂热 | |
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43 emulating | |
v.与…竞争( emulate的现在分词 );努力赶上;计算机程序等仿真;模仿 | |
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44 enthusiasts | |
n.热心人,热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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45 everlasting | |
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
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46 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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47 delirious | |
adj.不省人事的,神智昏迷的 | |
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48 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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49 mascot | |
n.福神,吉祥的东西 | |
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50 idiotic | |
adj.白痴的 | |
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51 crestfallen | |
adj. 挫败的,失望的,沮丧的 | |
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52 brace | |
n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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53 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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54 bowler | |
n.打保龄球的人,(板球的)投(球)手 | |
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55 groaned | |
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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56 amber | |
n.琥珀;琥珀色;adj.琥珀制的 | |
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57 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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58 consternation | |
n.大为吃惊,惊骇 | |
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59 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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60 shuddered | |
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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61 ostensible | |
adj.(指理由)表面的,假装的 | |
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62 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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63 pretext | |
n.借口,托词 | |
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64 emphatic | |
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的 | |
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65 temperaments | |
性格( temperament的名词复数 ); (人或动物的)气质; 易冲动; (性情)暴躁 | |
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66 timorous | |
adj.胆怯的,胆小的 | |
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67 scant | |
adj.不充分的,不足的;v.减缩,限制,忽略 | |
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68 buck | |
n.雄鹿,雄兔;v.马离地跳跃 | |
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69 vaccination | |
n.接种疫苗,种痘 | |
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70 wailed | |
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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72 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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73 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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74 vaccine | |
n.牛痘苗,疫苗;adj.牛痘的,疫苗的 | |
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75 sterilized | |
v.消毒( sterilize的过去式和过去分词 );使无菌;使失去生育能力;使绝育 | |
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76 lotion | |
n.洗剂 | |
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77 maidens | |
处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球 | |
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78 giggles | |
n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 );傻笑;玩笑;the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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79 stumps | |
(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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80 devoutly | |
adv.虔诚地,虔敬地,衷心地 | |
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81 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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