We must change the scene now, and transport our reader to one of those numerous streams which convey the surplus waters of the Andes to the warmer regions of Bolivia, and thence, through many a wild, luxuriant wilderness3 and jungle, to the Parana river, by which they ultimately find their way to the sea.
It was approaching the afternoon of a very sultry day when Lawrence awoke from his midday siesta4 under an algaroba-tree, and slowly opened his eyes. The first object they rested upon was the brown little face of Manuela, reposing5 on a pillow formed of leopard6 skin. In those regions it was the practice, when convenient, to sling7 a network hammock between two trees, and enjoy one’s siesta in that. The Indian girl lay in her hammock, with her eyes shut, and her little mouth open,—not undignifiedly open, but just sufficiently8 so to permit of one seeing something of the teeth and tongue inside.
Fascinated apparently9 by the sight, a mite10 of a blue-bird with a golden head sat on the edge of the hammock close to the little mouth, and looked in. Evidently it was a bird of an inquiring disposition12, for, having gazed for a considerable time with one eye, it turned its head, and gazed a longer time with the other. Quashy lay close to Lawrence, with his back towards him. The latter, observing that the cheek of the former was more lumpy and prominent than usual, raised himself on one elbow to look at him, and found that the lump was the result of an expansion of the mouth from ear to ear. He was wide awake, gloating over the proceedings13 of that little blue-bird, but he heard Lawrence move, and turning his head slightly round, whispered—
“Dat am berry funny—i’n’t it?”
The whisper slightly roused Manuela. She drew a long breath, vented14 a deep sigh, and effectually blew the blue-bird away.
At the same moment the whole party was roused by a wild and indescribable scream, followed by a magnificent flash of what seemed to be coloured fire.
In his half-sleeping condition, Lawrence, believing it to be the war-whoop of wild Indians, leaped up and grasped his cudgel, but nothing was to be seen save the grinning face of Quashy and the amused looks of Manuela and Pedro.
“Purrits,” remarked the negro, by way of explanation.
“What do you mean by purrits?” demanded Lawrence, half ashamed of his alarm.
“I mean what I says, massa,—purrits.”
“He means parrots,” said Pedro, with a grave smile, as he rose, and proceeded to fold up the poncho16 on which he had lain. “We’ve had many a song from these screamers, but I don’t remember ever seeing such a big flock come so near us, or scream so loud, before. They must have been attracted by your pretty face, Manuela, and could not help shouting with surprise at finding you asleep.”
Manuela laughed lightly as she stepped out of her hammock.
“They’ve just roused us in good time,” continued Pedro, looking up between the tree-tops at the sky, “for the hut of the tiger-hunter is a long way off, and I’m anxious to reach it before dark.”
In a few minutes the hammock and other camp equipage was conveyed to one of the native canoes, which lay close to the river’s bank, our travellers embarked17, and ere long were far from the spot where the siesta had been taken.
In the afternoon they stopped for a little to refresh themselves with roasted parrot, chocolate, and biscuit.
Parrots are found everywhere and in great numbers in those regions between the Atlantic and Pacific. They live and travel in large flocks, and, as every one knows, they are remarkably18 fond of using their discordant19 voices, much to the annoyance20 of sensitive travellers. Fortunately such travellers do not often go to the wild regions of South America,—when they do, they soon become un-sensitive. When parrots assemble in a flock on the trees, they keep fluttering their wings with a tremulous motion, bending down their heads and chattering21, young and old, without regard to each other or to harmony. Each seems bent22 on giving his own opinion in the loudest key, and pays no regard whatever to the opinions of others. There is something almost human in this!
It is a curious fact that, while the plumage of the parrots’ breasts is always gaudy23 and brilliant in the extreme, that of their backs is usually the colour of the general tone of the region they inhabit. In woods, where the bark of trees is chiefly bright yellow and green, their backs are of these colours. In the plains they are a mixture of green and brown, so that when skimming over a country they are not easily distinguished24, but if they chance to come unexpectedly on travellers, they sheer off with a shriek25, and expose their gaudy breasts to view.
The large flock that had so suddenly come on our friends while taking their siesta had turned off thus with a horrible scream, and revealed their gay breasts, on which the sun chanced to shine at the moment with great power, thus producing, as we have said, a splendid flash of colour.
“Massa,” inquired Quashy, as they sat in the canoe enjoying the cold meal and floating slowly with the stream, “which you likes best,—ros’ purrit or ros’ monkey?”
“Really, I’m not quite sure,” replied Lawrence; “it depends very much on appetite. If I’m very hungry, I prefer the one that comes first to hand. Which do you like best?”
“Well, I’s not kite sure needer. I t’ink sometimes dat monkey is best, but I can’t easy git ober de face.”
“How so, Quashy?”
“’Cause it am so like eatin’ a bit o’ my great-gran’moder.”
“Indeed!”
“Yes. You’s no notion how like dey all is to dat ole lady. You see, she was uncommon26 old. She come ob a long-lib race. Das whar’ it is. My moder was eighty-two, an’ my gran’moder was ninety-siven, an’ my great-gran’moder was a hun’r’d an’ sixteen, an’ dey was all alive togidder, an’ at fuss you couldn’ tell which was de oldest. Dey run neck an’ neck for a long time, but arter de great-gran’ one pass de hunr’ milestone—oh! she hoed ahead like a rattlesnake. De wrinkles an’ de crows’ foots, an’ de—de colour—jes’ like bu’nt leather! She lef’ de oders far behind, an’ looked like nuffin so much as dat poor little blear-eyed monkey you shot de oder day, what Senhorina Manuela say was so nice to eat. What! you un’erstan’ Ingliss?” added the negro, looking at the Indian girl, who had given vent15 to a half-suppressed giggle27.
“Yes—leetil,” replied Manuela, without attempting further to restrain her mirth.
Quite pleased that his remarks should afford amusement, Quashy was about to launch out extensively on the “great-gran’moder” theme, when an exclamation28 from the guide checked him.
“Look, Senhor Armstrong,” he said, arresting the progress of the canoe by a slight turn of his paddle. “Yonder is a mode of fishing which no doubt is new to you.”
Pedro pointed29 as he spoke30 to a canoe which a sharp bend of the stream had just revealed to them. Its occupants were Indians. They were almost naked, and so intent on their occupation that the arrival of our travellers had not been observed. One of the Indians, a splendid specimen31 of muscular strength, stood up in the canoe with a bow and arrow in his hands and one foot on the gunwale, quite motionless. Suddenly he drew the bow, the arrow pierced the water without causing a ripple32, and next moment a transfixed fish was struggling on the surface.
The fish was barely secured when the presence of strangers was discovered. An exclamation followed. Instantly the dark savage2 bent his bow, with the arrow pointed this time full at the breast of Pedro.
That worthy33 did not, however, seem much alarmed. He at once pushed out into the stream, and gave a shout which induced the savage not only to lower his bow, but to fling it into his canoe and throw up his arms with exclamations34 of surprise and joy.
“He knows you?” said Lawrence, looking back at Pedro, who sat in the stern of their canoe.
“Yes, he knows me. I am pretty well-known to most people in these regions. This is the tiger-hunter of whom I have spoken. His dwelling35 is not far-off.”
The meeting of the two friends was remarkably cordial, and it was evident to both Lawrence and Quashy that the white man and the brown were not only old friends, but more than usually fond of each other.
After the first salutations, both canoes were run to the bank of the stream, and when they had all landed, Pedro presented his friend to Lawrence, who shook hands with him in the English fashion.
“You have not mentioned your friend’s name,” said Lawrence.
“His name!” replied Pedro, with a laugh, “well, it is almost unpronounceable. Perhaps you had better call him by the name he goes by among his friends—Spotted36 Tiger, or, more briefly—Tiger.”
“Tell Spotted Tiger, then,” said Lawrence, “that I am happy to make his acquaintance.”
When the guide had translated this, and the Indian had returned a complimentary37 rejoinder, they continued to converse38 in the Indian tongue with much animation39, and, on the part of Spotted Tiger, with some excitement. Of course Lawrence understood nothing, but he continued to watch the expressive40 features of the savage with interest, and observed, when their glances showed they were talking of Manuela, that Tiger first raised his eyebrows41 in surprise, and then smiled peculiarly.
“Strange,” thought Lawrence, “what can he mean by that? Perhaps he knows the chief, her father, but why look surprised and smile on that account? I wish Pedro was not so secretive. However, it’s his business, not mine!”
Consoling himself with this philosophic42 thought, Lawrence re-embarked with his friends, and, accompanied by Tiger, proceeded down stream till they came to a beautiful spot where the banks widened out into a small lake or pond. On its shores, under the cool shade of many trees, stood the hut of the savage.
The scenery here was more than usually beautiful, being diversified43 not only in form, but in its wealth and variety of trees, and twining parasites44 and graceful45 ferns, with, in one place, groves46 of tall trees covered with balls of wild cotton, as large as an orange, and, elsewhere, inextricable entanglements47 of gorgeously flowering creepers, such as the most vivid imagination would fail to invent or conceive. Behind one part of the scene the setting sun shone with intense light, turning all into dark forms, while in other parts the slanting48 rays fell upon masses of rich foliage49, and intensified50 its colour.
In front of the hut a handsome Indian woman stood awaiting the arrival of her husband. She held in her arms a naked little ball of whitey-brown fat, which represented the youngest Tiger-cub of the family. Other cubs51, less whitey, and more brown, romped52 around, while up in the trees several remembrancers of Quashy’s great-great-grandmother sat grinning with delight, if not indignation, at the human beings below.
After being hospitably53 entertained by the Indian with fish, alligator54 soup, roast parrot, and young monkey, the party assembled round a fire, kindled55 outside the hut more for the purpose of scaring away wild beasts than cooking, though the little Tiger-cubs used it for the latter purpose.
Then Pedro said to Lawrence—
“Now, Senhor Armstrong, I am going to ask you to exercise a little patience at this point in our journey. The business I have in hand requires that I should leave you for two or three days. I fully56 expect to be back by the end of that time, and meanwhile I leave you and Quashy and Manuela in good company, for my friend Spotted Tiger is true as steel, though he is an Indian, and will perhaps show you a little sport to prevent your wearying.”
“Very good, Pedro. I am quite willing to wait,” said Lawrence. “You know I am not pressed for time at present. I shall be very glad to remain and see what is to be seen here, and learn Spanish from Manuela.”
“Or teach her Angleesh,” suggested the girl, bashfully.
“Certainly. Whichever pleases you best, Manuela,” returned Lawrence.
“But s’pose,” said Quashy, with a look of awful solemnity at Pedro—“s’pose you nebber comes back at all! S’pose you gits drownded, or killed by a tiger, or shot by a Injin. What den11?”
“Suppose,” retorted the guide, “that an earthquake should swallow up South America, or that the world should catch fire—what then?”
“Why den, we no care a buttin for not’ing arter dat,” replied the negro, promptly57, “but if you don’ return, we nebber reach Buenos Ayres.”
“Never fear, Quashy. If I don’t return, Spotted Tiger will guide you safely there.”
That night Pedro and his friend left the hut in a canoe, lighted by a brilliant moon. Before morning the latter returned alone.
Meanwhile Lawrence had slung58 Manuela’s hammock between two trees, with a fire on either side, yet screened from the chief camp-fire by a thick bush, so that though close at hand, and under his protection, she occupied, as it were, a separate chamber59 of her own. His own hammock and that of Quashy—for they all used hammocks—were hung side by side a little nearer to the large fire.
Mr and Mrs Tiger, with all the little Tigers, finding their hut rather warm, came outside, and also made their beds beside their visitors.
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1
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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leopard
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| n.豹 | |
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sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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8
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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poncho
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| n.斗篷，雨衣 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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18
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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discordant
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| adj.不调和的 | |
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20
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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21
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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22
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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30
spoke
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| 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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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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32
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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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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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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41
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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philosophic
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| adj.哲学的，贤明的 | |
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43
diversified
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| adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域 | |
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44
parasites
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| 寄生物( parasite的名词复数 )； 靠他人为生的人； 诸虫 | |
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45
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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entanglements
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| n.瓜葛( entanglement的名词复数 )；牵连；纠缠；缠住 | |
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48
slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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49
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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50
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
cubs
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| n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 ) | |
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52
romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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53
hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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54
alligator
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| n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼) | |
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55
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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56
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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58
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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